Selecting a Good Starter Company

Lol there's prob men like that then women[/QUOTE]


Lol

 

CrossFox

Understandable issues. You sound perfect for OTR. Just for S### and giggles call Jeff Gillespie at 605 339 8400 Midwest Coast Transportation. They drive all 48 and can put you in touch with a small fleet o/o. Midwest Coast's name is because for over 70 years they have been hauling meat to the west coast and produce back. Reefers are 100% no touch with nothing more than monitoring the reefer unit and making sure it's fueled. And BTW listening to the ###### thing while you're trying to sleep! Foam ear plugs/you get used to it.

Go with an o/o that will put you in something reliable, you won't have time for breakdowns. As a 23 yo female I urge you first and foremost be aware of your personal safety at all times. Truck stops can be dangerous places. I think you'll do great but listen to those here who will help you. Greg (65 yo granfather). When going in to a Pilot/J get on your CB and get hold of Pilot security. They monitor 19. Let them know what truck you're in and they will come help you. Just my humble thought.

 

I appreciate the affection you have for your feline friend. Two of them own me. Here's a tip: if you plan on taking your cat with you, google "PetNaturals Calming for cats". When I've transported my cats long distances they've helped keep them calm. Give them 2 not just 1. Your buddy may just protest anyway, and these chews DO help, but they won't knock him/her out and they are not miracle pills.

Best of luck to you!

 

Did you decide who to go with?

 

Stay away from WERNER!! PERIOD! RUN, RUN, RUN. The pre-hire letter that just about every newbie gets, means nothing!

I worked for them for 2 months and wished I hadn't wasted my time. They will screw you at every turn. The pay is horrible, one of the lowest in the country. (.27cmp loaded and .15cpm empty) do the math, you won't make squat!

You will be on the road with a trainer for between 6 to 8 weeks and they can give you the boot anytime. In fact the trainer may even be about your age or maybe a little older, with very little experience themselves, but with a major attitude. There is no guarantee they will cut you loose in your own truck after you complete training, but rather keep you with your trainer indefinitely.

WERNER, otherwise known as "THE BIG BLUE SCREW"

Arnold, which is owned by US Xpress is a good company. As is USX. I'm returning to them next month and really looking forward to it, they are a good company, good equipment and most of their terminals have been remolded or rebuilt, very nice.

When you refer to NO Touch Loads, it doesn't mean you have to unload the truck. Usually only dedicated runs like Dollar General or FAmily Dollar require the driver to unload. Otherwise you will mostly just drop and hook or do Live Unloads and Live Loads.

Anyway, Hope this helps. But, stay away from WERNER!

Take Care,

JST

 

CrossFox, You and I are looking for the same things. I am a 45-year old female. I haven't been to school yet, hoping to find a company that has a school and will allow pets. I am curious to know what you find.
I talked to Watkins & Shepard today. They allow you to take a pet after you have been accident free for your first 90 days. They don't have school any longer.

 

Actually, I am a nurse and Tylenol 3 is codeine and most definitely will show up on a hair follicle test. It's a Scheduled narcotic. And I just talked to a recruiter at Central. They most definitely do not allow pets in their trucks.

 

You really shouldn't consider taking a pet until you've been out on the road a couple of years.
Caring for a pet and learning this job at the same time is too much.
It's another distraction you won't need out there.
Get comfortable with the road and the schedule first.
If can't handle being alone for days at a time, don't do this.

 

I appreciate all of the advice and I am sure it is good advice. But...the dog is going. He's in my life and you don't just give away your dog that you love with all your heart. So I am going to figure out how to make it work.

 

Just a quick note, as was stated earlier by others - all the newbie companies out there are pretty much the same. My wife and I are planning to start driving team in the near future (in fact, I've already given notice to my company) and we faced the same dilemma (sans the pet).

Unfortunately at this date and time, there's not a lot of companies that still allow pet riders. Werner may have a terrible reputation with their drivers, but they *do* allow pets year around.

Swift, one of the largest global carriers, doesn't.
Schneider, another mega-newbie carrier, doesn't.
J.B. Hunt doesn't.
(etc)

Basically, most of the major carriers don't. Werner's one of the few that still does...so, the next important question is - Do you want to get some experience with a good company, or do you want to have your pet ride along for two years? Because basically, once you have 2+ years experience, you can write your own ticket with other companies that WILL allow a pet AND are fantastic companies to drive for.

My advice is simple: Focus on being a driver, not a pet owner. You're already a great pet owner, become a great driver...THEN you can learn to become a great pet-owning truck driver.