Western Express Orientation

Any drivers for WE here? Quick questions. Do they let you bobtail? Force dispatch? Let you fuel anywhere?

 

I used to drive for WE. @otterinthewater still does. But, some have a higher threshold for tolerating pain than others.

Bobtailing: Don't know how it is now, but I did some bobtailing with WE. As a matter of fact, my very first run was going bobtail from Nashville to Crossett, Arkansas.

In Fontana, I used to hit all the nearby restaurants along Slover, Cherry, and Sierra streets. The best burritos come from that ugly brown building just across the tracks.

You can get a cheap shower, eat, and do laundry at the truck stop next to the Rush Peterbilt. Farmer Boy burgers is good. Behind the Circle K is a Mexican restaurant that offers a really big burrito that is really good for ten bucks. Seriously, that burrito is two meals. Their birria is decent, too.

On Sierra Avenue by the 7-11 and Home Depot is Corky's bakery. Good food. Good service. Open 24 hours. Dinner entrees served until 10 pm. Freshest salad you'll ever eat.

Back to Welfare Express: yes, they have forced dispatch. So lovely.

And no. You cannot fuel anywhere. Pilot and Flying J only. Unless its changed in the past four years. And they had specific gallon amounts, too. One day, I'd be fueling at the Flying J in Barstow, another day I'd be fueling at the Pilot across the freeway. On top of that, I would see another WE truck fueling at Pilot while my fuel solution would be at Flying J. Total frickin insanity.

However, I like visiting Barstow in a truck or in my own veeeeeehicle. Mainly because you can park a tractor trailer at Del Taco and walk to Fat Burger. Fat Burger has excellent wings, burgers, and fries. They also offer a cdl discount.

My advice is that if you need experience, get it at Western Express. Make your rookie mistakes there, then move on.
And please don't leave broken equipment for the next guy to fix. That happened to me a lot.

And get your equipment fixed on the road as much as possible. When I was there the shop was slower than cold molasses.

 

So I'm brand new also but I've BN on the road for a couple weeks. I have bobtailied a few times. Yes they give us a fuel route and pretty much if u don't take the loads they give you, well you might be waiting

 

Cool. Thanks. My other option is May who have a terminal nearby but I've been told that's not always the best choice simply because being pulled into a terminal means inspections, etc. I hear May micro manage and their trucks are governed at 61. Is Western 65?

 

Ur not a true western express driver until u have half ur body panels missing on a 2019 truck and marks of all the bumpers u have collected in the truck stop

 

Don't consider May. Unless you want to pay for your own fuel. Think I'm joking?

 

When I drove for them in 2008. You could stop at a Love's (not sure they are in business anymore) in a pinch, yet you had to get approval prior to using the card. No you can not bob tail. They will ream you out for not being under a trailer. Only time you can bobtail that I knew of was for some one like Church & Dwight in NJ. Where the drop yard and collection yard were two different locations. Otherwise I bobtailed(sp?) when I dropped the trailer and brought the cab to my door yard.

 

What about Western Express?

 

My face is grimacing right now. If you need driving experience, then WE will be ok. No worse than any other mega.



But always remember that WE is all about the bottom line and not their drivers. I suppose it's like that anywhere, but it really shows at WE based upon how they treat not only their drivers, but their mechanics, the dm's, and even lower management.

And it would not hurt you to look at other companies.

If you decide to go with WE, don't bring anything with you that you wouldn't want stolen.

 

Only if you must. Better companies are out there.

Don't take anything with you that you wouldn't want stolen.