Averitt or Heartland Express

I just do not feel like arguing, so was letting this thread go.
I have given the good the bad and the ugly in this and many other threads.
With all that said I am still with heartland. Not because I have to be, but by choice.
The pay is not as good as I have gotten at other company's.
The miles are ok for a 5 to 5.5 day out week. But low for running system (heartland OTR)
So I stay in the regional fleet. This also lowers my income by .04 cpm. Since the system drivers get a higher per mile rate.
I am still averaging around 2200 per week. I still get home at least every other weekend.
I actually did not think I would make it home this weekend. Since I got stuck in Mass this morning and we do not have a ton of weekend freight that I thought would get me out of here.
But they found me a load, from a shipper that is new to me, that will have me home as soon as I can run to grab the load and get there.
Will also be good miles. So I will be home at noon Saturday till Monday morning. And have almost 800 miles in at the end of the day Monday already for the week.

My dispatcher gets use to me going with the flow at times and when that happens things slip up. Then I have to place the wake up call to him, and he starts working for me again.
I do this well, and without ######## or whining. So he works with me to fix my issues.

No company is for everyone. They all have issues. Heartland has quite a few.
Myself and others are trying to work with the management team to try and change some of the practices. Will it help? I do not know. But it is worth trying.
They need drivers. They need to know what they need to do to retain and get more.
So the more we let them know the more they will think about it.

 

I don't work there..but since you're in the Atl..check G and P trucking..They have a terminal in Ellenwood off of I-675. Starting pay is .36..They run a lot of southeast,midwest and southwest..And a ton of stuff for the BMW plant in Greer,SC out of Laredo..Just google G and P trucking..I met an Averitt driver in NJ this week..Said he was only getting 1800 mi a week..They ran an ad in the local paper a few Sundays ago..Just wanted to get his take..

 

Well this is the first time i can report on heartland. I been out for two weeks and i can say they have been giving me lots of miles. always had a preplan on me before i dropped. Yes the inspection bays can be a pain sometimes but with csa 2010 where if dot finds anything wrong with your truck you get points against you. Id say i feel comfortable about condition of truck and trailer when i am on the road. If you get too many points against you nobody will want to hire you. There is no perfect company. we all will find something wrong with any company we look at. So everything is positive with heartland right now. I have a great fm who is very respectful and listens to your concerns. I will report more when I can

 

well its funny how things could change. Just got back home. this past week was horrible. didn't get good miles. Then this morning my dispatcher told me i am off all weekend and to call in on sunday to get info for preplan. well before i even get back to terminal i get a preplan that has me coming in on sunday. lies lies tell me sweet little lies. come on you know the song. I am hoping things turn around or i may end up working elsewhere. I always felt honesty is the best policy.

 

I would tell them you do not want that load.
I have done it on several occasions.
If I am home for the weekend I am going to get a restart. At the minimum. And I will leave out on Sunday, if I get home on Friday. But I will leave out late in the day.
Most times I am not home till Saturday and out on Monday.
My dispatcher learned a long time ago not to lie to me. I know others still do though.

 

well i worked for averitt from april 2010 til jan 2011 and it started off good then mile dropped off bad some weeks only 1400 miles one week i was gone 5 days and only got 769 miles.i went to work for a smaller company but they are killing me no rest at all i am trying to get on with heartland now i cant take the 2 or 3 hours of sleep a day anymore. i am going to go on the southern regionol out of atlanta. myself with all the new csa stuff i will be happy to do paperless logs and the inspection bays at least i know that will help keep me out of trouble some. and i can get rest again. i live in alabama so i am hoping this will be a good move.

 

Nothing wrong with Heartland but the slow trucks would be a snooze fest.I know couple of Averitt drivers,the pay is good and they seem really happy.
My cousin did night runs all drop and hook and made great money.
Thins may have changed since then,,,