Getting started, DON'T make my mistakes.

I reckon I will throw my two cents in here. I have been reading this site since about September of last year. From what I have read, here are some of the companies I would start with.

Millis- but you have to go through their school, good on getting you home
Watkins Shepard- good company but you will earn your pay,hire out of approved school, no trainer just a 10 day orientation
Crete- good company,hire out of approved school, go out with a trainer before solo
Conway- good company,hire out of approved school, have to go through some kind of bootcamp
Roehl- good company, not huge miles but good on getting you home, family oriented

If you have any interest in flatbed-

Boyd Bros out of Birmingham- hire out of school, have not read many complaints
Builders Transport out of Memphis- good company, think they hire out of school and go with a trainer
Maverick- seems okay
Roehl Flatbed Division- I would check into as the dry van division seems good

I have no interest in reefers so I have not researched that. Hope this helps.

 

I have heard too that USX is going to manuals. Of course now they have to teach an entire company how to drive a real truck! Now their newbie enrollment will drop because that why all of them choose USX.

 

If you go with SNI you will not be out with a trainer for 2-3 months. You need 160hrs schooling, then go to orientation for 7 days. After that you go out with a trainer for 7-10 days before going solo.

I am on my 8th day with my trainer, 2 days left.

 

USX is not 2-3 months either they require 150 hours out with a trainer you can get that done in 3 weeks .

 

Great summary of good companies to look at. Spend time looking at the subforums for each of the companies listed. Whatever you read in the "report a bad company" section take with a grain of salt. Check each company's rider policy since they are all slightly different. Usually the winter restriction is only for the first year until you have a winter under your belt. My daughter just went with me during Christmas break last year. Roehl charges $15.00 a month for a rider and that is simply for insurance. Other companies are very similar.

 

Check on Crete, they will hire students from PTDI certified schools. They pay students better than most companies. Would be 8 weeks w/trainer at $500 I believe and start at $.39/mile(not positive about the .39)

 

very good post I wish this was around 2 years ago when i got my cdl thru a third party tester with a friends dump wagon. It took me a year and a half to find a job trucking and like stated before NO ONE would touch me. I had to get creative to get the job i have. I got real lucky with the company im with. i love it. its small and i deal with the owner on a daily basis and they treat me very well. (before anyone says anything ive been with the company 6 months and all the creative things i said to get this job are in the open and they understand why i said what i said)

Now to all the new drivers that already went down the third party route but have no experience. here are a few tips that might help in the quest to find a job.

1. Smack yourself for cutting corners and being cheap because now finding a job is gonna be A LOT harder now then it would've been.

2. Forget the big companies (anything over 10 trucks) insurance wont let them touch with out the proper schooling. Stick to the small companies OTR or regional. Local wont give u the OTR experience you need to get with a bigger company

3. Dont expect to be thrown in a truck on your first day. (like i said i got extremely lucky. You might start greasing trucks and moving them around the shop for a few weeks until your boss thinks your ready

4. Last but probally the most important tip of them all. LEARN EVERYTHING YOU POSSIBLY CAN!!!! and take things slow you dont have ANY room for error DONT GET ####Y!!!!!!!!!!!

Like i said this is for the guys that already got there cdl thru a 3rd party tester like i did and are at a dead end when it comes to finding a job i know its tough but if u stick with the small companies theres a chance you may find something and you never know it may be the best driving job around. Its tough but it is possible i know i couldent be happier what more could i ask for i got a great boss who treats me like family and i got a nice 05 kenworth w900L with a 72 inch bunk 550 cat 18spd governed at 80 unlimited idle time no quallcom no gps tracking paper logs ez pass and im home on the weekends and I TAKE HOME $1000 a week so drivers its not all doom and gloom there is hope out there good luck stay safe!!

 

no problemo yea the wait sucked construction was sucking so i was doing odd jobs until i got on my feet again