Knight Transportation

Not trying to Bragg here buddy. I can afford all this doing otr. My secret you ask? Try a 700 plus credit score. A $1000 mortgage payment. A $400 car payment. Bills are usually $300 monthly. Can't anybody make it on a otr salary? Yes they can. But let's face it. Most people that try otr usually fail. Then blame everyone else for it.

Otr DOES provide living wages. Do the wages "justify" the type of work we all do out here? Maybe not. But don't say you cannot live off of $900 a week because its weird if you can't.

Lots of people getting into trucking as a last resort. They're the half aced workers companies don't like. These companies don't care. You screw with them. They'll screw you back 10x fold. I know. Its been done to me.

I had to learn the hard way.

 

how much northeast do you see going OTR out of cali?

 

Never. I haven't been east of Texas in the last couple years.

 

When I did OTR, I ran from Texas to Florida, up the east coast, out to Chicago, down to the outer edges of Iowa and down to Texas. Everything in between that so called triangle is what I ran. I expressed to my DM once when freight was slow that if I need to run west than I will. I got about as far as the Phoenix yard and got a load coming back to OK. Needless to say I didn't run west of the Rockies.

 

I would much rather run west of the mississippi, I've been on the east coast and its to crowded for me the citys are too close and 500 mile day wear me out with all the traffic than a 500 mile day on hills and open road.I would give knight OTR a shot if i could get that.

 

What is the process for switching terminals and/or FMs...? Does such a request for change come with retribution and/or other subtle malice?

Is payroll processed at the terminal level, or is it processed at a corporate level?

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I took the half day to read the SMAGGS thread, and now reading this one, I feel like a moth flying to close to the flame by considering going with Squire/Knight.

The thing is--is that I just cannot get an non-bottom feeder company to consider me. Ma & Pa's want experience or I have to drive as a team member.

Been there-done the latter with a twenty-something Cuban that had no problem going down icy mountains in Utah pegging the speedometer a 95 mpg---with doubles!! Yes, it was for a company contracted to haul for FedEx Ground.

LTLs are not hiring in my area until Mid-March--or later, and even then I will likely be on the docks ten of my fourteen hours, if I get full-time hours, and not CDL driving.

I figure three months at Squire to get trained as a TRAINEE and not as a SECOND SEAT team driver, then, I will just have to bite the bullet, put some tobasco sauce on it, ketchup, ice cream, and what ever else to swallow another three months of rancidity.

I then will plead to the warden that with six months of 'hard labor', I will be on 'pardoned' from the 'penal colony' as Trucker Dave so eloquently puts it. Upon release, I will then scour the landscape for a better company, a real means to earn a living, that which is above the poverty level.

 

You can't be considered until you gain some experience. So yes only the "bottom feeder" companies as you put it will take you on.

 

I tried several times to transfer terminals. I live in Dallas but Hutchins was just a mud lot when I started. Then they built the terminal and I figured I would transfer but Katy wouldn't let me go.

Payroll, there's about six people in Phoenix that handle it. You will call them three or four times to get reimbursed for a scale or toll. You need to choose daily pay. You can turn your bills in once a week if you want, it doesn't matter. Daily pay gives you greater control but most importantly it enables you to get reimbursed quicker, tomorrow instead of next week.

You will end up at other terminals a lot and Knight is basically 30 different companies backstabbing and competing against each other. Pick up on Monday near your home a 1400 mile load delivering Thursday? Should deliver Wednesday, they might let you t-call it, they might not. Unload and maybe get a 500 mile load delivering Monday.

That's Knight...you can always do better and you'll be hard pressed to find a driver that's been there longer than a few months. They are what they are and I feel they go out of there way to blatantly exploit those that don't know any better.

 

Ok, So I was browsing the interwebs for the heck of it tonight why I do my 10 hours and came across this thread, so I figured I would add my 2cents.

So, I have worked for Knight now for just over a Year I work for the Refrigerated side of the company. (Basically the red headed stepchild of knight)

I stay here because I like the terminal and my DM is honest, friendly and pass's me miles. Also when I want home time I'm shot that way right away, if I need a day off he has me back there the day before I need to be home. They never complain about my home time or how much time I take off. I cleared last year just over 52k for OTR and that's with me taking sometimes a week + off for home time. Needless to say they are decent to me which is more then I can say for 90% of the company's out here.

I just wanted to add this for people to try to get a balanced view. I would agree with other posters try a different terminal or a new DM It may help out loads. Ill stay here until they quit treating me like a human the money is decent for my needs and my wife and kids see me often.

Also, Just on a mileage here is what I have ran sense Wednesday of this last week.

Boise, ID to Huntley IL. Delivered
Chicago to Phoenix AZ (Current Run - Ill be in Phoenix Yard in the morin) "Drop"
Total Mileage just under 3500 Miles and its only Sat! will be Sunday when I drop this load in the Yard.
Next load will most likely be a Casa Grande load to Salt lake City.

Please don't mislead people on Mileage or loads. If your willing to work the Miles are always there. And if the company knows you will do your job they always seem happy to give them up.

 

Pretty nice review , we shall see......