Stevens Transport

by graduating, I assume you mean from CDL school.
As starter companies go, Stevens is good. They will teach you all you need to know to be a safe professional driver.
It's up to you to apply yourself and commit to learning.
Odds are you will leave within the first two years, but what you learn will give you the skills needed to move onto another company that will likely suit your needs better.
If you have specific questions, just post and ask.

 

miscatagorized,should be under questions from new drivers.

 

My brother went to stevens a while back...he said the dot phisical is very difficult to pass is it true? He said they made him run up stairs w a heavy box and stuff if anyone has recently taken this I could use some info.....thanks

 

Seriously? Absolutely pathetic. You have nothing better to do than tell new drivers who come here for help that their post was "miscategorized"? Useless waste of air.

 

Stevens equipment is excellent. They have one of the newest fleets out there. Average age of tractors is about 18 months.
I drive one of the oldest units in the fleet. 2010 T2000. It will be sold at the end of August when it hits close to 500,000 miles.
Stevens runs mostly KW 660's and 700's along with Pete 589's.
They are getting ready to place the next order of tractors, KW 680's and the corresponding Petes. (don't know the model #) These will eventually become the fleet standard, replacing the 660's and 700's.
All tractors are equiped with an APU and 1500 watt inverter.
Stevens is excellent about maintenance and care for the units. If it needs repairs, they do it. No questions asked.

All new applicants must pass a Stevens physical. This has standards slightly higher than DOT, but if you're in reasonable health, there shouldn't be any problem.
Most common applicant problems with physical are drug screens (you'd be amazed at the number of people that pee dirty!), Blood pressure (must be less than 139/90) or lack of information concerning a previous surgery or injury.
It's important that if you decide to go to Stevens, you have all supporting documentation on any previous surgery or injury. Broke an arm 30 years ago? Be prepared to give them the details (i.e. right ulna, 1982. Mercy Hospital, San Diego, CA. Richard Smith, MD (619) 555-1212)
It really speeds things up.
They may put you thru a little more observation or physical tests to verify you are fit to drive. As an example, I had a serious auto accident in 1974 with whiplash injuries. The doctor did a quick peripheral vision check, had me squat down with arms extended and I was declared fit.
It's not a problem. In my case, all I could remember was the name of the hospital, where it happened and approximate date.

The pay is about the same as most other training companies. It's not great, but not impossible either. The real question is what is your cost of living and what are you use to earning. Trainees, during the training period are paid $350 per week. When you go solo, you start at 0.26 and after one year are at 0.30.
Now if you're use to earning $1,400 per week, but were laid off, this is a hard adjustment. If you're use to earning $400 per week, it's not hard.
Everyone has different needs.
However, you must learn to run lean if you're going to make it.
As a trainer, I show my students how to eat cheaply on the road and contain costs. A $40 microwave from Walmart and a small 12v cooler will pay for themselves in the first 30 days.
I hope this clears up your questions or common misconceptions.
Feel free to post any questions you may have, or better yet go to the Stevens thread and ask. Most of us post under the Aviary thread.

 

Stevens has always maintained good equipment. When I was there from 1998-2000, I changed trucks 5 times. My first two trucks were single bunk KW T600's. Most of those were at the end of their leases by the time I came on with Stevens so next came two T600 double bunk sleepers and my final truck was a T2000 as by the time I got that truck, they were in the process of converting the entire fleet from T600's to T2000's

The T2000 was my favorite as it was governed at 68 mph being an ex-senior driver truck that the shop forgot to turn down to 64. I still managed to make the minimum 6.2 mpg with that truck. All those trucks had Cummins N14's and were diehard good trucks.

 

not to dis on Stevens but .30 after a year? i was earning .30 a mile in 2001 pulling a refrigerated trailer.
sign of the times i reckon.