Is it Possible to Leave a Starter Company right after You get your CDL?

Tonythetruckerdude · Feb 12, 2013

TripleSix said: ↑

The first thing I tell drivers coming through orientation, " The most valuable thing any of us have is our name. Do what you say you are gong to do. It pays off in the long run."

I always see rookies posting something about ,"What is the best school, what is the best starter company, what's the best dog to have on the truck". Why do they want the best? I dunno. WLL going to the best school, or the best bottom feeder company, or a dog insure your success? I don't think so.

Those bottom feeder companies serve a purpose IMHO, they separate the healthy from the sick. Do you want to make maximum profit for minimum investment? Of course you do...who doesn't, right? But how difficult is it to stand out and be recognized at a bottom feeder trucking company that has 100 people coming to orientation, and a massive turnover rate? Difficult, yes.

Move up to a better company, with a better safety score, and better drivers. Is it easier or harder? It's definitely harder. Go to a company where the average drivers been there for 15 years and it gets even worse. You're on the bottom end. You get the scraps until you prove your worth. And that's really difficult to do at the higher end companies. But you will be making more money than you were at the bottom feeder, right? Maybe.

the top end driver is going to make twice what the bottom end driver does, pulling the same wagon for the same company. He gets the better truck, the better freight, the best lanes, the best miles. The bottom end driver gets the the left over truck, the crap load, the worst lanes and the worst miles. You get loaded last. I don't care what they tell you about company policy 'first in first out. ' if you prove yourself to be troublesome and unreliable, your dispatcher, in fear of his/ her own job will try to avoid giving you important loads. Wow, look at the name you made for yourself.

you don't even really need DAC to identify crappy drivers. In the flatbed world, it's evident to everyone by how he secures his load. You can see a POS flatbed driver coming a mile away. Yes, you can also tell by what the driver wears in public. Then let him open his mouth...is he crying? Yea, that's a pretty good indicator.

Anyways, we all have to start somewheres. If you have to start at a bottom feeder company, use the bottom feeder to toughen yourself up. If you're going to be a Swift driver, be a good, solid Swift driver. People can tell if your a solid driver, even with the Swift logo on your cap. Don't just quit in order to quit. You quit to step up and move ahead. But just remember, if and when you move ahead, you're going to have to work harder to stay off the bottom of the pile.

Adios.
Click to expand...

Right here above is without a doubt the absolute best, most informative, true to the industry from all ends.... post that I have seen, since joining this forum. He just gave the best advice any new driver could ever get from any source...good going Triple six...good going ! this post should be placed on the home page as guide for all the new drivers to read and commit to memory before they start posting.

Nordic Light · Feb 14, 2013

Excellent post and thank you for the words of true wisdom! .
I will listen to a pro with 32 more years in the biz, than I have

darkpony02 · Feb 20, 2013

What it cost me to cut and run was $2500, no payments accepted. Considering what I made my 1st year, vs staying with training company it was @ 2 weeks pay.

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