Any thoughts on Roehl, Schneider, USXpress for a newbie?

Schneider seems to be a good bet. From what's been posted USX will #### near hold a gun to your head and make you sign a lease purchase agreement.

 

Look at all of them and go with the company the best fits your needs. Money, home time, benefits whatever. take your time and do the research.

 

I am also nearing the end of driving school. I have researched all of the companies mentioned. The only company I have qualms about is Roehl, even though one of their recruiters visited my school. Everything the recruiter said was great, as are all the stats on their website. What scares the ###### out of me about Roehl is that just their orientation is 8 days + 4-6 weeks with a trainer. The training period is standard, but an 8-day orientation seems absurd - especially after coming straight from a 160 hour+ school. That company indoctrination period, combined with comments online pertaining to continued hand-holding behavior (even with experienced drivers) causes me to reconsider working for Roehl, which is a shame because they sincerely seem like a company that treats its drivers well.

The other companies you mentioned seem like great companies. USX has an extremely short training period, and at this stage in my career, I prefer a longer training period in which an experienced driver can show me the ropes. One factor you may consider is that USX offers only auto-shift tractors (per their brochure).

Two companies you did not mention are KLLM and WSE. Recruiters from both companies seem more interested in sincerely helping the potential driver (being honest) rather than getting their quota of applicants for the month (by deception). From what I understand, WSE is strictly reefer and offers only auto-shift transmissions. Everything I have read about both companies is very positive. KLLM is based in Jackson, Mississippi; WSE is based somewhere in Arkansas...

I'm sure there are many other great companies that hire outside my area that I am not familiar with(Watkins-Shepard for example).

 

When I was looking around most of the companies had an orientation of about a week to ten days depending on the company. I think it's to see if you pass the drug screen before they let you out on the road.

 

Could be. Of the companies I am seriously considering, 3 to 3.5 days is the norm. Then again, most of these companies require experience or schooling, and both of those req'ts require drug testing, so the risk of a positive test is minimized?

 

lots of companies to choose from so good luck in your search and don't get in a hurry.