Good/bad

Dance69 are you serious? I am starting trucking school on Jan.5 and had conway truckload at the top of my short list.Whoever my starter company is, I plan on staying at least a year with just to get experience.If not conway who?

 

You may be okay your first year. While they deny it, they tend to run the newer drivers harder (less pay). After you get a year under your belt. You will see your miles drop, as you progress.

I still recommend them for new drivers. Because of the quick increases in base pay you receive. You make more money out of the gate.

Still....your overall pay will suffer down the road. And you WILL be doing some sitting. I don't care what the clowns in the other "driver' forum say. If you take time to read that forum completely, you'll see the threads that lend themselves to subtle threats at warning employees about negative post in any online forum. Since I don't work for the clowns any more....fire away.

 

Apreciate your input.The companies that one of the instructors from my school says that come to recruit all the time are werner,swift,cr england,covenant,and jb hunt.Based on what i've read on the threads here no way im goin with them.I have a friend with me and we're goin to team and based on what i've read here, you can make a killin.I hate to read about other driver bad experiences and let them determine mine, but i just don't wanna get screwed over.

 

You're basing your future, and your pay, on a false assumption.

Yes, some teams make a killing. Those teams are typically commited/married to each other. All the money goes into one account. So the pay seems to be much more than it actually is.

The majority of companies, use a "bonus" scale for teams. You run X amount of miles. We'll give you X amount extra pay. CFI used to do this, they stopped. I don't know what the current status of that is.

Typical threshold is 20K miles per month before bonuses.

Do the math before you jump in the boat with someone else. If it goes badly, it will do so for both of you.

Without bonuses.....

If you do manage 20k miles in a month splitting .42 a mile That's $4200 a month pre tax.

A solo running 2500 miles a week will make $3500 a month pre tax at .35.

That translates to a $8400 a year differance. If you can maintain 20k a month. Not that much really, when you consider everything.

Companies that pay bonuses for higher team milages......

There's several reasons they set the bonuses that high.

#1 Professional husband and wife tourist. Happy with 3 or 4000 miles a week.

#2 If freight slows, your pay drops, in more than one way. Instant 5-15% cut in pay.

#3 The law of averages are on their side. They pay the bonuses less than 50% of the time. You will go home from time to time, and hose your bonus up.

#4 Non married teams, typically have conflicting family issues and needs. Which means there is a higher risk of needing additional and differant times at home. Further cutting your chances of getting those bonuses.

However, you can see the benefit of running team. Even without the bonus. But just be aware that it is not what it's cut out to be. You're not going to make a killing.

 

Wow.Didn't know it get broken down like that.I wanted to team because i thought you would sit less than a solo driver.Plus a help in driving and company wouldn't hurt.I just want to gain my experience, make my money, and see the country.I believe my first year of trucking will be my worst year because I won't know what to expect.Thanks for the info and please share any advice that a future newbie will need

 

Keep in mind also that running team you have to sleep while the truck is bouncing in and out of every pothole out there. Not always easy. I prefer my bed to stay still while I snooze.

 

Quoted for the truth it is. And then you have a trust issue with a new driver. Is he going to keep it out of the ditch? does he drive like a maniac? are you going to be able to trust him enough to sleep behind his driving? I have yet to find a driver I trust that much, not even my wife.

 

Current team pay is .44. There is no productivity bonus at CWTL (which you mentioned.)

The advantage of running teams at conway is much better for new drivers. Starting at .44 split is FAR more than .30 solo. Plus you get better freight and generally better treatment. Also, as you are out teaming your miles will go towards your pay increases. So if you run 240,000 team miles, or roughly one year, and decide to switch to solo you will be at .36.