Stevens Transport - Dallas, Tx.

I posted earlier on page 18...Stevens is a really bad company....it amazes me anyone would want to work for them.....dont work for them...use thier school...pay the loan if you want.but i didnt nad it hasnt brought my credit score down much....its still good enough to buy a new pickup..the thing that bugged me the most at stevens was the out of pocket expenses and waiting on reimbursements.....sometimes it seemed like i never got back lumper fees and oil after they slammed me for deductions from the school and the other crap for the hotel....Stevens will not take care of you...they will let you cash advance yourself to the brim and then you wont have a check....you will have to take cash advances to survive...if you stay at Stevens these words will come true....theres just so much crap thats bad about this company its impossible for any of us to put it all in one post but everyone has posted the whole truth about Stevens. I recommend the school...i did learn quite a bit and felt prepared when i went with my trainer...plus all the instructors were pretty cool except for Billy C.......but he got alot cooler after we were out of his hair...if stevens is the only school you can go to...do it...get your foot in the door...then quit.....call a good company...do your 5 weeks with them and start off right....dont listen to these idiots praising Stevens....Stevens doesnt run good backgrouncd checks...i know this for a fact..i have a dwi from when i was 19 and class a misdemeanor for assault also from age 19.....I told Stevens about these things on my app...they found nothing...my check were completely clear when i sat in that office with the fat bearded guy to get hired....cant remember his name....but the company I work for now...did find these things...and since i told the truth......it wasnt a problem....most of these guys praising Stevens probably cant go anywhere else and work because of background issues or possible dac problems...they just want to suck you down the drain with them.......Stevens will take anyone...do you really want to drive for a company who take anybody? What does that say about you? My trainer who was a lease operator was finishing his lease and quitting and advised me to do the same...i thought he was just a puss and wasnt a good trucker considering i was driving most of the miles...he told me some weeks he broke even and didnt get a check after stevens murdered him on all those stupid ### accounts they have to rob you. The lease is designed to make money off everything from fuel to even your time off......yes stevens has a time off account that you dump money into if your on the lease....the lease completion bonus is a lie....YOU GET BACK THE MONEY YOU PUT IN AND DIDNT SPEND OUT OF THOSE ACCOUNTS! THATS YOUR MONEY AND THEY CALL IT A BONUS! They dont pay pump price......but you #### near do. I wish someone could sue Stevens and give em a good dose of what they have done to thousands of other young and old alike just wanting to make some decent money and see whats out there in the world.......I now can only BEG you not to work for stevens after training but i do advise going through thier school...and if you dont have bad credit now....screw em on the 6000 they charge...but if you do i wouldnt advise that..Please....i know you can have the same GOOD! experiences that i have had so far in the buisness....i went from making 400 bucks a week to 600 to 1000 a week.........trucking isnt consistent but it pays better than anything else ive ever done......but youll be lucky to make 400 a week at Stevens.....I heard trainers say that 350 a week looks good sometimes at stevens........dont work for Stevens.

Ex-Stevens Employee

 

I'll do my reply in red this time, sorry if it hurts your eyes.

so your saying use their school to get your experience started at driving them leave without paying? Sounds like your shafting Stevens like they seem to shaft everyone, how fair is that?

if you get a tchek and then send a macro for a PO and mark it on your trip sheet, and send in your lumper receipts with the po number on them then you will get paid. I have NEVER had any money held when doing what they ask as far as paperwork. You slept in a bed every night when in training at the yard and received schooling, they have every right to take there money out of yoru check, they even tell you how much per week it will be. I have my paperwork and it shows it there, above my signature. So stop complaining. As far as oil and other expenses you need to put it on your trip sheets and attach the receipts on a full sheet of paper and note it next to the receipt so the driver services knows what they are for, never have I been not paid there either. Seems to me you didnt know how to do your paperwork properly or was just lazy. Maybe your trainer was not doing their job. Either way you were shown in training how to do the paperwork and if done that way you will get paid.

You can get 50 dollars on monday and thursday. Any other advances you have to call and ask for. These advances are just that, advances from your next check. If you cant spend wisely then thats only your problem. I dont eat at the truck stops if I can help it, I buy my drink and keep it in the bunk box. Think smart.

Seems Stevens taught you well enough for such a crap company. you even felt prepared. Put all of your crap in a post, take the time, name specifics. I drive for them, I am new to the trucking industry, so until i get my time in I will do my best. Other companies may pay more, but will you get home more, or get more miles, there are so many factors to be done.

