Werner Enterprises

So, I just got my CDL back in may. Trained at Southwest Truck Driver Training out of Las Vegas, NV. The CDL training was basically just 4 weeks of the bare minimum training to get you that CDL. That's fine. That's all I was really looking for. I needed to get the license and get hired and get my broke ### out of my parents' house.
The main reason I decided to go with Werner instead of one of the other 7 companies that sent me pre-hire letters is because they had a pet policy. They also advertised newer equipment, and the electronic snitch, MCP200 to take care of the paperwork for you. Orientation was a basic 3 day thing. The first day was all just doing paperwork for employment and taxes, and urine testing. The last 2 days were basically sitting around watching videos and answering basic multiple choice questions based on the videos, and sometimes reading some text instead of watching a video. Their so called computer based training is just that, videos and multiple choice questions. Pretty simple.

On to training. On the 4th day I got on the truck with my first trainer. He was one of those "good 'ol country" type people. Pretty easy to get along with, smoked a bit too much and it would have been nice if he would crack the window while he was smoking, but.. Oh well. Other than that he was a good guy. I didnt get much training, just driving back and forth between San Bernardino and Tampa Florida. I got a lot of hours in very quickly, but there weren't many opportunities to practice backing. After being on the truck with him for a few weeks I decided it was time to take a break and get some home time. Which I enjoyed, then back on the truck with another guy. He was very courteous about smoking, which is how I am. The curtain to the back bunk was to be closed any time somebody was smoking, and no smoking in the back. This guy actually seemed to be concerned about training me, instead of just getting in miles. He taught me a lot, and answered all of my questions. Great guy. I finished my hours, completed my training, and got assigned my own truck. It was an old peterbilt 2011 I think, which smelled like rancid butt juices. Didn't have much turning radius on it, so backing was much more difficult than what I was used to. They told me I was only going to be driving it to Dallas where it would be sold. I ended up stuck in that rolling portapoty for 3 weeks until they finally got me down there. From there I decided I wanted more training, so I teamed up with a Mentor. He was basically just a team driver with more experience than me, not really a trainer, but more or less somebody to turn to when things got dicey or I had any questions. I ran with him for about 3 weeks. Great guy, but seriously annoying, and a little bit gross. I won't get into it. I was making pretty good money with him too, had $1200 on one week. But after 3 weeks I was about done putting up with him.

After that negative experience, I wanted some more home time. I ended up taking 3 months off. I was chasing down a better job, a smaller company was offering me $2500/weekly, and they had a route that would bring me through my hometown Las Vegas twice a week. They only ran team though, and the guy they were going to team me up with ended up quitting at the last moment.

So, out of cigarette money, I went crawling back to Werner. Since I had been gone for so long I basically had to be re hired. Managed to get through orientation in 1 day. Got back on with the same dispatch I had before I took my extended vacation. And got into a 2014 Cascadia which didn't smell like buttocks. The same kind of truck my 2 trainers and mentor drove. I love it.

I have been running 48 solo, but they keep me back west. I have gotten used to driving, and living on the road. I really am enjoying it, plus the pay is a lot better than what I was making prior to getting my CDL.

I know at this point I will have a hard time getting a job with most companies except for the "trainer" companies like Swift, Werner, and CR England. So I am just staying with Werner until I hit the 1 year mark and then I'll look into better companies.

I've only dealt with Werner so far, so I don't have much to compare them to. I had some good times and soem bad times. I think it's mostly just attitude. Don't let the bad stuff stress you out.

 

I typed that whole thing out on my phone, so there were a few typos that my auto correct didn't catch. I went in and fixed them. I also would like to add that it's pretty easy to get home time with Werner. You earn 1 day of home time for every week spent out, and you can take that time as often as every other week. I don't have much desire to spend time at home, because when I'm at home for too long I start getting anxiety like that feeling you got as a kid a few days into summer or Christmas vacation. And if I stay longer, I start feeling settled in, then when I finally have to go, I get anxiety again because I'm hitting the road, uprooting myself again. I also don't have much of a reason to stay at home, I don't even have a bedroom at my parents' house, just a 2 seat couch in the loft where I'm allowed to crash. The 2 extra bedrooms are being occupied by my 2 siblings who have been less than successful at life past 18. So.. I pretty much just stay on the road. The truck is my home, I've made it quite cozy. I will buy some land and eventually settle down, but for now, this suits me.

 

Yeah I speak with my FM over the phone on a daily basis. I got the opportunity to meet him face to face at the Omaha terminal. It's good to be able to put a face to the name. And it's even better for the FM to be able to put a face to my name to my driver number.

 

I think that may be why he's been so good to me. He keeps me busy with long loads, which is exactly how I like to run. Aside from this past week, I have been busy non stop. That's probably a pretty good thing given this supposed freight shortage which I have yet to experience. I don't quite understand how we can have a freight shortage and a Driver shortage at the same time. Maybe what we've got is an over abundance of bottom-feeder companies, which is why we have a driver shortage. Too many companies like swift who don't treat their drivers well, scaring them away from the whole industry. I think companies should be babying and nurturing new drivers, rather than neglecting them and letting them slip through the cracks. I've seen it happen to so many.

 

This week, by the way I have been on a "pop up" account with Walmart. So I have been hauling WM trailers short haul. Going through all these towns in Indiana, it has been an experience, extending my comfort zone. Starting out I was a bit of a nervous wreck driving down these 2 lane backdrops, through small little towns scattered all over the place. These roads were originally built for horse and buggy, not semi trucks. But I've gotten used to it, I think it's been a valuable experience. I know now that I definitely don't want a dedicated local job . Keep me on the big roads and I'll be happy. Divided highways with no stop lights are my preference.