The Abilene Experience from 0-solo

Let me explain the training time frame and pay questions for you. The reason I want to take this time and explain it is two fold, one, I’ve been a trainer here four 4 years. Two, I am very knowledgeable about the policies pertains to training.

Let’s start with training. It’s a 3 phase process. Stage 1 which someone like yourself just starting out, will fall into. It runs solely on your progress. The company wants to see progress so it usually runs 2-4 weeks. During this stage, you will start out driving 4 hours per day with a gradual increase to get you up to 11 hours. There will be very little night driving at the start and no overnight driving by the trainee. There is a big push by the trainer to get the trainee up on all the policies and procedures.

Stage 2 is a gradual progress into night driving, then over night driving. A week into stage 2 you will be running as a team. Again, your progress determines how quick you get to the next stage. There will be a lot of customer interaction in this stage.

Stage 3 is 2 round trips to Brooklynn NY and other northeast cities. This stage is the shortest, less then one week.

After stage one is a 25 question verbal test given by safety, same as stage 2. After stage 3 is a road test.

I have had trainees in my truck as short as one month and as long as 2.5 months. Again, you won’t or will graduate to the next stage until safety and the trainer are in agreement it’s time.

Now pay....

Stage 1 is $500 per week
Stage 2 is $600 per week
Stage 3 is $700 per week

The good thing about Abilene? If you go through the whole process and decide to quit, you owe them nothing.
Another thing, once you are officially hired as a trainee, you get paid whether the truck moves or not. If we breakdown, or we get to spend a night in Richmond because of shop issues, you get paid. Hope this answers your questions.

 

Yes thank you.You said as a " trainee" I get paid for " downtime "...does that apply if I'm a full time driver as well?

 

Breakdown, yes. Layover, case by case. In the 5+ years I’ve been here, I have never been layed over. As a trainer I get other perks a solo driver doesn’t get. I have always been amazed at this company deadheading a truck to get a load. I never worry about getting empty on a Friday afternoon in order to run over the weekend. Countless times I’ve been empty at 3pm on a Friday in Chicago, needing to take my 10, then waking up with a 535 deadhead to grab a load at our West Memphis yard.

 

Ok,i don't follow all that jargon,but sounds positive.Im a 49yr.old Eastern TN. male no wife no children and am anxious to get going truckin

 

Ok kool thank you...I'm not aware of a air brake endorsement...thought that was part of general knowledge exam I've already passed for my permit

 

Ok thanks again, I actually submitted an online application with Abilene today.I have two speeding tickets one November 2015 and one July 2017...don't know yet if that will disqualify me.