I Start With Averitt in January 2012

Discussion in 'Averitt' started by bigmikectn, Dec 19, 2011.

  1. bigmikectn

    bigmikectn Medium Load Member

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    Nov 24, 2009
    Cleveland, TN
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    Hey gunner710 and jbstrucker, thanks for the nice words. This thread started out to be an open and honest discourse about my experience with Averitt. I had experienced the trucking company BS before and I wanted to tell a truthful story about my experience from before day one. When I went to orientation I fully expected for the recruiter lies to be uncovered and the true colors of management types to show up. I was delightfully surprised when I discovered there was none of that.

    My 19 months with Averitt has had many ups and very few downs. If they could have provided consistent miles the last few months I would not have felt the need to start looking elsewhere. When my DM called me to tell me he was quitting he told me that he saw me as a guy with many talents and I needed to look at other things besides driving a truck. He also was very concerned for my welfare after the new hours of service rules take affect. He saw some things coming down the pike as a FM that he wasn't too thrilled about. On my last day yesterday I got a few qualcomm messages that made me think making a move to another profession might be a good choice. I am not trying to be a doomsdayer but I think there are going to be some real communication problems and mess ups when they start dealing with more and more drivers not getting a legal 34 hour reset in on the weekends and you have more and more drivers running on retread hours. Just my opinion.

    My last load assignment was to go from Little Rock AR up north to Harrison AR. It was a very beautiful drive up US 62-65. When I got there they had me loaded quickly and I started heading back toward I-40. With my 14 running down I stopped for the night at a scenic view next to the highway. I ate my dinner as I watched the sun set over the rolling hills of the Ozark Mountains. It was the type of scene you see on those glossy truck driving school brochures but rarely see in real life day to day driving. It was a nice way to spend my last night in the sleeper. I got up early and headed out as soon as I was legal and made it to Chattanooga around 7pm last night. God has a sense of humor because the only rain I experienced the entire trip was a gully washer coming down Monteagle for the last time and another strong rain storm as I pulled into the yard to drop my trailer. I got soaked. LOL

    After I got Clifford the Big Red Truck unloaded and cleaned up I put my ID badge, Comdata Card and my gate key into my weekly trip envelope as I was instructed to do and I turned my truck key into Dispatch at the yard. It was honestly a bittersweet moment. The voices in my head that have always screamed out to me suggestions of failure started up. "You'll never be able to feed your family selling cars. You'll go broke." For a brief moment I remembered other things they have said to me in the past. As a ten year old kid who fell in love with radio and decided he wanted to be a disc-jockey when he grew up they said, "You are shy and you stutter. You'll never make it." In reality I enjoyed a 30 year career in radio in some pretty large markets like Denver, Phoenix, San Diego, Atlanta and smaller places as well. Those same voices spoke to me when I got dropped off for truck driving school in January of 2009. "You'll kill yourself and others out there. You'll never be able to back one of these things." I did okay and never killed anybody. Walking away from Averitt was a tough call. Even now I still love it. They are so #### kind to me. They've always been fair. While some checks were not great we always made it.

    Now I walk off to this adventure. Using my 30 years of people skills and sense of humor to try and get people to pick my product as their next form of personal transportation. How will I do? The voices say I'll suck at it. I am two for two in proving them wrong and I plan to go three for three here.

    I'll keep in touch here on the thread from time to time. If my experience has helped you that makes me a happy man. God bless each and every one of you. Your prayers for me will be appreciated and are encouraged. Now...on to the next adventure.
     
    SPC WHIGHAM, Gunner710, Tomegg and 3 others Thank this.
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  3. Xile

    Xile Bobtail Member

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    Mar 4, 2013
    Richmond, Virginia
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    Godspeed Big Mike. Here's to 3 for 3 against those voices. Wishing you and your family all the best and thanking you for all the helpful information you've provided.
     
    bigmikectn Thanks this.
  4. ATL-1

    ATL-1 Medium Load Member

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    Apr 22, 2012
    Atlanta, GA
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    Good luck Mike, I just left A good paying truck driving job to join Averitt. Will make less
    but enjoy regular hours, off on weekends and be home in my own bed each day. Good luck selling
    cars, that's another thing I enjoy. I can't get the truck driving thing out of my mind when I'm
    not in the truck. I really enjoy it.
     
  5. met828

    met828 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 27, 2013
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    im looking at joining averitt after reading this form cant be worse than what my current company is going to pay me now.:biggrin_255:
     
  6. met828

    met828 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 27, 2013
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    I just got news ill be in averitts orientation on July 15 after reading this forum I have decided this is move that will be a must for me as my current company cut my hours to something I just can't live on.
     
  7. SPC WHIGHAM

    SPC WHIGHAM Light Load Member

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    Sep 12, 2012
    Enterprise, Alabama
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    Good luck with the new job Mike! This thread has really helped me over the past year and I have finally got things in line to make the swap over to Averitt. Looking to hopefully be in orientation within 2 weeks! Times have gotten rough with the forestry hauling and I need a better future! Hard to explain 80 trucks sitting at home today :biggrin_25521:
     
  8. met828

    met828 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 27, 2013
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    You'll have to let us know how it goes I had to pass on the job for the time being as my father is having heart problems and I can't leave him for the time being.
     
  9. SPC WHIGHAM

    SPC WHIGHAM Light Load Member

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    Sep 12, 2012
    Enterprise, Alabama
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    Well maybe someone could explain this one to me. I received a call from Averitt yesterday, my recruiter told me I was not hire-able at this moment and I needed to clean up my military paperwork. On my DD214 from 2008, keep in mind I was 18, I finished AIT and was released back to the Army Reserve. That is a uncharacteristic discharge, basically from 1 branch of the military to another. I've tried explaining this to Averitt and it almost seems as if they are treating me like a criminal. I was ready to come to orientation 2 times prior but had family issues to attend to and couldn't make it. Now if I was hire-able 2 times prior and everything was great, why is this an issue. My recruiter said she asked around the office and "someone" said its like a dishonorable discharge. I do believe I served my full 6 years in the military successfully and was a reserve police officer also. Any opinions or answers? Or maybe they just filled the spot and don't have room for me at this time...
     
  10. corysti

    corysti Medium Load Member

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    May 13, 2008
    Arkansas
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    To answer your question averitt normally doesn't turn down drivers unless its something to do with your background or paperwork. I do believe that it has something to do with your paperwork and possibly see what the issue is with it and see how to fix it. They love the ex military so they would love to have you.
     
  11. jsbtrucker

    jsbtrucker Light Load Member

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    Oct 2, 2012
    Georgia
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    Hey man was wondering how the new gig is going, hopefully good!!
     
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