Advise for all newbies from a newbie

I'm just chiming in again to make sure y'all know I'm not disagreeing at all with Brickman or GasHauler..

I was explicit when I was talking about ignoring some posts. If a poster can't provide first hand or verifiable information, his post should, at the very least, be put in the 'check on this later' category

That does NOT mean "ignore every bad (or good) post". If a poster says "this happened to me", it probably did. Of course, there's probably more to it than what he's relating - so pay attention to what others post in response.

Aha! that's what I was getting at, in my muddle-headed way!

You don't really pay attention to any one post or poster - read and evaluate the entire thread - and related threads if there are any. I think, more than anything, that will give you an idea what any given company is like.

 

Hey a job is a job,as long as you're working for somebody you're at the mercy of their management,construction,oilfield,office workers,and trucking we can all sit here and go on for days about the bad things but we don't talk about the good things a whole lot that's too boring.
I'm guilty of it myself like anyone else,but ultimately the best thing we can do is exactly that....do our best.

 

Personally I think this site and forum are great.

Sure there are negative comments but they sure aren't any worse than what you hear over the CB at a truckstop or at the counter at a diner.

The world is full of whiners and people who blame their own unhappiness on others and the trucking industry sure has their share of this demographic.

Companies are in business to make money. They are paid to move freight whether or not you want to run into NYC, Canada, NJ or whether you think it's worth your while or not. Many of those who whine lose sight of this. They somehow expect the world to cater to them. Unfortunately trucking has more than its share of misfits and some have access to the internet and will post here. I can usually tell who these misfits are and can tell the validity of their complaints.

There are companies that do mistreat their employess and take advantage of them but I'd say the majority will treat you fairly if you do your job take care of your responsibilities and are honest and conscientious.

 

So, you are a newbie and you think everyone on here is old..... nothing like starting a conversation on a positive note....
Now, I am just a student, so bear with me, you have been driving for one year and already worked, and left, 2 companies, correct?

I think you will find it difficult to find someone on this forum to disagree with this statement.
But I don't understand...... SNI and C/C are usually portrayed quite positively on this site..... they are not considered bad companies and many, many posters recommend SNI on a daily basis to newbies that ask about carriers....

Sounds an awful lot like a typical post around here.......

And yet........ here you are telling them what to do........ there is a word for that........
And better yet......... if this is worthless information.... why are you here wasting YOUR time?
Now, exactly how do you know what they (the newbies) are reading is b/s? Have you worked for the companies that people are posting about? Most (abeit not all) the posters here write about their personal experiences...... they may be biased (surprise, surprise) but most are sharing what they have learned.... this is a bad thing to you? Or........ could it be that the only opinion that matters is your own?.... hmmmm.....

Excellent advice.......
You got the "what" to do........ but you seem to have forgotten the "how" to do it part........
How do they decide what is best for them, and what companies will meet their needs, without doing research???

Sweetie.... I think you value your own opinion just a tab bit more than others around here might.........
Actually, that statement is kinda funny and I could go on....... but I will restrain myself for now.........

SNI claims to have over 15,000 drivers but maybe they need to be referred to you for more accurate figures......
You seem to be under the impression that no on on this forum knows that SNI has many, many happy drivers...... as well as former drivers who highly recommend their training program....... are you sure you have actually READ the posts on this site....... or did you go and #####-u-m-e some things once you had read a very few comments?
Again....... SNI is for the most part highly regarded around here as a carrier...... it may be the "lesser of the evils" kinda thing to some people but I fail to see where this forum could EVER be perceived as anti-SNI???

So this will be your third company in a little over a year.... and you are offering advice?
In addition.... you apparently must "start at the bottom" again......... even after working for SNI and Coca-Cola??........ that right there is a Texas sized "red flag"......... with references like SNI and C/C you should not have to be looking at starting at the bottom....... me thinks there is more to this story than meets the eye........ but I have been know to be wrong.......
And, for the record, (at least my part) ...... please go and knock yourself out, live your life as you choose......... pick from your 3 bottom feeder companies and make your "mistake" as you put it........ no one here is going to try to stop you........

OMG......... I am so leaving that one alone!!!

I'm sorry........ I tried.... I really did............
1. The fact that you have to ride a bus to orientation tells me (a whole lot) more about you and you situation than I think you intended.
2. The fact that you are more worried about sitting on a bus than what your contract says is unbelievable.
3. The fact that you think newbies should listen to someone who makes life decisions in the manner you suggest is comical.
4. The fact that you wrote those two sentences tells me you are one of those people that has to learn everything for yourself.

