Anderson Trucking Service

ColoradoGreen · Aug 11, 2017

Well, the most important thing is to not go to a "heavy haul" outfit that cuts rates... Like ATS or Keen.

Swift of OD freight.

ColoradoGreen · Aug 11, 2017

[Double post]

Wattie411 · Aug 28, 2017

Rooster1291979 said: ↑

Not sure where you heard 2 years to move into heavy haul. I would not put much faith in that. I have friends that have been here for more than 6 years and have been turned down multiple times.

I think part of the problem with people talking about coming to ATS heavy haul is that they don't understand how the company is structured.

ATS specialized has several driver classifications. Starting at class 4. Unless you have verifiable OD experience you will start here. After class 4 loads you move to class 3. Loads get bigger. After 4 class 3 loads you are allowed to test into class 2. After 4 class 2 loads you are now class 1.

After you become class 1 you may take the wind training class, provided you are a good driver with a good rep. If you're the kind of guy that runs late, can't run a permit or damages freight you won't be attending the wind class.

Once you pass the wind class you are now class 1a. You can pull blades now.

Here's the rub. Class 4 loads and most class 3 loads are a dime a dozen. Plenty of them. Class 2 loads are going to be more dependant on location and even time of year. I know many good drivers that took a year to go from class 2 to class 1 just because of freight.

Also you have to pull certain types of OD loads to move up. For instance, you can pull 50 class 2 loads at 13' wide legal height and weight and only 2 will count towards class 1. You have to get 2 overheight loads as well. They must be overheight for the state's you are in as well.

For instance, a 14' high load picking up in southern Cali going to Laredo tx is a legal load. Doesn't count towards class 1. You also need 1 value load. Has to be over a particular $ amount in value.

Something else to consider is freight rate. How much you are making. Just because a load is OS doesn't mean it's huge money. When I get offers I will pick the best paying freight based on dest, weight and commodidity. Plenty of times legal freight pays more than OD freight because of established customer contracts.

Finally if you are lucky and get your 4 class 4 loads, 4 class 3 loads and on and on till you get to class 1, and pull 5 class 1 loads you will get laughed at if you apply for heavy haul. 5 class 1 loads isn't even 10% of what they want for experience before you may even grace those hallowed halls.
Click to expand...

Hey Rooster I'm thinking about getting back into Trucking and going with ATS.
I don't think much of my previous hauling experience is gonna count since it was a local construction company and they're out of business now. But I used to drive a 7 axle setup permitted to 120,000. It was a 4 axle Mack pulling a 53' Talbert rgn 3 axle. I've hauled some big dang excavators, D8 dozers, scrapers, off-road trucks ,and all sorts of other stuff. What kind of load classification would that stuff fall under??

Landincoldfire · Aug 29, 2017

Wattie411 said: ↑

Hey Rooster I'm thinking about getting back into Trucking and going with ATS.
I don't think much of my previous hauling experience is gonna count since it was a local construction company and they're out of business now. But I used to drive a 7 axle setup permitted to 120,000. It was a 4 axle Mack pulling a 53' Talbert rgn 3 axle. I've hauled some big dang excavators, D8 dozers, scrapers, off-road trucks ,and all sorts of other stuff. What kind of load classification would that stuff fall under??
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure ATS likes to have a written statement from your previous employer about what you did. So if you have contact information from your supervisor it would be a leg up.

Wattie411 · Aug 31, 2017

ColoradoGreen said: ↑

Well, the most important thing is to not go to a "heavy haul" outfit that cuts rates... Like ATS or Keen.

Swift of OD freight.
Click to expand...

Then suggest me a good company for a company driver. Anderson actually offered me a position but due to things at home right now I've gotta put it on hold. Towards the end of October I plan to go with them unless something better presents itself.

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