I Start With Averitt in January 2012

Enjoying your updates Mike. I am considering Averitt in the future upon my retirment. I do not have my CDL yet and have not decided whether I am going to get it on my own with a trucking school or go through a company training program somewhere. I saw on Averitts website they are hiring now with 4 months experience. I know I have to get that experience first and am looking forward to going OTR but eventually would like to be home more, maybe the ltl type thing perhaps, I see a lot of them around here, I live close to one of their locations. How long does it take to work into that with Averitt? Almost everything I have seen about Averitt looks positive. Thanks again!

 

Any info on their dedicated runs? They have one on their website that goes by where I live. Ad says it pays less per mi. but they add drop pay. Seems like it might work for me. Enjoy reading the travelogue.

 

Not sure what that could be, but maybe Petco, just guessing. Last time I was at their warehouse in Braselton, we had trucks in there. But it could be something I don't know about.

It took me three years to get on Dedicated Mercedes. I just got a call out of the blue one day. I took a cut in mileage pay but that was my choice and I love my schedule. Most Mercedes drivers are out of Birmingham but there is a shipper close to me in GA that ships six loads a week to the plant in Vance AL.

I got home at noon today and leave out Wednesday morning. Occasionally I roll in late Saturday night, giving me four nights at home. It's 2297 miles. Maybe not alot to some folks but all I need. In my third year on the run and it has never changed.

 

Just like they say in realestate, location location location.

There are some locations that hire LTL right off the street at times and others where you could wait years for an opening, depending on turnover and demand. The same goes for dedicated runs.

 

Thanks Mustang, everything with Averitt looks like experience is needed. I still have some time to decide. Would not mind getting on with them right off the bat but I do hear it is difficult even with experience. Guess I might have to go over there and ask a driver how things are at this location (My house is about 20 minutes way from it). Say safe mustang!

 

You're welcome, smokey. Things are always subject to change in accordance with the laws of supply and demand. I remember a period in 2007 when business was booming, Averitt was buying new trucks and trying to fill them. They were hiring inexperienced drivers directly from school, providing they met certain criteria.

Then, approaching the 2008 Presidential election, when commerce nationwide started tanking, demand decreased sharply and Averitt reverted back to requiring experience, not being in such a need for new drivers. In fact, we went through a period of more than a year that no hiring took place at all.

 

Was there a Conway freight truck waiting to dock when you pulled out?