I could go on......... but if anyone, I mean anyone cannot see the absurdity of these two sentences then I wish you well in life....... you are going to need it!

Why????
Didn't you just tell everyone to STOP reading the b/s here???
Me con....fus...ed.....

Oh yeah......... now I remember..... everyone else here writes b/s...... but you are the fountain of wisdom and truth....... got it.....

Huh??? I think you are saying that they should take YOUR advice but ignore everyone elses advice on this board.
Did I get it right?
Now....... how do I say this nicely........ why do you think anyone should take the advice of some newbie who clearly hasn't got his own life in order, is starting his 3rd job in a year (with a bottom feeding company... no less), doesn't know where the space bar is on a keyboard, and does nothing but complain?

Here we go again....... get on the internet and talk to drivers..... (But this forum is apparently not on the internet and does not have drivers....???)
Talking to drivers works better than reading......... (So, drivers that are articulate enough to express themselves in written form are inferior???)
Negative information is b/s....... okie dokie..........
Hmmmmmmm...... talk to people on this site and you will become unable to function as a grown adult ...........
I don't know........ no one's scared me off yet........ but I'm sure I am the exception......... or maybe not........
Sounds like personal issues to me.......

Tad sarcastic are you?....... (I should know)
Actually, the best of luck to you......... really......... you obviously have an axe to grind and believe it or not, this forum isn't a bad place to do it...........

 

Im totally new here.

I have been driving for only 3 months now since graduating training getting my CDL.

The information I managed to glean from this site as well as numerous other sources, helped me immensely to make a much more informed decision as to which way to go in my new career.

To be honest, I couldn't be happier with the decisions I have made and I owe a big THANK YOU to the drivers on this site among others who give freely with their time to help out babes in the woods like me.

By the way, Story teller, you crack me up.

BOL,

Stormn

 

Storyteller hasn't been scared off yet - because she's not met me yet.

That will change, that will change.. muahahahahahahaha!

Same is true of the rest of the drivers here.. obviously none of them have anything worthwhile to say.

Why are we here? Or is that too philosophical a question, these days?

 

numorus things can give a company a high turnover rate. as we all know new drivers have almost no idea what they are getting into. They become disilliousioned when they find out they havof perseverncee to do a ^%#$ load from time to time,that they're miles won't always be where they think they should be. that they didn't get the new truck they thought they should get. they're trainer snores like a freight train and passes gas all night. these drivers leave looking for "greener"pastures,a few don't get treated right .It takes a good deal of perservernce to make it out here today,not all have it

 

To sum in all up, you will have good and bad Companies, as well as people who like or dislike a company. There is no such thing as a perfect company or perfect driver.. It is up to you the driver to decide which company you want to drive for, not the companies decision on whether you like it or not.. So when deciding on where to go, do your home work, take the good and the bad, then make a decision that is the only way you will end up with a job.. If you keep on listening to all the bad that every company has you will never have a job..

 

Storyteller,

I admire your wit and ability to express everything I was thinking when I read ept's post but was too lazy to post my thoughts since there was such an abundance of material to respond to.

You have quickly become one of my favorite posters. I enjoy your responses you make my day.

 

Now......... I have to do the disclaimer thing.......

I actually do not have ANY problem with posters or people in general being "negative"....... especially when I want to know their opinions........

Here is how I see it.......

If I ask a bunch of guys about Company XYZ and they tell me all the things they don't like about them..... I can use my common sense, read between the lines, and "take everything in" according to my personal assessment of their motivation or personal qualities..........

Why would I want them to tell me all the good things?
What good is that going to do me?

I mean, com'on......... if I go with Company XYZ and they go and pay me a Christmas bonus, or give me a day off paid after so many miles........ I am NOT going be annoyed that no one "warned" me of these good things that the company was known for ..... I mean, it doesn't take much mental preparation to deal with people being nice!

However, if I go with Company XYZ and they promise me a western route and then go and send me east of the Mississippi for 6 months.......... AND I find out that they do this all the time........... and ten different posters on this site worked for them, and knew this was typical and common....... but didn't share this "negative" aspect of the company..... I am going to be annoyed to say the least............

I don't expect any company or any person to be anything other than exactly what they are............. "it is what it is".......... I just like to make informed decisions based on my own personal needs and issues........

Everyone has different stressors...... what might bother or stress one person, may not bother another one at all......... but I think forums and visiting with other drivers has the potential to save a whole lot of people a whole lot of grief if they use all this "negativity" wisely................

Does that kinda make sense?
Or serve a purpose of any kind??