Averitt Express

I worked for them for 18 years on their Nissan Dedicated account. I never once worked for them as an OTR driver. They are a big company. They have great benefits that are inexpensive. I'm single and I had deluxe benefits. I doubt I paid $100 per month for medical/dental/vision. I can't remember if I paid extra for long-term disability.

Since they are a big company they have rules for everything. If your response to rules is "sure, why not?" You might be a good fit. If your response to rules is "how will they know, I'll do it my way" you will not be a good fit. About 20% of the company has been with the company for 10 years or longer. If you fit with THEIR system you can be happy for a long time.

OTR drivers may or may not be happy with them. The number of miles you get seems to be based on which Service Center you work from. They call a terminal a Service Center. I know many OTR drivers working form the Nashville yard were lucky to get 1500 miles per week. My theory is they have too many OTR drivers so miles are spread too thin. At many smaller yards you are lucky to get less than 3000 miles per week. They never screw with your paycheck. Very rarely they may make a mistake. They will correct it if you bring it to their attention. I was paid hourly. After a few years I stopped watching all of the details in my paycheck because I never found a mistake.

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE wold I be tempted to work on any type of dollar store account. I think they used to have a Dollar General Dedicated account. It doesn't matter which dollar store account, all of them are the same problem. Backing a huge trailer into a tiny lot with/without cars parked in that tiny lot and rookies cannot back for poo. It's a perfect recipe for accidents and then getting fired and then working for terrible companies because you have a bad record. Cracker Barrell is a Dedicated account that is always short of drivers mostly because CB is everywhere, including the Northeast. And CB account requires you to roll pallets to back of the trailer. I don't think you move freight into stores. But you certainly roll freight to the back of trailer, possibly put it on the ground with a liftgate, and then put empty pallets or totes back into the trailer. So it's some physical labor. You get paid for that, but I don't know what the pay is. It's a way to see more of the country than just the South, Southeast, Midwest, because Cracker Barrel is everywhere.

The company has maybe a hudred Dedicated accounts. The pay, schedule, hometime are different from acount to account. Don't listen to anyone except the site manager for that Dedicated account or drivers that work on that account. The general office types and possibly recruiters will only know that every account seems to average 2500 miles per week. The vast, vast majority of trucks are automatics. They have a ton of Volvos and a bigger ton of Freightliners. The company does a good jusb of keeping them in good shape, but truck drivers can find reason to complain. You will run legal. You will fuel at company yards 90% of the time. You will be expected to go somewhat out of route to fuel at a company yard. They will authorize you to buy emergency fuel at a truck stop is you aren't going near a company yard.

I'm glad I worked there. I'm glad I didn't do OTR there. I thought they treated me very well. They went the extra mile to help me find another place in the company when I just had to have a change.

The company loves military vets. The company has a finishing school in Cookeville, TN for no-experience drivers. You MUST wear their uniform. They give you $150/yr to buy new uniforms/boots etc. Everyone in my family with a CDL worked for them for multiple years. There are definitely accounts inside the company I would NEVER work for, but it's a good company for "boy scouts" like me and it's well-run and organized. The money is maybe average or only slightly above average, but you never worry about being cheated or running illegal. I believe OTR goes no further Northeast than southern PA. Dedicated accounts go where that account operates. They have Cracker Barrel restaurants from Maine to Washington to San Diego to Miami. They try hard to keep good drivers. No Cowboys. No driver-facing cameras. 65 MPH trucks

 

BTW, Averitt trucks MUST be parked at the Averitt yard when you go home. This is good because it gives them a chance to do maintenance while you are home instead of sitting in driver lounge at a truck stop or Averitt yard waiting for them to do maintenance.

 

If the trucks are daycabs (no sleeper) they may be Linehaul trucks that drive at nights from one Averitt yard to another Averitt yard. Nashville and Knoxville, TN are big yards and they have a lot of tractors parked there anytime I drive past. I don't think that's a bad sign. It's been that way for years. I never thought about it. They sure are NOT going out of business. They are VERY good at getting new business. Unlike a lot of other companies they don't get new business by just offering a cheaper rate. They usually offer a slightly higher rate and rock solid dependability to customers. I don't know if Averitt is a good match for you, you have to decide. But they are a reliable employer doing things pretty well, compared to other trucking companies. Talking to OTR drivers for Averitt one thing you may not like is they expect delivery to be completed very early in the mornings, as early as the customer will permit it. And then it's common to sit around after you are empty waiting to find out where to go now. Many companies know what your next load, referred to as backhaul, is before you even deliver the load you are hualing now. It seems OTR often Averitt doesn't know what your backhaul will be until after you are empty or they have to find your backhaul after you are empty. That CAN kill your weekly miles. Remember, I NEVER did OTR with Avrt. I was always an hourly driver, home every day with weekends/holidays off almost like an office job. Trucks have APUs and inverters. I'm sure the the Freightliners and Volvos are double-bunk condo sleepers. Trailers are in very good to good shape.

They may have city pickup/delivery work available which is hourly pay and sleep at home. They probably have a few dedicated accounts where you would not be going to random customers in random cities but the same several locations on a more predictable schedule. Don't think they have one driving position and that's it. It also can take a long time to get hired, even though they need more drivers. EVERY company needs more drivers. They don't rush the hiring process. They also pay for your DOT medical and you go to a doctor they pick.

They aren't everybody's cup of tea. They are a good company with many different driving jobs. If you start and don't like what you are doing ask what else you can do. There is probably something.

 

tscottme is correct. I am OTR, which is considered "regional" for Averitt.

 

Averitt is a company, if they fit you, you CAN stay at for a long time. Like I said, in an industry where turnover rates often exceed 100% per year, 20% of the company employees have been with the company over 10 years.

 

They are a good company. I'd like to think they are better than a "starter" company. You know... Do you time, then move on... The thing that got me with them is the honesty. When they say they are paying you for X... They do. all the extra pay that they offer on the listing, that is correct and they will pay it. I have been with them 5 years now, but I also window shop ALL the time, but so far for the benefits and what is offered, I don't see another company filling the bill yet... If you have an open mind, a good work ethic, and common sense... you can fit in pretty good.

I would fill out every application that you might be interested in. From there once you get some replies... you get to choose who you wan to work with.

this link is to the job openings @ Norcross (that's what they name it within the company) ... check it out and see if something trips your trigger.

https://intelliapp.driverapponline....rittcareers&uri_b=ia_averittexpress_206919235

But like I said don't keep a short list...
@Chinatown is the master and should be able to give you some other options if you want them