future stevens driver

No dumb and dumber... your go out with a finish trainer.
There are a few t2000 still around with no APUs...
The cab of the T660 is smaller, but the sleeper is just fine. I prefer the 660, and I do not train.
NO TV, NO frig, those are all driver supplied items...
You will get what is assigned to you, grad students get T2000.

 

After Grad fleet, many of the drivers are getting T700s now. There are more than 400 of those in the regular company fleet.
Also seeing some of the new Petes in the company fleet.

 

yes, you are paid the same rate loaded or unloaded

 

One of the sources of complaints about Stevens (and most training companies) is the driver candidate is shocked into the world of trucking.
Trucking expectations are almost universally different than what you will find. It is a great business for most of us in the industry, but it isn't what most people expect. The glory of the open road, the wanderlust and excitement are all second to hard work, boredom and frustrations.
Now put that shock together with weeks of being cooped up in a space smaller than the average bathroom with a stranger and you have the makings of complaints.
Going thru training at Stevens is not unlike boot camp.
It seems you can't do anything right, but that's because you're concentrating on what's wrong, not what you are doing right.
It's such a shock and more often than not the driver candidate finds this industry isn't his/her cup of tea and they leave.
And blame Stevens (Swift, Werner, Hunt, Schneider, etc)
What I can tell you is Stevens will equip you to be a safe professional driver. But you're going to have to suck it up and apply yourself.
Once you complete two years with Stevens, there isn't a company out there that won't hire you. Even after one year, many will actively recruit you.
Stevens trains their drivers best.
When I'm in the yard, I often sit in the break room that is just around the corner from the Training department. I try and speak with the guys that have just come off their trainer's truck and are now into O-2 phase. I always tell them the same thing: "You have completed the hardest part of training. O2 will be fun and Grad fleet is just around the corner."
If you want a good start in this business and expect to make it a career, this is the place.

 

I know one or two drivers that soaked up a pete out of grad fleet but that is RARE. Bet on a T2000 but it is luck of the draw on what kind of truck you get. I got a T2 with around 200k on it. After a week down for getting the DPF straight it runs great and wouldn't trade it for any of the newer trucks. But that's just me.

As for complaints you won't find anyone who doesn't have a complaint over something. But it is what you make of it. I've never heard of them not paying out for a load. I've had my pay held up for variance and such but still got paid for it in the end. As long as you aren't taking road trips to disney land and such.

 

Stevens is a great place to train for sure! I will say this about them - I was needing my northwest zone and another pass for my OR 1 training. I was in Texas and had 13 more days out of my 35 left, and they sent me to Virginia. Crap I said, this sucked and needless to say my attitude was going south. I have been away from home for some time and was hoping to get my requirements done. I had to call my counsler to report in and she had said, oh your almost done! I explained to her what happend and that I was not the happest camper right now. She said I will get back to you, dont go anywhere! 30 min later I had a new load assignment heading to......the northwest with 2 Mt passes on it! Way cool!! She got with my trainers DM and dispatch and helped make it happen!
She will always be respected by me for..... doing her job and being a good counsler. I guess what I am trying to say is there are other people behind the scene that are helping us drivers on the road!!
And not to mention I got a real good trainer first time out. I am his first trainee as well and we both learned a lot together. He has been very patient and just an all around calm and knowledgable trainer!!

 

Well it sounds like if you have a good attitude you will be ok ....But i'm still happy that i went with another company because at 350 a week its tuff to pay bills and if i break it down to 50 a day then break that done to hourly pay that is really is peanuts! oh and thats before Taxes. But then you really get the big pay days at .26 cents a mile. After shopping around stevens pay seems to be at the bottom of the starter companies. Pay may not be everything but when you have a wife & kids at home that likes to eat i'm going to need a more then peanuts. oh and being out for over 4-5 weeks at a time i would rather be in Iraq or Afganastan. i'm not sure if its true but i hear you have to have a Texas license too. hope you get back to the great northwest soon.