Been out for a little while. Need help choosing.

I have been off the road since May 2012. Before that I had 2 years of verifiable experience and 8 years of somewhat unverifiable due to the mom and pop company I worked for going out of business, and they did not have DAC. I submitted my app to one of those things that send it to other companies for me. After 2 days of taking calls and emails, I have only turned down C.R. England, and USA Truck (do to what I have heard from their drivers out on the road). I have many companies that have ran my info and want to send me to orientation. I have researched and found bad reviews with all of the companies, so I am having a very hard time choosing. Here are the companies I am trying to choose from. Anybody that has advise, or work for these companies and have something good to say would be helpful. Here is the list.

Butler Transport
Tango
K&B
MVT
Trans-Am (lease purchase only, so doubt I will go here unless someone has something awesome to say)
Conway
Heartland Express
Melton

I know these are slim pickins. There were several other smaller and better paying companies, but my time off disqualified me from those unfortunately. Any comments?

 

i dont know where you are from. ive run with conway truckload (if thats what you meant, rather than ltl) and heartland. heartland was regional, northeast. hated regional, but liked heartland just fine. their pay is probably the best out of those you mention (not sure bout that, just a guess). conway...i never had any serious problems with them. going to laredo is kind of hit and miss how long you sit waiting for a load. had a few times i waited 36 hours because there were so darn many drivers there..other times it was grab and go. over all, 2800 miles per week or more or i was complaining to someone, and fm was usually fixing it. cant tell you about hometime...im the type that likes to stay out and go home for extended stays. once in laredo i looked over the guys shoulder as he was pulling me up on the computer...said id been out for 120 days or so. said "guess i should be going home soon,eh?" i CAN tell you as far as home time that they got me home whenever i requested it...within 24 hours ofn the time i wanted...that was always good enough for me. also got me a load going home with 2 hours notice when it was because my father was having emergency treatment due to cancer. was 300 miles away and was home within hours...beforen they found me a load they offered to let me drive home mt if i paid for fuel, or take bus/plane on my dime and theyd retrieve truck.

 

My first choice would be Melton. Top of the line equipment with APU's. I think the company has been around since the 1950's. They are strict about who they hire; so you've done something right for them to consider you.

MVT hauls a lot of auto & other manufacturing parts from the Mexican border to Canada and points in between.

K&B is a hard charging reefer outfit.

That would be my choices in order of preference.

 

I've heard A LOT of good things about Melton. I even had an opportunity to run with a Melton driver not too long ago. Really nice guy and said the same thing Chinatown said. They are really particular on who they hire on, so if they contacted you, you definitely did something right. They take really great care of their equipment and etc. like Chinatown also stated. If you're looking to go skateboard, I would definitely look into Melton.

 

If you like reefer? Go with Butler.

If dry van? Go with Heartland Express.

Why so many divisions? What's your exp? Butler and Heartland would be my top 2 choices!

 

Thanks for the input guys. It don't matter what I do really. I prefer skateboard because it gives me some exercise. I'm just ready to hit the road again. Melton is near the top because there Tulsa Ok hub is about 2 hours from my house, and there Dallas hub is 3 hours. As far as experience I have done a little of everything. Dry Van and reefer is what I have done most. But I have flatbed experience and a little heavy equipment, and pneumatic. Spotless DAC and my MVR has a accident from a girl texting on her phone and running into the back of me at a red light. It's shows that i'm not at fault, but its on my MVR report which really sucks.

 

Western Flyer Express in OKC has a flat division. Check em out

 

Why, if Heartland is so good, is there so little of substance in their forum?

 

That is actually who I worked for until May. I loved them. I always stayed rolling, never sat ever. Checks were always good. I was having major pain near my chest, so I went on home time and the doc seen that I had a one time or another ripped two of my ab muscles away from my ribcage. Ended up being put in surgery and could not do anything for 2 months. They had a driver come get my truck after I told them the issue, they did not put anything bad on my DAC, but they will not even talk to me now. I've tried calling several times.

 

You should probably leave flat behind then, give Butler a call and tell em Blanche sent ya. Lol. Stay safe!