Help for a greenhorn?

Haha, thanks for the heads up. I figured it's the same as the military, recruiters are recruiters. I talk to everyone I possibly can, it's the reason I joined the site But thanks for the heads up on the other companies as well, I'll be checking into them!

 

I wouldnt imagine any company that wouldnt let you stay out..no one is going to make you go home..I drive for Boyd Bros out of Birmingham, and what I have learned from drivers from TMC and Maverick that came to Boyd, they like their change alot better. Every company is going to have qualities that attract drivers and keep drivers for a long period of time. Swift, Schneider and Werner have 20 plus year veterens.
With Boyd, you can have a rider, but no pets in their company truck. The others, Im not sure, but I think Werner allows pets, but I could be wrong.

 

If you go with Swift's flatbed division out of the Greer terminal, you can expect to primarily haul stepdeck trailers, and you'll do a lot of chassis runs... when I did it, the backhauls were normally steel coils. You may also do chassis runs for Blue Bird from Fort Valley, GA to Brantford, ON, and the backhauls from that can vary.. I'll haul die presses from Windsor, ON to Laredo, TX (that was a pretty good one, actually), steel coils either from Nanticoke, ON to wherever or from Lackawana, NY to High Point, NC, etc. That isn't to say you won't ever pull regular flatbeds or deviate from those routes - it does happen - but you can expect that to be your bread and butter. I liked it, personally. Very rarely had to run western states, knew my customers pretty well, built up a good rapport with them.

 

Go stay 14 days strait in that truck when you get home it won't seem like 7 days is that long ... Quality time will keep you from getting burned out ...
People you see job hopping have got that Burn out feeling and want to swap .... Give the 14-7 a try just starting out. Then progress into something more 7-3 or what suits you ... If money is what you want you will make more being out a few weeks cause it normally take 2-3 days to get in the groove ...
Also who says on a 14-7 it could be a possibility from time to time to extend out 2-3 extra days if need be


Best of luck

 

That link that Wsyrob posted

Has some very good material in it . I'll second that link

 

tmc is a rough row to hoe from what i hear. extreme strict. flatbed you will work for your money, but rarely do you sit like with a van.

western express has a flats division also.

heard some things and read alot on here on transport america. what i read here was reason i didn't go there.

know a few maverick and tmc drivers that are now pgt/southern pines drivers.

yes there will always be people that want everything for nothing and it isn't their fault when something goes bad for them lol. but the forums are a great source of information when researching for a decent company.

7 on with 2 off isn't good for the wallet either... i do 14 on 2 off pays a bit better. now this isn't something that could be done on a per mile pay (imo)
something i won't go back to either. i much prefer the % of what the truck makes.i drive less miles and make more. though i know a cple dedicated drivers that are paid % and a cple that are paid straight hourly. home every week night and weekend.