Is there any company that people don't hate.

I love being home every night. Its my favorite part of the job. Every once in a while I would run out of hours, especially going to Nashville, then Louisville on the way back, but they put you up in a hotel.

Thats why Im always telling these newbies to apply to LTL companies. Most of them get you home every night, and alot of them even hire rookies. They never want to listen, and they end up OTR with some bottom feeder.

 

These are the companies the Newdrivers should be appying at. Mega Carriers, well just read, 150% overturn. There are a lot of drivers on here that work for Mega carriers, and are doing very well, but the ones that fail, out number them. Mega Carriers vs Local LTL, is a different post. Everyone has there idea of the best place to work at. UPS, UPS Freight, Fed/Ex, Conway, ABF, YRC, USF Holland, and few more are the Companies I would start at. GREAT PAY, Home daily. I drove a truck for 38 years, for ONLY ONE REASON, To MAKE AS MUCH MONEY as I can.

 

jmaster,

I too am in school but I have been looking into various companies for the past few years. You have many options, not simply the big bottom feeder companies...of course it depends on what you want.
WATKINS and SHEPARD--- is my 1st choice, because I will be turned loose with my own truck after a ten day, paid $500.00 orientation, meaning that I will not have to ride with a trainer for a specific minimal period of time. I got my offer from this company last week...This company moves freight and has a fair amount of work associated with the position and some additional pay for the extra work and or stops. Only start out at .25 per mile, but....they tell you this up front unlike many of the companies that promise a higher rate to lure students only to find out that rate of pay does not exist. Drivers otr can expect to be out about 3 weeks at a time.

MAVERICK---is my 2nd choice for a new driver if you want to haul flatbet or glass, they also have a reefer division. Glass pays the most followed by flatbed then reefer. they have quarterly bonuses that you can actually meet. On the downside for a new driver, all of the trucks are automatics, with exception to a few of their local routes. With flatbed they expect to get you home like 46 of 52 weekends. Glass...is even more consistent rarely missing a weekend home and reefer units can expect to be out at least 2 weeks before getting home.

KLLM----is a decent choice for a large company considered to be a bottom feeder...they pay .31 per mile otr and I think .38 for regional which you can easily hire into even as a student drive. They like to say if you go regional you will be home most weekends (nerarly every weekend). otr every 2 to 3 weeks. Not sure yet if I believe the pay rates here for new drivers. However, I also have an offer with KLLM.


CONWAY---They only start at .26 per mile but they seem to have a decent reputation...turn over rate is much less than the true bottom feeder companies.


TMC---I was actually looking to go to this company, hoping in fact. Then I looked at them a bit harder...they seem to be pricks about keeping your hair groomed a certain way and that just struck a nerve for me because I thought trucking was about moving cargo not looking pretty...Guess I am just sore about this subject because I was in the military then I was a Police man 20 years...all this time I had to groom the way someone else thought I should...I look at it like this, I am a grown man and I am going to groom as I see fit....FINALLY! THAT'S TOO BAD TO BECAUSE THIS COMPANY HAS SWEET TRUCKS! I really wanted to drive flatbed but may need to find another company...it will not be this one and it won't be maverick, just can't see driving automatics through the mountains and the weather.

WERNER, SWIFT, CR ENGLAND, STEVENS, TRANS AM-----STAY AWAY! THESE I HAVE HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT....Sorry if I offend someone that works for these companies, it is the company reputation not yours...perhaps they have treated you very well....in which case, I AM SUPREMELY HAPPY AND EXCITED FOR YOU!!!!

Also, do not forget to research companies near the area that you want to reside, some will actually give student drivers an opportunity....Good luck in your school and search for a company.

 

If we really want to talk about making GREAT MONEY driving a truck, Look at a few drivers on here, TANKERS, Talk to a driver on here, and I will say a One heck of a good driver, GASHAULER, he is top quality, hauling tankers, GREAT PAY. WHY driver a truck for 26ct per mile, so you can see the country, look out the window all day, NO. Also, Heavy Equipment haulers, This Board, TheTruckersReport.com Has The best Tanker and Heavy Equipment Hauler in the Country. Any Newbie, Read there post, and do your homework.

 

For some reason, newbies are spoonfed a load of crap about "You have to get atleast 2 years over the road with a mega carrier before you can even have a chance at any other job."

Its BS, plain and simple. Maybe I should try harder to educate some of these guys. There are tons of guys in the LTL business who have never done a day of over the road.

And you are right about tankers, especially hazmat hauling it seems. Those are good jobs, and many of them are also home every night. Ive never been in the tanker business, so I dont know if any of them hire rookies. Surely you could find a job pulling a food grade tanker without experience, and work your way into hazmat/fuel hauling. Just a guess though.

 

I was looking yesterday at trying to get onto UPS.. They require 1 year experience where I am(Ohio)

 

My recomendation to you would be Conway.

Again, Have you looked into Tankers, or Heavy Equipment Haulers? Sometimes it drives me nuts, to see drivers willing to drive for 26ct per mi.
Maybe its just me, but you just have to go for better pay. I had many times in my life, Ill shovel ####, if it pays me good money.

 

UPS or UPS Freight?

 

By the way, even if a company says they require XX experience, apply anyway. Whats it going to hurt? NOTHING.

I believe my company actually advertises that they require 1-2 years experience on their website. We hire rookies all the time, especially during busy season.

 

I told him Conway, out of his choices, and dont believe UPS/Freight is near him.