Got into accident while on Werner dollar tree account.

I have even heard of companies that will over that cost if you make the switch to them. I don't know which ones.. you will just have to do some checking around.

 

I know lol.

They sure know how to reel people in don't they?

 

That guy lied when he said OTR division is full.Stick to your guns and pester them till they give you otr.Go to safety if you have to.

 

Wow. I don't usually say this, but that dispatcher is full of crap. There are ALWAYS otr openings at companies like Werner. Always. Dollar Tree is also not a "rare opportunity." Turnover is very high on that account because of the notoriously tough backing situations and driver unload, so they are always looking for drivers for that account. Like others have said, insist on speaking to the terminal manager and tell him you would like to go otr instead. Be polite, as persuasive as possible (don't make him your enemy because he/she has the power to make good things happen for you), but if necessary (ONLY if necessary) let them know that if they can't get you on a different account or otr you'll find somewhere else to work. I guarantee you they have otr openings. Normally I encourage people to more or less just roll with the punches, but Dollar Tree really isn't a good account for someone with such limited experience. You can do it, but I think it's a bad idea.

 

I didn't know those stores actually have docks.... thought all you have to do is get close enough for the roller ramps... old buzzard learned something new.

 

I will say this.

You have a whole world worth of OTR driving to do.

Consider this. Drivers come here saying they had a wreck at the Dollar Tree store. There are 4 in my area, all of them are really tough with backing into them across dangerous highways and into parking lots that wont stop traffic for you. Hell, even I don't want to deal with those docks and Ive gotten into difficult places in the past.

Consider that OTR goes through buses full of drivers each week. And that if they are creating a situation where OTR suddenly does not need drivers (What are you doing then?) and a simple account for some reason needs drivers. They need drivers because there are too many lost to accidents.

Either way you are going to have a accident now and then, do it OTR. Ive had a few myself. I think the last one involved the destruction of about 10K in inventory at a HD because the HD manager neglected to manage the delivery of a giant truck in his seriously busy store. Big truck with me in it gets trapped. And so.. do I hit people or do I hit inventory, inventory gets it. The next day We return to his store to complete delivery. This time he had 20 people outside to corral the people so we don't hit them. What a waste.

There are a shortage of OTR drivers. If that is what you want, that is what you go do. ANY time you have people who are supposed to be your bosses telling you to do a particular account, run far away. You don't know how many drivers before you were consumed by the dragon so to speak.

You stated the money is difficult. I say this, go home work a burger joint a few months save up a couple thousand in cash. Ready to go for whatever happens in your real professional OTR trucking. That way you can be free from common thinking about I don't have money so I am stuck doing this. No. Think about having a bit of savings and always a way to get home regardless of what happens anywhere in the USA.

You use words like Journey. I consider it a life time. You are sure going on a trip alright. But if you do this you need to think of it as a way of living. If you are going to thrive and do well, then it should be what you want. Not what the bosses tell you to feeding newbie drivers into the dragon account.

Finally I leave you with this thought, what you don't know will get you. However what you DO learn will help you. Consider this experience a learning one. Now you know why they need drivers to feed the dragon account and cannot get them because everyone wisely stays with OTR.

Next time a fleet boss says we have no openings in OTR, take him one or two places, The drivers room full of drivers complaining about no loads and the other a bobtail storage area in one corner of your property sitting cold and dead waiting for truckers. And there you find other managers complaining there are not enough loads today. If a trucking company is truly filled up, the property will hardly have any trucks on it and the dispatch room will sound like the defense department in world war two with the chatter of communciations from many drivers...

I can go on. But trust me when I tell you there is a whole NATION full of need for OTR drivers. Why do you think the get away with paying immigrants wages we thought were top dollar 40 years ago, unadjusted for inflation?

 

After 3 years of driving. I still wonder how to set up a proper back for the store across my street. So yea, If I was you, I'd throw my keys across the shop and run to greyhound.

 

Tell Werner to suck your slong... call another mega up and explain to them your situation that Werner cornered you into dollar tree or whatever it is and tell them you are still currently working their but want to work OTR like you was supposed to. I guarantee they will hire you. I wouldn’t pay them back anything for their school either.

 

Good post

 

They love to bless new drivers with that special opportunity. It's kind of a catch 22, you don't want to quit so early but if you get into on or two more little scrapes you'll find yourself out of a job and with a bad record.

If you stick with it just don't hit anything else. Take as long as you need to back it in safely. The key is patience. If you have to stop and goal every 3 feet then that's what you do. DO NOT let anyone rush you and that includes you feeling pressure and rushing yourself.

The most important thing to learn is to not let yourself get rushed and those dollar tree accounts are good for that. At the same time you'll get pretty darn good at backing.

At the end of the day all that matters is you don't hit anything.