Advice for Choosing Second Trucking Company

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by wwest, Jan 26, 2014.

  1. wwest

    wwest Bobtail Member

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    Jan 26, 2014
    Harrison, AR
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    When I first got to this website, I picked up on the same advice in another thread. I opened up the PM page and it said that I couldn't PM anyone except staff until I had at least 7 posts. Which led to me open up this thread. Will follow your advice.
     
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  3. wwest

    wwest Bobtail Member

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    Harrison, AR
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    Knight Refrigerated was my first choice when I got out of trucking school. But the head trainer in Springdale was incensed that I had the nerve to ask them to verify that they had all of the background information necessary to hire me without asking for additional information.

    He said, "Seems to me you're one of those professional orientation people, we don't need you here."

    I had heard horror stories about people who show up to orientation and get sent home due to something in their background that should have been checked out before they arrived. BTW: that happened in the very orientation class I attended. A couple that attended the first morning suddenly disappeared after lunch.


    Every other company sent me a verification email EXCEPT Knight. Go figure.
     
  4. wwest

    wwest Bobtail Member

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    Actually, as I said at the top of the thread, I have an additional major question that needs to be answered BEFORE I start sending out apps.

    You guys have been so kind and forth-coming with great ideas. I'm going to copy and paste all of the suggestions into a Word document that crosstabs with a checklist so that I can begin systematically grilling recruiters.

    Will start another thread to handle that other issue pronto.
     
  5. Arkansas Frost

    Arkansas Frost Heavy Load Member

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    Why would you pay taxes on a reimbursement? It should be dollar for dollar.
     
  6. wwest

    wwest Bobtail Member

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    Harrison, AR
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    You saw the movie? Wow, I guess I'm not the oldest trucker in the world after all. :Egypt Pyramids:

    Thank you. I wasn't sure whether anyone would track with what I was saying, but you did.

    Ok, I didn't mention the actual company because I'm new to this forum and don't want to break any rules. It was Covenant Transport.

    They state on their website that they will "help" you get your hazmat endorsement within sixty days of hire and that's a lie. They also state that they will team you with a "suitable" partner. When, in fact, they have a policy of issuing non-smokers lists with 80-90% smokers. The goal is to break down the non-smoker and pressure them to team with a smoker.

    The vice president sent out a company-wide notice that we were extremely overbooked. So I asked him why our truck had seven cancellations (eventually eight) that week. He replied that asking such a question was disrespectful and insubordinate.

    I pointed out that Jesus wouldn't mind being asked such questions. I also pointed out that giving non-smokers lists of smokers (when I met lots of non-smokers in the various Covenant terminals and knew they were available) was NOT finding "suitable" partners.

    Shortly after that, our truck was sent into four successive snow storms that the national weather service declared as "hazardous." When they couldn't kill me or cause me to have an accident, they fired me.

    As I've already stated, if this had been a normal company then I would of just knuckled under. But don't pass out bibles to me and others . . . when you have NO intention of living what's inside of them yourself!

    They couldn't even give a reason why they were firing me. (Because you represent the truth and we don't want that here). It was pathetic. I just took a deep breath and smiled.

    Actually, as I'm writing this I'm about ten minutes away from Zinc. You know who lives there, don't you? :biggrin_25520:
     
  7. wwest

    wwest Bobtail Member

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    Harrison, AR
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    Actually, I called Maverick a few days ago. But if you're fired, they won't take you until you've worked at another company for at least a year. Later on, I read this same thing on the internet in a forum. So it wasn't just me - it's a cut and dried policy.

    Kind of ironic, isn't it? Maverick has a policy of NOT hiring mavericks! Is the world insane or what.:biggrin_25523:
     
  8. wwest

    wwest Bobtail Member

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    Harrison, AR
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    Ok -

    1) First week I pay you $110. Before you receive that $110, taxes are taken out.:Transportation cost You get $100.

    2) Out of that net $100, you pay $10 in tolls.

    3) Next week I pay you $110. One hundred comes from me and $10 is your reimbursement for the tolls you paid.

    4) Guess what? Taxes are taken out of your ENTIRE paycheck. The $100 we paid you AND the $10 we reimbursed you.:Transportation cost You again receive $100 after taxes.

    5) You've just been TAXED TWICE on the same money.:Transportation cost:Transportation cost:biggrin_2556:
     
  9. BuckeyeCowboy63

    BuckeyeCowboy63 Medium Load Member

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    Check Crete/Shaffer...I just started in August and they hired me...though their trucks are 62 mph....as a fellow christian I would say advice on here is good but dont forget to hit your knees and pray about it too brother. Knight was my second choice and if they would have given me a waiver to take my wife from day 1 out of training I would have maybe driven for them. Good luck and keep your eyes focusing upward where it really matters.
     
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  10. wwest

    wwest Bobtail Member

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    You couldn't be more right :yes2557:
     
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  11. wwest

    wwest Bobtail Member

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    Harrison, AR
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    Absolutely.

    A fun moment: I was with my first "trainer" and he started shouting and going off the deep end. I softly asked him to control himself, which seemed to have the opposite effect of what I had intended. Then he shouted, "I'm your supervisor!" To which I calmly replied, "Actually, God is my supervisor."

    A few hours later, we arrived back in Chattanooga and he threw me off "his" truck.

    Reminds me of a line from Rudyard Kipling, "If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you." :biggrin_25514:
     
    BuckeyeCowboy63 Thanks this.
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