Some cant go anywhere that may be true. i can go freely but choose not to. There are alot of trucking companies who will take anyone. Not just Stevens. Many even will mess up your DAC because they can, not just Stevens. I dont want to suck anyone down a drain because only you can make the decision where to go. I am happy, and I have not been done wrong, when I do get burned I will begin looking, but being sour minded doesnt do anyone any good.

A trainer who wasnt making money? How fast were you driving? How many miles a week were you getting? Was your trainer being proactive in keeping the truck moving? The time off and lease check is true, that is your money, even the maintenance account is your money. if you drive smart and watch your expenses you can make money out of little miles. My trainer when I was with him was clearing $3300 a week after expenses from driving just over 5000 miles. We drove 60mph. We used the optistops as most trainers dont, we tried to keep the weight on the trailer tandems, and because I was trained that way I am making money. 2300 miles and I can glear a grand after my expenses. thats all the little crap you say they rob you with. think about it, I just started driving, under a year and have no leverage to get my own truck yet, or go to the comapny I want because i need 2 years exp. So you take what you get and make it work for you. turn that lemon you got into lemonade and enjoy the drink. I pay just at 1.26 a gallon because of my driving. I am just under 7.0 mpg. Change my air filter and fuel filter almost monthly just to make sure its always at peak condition. Always monitor your tire pressure and weights when loaded, adjust the tandems adn keep the rolling resistance as low as possible on the tractor. Did your trainer teach you those things? most dont. So alot of what you said is based on the knowledge you were given, If I didnt make money and get a load running thru home weekly then maybe id be upset, but I logged all my trips and have a semi sort of route I run, and I like it. your experience is what you make of it. Dont ruin other just cause yours was ruined. You praise the school and training but nothing more, how funny.

Where is this new company, id like to possible apply if its thats good. Please tell us so new drivers can apply there, dont hold out on us.

Thats my 2copper, I dont praise Stevens but dont knock a company cause it wasnt the right fit for you. It may be a fit for someone else. I hope you found yoru dream company with all the experience you have, and please post the company that pays so well so newbies can research them also. Whatever your decision be safe and keep the shiny side up.

morpheq

 

Im not sure if I caught your driving experience, but im looking at going April 8 to Dallas for orientation pending all verification. I've been driving rigs locally for more than 10 years and want to try otr. I dont even pay attention to half the post on here. It really is what you make of the job. I know what it takes to do the job and work efficiently. Some of these guys just dont have the work ethic. I was always told that if you dont like to work, there always is someone in line to take your job who really needs a job. When your starting off as in my case with otr, you take what they give you. That rule pretty much applies to anywhere you go.

Got off the phone with my driver rep and was told I would have to go run with a trainer for a few weeks. I dont have any problem with it. I gotta start somewhere. I think its just to show me how paper work and all is done. Not even an issue in that dept. Well, hope to meet up with you out there. Be safe and stop worrying about these guys here.

 

yes they want you to run a few weeks with a trainer to have you get each region and 2 major mountains. Once the trainer sees you have the knowledge hell release you to get you working faster since you have prior exp. Also since you have years exp already they will send you out with a seasoned driver with over 10 yrs exp also, so you shouldnt get a rookie trainer. You will be fast tracked for sure if all your papers are in order.

 

That was a great reply Morph, keep it up, your doin fine.

 

