Con-way student OTR driver?

Con-Way is leaps and bounds better then most all other starter companies... If you go with Con-Way for your training, they will set you up with Crowder college for your CDL training. I have been told by many drivers that Crowder has one of the best training course in the industry. If you are interested in the company, give their recruiting department a call. I talked to them when I first started looking for companies and they were extreamly nice and helpful.

 

Con-Way was/is my absolute top pick for my starter OTR company. I've been told their training is some of the best in the business, and they really try to take care of you. Also heard that if you're a good driver, they work hard to keep you happy and on board with them. They don't like to lose good drivers.

 

I was looking into it but I decided to get my schooling somewhere else. Con-Way is my first pick for a company though.

 

January 14th 2011






Hello Danny_379:


I am just finshed with the FFE Orientation here in Lancaster Texas and at the Hotel (the Grande in Desoto) where I had the Orientation they will also do Orientations for Conway, Knights and Dart Transportation.

I happened to be talking to a Team driver from Conway and he said this much about the company: "It's small and they almost know You when You call them and when You ask them for a lot of work, or as much work as possible they will fufill Your wish, so be carefull with Conway what You wish for" then he went on and said that 99.(99) percent of all of the freight is drop and hook and It is also mostly Conway Freight from Conway Yards themselves and they have Yard jockeys to take Your trailer from one part of the yard to the next and then they will bring You the trailer to the departure section of the Yard and then just give You all of the paperwork for It. They also haul a lot of freight for UPS and FEDEX. I wonder if all of this is really true?

It is supposed to be a very efficient operation and one of the most sought after companys.

I don't know about Knight and Dart but Conway seems to be a company that some people (including the Hotel shuttle driver) say a lot of things about. I have heard the other companys have a high turnover rate.

I'm with FFE right now as my starter company so I'll just have to wait and see.

I personally have heard that they will make You work around the wharehouse to load their trucks if You are a beginner and then give You driving jobs as You put Your time in, but I don't really know because just as many people say that You don't have to do all of that. I guess that You just have to talk to some people and find out the right answer.

 

As far as your last statement that is for Con-way Freight, not Con-way Truckload which is a sister company. Truckload is OTR, no working the docks.

 

I work for Freight but can clarify a few things.

Truckload drivers never work a dock - Freight drivers do and it's on the Freight side where it can take some time to be behind the wheel daily.

I have no idea what percentage of T/L loads are drop/hook but they all are at Freight facilities. And yes, at the large facilities with yard assignments, your trailers are placed in doors for you and brought to you by yard trucks. That is now done for all carriers at large Con-way Freight terminals.

 

IMO, any driving job at a Con-way company is substantially better than most. Maybe at some point that won't be the case but the more I read/hear the more I'm convinced.

I'm sure that there are more, but from what I know as fact there are 3 driving jobs right now that are better than mine at Freight - UPS Parcel, UPS Freight, and Wal*Mart. Even then, I'm not sure that my 7.5 years at Freight would have me in this position at any of those companies.

The company is in the business of moving freight and making money - we took some hits but got them back without meeting the criteria needed to get them back.

If you're gonna drive and can comprehend that it's not all roses and the open road on a dry clear night, this is one hell of a place to be. I'll no longer be employed here under 4 circumstances - self employed, retire, company closes, or I get fired for something stupid..

 

Does TL require anything up front for schooling?