Roehl Transport

Please forgive me but would most of the group say YES to working with Roehl or NO? I drove for Overnite back in 1982/1983 but went on to another career until now. I want to drive again and I must start all over. The game seems to have changed quite a bit and my long ago experience doesn't help me today. So I am wanting to find a good company to start with and hope I can stay on for several years. Looking seriously at Crete/Shafer, (CT in Bridgeport AL)Coastal Transport, Roehl; possibly Maverick or Sharkey. Any other suggestions or helpful info appreciated. My priority is I would prefer home weekly in SE region. Prefer a dependable ride with an honest company and good benefits. I would prefer a happy career with less money than more wealth with more misery! Thanks in Advance, T Morris

 

Well I say yes, I starting 2-25-08 for my training in Marshfield WI.. I heard its one of the better training schools. so I'll just my 1 yr. if I don't like it and git out.

 

They should have a bathing policy for trainers. After 7 days in EVO I with a trainer who swore by Clorox wipes I had enough. Oh, that and the day that started at 6:30 AM and ended at 2:30 the next morning, with a little "adjustment" of the log books.
My time at Roehl tells me they need to stop running it like a mom and pop operation. Some of the stuff I saw and heard would not be happening in a properly run corporation,.....well then again it might. A family friend's child being brought in for an internship that rewrote/screwed up alot of the directions. The RDTC crew is outstanding. A great place to get your cdl. After that good luck. But you have to start somewhere.

 

Actually I miss the days when it really was a mom and pop operation. When a dispatcher was a dispatcher, not a driver service representative. When they gave you a load and as long as it got there on time and in one piece thats what mattered. When they gave you a book and said here are the fuel stops, you figure out when and where to fuel. When your dispatcher was an old trucker not a college kid who couldn't find a job in his major and settled on that. I went to college for five years, I can't remember anyone saying they wanted to a be a trucking dispatcher when they graduated. When a student had one or two trainers not three or four. Believe me it is not the mom and pop operation it used to be. The more they grow the more corporate they become. Be careful what you wish for.

The qualcomm directions have been messed up ever since they put them in the trucks. I finally broke down and bought a GPS. Now between the GPS, qualcomm, map, and sometimes calling the customer I usually get where I am going. Once you have found a place it is a heckavu lot easier to find it the next time.

If you are in Evo I the trainer and student are supposed to have matching log books for the first five days. Sometimes, after playing tiddlywinks for five days the trip planners "make up for it" and give you a 700 or 800 mile run to do in one day. It is hard to judge something by one or two weeks. Some weeks I take a shower every day. Some weeks I only have time to take one or two. Most weeks though its probably every other day. I remembered when I started. I thought for sure I was going to get a full eight hours sleep every night. I was going to get up have breakfast, take a shower every day, and have time to stop for lunch and supper too. It didn't take long for reality to set in.

 

Sometimes, you can actually use google maps, satellite view, to find your docks on both ends before leaving your terminal/previous drop/truckstop.

Go to "googlemaps dot com" and input the address of where you want to go. You can use that to get an idea of how big the lot is, if there is any overnight parking, whatever, at your next stop.

 

Hey hammer I wish I had seen your post sooner. Hell I wish you'd a called me when you needed a new dispatcher. That I can make happen for my guys correcting corporate bs well your on your own there. Well Roehl's loss I guess. I have another guy who left(Very similar reasons) he went to Lisa truck lines and is very happy there. Hope that helps take care be safe(I really do mean that).

 

Preach on soul sister about life about six years ago, I think that's when I really started noticing the change. Seems it started about the time leon started that it went down hill fast. I also feel it every time I hear a vm from Rog. Is leon still here? Not sure if Ray replaced him after being replaced by him. Haven't heard or seen him in a while.

 

I left Roehl in May of 2007, because I felt is was time to retire. I found Roehl to be a very good company to drive for. In my opinion,if you cant get along at Roehl,your not gonna get along anywhere. After all folks it is a job driving a truck and not an extended vacation. I started at Roehl with 15 years driving experience. I also did a short stint with Swift,and believe me there is no comparison.

 

Trying to count the votes from the replies ...
1 Yes, 1 No, 1 probably yes, 1 wouldn't probably
1 no say but .....................

OK anybody that will comment on the other companies mentioned?
The game seems to have changed quite a bit and my long ago experience doesn't help me today. So I am wanting to find a good company to start with and hope I can stay on for several years. Looking seriously at Crete/Shafer, (CT in Bridgeport AL)Coastal Transport, Roehl; possibly Maverick or Sharkey. Any other suggestions or helpful info appreciated. My priority is I would prefer home weekly in SE region. Prefer a dependable ride with an honest company and good benefits. I would prefer a happy career with less money than more wealth with more misery!