Am I taking the best route to heavy haul and oversized?

@Nashville --

If your "homework"....and later conversations don't leave you with the "warm fuzzies" about ATS, you might also like to check out this smaller carrier, too:

Jordan Carriers--hires drivers new to flatbed duty

The reasons I suggested them--they have much better than average reviews on Indeed.com.....and they also have a "heavy haul" division that you can later join, and get some of that "heavy haul" experience:

Check out Jordan Carriers' "wind" division

Plus: they have really good-looking equipment.

If you live where I think you do....then they also hire out of your area.

--Lual

 

ATS has a class system for advancing in loads. To start you will only do legal loads, then after a while, 6 months to a year, you can test up to the next level. I think there are 5 levels, but they to my knowledge only 1 19 axle unit and that has a assigned driver. If you can enter Canada, that is a plus. I think they have a 1 year walkaway lease with a used tractor. They own the Momentum Freightliner dealer in St Cloud and have a controlling interest in Warren Transport as well. The person that ATS drivers deal with at Freightliner is Mike Stringer, he runs the power program for ATS.

 

My experience with ats wasn't great. To much micro management, trucks ain't very well equipped. Kinda bare actually. In my experience, you can do way better at anywhere else.
Lonestar
Daily
Jordan
Valley
Ats is the mega fleet of os/ow (specialized) freight. And that ltyx system is a pia.

Best mistake I ever made.

 

I think is a good start, no many people have the opportunity to jump straight to heavy haul. I did by accident but, I think the right way is to start on a flatbed or a stepdeck.

 

I’m still in the beginning stages of switching over to heavy haul but from what I can tell your best bet is to get on with an excavation company. I was with my current company for a little over a month before the opportunity arose to switch to lowboy rig and I jumped on it.

 

Best route? That’s gonna be a hindsight 20/20 sorta thing.

Shortest? Probably not.

 

You seem to be “in the know” with them. I’ve been told ATS also owns a decent chunk of Trail King. Any truth to that?