Companies to avoid:

All the large mega carriers are lousy to work for (Swift, Knight, Conway, Prime, England, Hunt, etc. etc). Regardless of what anybody tells you on this forum, you'll make about $600 bucks a week, average, to work upwards of 100 hours a week. And to top it off, if you want family medical insurance, you'll be paying the equivalent of up to a week's wages, per month.
In anticipation of the company "flag wavers" that endlessly defend these corporate crooks, I will say yet again: If you are considering going to work for ANY large carrier... Don't! And please go to any truck stop and personally speak with drivers! Ask them about pay and conditions. And make sure that you ask them about AVERAGE miles per week over at least a 6 month period. Assuming you can find anyone who has even stayed working under these terrible conditions for that long. Remember; over 98 percent of new drivers WILLINGLY leave. And not because they're not "tough" enough. It's because they quickly realize that they deserve so much better.
I've often wondered why anyone in their right mind would actually defend driving for a large, mega carrier. Here's my conclusion:
1. Total Denial
2. Totally Ignorant
3. Writer is actually posting false, positive information with the anticipation of some type of compensation from whatever company he/she is working for. Might even be the company president!
Good luck!
And don't forget to go to those truck stops and get the real truth in person!

 

They DO leave. To the tune of over 98 percent. And along with personally speaking with other drivers, I would also recommend a visit to ooida.com. Valuable information there.

 

exactly. i make more taking some junk freight. because they make up for it with some very decent loads.

 

So the OP has never worked for any of these companies, yet he can comb thru these forums and make the assumption they are bad companies.

Gathering data on a company isn't the same as working for them.

Why they keep permitting these post? For every driver that bad mouths a company, there is one that is perfectly content. Its the industry.

 

your 3 selections could represent your kind as well. You need to speak the truth's , I work for JB and never brought home $600 a week its a lot more than that. If your working for a small company good luck, I have been with three and they are no longer going... The mega companies are a very secured job, Bash away and insult drivers like me all you want, I know at the end of the day I have a job and money in the bank.

 

I think a companys turnover rate tells a lot about a company.
If a company has high turnover , it is probably a bad company.

 

You forgot "navajo", they have no itegrity of any kind.

 

See, this is what cracks me up. "Talk to their drivers if you want the real truth!"

I cannot understand why, with an industry as fluid as ours is, that you would stay with a company you hated and not move to another one unless there was some other factor involved. I've only been in the industry for two years and pretty much everyone like this falls into the same categories.

1) They're upset with the state of the economy in general and take it out on the company they work for
2) They can't get hired somewhere else either because they screwed up or they're locked into some sort of contract (leave before a year and you're responsible to pay back the money we gave you to go to CDL school)
3) They're new (or starting from scratch after years of being out of the industry for one reason or another) and they don't realize you're going to be working in an incredibly sucky job for about two years before a good, reputable company will hire you; you have to earn your lumps and show that you have a good driving history.

I have yet to meet a driver who complained about his company with the vehemence of some of the posters here on this forum that didn't fall into one of those three categories.

What specifically is wrong with Swift that isn't the same with all other major companies? I was homeless living in my car before I went to work for them - they were the only ones willing to give me a chance. In two years I've moved to a different state, got a beautiful apartment, two cars, have a good social life, and a local run that means I'm home every night. Swift didn't give me my life back, they've helped me build a new one.

 

Depends on the company. Starter companies like Werner, Swift, England, Prime, etc (most of the people on the OP's list) have a much higher turnover rate because that's the company they happen to be with when they find out that trucking just isn't for them.

The rates are a lot lower at other companies that only hire people with years of experience such as Fedex or Walmart.

 

Well said.