US Xpress...my experience so far

Klatu · Aug 20, 2012

wood600rr said: ↑

Quick background...I quit my job several months ago with plans to stay in the same line of work (auto sales), but my friend convinced me to go to CDL school with him and try out a new career. Well, we took a 320-hour school based in central Florida (Flagler Tech Institute) and I can't say enough good things about the school. There were only 5 students in our class and we had 3 instructors most of the time. Needless to say, we all got a ton of seat time and practice during the school. During the class we applied to US Xpress and Schneider for a job as team OTR drivers. Schneider turned us down because of where we live but USX gave us a pre-hire. We attended orientation at Tunnel Hill and after 3 days we both got hired on for training.

I competed my 120 hours BTW training in 4 weeks (would have been 3-1/2 but our truck broke down once) and my friend/co-driver finished one day before me, so we met back up in Tunnel Hill to do our upgrade test which we both passed (they make that part fairly easy, they want you to pass). After one day in the hotel waiting on a truck they assigned us a brand new 2013 International Prostar+ with 10-speed standard transmission (both of our trainers had automatics which we didn't like so we were happy to see a stick in there). After a few hours getting it prepped we took our first assignment and were up and running.

As a ready-made team, we definitely feel like they are catering to us quite well, we have been on the road for exactly 32 days and have logged 25,817 miles so far, with one week being 7,192 miles in itself. We have never waited longer that a couple hours for a load assignment, and we take everything that they send us, even re-powers and tractor recoveries. We took a load to Laredo on a Friday night and when we arrived there were a dozen drivers there waiting on a load, but we got assigned a load to New Jersey within 15 minutes of dropping there. All of our expenses have been reimbursed and they are paying us back for the school (it was only $2,800) at $150/month PLUS we qualified for the $5,000 team sign-on bonus which will come in 3 installments Plus Hazmat reimbursement plus $.48/mile after our first 8 weeks at $.32/mile.

The only complaint I have so far is that it is sometimes difficult to get a hold of a FM, I hate waiting for an answer when I need to get rolling right away, but I understand that they are busy and sometimes I am going to have to wait. There's a lot more to my story so feel free to ask any questions you have and I'll get to them as soon as I can, I just got a laptop and internet in the truck after not having it for 8 weeks so I'll try to get on here when I can.

Be safe out there...
Click to expand...

That's when your partner comes in handy. Put him on the phone while you are running.

wood600rr · Aug 20, 2012

That's what we try to do, but sometimes sleep gets in the way....

NoCoCraig · Aug 20, 2012

Royburker said: ↑

where do u go in canada and mexico? i think its just a few hundred miles inside the border of canada! How about in mexico, just to Laredo?
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USX will not send you into Mexico. You will drop your load at the border (usually our terminal in Laredo) Xpress International (sister company) takes load across the border. The only loads we have run into Canada have been dedicated routes that we repowered.

STap · Aug 29, 2012

wood600rr said: ↑

Quick background...I quit my job several months ago with plans to stay in the same line of work (auto sales), but my friend convinced me to go to CDL school with him and try out a new career. Well, we took a 320-hour school based in central Florida (Flagler Tech Institute) and I can't say enough good things about the school. There were only 5 students in our class and we had 3 instructors most of the time. Needless to say, we all got a ton of seat time and practice during the school. During the class we applied to US Xpress and Schneider for a job as team OTR drivers. Schneider turned us down because of where we live but USX gave us a pre-hire. We attended orientation at Tunnel Hill and after 3 days we both got hired on for training.

I competed my 120 hours BTW training in 4 weeks (would have been 3-1/2 but our truck broke down once) and my friend/co-driver finished one day before me, so we met back up in Tunnel Hill to do our upgrade test which we both passed (they make that part fairly easy, they want you to pass). After one day in the hotel waiting on a truck they assigned us a brand new 2013 International Prostar+ with 10-speed standard transmission (both of our trainers had automatics which we didn't like so we were happy to see a stick in there). After a few hours getting it prepped we took our first assignment and were up and running.

As a ready-made team, we definitely feel like they are catering to us quite well, we have been on the road for exactly 32 days and have logged 25,817 miles so far, with one week being 7,192 miles in itself. We have never waited longer that a couple hours for a load assignment, and we take everything that they send us, even re-powers and tractor recoveries. We took a load to Laredo on a Friday night and when we arrived there were a dozen drivers there waiting on a load, but we got assigned a load to New Jersey within 15 minutes of dropping there. All of our expenses have been reimbursed and they are paying us back for the school (it was only $2,800) at $150/month PLUS we qualified for the $5,000 team sign-on bonus which will come in 3 installments Plus Hazmat reimbursement plus $.48/mile after our first 8 weeks at $.32/mile.

