Is starting with Werner a good or bad idea?

Don't know who has Ben telling you fibs. Werner most definitely does not have apu's on all their trucks. They went thru a faze of trying apu's but stopped when they saw the cost. They just put idle cutoffs on all the trucks to stop idling.

 

The rule for non apu equipped truck is 25 degrees and 80 in the cabin anything above or below you can iddle all night long without getting in trouble

 

I wasn't aware they changed. I still see mostly APU equipped trucks, but apparently they are fading them out. My apologizes, I stand corrected.

 

I threatened to quit several times, it was the only way I could get them to fix multiple issues I had w/ them. That being said I really like my daytime fleet manager. I am left alone generally to do whatever I want. One time on the weekend (it was a saturday) I spent the entire day trying to find an air-ride trailer in South Carolina. I drove all day and made no money. I kind of lost it and really let them have it. (I didn't get vulgar but I was pretty strong worded) they just apologized and said it happens sometimes. Did it all over the quallcomm, hasn't happened since. Used to spend hours in docks waiting to ld/unld, that has ended and im turning around 25k-27k/wk. Could do more if they let me. My main beef was w/ Gra-Gar and trying to get all the bugs worked out of this truck and weekend dispatch isn't nearly as helpful as my daytime FM. But they have improved alot over the past few weeks keeping me moving After one year I'm pretty happy but I went thru some dark times those first few weeks on my own. I get .22/cpm LD&DH, if they would just bump me up to .28/cpm Id be really happy. All in all I hear alot of bad about werner but honestly for having zero experience I'd say they treat me really well and I suppose as I gain experience w/ them it should only get better. Always make yourself available for a load, even if you are out of hours. When they send you a LD just explain over the qualcomm you are out of time but will pick it up as soon as your hours come back. That always seems to be cool with them. Then drive your maximum hrs everyday and communicate any delays with them as soon as you realize you can't make it. They will work with you. Just get the Ld there on time and you are pretty much left to do whatever you want it seems.

BTW mine will idle at 75+ but has not been cold enough to find out where the low threashold is at. i would assume its 35 because they want you to idle in freezing temps when pulling weak watered down beer loads.

 

Of the 10 years exp I have, 8 of it was with Werner. There are good and bad.

Depending on driver habits, and dispatcher you get, mileage can be from good to bad. Some dispatchers will run your hours max, and others could care less if you get 800 miles for the week. One bad dispatcher isn't the whole company, so sometimes getting a new dispatcher help, although I wouldn't make a habit of 'firing' your dispatcher for a new one cause that'd start a pattern of you being the problem.

When money wasn't really an issue for me due to minimum bills (Food, Cellphone, Laundry only) then I could care less about down time for repairs. Gar Gar can take a long time. The longest I had was 7 days. The average for repairs was 3-5 days, and oil changes (service) was 1-3 days average. Also depend which terminal you went too, with Indi being one of the slowest, smallest, and over crowded.

Some times the only way to get needed repairs is willing to deal with the down time. Otherwise, if you go out with a truck/trailer that is in DOT Violation, that'd be your record at risk and with bad CS2010 record no other company will hire you, so I think its worth paying hard ball to get repairs/service done.

I got calls about 3-4x per year about over idle times, but never got fired for it, although they will put the fear of God into you about lowering your idle time, dunno how many people actually got fired over this. I'd use it if it were outside the 60-75 degree range. Just be smart. No reason to idle during showers or restaurants (which yes I'm guilty of doing that).

Any company will have good and bad moments. With mileage, pay per mile, down tie for repairs, yeah it can be worse at Werner, but if you suck it up, act professional (polite) no matter what, keep a clean CDL / CSA2010 record, then in about 6 months - 2 years time you can go with some better quality companies.

Its extremely common for new drivers to use Werner as a stepping stone, and having been a trainer for 2 years I would say that Werner is an excellent company to start your first 6 months exp but that was when we needed 1 year exp to be a trainer, which now I think you only need 3 months exp to be a trainer, so you could have trainer/student both in winter snow for the first time with each other, blind leading the blind there /facepalm

Most drivers don't stay with Werner (just start for some exp) and Werner really doesn't want you to stay either beyond a year unless your going to be a trainer, since being a training company thats how they get their money.

Now I've heard that Werner gets reimbursed from the Gov if a driver with under 1 year exp has accident, so thats probably why a lot of new drivers under 1 year exp can have an accident and still not get fired, yet drivers over 1 year exp get fired on 1st accident.

One change that might prevent or slow down 'qualified' drivers from joining now is that EVERYONE has to be a student when they sign up, even someone with 30+ years exp (but at reduced hours required). Personally I'd just want my own truck right away rather than some 3 month exp trainer telling me what to do.

I can't say they are the best or worst in the world, but they are how I got into the industry and why I am where I am today. Only way to make real money with them is being a trainer, so keep that in mind if money is an issue with you.

 

first mistake is you went to a company that treat's its driver like a number. second most large carriers don't pay a decent wage to truck driver. lastly usx, werner, swift,cr england, ect are starter company!!!!! i guess one must start some where. My advice to you is to do a research on the companys, decide whether you are going to run local, otr, teams, ect!!!!. Sometimes you are limted to what you could run due to the area you live in. For me i run local, about 1500 miles a week, home every night and weekend, the pay is and average of 900 to 1200 a week affter taxes. I wish you the best, hope this will help you some way for the next time.

 

ya i do 48 state and they put me where the work is, and if it dries up they will DH me to another area w/ frieght. Sometimes 6-700mi miles deadhead....paid.

 

Getting paid for DH should be standard, at least I know that I wont work for free. Driving that far just for a load sounds like what happens if you get into Florida, gotta go to Georgia or other states to find a load.

Need the bigger picture than company willing to DH 6-700mi paid.

What are you paid DH per mile?
After pay each week?
How is your home time?
How many days for a simple repair?

So many factors to make a company good or bad, but its all of them together that makes them worth working for or not.

 

No idleing until under 35-25 degrees. Thats just crazy. During the winter I never let my house get below 67 degrees, so needless to say my truck is always pretty warm through the winter..

 

Same here. I won't get bullied into not idling. Company always telling me I got highest idle rate, but I never do get fired, yet.