If you could do it all over again....

And go back in time to pick what you feel is the best trucking company out there, who would it be? I drove a Pepsi truck back in the mid 90's (Class A, combo, no endoresments) and am thinking of getting my CDL back just in case my current situation changes. I know I'l be a newbie, need training, etc. I'm just trying to sift thru the thousands of posts that contradict one another("This company is great.....This company sux..." and they are one in the same). So, who has:
1) Best Pay
2) Best Miles
3) Best Hometime
4) Best Equipment
5) Best Benefits

Other than these things, I'm not asking for much....

 

Best Equipment

and Best Miles for me

 

But WHO has the best equipment AND the best miles? Are you saying the company you work for has the best equipment/miles?

Some companies might have one or two of the things I listed....but what company offers most/all of the things I listed?

 

Best Pay = 33 to 36 cpm

Best Equipment = Owner Ops

Best Miles = The smaller Food carriers (reefers)

Best Hometime = Most companies honor thier hometime...they may not get you home at the exact instant you desire...but they generally do ok

Best Benefits = I never really worry about benefits...Im single...and they are generally pretty inexpensive for me

 

if i could do it all over again, i'd save my money on a cdl school, go get a basket weaving degree, than join the trucking industry as a planner or dispatch, or safety, ect ect ect, be home every night, make as much or if not more than a driver, not having to deal with the cons/shippers/ traffic/weather/dot.ect ect ect ect ect ect, I think you get the point, however I like the road, the challanges, the service to this country, It,s a #### shame the industry is the way it is

 

You are not asking for much at all in my opinion. Will you find it from companies on here? I don't think so. At least you are trying to find the best company that fits your needs. Good luck.

Drive safe

 

There is not best company for everyone. If there was they would have all the drivers, and never be hiring because NO ONE would quit EVER. And that's also why trucking has a high rate of driver turn over. Every company out there claims they are the best when it comes to treating their driver with respect, great benefits, the industries top equipment, and home ever 7-14 days. While this may be true from the "office workers" stand point its never the same from the drivers.
There will always be something to complain about.
My truck was in the shop for 4days just to get an EGR valve replaced, well yeah the company does have other trucks to service as well.
They cut their benefits back and took away my vacation, yeah that sucks too but times are tough would you rather have your job and no vacation or be on unemployment?
My company didn't get me home when I wanted to be home, I have had this happen just make sure you keep in good contact with your dispatcher and it really shouldn't be an issue. I give mine a count down when I am 2 weeks out then again at 1 week from there, if I have had a problem with getting with this company I start counting down the days till I am due home and questioning every load I get. But I usually stay out for 3-4 weeks at a time.
Miles, you can usually get more miles running reffer than dry, just because you get the best of both worlds, can haul anything that will fit in the box. But I have never really had a problem getting miles, except during the winter when almost every company slows down.
You will get out of trucking what you put into it. If you are one of the drivers who when you are out you put every thing you have into it. Going the distance to make on time delivery. Offering yourself to help out with local work or a load in trouble, or rarely tuning down a load, then you will get on the load planners go to list. I have yet to be with a company that I was not on that short list. Just for the fact they knew I could be counted on, and in return I have always had the load planners phone #s for when I was looking for something special. Yes, I am known to go around my dispatcher and do the job myself.
But if you are one of the drivers who LOVES to take his/her time and stop and see the sites. Maybe your the driver that's always parked at a casino staying up all night losing your paycheck then being late to deliver because of it. Or have the if it's not going more than 500 miles its not going on my truck attitude . In other words if your the guy I am waiting for so that I can save your load from being late, then you should be prepared to sit a lot.
So just be better than every one else and you shouldn't have too many problems!

 

If we take all 5 parameters and average them together, then Overnite (now UPS freight)

If we take each parameter individually then:

1) Proabably precision motor transp group; You make $50K just for showing up. Of course, this is when auto sales are normal.

2) Hard to say; During normal times everyone has tons of mileage.

3) This doesn't concern me, but Overnite or any local type job.

4) i guess, technically, Auto truck----every truck was brand new.

5) i don't really pay attention to this, but i guess again Auto truck---health insurance was 100% free for you the driver, i think it was also free for the rest of the family but i'm not sure. Someone else can probably answer that better. Also lots of frequent flyer miles.


My only concerns at this point for choosing a company are:

Miles.

 

I guess I should have asked the question this way:

Based on your experiences with different companies, and what you know from friends/family/etc,


If you could do it all over again....
And go back in time to pick what you feel is the best trucking company out there, who would it be?

 

If I could od it all over again I would have slapped the person who told me that there was a demand for truck drivers out there. The 7 grand I paid would have still been a fun toy in my garage.