DFW-Texas..USA or Stevens?

How did I start??? In 1974 I think , you showed up a DPS office with one ton or larger truck. Took Test. Took ride. That was it. You had a "Commercial" license. No endorsements like tanker, dbls/trpls, etc. Lot more common carriers back then. Companies like Yellow/Roadway were the norm. Most had training before they would turn you loose. I worked for a company called Organic Compost. Had no idea what that was. Spent whole summer hauling sheep/cow sh it. Would dump it out. They would hose it down. Push into piles. It would get hot as Hell as it composted. Every week or so they would bust into piles and load. We would drive in semi circle about 200 yards and dump it. Repeat process a few times. There were about 10 piles several hundred yards long so it was never ending process. Smelled real bad. Especially sheep crap. About one day 6 day week we would haul to shakers and baggers. This was all at corner of 28th and Main in FT Worth where Billy Bobs giant tourist bar is now. Would haul over to what is now Mule Alley. Back into bldgs and dump. They would run over conveyors like sand /gravel operation to get rocks out. Bag it and ship it. Couple of times a month we got to haul "tailings" or the misc rocks that were waste. Got to drive about a mile each way to another place in N FTW. That was like a vacation. No stink. Air actually going through the truck. $3 hr +overtime. Worked about 60hrs a week. Was actually decent money for a 18 yr old. The eventually moved the whole thing down to Cresson, TX. Scotts owns it now. Huge place with hundreds of trucks waiting to load. We did it all with 3 tandem dumps. Went to work for construction company. Drove Diamond Reo dump trucks. 5x4 gears that no one knew how worked. Just figured it out. Then drove low boy haul truck after that guy quit. On and on. Got into a/c and heating when I decided to go to college. Worked part time for friends dad. Went back to union truck company after grad college. Then back into own a/c business for 20 + yrs. On and on. Still always learning something new.

 

I have not read all the responses, but here are my thoughts on your original question:

I would go 100% for Stevens.

A company that has their own school is usually better than one that runs you thru a 3rd party mill. They will make sure to teach you everything properly and thourghly because you will be in THEIR equipment and THEIR driver.

I know many drivers who went thru C-1 and STILL needed a few more weeks training. I have been told they do not train you very well, they rush you threw everything and if you don't understand something they say 'Don't worry, such and such company will explain it to you or your trainer"

Stevens is a pretty good company, they have brand new T700 trucks and seem to keep their equipment in good shape. I always see the Stevens drivers as professionals and are always polite when i talk to them. Can't come close to saying that about USA drivers....

So I'd go for Stevens not just for the better training but also the better equipment.

 

I had a great experience with C1 in Ft. Worth. Extremely helpful classroom instruction, and also received a ton of drive time in my 3 weeks there. I felt as prepared as could be for my trainer.

However, not to knock any companies I haven't driven for, I have a buddy that works for USA ( I drive for PAM, the other company Driver Solutions recruits for) and we compare various aspects constantly. I would definitely not recommend them and am thankful I ended up here.

 

How was the hotel? As bad as i heard about? Im headed to Fort Wayne Sunday, just wondering how the area was, the hotel and whats around when not in class thx and congrats on getting in on Pam, i got USA but i will stick it out for the year.

 

Im sorry Fort Worth not Fort Wayne misread ur post.