Going to Werner orientation tomorrow

After my own experiences at Springfield, and Omaha, I tried to warn a guy not to go there - He said to me, "There are opinions on both sides." So he went to Werner. Great guy, too. Formerschool teacher, so he had an education. Plus fairly young still, athletic, and mechanically-minded also. My friend Ron even had GREAT LUCK with Trainers (very rare, I think) and got along well with everybody. Then he got his own truck.

Werner gave him an old lemon. It was in and out of the shop for three months. Finally, on an upgrade, the power quit, and his trailer got rear-ended by another 18-wheeler.

Guess what? They fired him. They didn't want their own STINKING MAINTENANCE JOBS to come to light.

And so my friend went back to teaching. Not everybody has got a career to go back to, once the WERNER NIGHTMARE does you in.

Take a look under 'Bad Trucking Companies,' especially please my comment on the Dead Driver. You'll be better off 'read' than 'dead'.

 

Marcel by any chance is you friend Bigbearron from youtube cause the story about your friend sounds just like his just wondering

 

Currently Im sitting in my Omaha motel room after finishing my 2 day orientation yesterday. Orientation went well, long days but there were only 3 people in my class. Everyone I've met, from the corporate employees to the tons of drivers in and out of here seem really nice. The grounds and buildiings are kept spotless and there are a lot of amenities for drivers and students. Now I'm waiting for my trainer. If you request a non smoking trainer like I did you may wait a few days longer than for a smoking one. Smoking trainers will generally pick you up the day after your orientation ends. You'll have the option to take a week of home time after about 150 hours, or you can do the "ironman" and get all 300 hours done without hometime. It's likely your trainer will take home time while you're with him/her, so in that case you'll get dropped off at a motel in their hometown. You're still paid each day you're in a motel. After completing training, I've heard some students say they got a truck right away, and some have had to wait a few days up to a few weeks. My roommate (and yes, you will have a roommate, unless you pay the other half of the room cost) got assigned a truck right away, but he has to go recover it, meaning get a ride on another truck to Kentucky to where the truck sits. All in all though I'm impressed with how the orientation went and the people I've met. Good luck and feel free to ask questions, I'm sure I've missed some things!

 

Thanks Adam for the update, I'm going to follow this thread and see how you're doing!

 

Thanks Adam, keep us updated, Im supposed to call them tomorrow to see if I have been approved also.....

 

Hey Adam,

Keep us all informed here. I am in Omaha. Not with Werner at this time as I am evaluating options. I have heard and read the same things you have I am sure, but being someone who did not fall off the turnip truck yesterday, I also know you make your own situation better or worse by attitude, effort and being able to communicate with those who may have some accountability to your future. (Trainers, mgmt, etc).

You sound like you have started the right way and I wish you the best. Send me an IM on your experiences as I am weighing my options.

Drive Safe and remember that you are working this job for a reason! (KEY WORD = JOB!). Expectations and results are not always going to be perfect no matter where you end up!

Regards

PS: How long did they say it would take to get your 150 and 300 hour marks? I would think that would be a total of 6 weeks correct?

Also; Let us know these things too if you would not mind.

What shape your rig is in when you get it?
How your Trainer was or is?

Thanks...

 

Does Werner make you team for 6 months cause my friend said he has too. Hes out of the lakeland terminal.

Thx,
Hunter

 

Hunter,
No, they won't make you team. I've heard rumors that if once you finish training and are approved to get off the truck, if they dont have a truck ready for you right away, they'll give you the option to continue teaming with your trainer, or wait in a motel or head home and wait there. But they've got trucks all over the country, so if there isn't one where you get off the trainer truck, chances are they'll rent you a car or give you a ride to a different terminal to get one.

Training lasts 300 hours (actual driving time). Depending on the student's skills, it can take from 6 weeks to 9 weeks Im told. The first 30 days there is a curfew meaning students can't drive between midnight and 6am, so expect to do as much day driving as you can legally get in. So far the trainer trucks I've seen in and out of the motel and terminal this weekend are nice rigs, some with APUs, and the trainers I've met have been nice as well and appear to take care of their appearance.

I'll keep you all updated!

Adam

 

I'm a student with Werner and a friend of mine and myself just completed our 300 hours. It took me 7-1/2 weeks to complete. My first trainer took 5 days off for Christmas and I lost 5 additional days when I fired my first trainer and got another one. My friend was on his trainers truck for 7 weeks straight and never got home. He completed 330 hours in that time and then was routed to a terminal to get a truck. He is completing his first run right now. I am back at the Indy terminal for a few days and then I go back on my trainers truck for who knows how many more hours. I'll keep you guys updated.

I've never heard of this, so I'm inclined to say no.

Adam is mostly right on the money here with a few exceptions. You do have a curfew from 12midnight-6am when you can't drive but it only lasts the first 2 weeks not a month. Also the reason you may or may not (most likely will) have to do extra hours after you finish your 300 is not from a lack of trucks but rather because they claim there are no accounts open. I'm on a waiting list for an account right now and as soon as one opens I will be routed back to a terminal to be assigned a truck. That may be an additional 20 hours over my 300 to infinity. All depends when an account opens in my area. Your best bet is to stay on your trainers truck after your 300 if you can't get on an open account right away. They will send you home quickly unpaid if you don't. This is just a hunch but I'm guessing they secretly give preference to those who go back out on the trainers truck vs go home and take your chances waiting it out. That is just a hunch from what I've observed.