Question on ATS (St. Cloud, MN)... Good company to drive for?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by CTTruckDriver203, Jul 2, 2018.

  1. CTTruckDriver203

    CTTruckDriver203 Bobtail Member

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    Jul 2, 2018
    Stratford, CT
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    Hello Everyone!

    I am a fairly new truck driver from Connecticut (3 years experience), and I had a question about ATS out of St. Cloud, MN. I am applying to work for them as a company driver, as I have heard from other drivers that you can make really good money with them (especially in their specialized/heavy haul division), and that it is a good company to work for. I am looking to start off with their otr van/pad wrap division, and (possibly) train on flatbed down the road with the hopes of doing heavy-haul some day.

    Their website says that the top 10 percent of otr van/padwrap drivers make 80k... Is this accurate, or just recruiting b.s.?

    And would you recommend working there? Or not?

    Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give me!

    -Dan P.
     
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  3. mover man

    mover man Road Train Member

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    The one time I talked with them YEARS ago. Their package made me laugh so hard they hung up on me. BUT I am an O/O and wasn' looking to get into their lease purchase program. So I can't recommend for or against as a company driver.

    I can however tell ya. Their spiel about our *top* 10% of drivers make. Is more likely to be true than untrue. The problem with that is while honest its deceptive. How long have the top 10%been there 15 years? Are the top 10% teams, specialized, hazmat haulers etc.. what you want to no is what is the avg fleet wide. Or what does the bottom 20% make. Then subtract the difference, that's about what a new guy should earn. The advertise the top 10% but no one walk thru the door and starts in the top 10%
     
  4. TripleSix

    TripleSix God of Roads

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    ATS doesn't train. If you want to pull specialized, start in specialized.

    "But Six, I don't have any flatbed experience."

    No problem. Go to the flatbed forum on this website and tell the open deck gang what is it that you want to do. And yes, you can do $80k as a company driver there first year.

    Also, the next time you're at a full service ttruckstop (you know...has a real sit-down restaurant ) during the weekend, look for the specialized guys (look for the oversized banners in the back of the lot) and ask them for a readers digest version of tiedowns and securement regs.

    Luck in battle.
     
  5. dogtrucker

    dogtrucker Road Train Member

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    They dropped the "top 10%" from recent ads (said the same thing last 4-5 years). Apparently those numbers are now just averages.
     
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  6. J_D_Boss_Hawg

    J_D_Boss_Hawg Light Load Member

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    May 25, 2015
    Mebane nc
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    I pull flatbeds here. Don't know #### about the van side. Their pay numbers are ######## though. I think the latest ad I seen on FB.says flatbed can earn 80 grand yea......no. I barely w2'd 60 last year. Maybe that magical "top 10 percent" do if they know the secret handshake or something . And that other dude said they don't train. That's not exactly true
    They do some basic flatbed training, but they don't do any OS/OD specific stuff at orientation. Would I recommend them? Sure just don't expect those incomes they put on the ads right away. Not a bad company. Been here almost 2 years. They just don't keep me moving as much as I'd like to.
     
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  7. Speed_Drums

    Speed_Drums Road Train Member

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    Lots of sitting in between loads?
     
  8. idriveaholden

    idriveaholden Super Heavy Hauler

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    Ats seems to only be worth it if you’re going to work your way up in specialized.
    If you’re planning on going flatbed then go flatbed. Plenty of other van companies out there
     
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  9. CTTruckDriver203

    CTTruckDriver203 Bobtail Member

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    Jul 2, 2018
    Stratford, CT
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    Thanks everyone for the advice! I ended up going with Carlisle Carriers instead pulling dry vans, but I'll keep this in mind for the future!
     
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