Anything good about Werner?

In my short 3 weeks of employment with Werner, I was lied to by SIX of their people!

 

i know i'll regret asking but... what did they lie to you about?

 

I have worked for Werner for the last 2 years and have been happy with them. Always happy, no, but i have never had a job that was perfect, who has? I drive for Werner as an O/O but its not my truck, i drive a truck for a friend who has 2 leased on with them. I still have to go by there rules like a company driver but have a few more perks [like hometime when and how long i want] and better Dispatch. I started training 6 months ago when 2 trainees hit my truck within 5 days of eachother. Both times the trainer was asleep while the trainee was at a shipper backing with no help. This will never happen on my truck. I have had 7 guys on my truck and out of 7, 2 have went all the way to the end of training and got into there own trucks, both quiting within 4 weeks. Why, pay and the job was alot more then expected. When/if you make it, get your own truck, you have to know something frist. 1. Pay, you will make as much the frist 6-12 months as you did in training sometimes less. Why? because you have to prove you can do the job right, ontime, and safe. this means short runs to start. Most of the guys i have talked to have done alot better after 6-12 months of great service. Here is the most important thing of all, DO NOT "go off" on your dispatch, this is where 90% of these guys on this fourm have went wrong. Your new and they do not know if your reliable or not. Think about it, if you owned a couple of trucks and you had 1 guy that has worked for you for 8 years with a great record and a new guy you do not know much about and had a very important customer that needed there fright asap, who do you turn to? Hate to say it but if your not happy with your runs starting out, put a smile on your face and say "Thank you, can i have more" You treat him well after a while he will know he can turn to you. Frist year will be hard. 2. Talk to people before you even get a CDL. This not just a job but a lifestyle. The hardest thing i have to teach guys is life "life on the road". Its rough at times, you will not get a shower every night, you will not be at a truck stop every night, if you are, you not a very motivated driver. run your hours out, sleep at a rest/parking area if you have to, get as close to your 11 and your drop/pickup as you can. I have printed out somethings for my trainees to help them when they get off my truck to becoming a reliable solo and make as much money as poisable. This guideline i have for them comes from help from my dad who is a retired 3 million mile driver(not for Werner) and my friend i driver for, who is a million mile driver/trainer for Werner. 3. Training will be hard, lots of variables like getting a good trainer/bad trainer(See thread labled "Werner traniner craps himself" no excuse for any driver/trainer to be that gross) I teach my guys how to deal with the variables on the road like keeping lots of food on the truck and cleaning suplies so you dont stink after 2-3 days untill you get to a shower. I like to call it a "horse bath." Yes there will be times you cant get to a truckstop for 2-3 days to get a shower/hot meal. Are you going to give up loads because they run you out in the woods to get a shower/hotmeal? not me i like money but you can stay clean and eat good. If you dont like your trainer, ask for a new one, if they can. Being with someone on a truck for 7-8 weeks can be hard. Well iam hungry and yes, iam at a truckstop and have not had a good meal/shower for 2 days. ITS TIME. Love the forum, but dont belive everyone here, trucking is for some, and some its not. Frist time ive been here, was refered by one of my students, Hope this might help a little, be back soon.

 

i can tell you what is worse, an arrogant SOB that thinks they know everything about a company because they've either quit after 5 weeks, or got fired by them....whatever, mr-know-it-all

 

Stump...
Thanks for your insight and honesty.

 

i have been with Werner for 3 years,started with them after i got out of school. I thought i would only be with them for a year, but they havent given me any reason to leave. I am on a great dedicated account. I can get home almost every weekend. True the grass isnt always green, and my 1st few months were kinda sketchy, but it all got better with time. People just give up too easily and listen to the Naysayers, who are usually those that couldnt hack this field, or got fired for being in too many accidents or late violations. Basically, Werner is a big company, there are some problems with a big company like Werner, but i have yet to find them.

 

A driver can run on time at Werner for 2-3 years and only make .30-.31 cpm and get about 2500 miles a week...Now an unproven ROOKIE fresh off his trainers truck living in a hiring area for a dedicated account like office-max can be hired on running the account right off the trainers truck ,which is 99% guaranteed if his trainer was office max dedicated ,And this rookie will start out day 1 at .35 and making 45-50k his first year ...all without the process of proving his ability that you outlined .

 

3 years ,and I quit b/c I was only earning 32-35k at .31 cpm ,And I did not live close enough to any of the DC for the good dedicated runs like Sears and Office-max ...Infact it was very upsetting to pick up overflow O-MAX freight knowing that account pays rookies .35 cpm fresh off the trainers truck who have never even driven solo ,and will earn 45-50k first year ...O-max /Sears pay very well because of stop pay ,which the stops are beyond easy for a decent driver , And yes I'm super arrogant , But born again Christians And Werner still suck only thing worse would be a born again Werner driver .

 

A Werner recruiter that is also Born again Chirstian? If they are going to be a lying hypocrite they might as well go whole hog.

 

Were you lied to also?