Life After Roehl

Discussion in 'Roehl' started by paoldschool, Jun 9, 2012.

  1. Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    I think the most important thing and what most drivers miss when looking for another company is what do you want? The choice of what company I should go to changed when my future plans changed. If I had simply made a change without knowing where I was headed would have simply brought misery only with a change of scenery. I was talking to someone in OOIDA about what I should do to get ready to change. In the course of conversation he pointed out what I had already figured out, if you are going to remain a 1 truck operation then Schneider Choice is the way to go. On the other hand if you want to expand to a multiple truck company, then Landstar is the way to go. The reason is that with Landstar every truck is treated the same, but with Schneider additional trucks have to be on the mileage board instead of the choice board.

    One more piece of advice that was given to me years ago- Make your decisions based on the climate and not the weather.
     
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  3. Beedubyah

    Beedubyah Light Load Member

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    I am with you on this one preacherman. However I have decided that I will hold my ground till I see what becomes of many of the FMCSA laws that are being looked at and the economy over the next several months. In any case I will not make a move until next spring.
     
  4. Bayle

    Bayle Road Train Member

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    Yes preacher, the biggest thing is what do you want. I wanted to be home on a nightly basis. I do like driving, but got really sick of living out of a truck. I enjoy cooking, and having a regular schedule. I know many say you don't "need" to put in your time, but often you do. The company I landed with now, requires 3 years experience. My wants and needs are not the same as others. But treatment should at least be universal.
     
  5. Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    Having goals and a plan is foreign to so many people. My wife told her coworkers that today was our last truck payment and that we now have $480 a week more in income. The first question they had was, "Are you quitting?" She told them no and that we now have our sights set on paying off the house which we can do and remodel within 2 years if we continue with the financial discipline we have had over the past 4 years. They were amazed. Maybe that is why so many never get anywhere. They don't know what they are really looking for or how to get there.
     
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  6. spinpsychle

    spinpsychle Medium Load Member

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    Roehl was my first company. I joined right during the recession so I spent a lot of time on this forum. Now I've found a lot of people I recognize in the "Life After Roehl" forum. I started in 2008. In 2009 I was 11 on, 3 off and made 31k. If I called maintenance they would tell me to make sure it's really broke and hang up. I got a jump start every week and they still wouldn't change my batteries so I left. I drove other trucks but it was all the same story - maybe $10 an hour, mechanical problems, unpredictable home time. I missed my own moving day when I worked at Roehl. Still mad about that.

    Now I'm an accountant. I have an entry level job that pays 32 but that's for 40 hours work and after a year or two's experience it's very likely that I'll be able to make more instead of just bouncing from place to place trying to find a decent paycheck.

    I could never commit to anything when I was driving a truck. It always annoyed me that these companies could get me home several days late repeatedly and yet I was always expected to be back when they wanted me to. Maybe I'd put up with that for the 50k my driving school promised I'd make, but not for what trucking really pays.
     
  7. Preacher Man

    Preacher Man Road Train Member

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    Trucking is a career just like accounting, teaching, law enforcement or any other. The problem is that very few drivers approach it with that attitude. If you want to advance you have to choose a path and then work hard to educate yourself and move down that path. It will probably mean leaving the starter company that you began your career at, but that is what growth is all about. Even as a daycare teacher my wife has to continually update her training and keep her credentials up to date. Far too many drivers think that they should earn more money for doing the same thing year after year. If you just keep repeating the same first 2-3 years of experience over and over why should you get paid more? Get more training, make yourself more valuable, or start your own business.
     
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  8. Pool6710

    Pool6710 Medium Load Member

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    Started with roehl in 2009 and it was the best decision ever for a starter back then. Just don't stay forever, the grass is greener on the other side if you know how to care for it.
     
  9. MayhemTrucking

    MayhemTrucking Heavy Load Member

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    I agree, I did the same. For a starter company it was far better than most out there. Got my time in there and since then make almost double now than what i was back then but gotta do your time and get some exp. Under your belt first and roehl is a good place to do just that
     
  10. stevep1977

    stevep1977 Road Train Member

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    I'm in the opposite boat. I went from accounting and made the move to trucking. It's all about what we're looking for. For me personally, when I was working in accounting (and yes, I was right in the 32-40k range) I was not someone that was satisfied with a 40 hr work week. When I came home I would get bored easily and have to spend money to entertain myself. A bar one or two nights, eating out another night, rent payments, etc. After being in debt for a while and not being occupied enough, I found trucking to be the opposite where I've saved up more money than I've ever had because I work so much I don't have a chance to spend any of it. But that's just me. If you can be content with your time off and conserve money at the same time, then good for you. I just liked to party and spend too much money lol. Plus I barely have to pay any rent now.

    And in regards to "committing" to stuff, I have no problem with that at Schneider. They always get me home on the day I want, maybe a day late here and there. But I always factor that in so I ask to get home a day early if I have plans. And I made over 50K GROSS last year so it is possible with time off. You just have to get on these dispatchers and make it know that anything less than 3000 miles a week is completely unacceptable and that you won't tolerate it.
     
  11. Goldenfan

    Goldenfan Heavy Load Member

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    So stevep Schneider is working out better for you than Roehl did? I take it you left Roehl is why you're in this thread. Some of the postings I've been reading it looks like Roehl can be a little light on miles but some are doing well.
     
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