I am stuck between two companies....

USA Truck and CRST are both looking at bringing me out to start training.

Truth be told, I am leaning more towards CRST. Besides the fact that I have actually talked to a guy that works for them, and I can't say the same for USA, the recruiter actually sounded a lot more honest about the situation. Instead of telling me 'this for sure' she gave me estimates and real figures and answered my questions outright instead of beating around the bush.

USA is offering a starting bonus and is requiring a 1 year contract in which time I will pay them back a portion of my schooling costs. .26/mile solo only in whichever rig they drop me into.
CRST is offering a smaller starting bonus and an 8 month contract in which time, because of my location, I will very likely be put on a route between Indy and York PA delivering for Caterpillar. .22/mile team during training, .26/mile team after I get put on the dedicated lane, increasing every 3 months if the information I got is to be believed. After my first month I get dropped into, obviously an older one, a rig that they require be well taken care of.
Apparently they are sticklers for messing with their equipment.

I am not against team driving; it doesn't bother me much since I do have some control over who I am with. And I am not unhappy about the possibility of a dedicated lane.

What I am looking for right now is this;
I do not want to hear about how both/either company sucks and I should run fast. I see a lot of that on here.
I want to hear the benefits AND the drawbacks of each company in a well reasoned argument. Not just 'because I said so'.
I would like to hear from people who actually have experience with either company, not just hearsay.
I want to know how each company works as far as expenses. Obviously food is my/our responsibility, but what about tolls, gas, etc? How do they keep you moving? How do they deal with layovers? What about unloading freight?

Again, I want experience, well reasoned arguments, and I want to hear pro's AND con's to the companies. I know they both exist.....

 

This is pretty much what I was talking about. There is no reasoning here, I am just supposed to accept this 'because you said so'. This doesn't help me AT ALL.

 

500 threads of this same kind of thing. So few people actually say anything of worth on those threads. They go off on the same thing you just did. A one liner saying the both suck and offering no insight as to why. No provscon, no advice as to a better company to start off with, nothing.
Completely worthless posts.
I assume this is how you got over 9,000 posts on this forum; you write one liners instead of imparting over 20 years of experience on the next generation of truckers.

 

Thank you for actually posting something helpful. I was getting a little worried....

I have done a fair bit of research but unfortunately the pool is over saturated with anti-everything. It is very difficult to find a good pro vs con here.

From what I have seen, most would recommend the following;
Pay your own way. This is impossible for me. I am 21 and haven't been able to get my hands on truly steady (or well paying) work. I have been forced to take what I am given and suck it up. Not that I am unfamiliar with the feeling, I am just ready to pave my own way whatever it takes.
Avoid the big outfits. I haven't found any small companies that are either willing to hire at my age, or willing to help me get my CDL. I have figured out enough to spot a driver mill (CR England, I am looking at you) but the truth is, I am going to have to take my slave contract through somewhere to get my foot in the door.
Do not lease. I get that, especially for people starting off. I have very little knowledge as to how this works. I know enough to say that it does, but that's about it. I do not know what to say to get a contract set up with a company or companies to provide for myself.
And if I were to have my own truck I would rather own it anyways.... Just saying.

I can't pay my own way, so I HAVE to go with one of the bigger outfits. And I am not about to lease a truck in my first year. At least I can manage that one. D: