Brand New to Trucking, Just Started Training and Need Advice for Jobs

Every carrier has positive and negative aspects with respect to their suitability for new drivers. What you need to focus on FIRST is which carriers hire from your area. If the owner of the school you are attending is pushing Stevens, then it's a given that Stevens hires out of your area.

Get on the phone with the recruiting office of any carrier you might be considering. Tell them the name of the school you are attending. Some, if not all carriers, are somewhat selective about which schools they hire out of.

I drive for Swift Transportation. Swift has a terminal in Ocala but trains Florida residents in Millington (Memphis) TN.

Do not, I repeat, do not withhold any tidbit of information about your motor vehicle record, health history, arrest record, medications, previous employment, etc., no matter how insignificant the tidbit might seem to you.

It won't be a problem with the carriers, but you need to address this question to some of the women here on the forum.

You will, as a new driver, get what they give you (in most cases). As rookies, we do not get to pick and choose. Even experienced drivers, for the most part, take what is offered. This ain't no candy store!

Stevens is probably no better or worse than any of the other carriers that hire and train new drivers.

If you value your home time TOO much, you're probably in for some disappointment. Most carriers try to get you home every couple of weeks or so, but, keep in mind.....carriers make money moving freight and they must satisfy their customers with timely, safe service. Your need for hometime is secondary to that.

Again, KLLM and U.S. Xpress are probably no better or worse than the others. It's really all about the person and what attributes you bring to the job and what concessions you are willing to make.

Mmmm, 'kay!

 

my dad drove for Stevens for 2 years and he doesn't have anything bad to say about them. The only thing I don't like about them is the Dumb and Dumber training they do....after you get out of your trainers truck they put you in a truck with another new driver and make you team for a little while before you go out solo.

KLLM is a good company, USX if you want a auto transmission you might like them.


American Trucker

 

Swift is a very good choice !!!!!

R U near Eustis area, windy hill may hire you.

Knight and Werner R in lakeland, but personally would avoid them both.

List your home area, that would help ...........

 

Hey Starmushrooms, I went to TDI too! Back in '96. Lastamericanhippy had some really good advice! Windy Hill is pretty good company. My cousin worked for them and loved it! They kept him very busy. They are a small mom and pop company and their main terminal is in Wisconsin but they have a terminal in Eustis too. You can make really good money there because a lot of their loads are multiple stops and you get extra money for each individual stop. Another really good thing about Windy Hill is they leave you alone to do your job. That aren't anal like all the other companies and you aren't constantly on the qualcomm. Windy Hill runs mostly east coast and heartland they do not go to the west coast. A nice thing my cousin liked was that they do a lot of home depot's and walmarts and such so while everyone is hustling to find a parking spot at truckstops you have permission to be sleeping at the home depots. One other thing, make sure they show you and you practice at throwing chains. It's getting that time of year and you don't want to be caught unprepared. Whatever you decision, stay away from the mega-companies! Ie: Stevens, Swift, Werner, England etc... Keep in mind that TDI gets paid to send you to those companies so they are going to push them no matter what! I would definitely give Windy Hill a shot, they are actually hiring right now, I just saw an ad in the local paper for Windy Hill drivers. Good luck to you and welcome to the forum!

 

you have to have many yrs of exp for a good company most are 5 to 7 yrs.

 

i live here in orlando so i know how hard it could be to find a good company. but if you like home time honestly stay away from stevens because when i talked to a recruiter a yea ago he said drivers get one of to holidays if they are lucky, christmas or thanksgiving. alot of drivers say that stevens is not big on hometime. but if i were you id try windy hill or us xpress. i would stay away from swift because they dont pay no money. last time i checked it was under .30 a mile so i wouldnt work for that. just food for thought

 

Yeah man, howdy neighbor! I am just down the road from you. Definitely give Windy Hill a shout. I know a lot of guys who did well there. Good luck man!