well , im a graduate from stevens schoool, and to tell u the truth, it was a pretty good, school, i got there without even knowing how to drive stick and in just three weeks, i was driving like it was nothing, as far as accomodations well yeah hotels kinda sucks, but what do u expect a five star hotel, cmon.
The food kinda sucks too , but is free so i didnt care to much, i had a great time in school, my trainers were pretty good, specially terry, is a really good trainer im telling u.
after that i went 5 weeks with a trainer, and let me tell u i liked that guy a lot, man it was like my big brother and well yeah we had some arguments during my 6 weeks, because i had to stay and extra week for city driving but well living 5 weeks with someone u just meet is kinda hard, but i had a great time, i think i was one of the lucky ones bcause i liked my trainer, and i still call him now to ask questions or when i need help.
then i went 3 weeks with another trainee, a guy i already knew from school, and we had a great time, that help me alot , those three weeks went so fast that whenever they told us that whe where going back to dallas i couldnt believe it..
and right now i been driving by myself for the past three weeks, i went to pick up and abandon truck in denver, and it might not be a new truck but during this three weeks i havent had a problem with it, is areally good truck, of course is missing some stuff , and some stuff is old, but it takes me and my load where we going, as far as the miles, dude i been working my ### off, and been driving like crazy, stevens have the miles and if u are there they will give them to u, i had done 3 trips in the past week, from colorado to kansas, to ohio, to pa, to ny and now i im my way to arkansas, i had to ask them to give me a day off, bcause they just keep sending me load assigments, and good ones, i turned down a trip from ny to cali because i was too tired.
As far as a compny, i havent had a problem with them, yes some people kinda bad, but thats everywhere, and as far as hiring people with bad records and stuff, i dont think so, b cause my class was 30 people, and from those only 12 graduated including me. the ones that got kick out, either they couldnt drive for ####, piss hot or bad background, other than that we had a guy that quit and someone that got kick out the las day of school, and guess what they didnt have to pay anything to stevens as far as tuition for the school, this guy that got kick out he even got is cdl before he left and didnt pay a dime.
I think is agood company for a starter, they will teach u how to drive a truck and they are really good at that.
and well pay isnt that awesome im getting .26 cents a mile, but the way i see it, i mean im just starting i can be at the top from the beggining.
right now, i have two trips, done wich should be close to 600 dlls, for the week, and im in the middle of another one 1300 miles run that i should be done with on monday. so i dont know why people say that stevens dont give u miles , they do an a lot, more than i can handle....
My experience so far as been good, and those people that say u arent gonna see a big check, well it depends how much u willing to run, im single with no kids and im 24 so i dont really need vacations, and i been with stevens since december without going to the house right now, im just focused in getting some xperience and making some money ...
bootom part is i recommend stevens to start ur carrer , but remember come with an open mind, bcause if u xpect everything to be a piece of cake, u are wrong , i think everyone has a dffrent experience and mine was really good, or maybe i was just lucky....

 

MORPH EQ.
Sounds to me you work for stevens. you seem to be able to quote the handbook and company policies pretty well.

 

This will be my last post..........i think recruiters are working this Forum..........all you have to do as a student there is go hang out at the drivers lounge...you will find more disgruntled drivers than happy drivers. These guys are on thier way out....just waiting for that next job to come along......maybe some people like Stevens...i dont know why...but whatever floats your boat.......we can all keep writing and knocking stevens but the human curse will prevail......." Men always believe they will never fail...you have to decide for yourself....whats good and whats bad......id suggest talking to other drivers at truck stops and what.........you will be able to weed through the crap and find out what companies are the best for miles and money......Good Luck to all you guys at Stevens........Ill Pray for you.................

 

I remember in 2004 I walked into the "Texas Workforce Commission" branch by my house looking for work. There was a big sign up telling people about a "Stevens Transportation Hiring Event" the next day.

So I figured what the hell... I wake up the next day and went.

The guy that was giving the speech about Stevens was just talking about how they pay for your training and then they "put you on the road for 4 week's with a driver to properly train you how to handle a big rig."

He then went on to explain...
"We put the rock & Roll with the Rock & Roll, the Country with the Country, so we know you guys will get along."

That all sounded pretty decent to me.

I was in the room with about 8 other guys, I was the only one that had questions.

"How much do we get paid while were "training with the other driver?"
He didn't like me asking that question, he said something like $300 a week.
I don't remember the exact amount, as it was 4 years ago.

I then asked him....
"Ok so you want us to go to school for a few weeks, you'll pay for everything, then drive with a trainer for a month, working like 80 hours a week, and only pay us $300? That sounds like you will be making money off of us."

All he said was "well thats the way everyone does it."

I asked another question....
"Is there any kind of contract I will have to sign in order to go to the training for free?"

He didn't like that question either.
"Yes, you will have to work for us for 1 year, if you quit or get fired, you will owe us $3,000."

I said
"what?"
"I don't even know if I will like the job or not, I HAVE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE!"

He said....
"well, if you already have bad credit, $3,000 won't hurt that much"

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

After all my questions were answered in front of everyone else, by the time the "question and answer" phase was over, there was no one left in the room.

Sorry "Stevens" sounds like you make more money off of us, then we could even imagine.
---------------------------------

Well here it is 4 years later, I am in another pickle, and contemplating possibly driving OTR again.

But after researching more this time, I have decided, that I think I will be better off working at HomeDepot or BestBuy.

Its not $3,000 anymore,
its $4,500 or $5,000

I can kind of understand that, since the Federal Reserve has destroyed our dollar, and it is now worth less than Canadian money.

Trucking Industry......
I will not be one of your suckers.....
sorry to disappoint you!

 

,you were a student,and did not work in the office,so why would stevens,tell you that one got kick out with cdl no charge) one quit (no charge) hmmmmm