nice trucks

NOT TRUE AT ALL!

My company will give ya a brand new 2012 KW T-700!

 

Chompi Central has been putting new drivers in brand new cascadias. even my prostar was relatively new...

 

a classmate from central got a 2011 prostar with 180k on it.

 

I'm outa Sioux Falls SD and I see a ton of TMC around here, suprised you couldn't get home time.

 

Yea Dryver, but TMC has over 2000 trucks. You aren't seeing the same ones in Sioux Falls area over and over. For awhile I was averaging home every 4 or 5 weeks. A TMC driver in Harrisburg, SD moved, so he'd,get home more instead of changing jobs. That's probably what I should have done.

 

Many of the larger fleets have newer trucks to meet large shipper requirements concerning age of fleet. The shippers equate that with dependability.
Lets face it. Companies only pay as much as they have to. If they pay more up front for a rookie, then it's generally because they have trouble attracting someone. Could be working conditions, could be safety, could be freight troubles.
If they have good equipment, good freight and treat their workers half way decent, they don't need to pay more.

 

our company got new volvos all years slowly.
the first ones to get them were guys who been with the company less then 2 years some less then one year. several of them are also considered to be problem drivers, ie people have called in on them for doing dumb stuff.
we have a fleet of about 22 trucks here in the nw running mt, or, id, wa, and canada.

so to answer your question, yes a newer driver can get his hands on a new rig. at least at my work they did. we have alot of pissed off drivers right now cause of it and some have even quit. i am also in the process of looking for a different outfit to drive for. not because of the trucks but because of the other changes they seem fit to implement

 

Tthe department I work in only gets used hand me downs. Our newest was an 05 columbia with 180k on it when we got it. Its being replaced because 3 people in a daycab is rediculous. Getting replace with an 07 9200i

 

To search out a company based on how new the truck is foolish. It will hurt you in the long run. You need to look for how much experience you'll gain from their training and if that company is giving new trucks to new drivers then so be it. It looks like you're not doing enough research on companies in making your choice. Also I hope you're looking beyond what some recruiter is telling you.

You first couple of years are your learning years and the more you know the better the job will be in the future. It's the time when you ask the most questions and drive what they give you. Learn that truck inside and out. If it's junk then turn it around so you're not in the shop all the time. It may take some time of your own but you will benefit from any time you're learning about the workings of that tractor.