Do not drive for Wel companies

The first trucking job you'll have will always be like this. Every company knows it and every driver SHOULD know it. TTR is a good place to read about people who expected the perfect job and didn't find it or those who can't seem to make sense out of it. I worked for WEL Companies long enough to learn the ropes, make my own share of mistakes, almost back into another truck at night, and get charged $150 for delivering a load 2 hours late because the instructions given by the DM were old and inaccurate. But guess what? I was driving the truck, not the DM, and I'm the one who had a phone and didn't call the receiver to verify the address or routing.

I left because the DM/planner team was unable to get me home to my daughter after the birth of my granddaughter and before they all left the US to join my son-in-law in Korea for two years. They gave me lots of assurances and even one preplan and I gave them lots of notice that NOT making that visit - and I told them I didn't care how long it was...one day or four - was grounds for quitting. They didn't arrange the trip so I quit. And even with 2 weeks notice, it took them 3 weeks to get me home. I did not whine or abandon the load, though I sure enough #####ed and moaned in the cab. And always to myself, never in public.

It's how the first year is. Frustrating, learning, stressful, proving, not very rewarding financially. Accept that and move forward. If WEL had put me home on time, I would still be with them. I liked having an APU in my truck, getting it fixed when I needed to, the flexibility to go pretty much where I wanted (almost-regional or all over the US) and being left alone to plan my own trip/day, take the route I wanted, and fuel where I wanted. So put on your big boy pants, turn off the CB, don't spend all your time and energy in the driver's lounge grousing about your company (whichever one it is), and drive.

 

very well put DenaliDad

 

Is there noone who has any good experiences with WEL? These forums seem to just be bashing places. Every company is crap, it just depends on how much yoo wanna eat and what yoo can get from it.

 

think about it.....

If things are going good, you are going to continue doing what it is you are doing. Not sitting at home sulking in misery and cryin' over spilled milk.

Where's them cookies now?

 

Just curious here... do you really have only 1 yr in trucking? And you found a company to pay you .40 cpm? Which company is that? I am looking for a good small company and I have over 5 yrs experience... would you mind sharing that with me?

 

If trucking was all peaches and cream and easy as pie to do no one would pay you any money to do it.if you are unable to self motivate and unable to manage your truck the dm only finds loads for you after that it is up to you to verify directions and time between stops if your stops are spread out to far call ahead and get them changed.maximize your hours buy not wasting time and above all operate safely and ticket free you will be sucsesfull if your unable to do that then you will be another driver on a trucking forum whining about every trucking company and how they all suck if it was easy everyone would be doing it .

 

Are you still with WEL? I start orientation in the morning

 

Funny as a company driver I was getting 2,500 miles a week if all my loads were TL, if I did a manifest load yeah my miles were shorter for the week but with stop pay and unloading it more than made up for it. Its funny every time I'm at the terminal someone is always complaining about miles, or leasing or other random stupid stuff. These are always the guys who stop at every rest area and don't want to move. I am now leasing my truck and am doing very well. Yes I have had bad weeks, not for lack of miles though. I average 3,100 mi per week. Oh and I am definitely not sleeping with anyone in the office, as I have no time since I run 9-10 hrs a day everyday. I know plenty of drivers here getting great miles and they all have the same thing in common, they drive and don't stop until they have too. Think its time to grow up a little. Oh and throwing out the whole Iraqi freedom Vet thing, yeah no special treatment will be given for that since you make it a point like you are owed something. I my self am an OIF vet, as a matter of fact I watched the first cruise missile launch from the USS Mobile Bay on a secure network. I worked endless nights, weeks and months prepping and repairing ships in the Pac-Fleet to get those boys over there what they needed. Lots of blood sweat, tears and broken bones went into my commands work and to hear/see you say that like you are owed something tells me the caliber of service member you were. What I just posted above is all I have ever really said about being enlisted during OIF, I don't have much to say about it as the "rack" on the left side of my chest says it all. My advice is for you to move on smartly this career prob isn't for you.

 

There is common ground between complaining and low miles. It's like a snowball rolling down a hill getting bigger and bigger.

It starts out I didn't start complaining until I got low miles. Yeah but you keep complaining.

I have yet to see an unhealthy driver/dispatcher relationship produce miles.

Especially this time of year freight slows down while warehouses start dumping their inventory for tax time.

Miles per week are like a roller coaster. You really can't count on consistency unless you have a dedicated run. You have to look at the big picture of three months or even a year and what's on that W-2.

Never complain and one will boost their yearly gross up to 50%.

 

There have been several threads on WEL companies. They have their cheerleaders like any company. However time after time they get a bashing for lack of miles.

It's good that some think getting in there and un-loading your trailer will make up for a lack of miles. Miles, remember? That's what pays the bills. When a company is willing to pay a lumper 2 to 3 times what they would pay the driver for the same amount of work one has to question the sanity of un-loading it yourself.

I worked for WEL. I'm not a noob.( I kind of know how to do the job) I went there because at the time there weren't many bad things said about them. They are nice people, no doubt about it. But nice don't pay the bills. For me the whole route yourself, pick your own fuel stops, etc, wasn't a new or unusual experience. Kind of goes with being a truck driver. For me what the deal breaker was being treated like a regional driver ( just in different regions) for less pay than a regional driver gets for them.

I think they are a pretty good company for a new driver to START with. If a driver has experience and expectations of what a OTR driver should make Then WEL is NOT the company.

I left them on good terms,my Dac says eligible for re-hire and they have called me to offer me more money to come back. Think I'll pass.