Going to Werner orientation tomorrow

What is Werners rider policy? My wife will be going with me.....

 

They have an open rider policy which starts I believe after 6 months employment.

 

how does the whole motel thing work? i.e we pay, they pay, who pays

 

the trainer has a card and pays for it.

 

hello all,

I am currently on my trainers truck 7 hours away from completing my 300. My experience thus far goes a little something like this....


Finished orientation in Allentown on Dec 4th. Was sent in a rent-a-car to Omaha to get a trainer. 2 days later was picked up by my trainer who runs with the Canadian fleet taking loads back and forth over the border. Stayed with him for about a 6 weeks 2 1/2 of which i spent in a hotel. Completed only about 100 hours w/ him. Decided I'd try my luck w/ a new trainer so I got dropped off in Denver. Was there for 6 days waiting for a new trainer. Got my new trainer who I am with now and who could not be any better. He's very friendly, patient, considerate, has over 30 years experience, keeps his truck spotless, gets us plenty of showers and I've been able to get 200 hours in about 4 weeks w/ him. Awesome individual, who ever gets him is very lucky. So I placed a call to driver placement yesterday to let them know I should be done soon and to see what was open for me. I was checking specifically on the office max dedicated because I live about 20 miles from the main distribution center. They said for that account there were no current openings but to check back soon. They also said that northeast regional and 48 state were open. There is no way ill drive northeast regional at 20 cpm in and out of New York, Philly etc. shagging loads and taking short runs. Not worth it at all. But to sum up my experience with Werner I will say they are a typical large corporation. They are out to make a profit first and foremost just like any other large corporate machine. 90% of the people I've dealt with have been friendly and helpful. Despite all the stories I've heard everyone has been pretty straight forward w/ me w/ the exception of the recruiter who came to my school. It has also been my experience that drivers are a bunch of gossip queens, I have caught myself a couple times passing around hear say. My advice is try if possible not to get caught up in that or pay too much attention to it, judge it according to your own experience.

 

Mind sharing the trainer's name? Many years ago I tried with a guy in Denver. Just wondering if it could possibly be the same guy.

 

Your story sounds quite similar to mine. Overall I have had a better time than I expected from reading these forums ahead of time but it still hasn't been all sunshine and bunnies either. My second trainer has been great much like yours, he is a Million Miler who gets me lots of hours and a shower at least every other day. I couldn't ask for better.

It's interesting driver placement told you 48 state and N/E regional are open. Reason being when I was close to my hours being up I was told 48 state and Midwest regional were open (I'm from Michigan) only to find out a few days later when my hours were up that magically nothing was available. I've called every day since and get the same answer including today. I personally know one other driver that has mentioned a "story" similar so I would be really curious if anything is still open when you call driver placement after your hours are up. If you get time please let us know. I go back out with my trainer tomorrow for 50 more hours (in addition to my 300). Anyway, good luck to you.

 

yep... looks like i spoke too soon.

After posting that last message I went to check on my 300 hours and there had been 10 hours added to my time. I had 17.5 hours on Monday the 2nd then drove 10.75 on tuesday and on wednesday I was down to only 17. So I called to find out why I was missing 10 hours and thats when the funny business started to happen. First they tried to blame it on me, when that didn't work they tried to make me check my paper logs verse the Qualcomm hoping I would get discouraged and let it go. That did not work either. My SDM referred me to logs saying she had nothing to do with student hours. Logs told me they had nothing to do with student hours and that it was only my SDM who could change those. So my SDM had lied to me. After a couple phone calls my logs were magically corrected to what they should be. So then today completing my hours yesterday I gave my SDM a call and according to her nothing is now available and if I stay on my trainers truck for another week and then call her something will probably open up. I told her I did not want to stay and wanted to get routed to a terminal and she started threatening me saying they would not even let me process out as a qualified driver and that I would just be sent home. If they have no truck for me that is one thing but they have no reason to not let me take my CBT's and become a qualified driver. So finally she said she would have me routed back to a terminal but since then we have been preassigned two loads no where near a terminal. This is just plain BS. I have not been home in 3 months and they are trying to suck every penny out of me they can get a this cheap cost of labor.

 

Sorry to hear that. Hopefully something opens soon....Keep us updated

 

Hang in there man. I also was mad when I realized what they were doing but I calmed down after a few days and realized I have no choice but to play their game in this economy. You don't want to go home this close to being done. My SDM admitted to me a few days ago that those who go out and complete an extra week get put in a "short stack" for preference of assignment. I personally know one friend and have meet numerous students who have been assigned a division and truck after they have completed extra hours ranging from 30 (my friend) to 60. I have kept in touch with 2 students that went home after their 300 hours (I meet both of them in December at my orientation) and they never got an assignment and are considered to have voluntarily quit because they waited over 30 days. They are too far removed from there CDL class to get a job with anyone else in this economy so they are basically screwed. One said they could hire back on with Werner but would have to complete at least 160 more hours of training to do so. Other option was to go back to there original CDL school and pay for a refresher to try and got on at another company.

You have been out for 3 months now you might just consider giving it one more week to 10 days and see what happens. Good luck to you either way.