The only complaint I have so far is that it is sometimes difficult to get a hold of a FM, I hate waiting for an answer when I need to get rolling right away, but I understand that they are busy and sometimes I am going to have to wait. There's a lot more to my story so feel free to ask any questions you have and I'll get to them as soon as I can, I just got a laptop and internet in the truck after not having it for 8 weeks so I'll try to get on here when I can.

Be safe out there...
Click to expand...

So what's the lowest miles you have gotten thus far? Me and the hubby will b going to school soon. And US Xpress looks really good for husband and wife teams. Just trying to get all the facts straight so I know what to expect.

NoCoCraig · Aug 29, 2012

STap said: ↑

So what's the lowest miles you have gotten thus far? Me and the hubby will b going to school soon. And US Xpress looks really good for husband and wife teams. Just trying to get all the facts straight so I know what to expect.
Click to expand...

Lowest miles for a full week we were running was 4200. You can also check out our blog (in my signature) that will be a good source for what the job/lifestyle is like. We are a married team and have been with USX 21 months

flood · Aug 29, 2012

craig is right they WILL NOT send to in to mexico. we run loads all the time in and out of laredo

STap · Aug 29, 2012

NoCoCraig said: ↑

Lowest miles for a full week we were running was 4200. You can also check out our blog (in my signature) that will be a good source for what the job/lifestyle is like. We are a married team and have been with USX 21 months
Click to expand...

Thats great. I've sent a reply on your blog. Thanks for the info!!

STap · Aug 29, 2012

wood600rr said: ↑

Quick background...I quit my job several months ago with plans to stay in the same line of work (auto sales), but my friend convinced me to go to CDL school with him and try out a new career. Well, we took a 320-hour school based in central Florida (Flagler Tech Institute) and I can't say enough good things about the school. There were only 5 students in our class and we had 3 instructors most of the time. Needless to say, we all got a ton of seat time and practice during the school. During the class we applied to US Xpress and Schneider for a job as team OTR drivers. Schneider turned us down because of where we live but USX gave us a pre-hire. We attended orientation at Tunnel Hill and after 3 days we both got hired on for training.

I competed my 120 hours BTW training in 4 weeks (would have been 3-1/2 but our truck broke down once) and my friend/co-driver finished one day before me, so we met back up in Tunnel Hill to do our upgrade test which we both passed (they make that part fairly easy, they want you to pass). After one day in the hotel waiting on a truck they assigned us a brand new 2013 International Prostar+ with 10-speed standard transmission (both of our trainers had automatics which we didn't like so we were happy to see a stick in there). After a few hours getting it prepped we took our first assignment and were up and running.

As a ready-made team, we definitely feel like they are catering to us quite well, we have been on the road for exactly 32 days and have logged 25,817 miles so far, with one week being 7,192 miles in itself. We have never waited longer that a couple hours for a load assignment, and we take everything that they send us, even re-powers and tractor recoveries. We took a load to Laredo on a Friday night and when we arrived there were a dozen drivers there waiting on a load, but we got assigned a load to New Jersey within 15 minutes of dropping there. All of our expenses have been reimbursed and they are paying us back for the school (it was only $2,800) at $150/month PLUS we qualified for the $5,000 team sign-on bonus which will come in 3 installments Plus Hazmat reimbursement plus $.48/mile after our first 8 weeks at $.32/mile.

The only complaint I have so far is that it is sometimes difficult to get a hold of a FM, I hate waiting for an answer when I need to get rolling right away, but I understand that they are busy and sometimes I am going to have to wait. There's a lot more to my story so feel free to ask any questions you have and I'll get to them as soon as I can, I just got a laptop and internet in the truck after not having it for 8 weeks so I'll try to get on here when I can.

Be safe out there...
Click to expand...

Newbie question: when you drive for a company and don't lease or own... What are some (if any) things you write off for taxes??

none · Sep 1, 2012

Right now USX claims to have the Wall mart accounts?
Did Swift lose them? Think so, they undercut triple crown by 20% ? Wall mat got what it paid for.

Also have been thinking about going with USX. Run there Wall mart accounts. The recurter for TDI was telling me that it is an easy run. Up and down the I-69
After I go to TDI In Indianapolis.

STap · Sep 1, 2012

Another newbie question... Does USX force per deim... Well ok not force.. But do they really really push for it??

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