Navajo Express

How are things at Navajo? Anyone know about the Dallas Regional they offer? Miles good? Hometime?

 

I thought I'd update this thread since it's been stagnant for a while. I've been with Navajo for about 5 months now. I came here after Schneider let me go for backing over a mailbox. That, combined with two wind skirt issues, gave me three preventables. With only a year of driving experience, not a lot of companies were willing to talk to me. Navajo was. I guess that classifies them as a "second chance" company.

I was solo OTR making 40 cpm when I left Schneider. Now I'm solo OTR making 36 cpm. Both companies offer a bonus program. I'm not including that in the breakdown.

At Schneider I started out at 60 mph on the cruise and 63 mph on the pedal. Right before I left they increased the cruise to 63. They left the pedal the same. At Navajo we're governed at 62 on the pedal and 65 on the cruise.

A trip with "good miles" at Schneider was 500-600 miles, with the average being around 350. Most of my trips with Navajo are 800+ miles, with the average being around 1000.

With Schneider I was told frequently (usually at least once a week) that freight was "soft," and that I'd have to wait for a load. If this wait was less than 24 hours, I didn't qualify for layover pay. With Navajo I've only had to wait once for a load. I'm always moving.

With Schneider I'd say 50% of my loads were drop-and-hook. It's significantly less with Navajo, I'd say closer to 25%. And frequently loads will have multiple pick-up or delivery stops. Extra stops are compensated at $50/each.

Despite the lower cpm and higher instance of live loads and unloads, the fact that I stay loaded and moving is reflected in a higher paycheck. My truck is a Peterbilt 587 with 222k miles, an inverter package and an APU. A much nicer tuck for being OTR than the FL Cascadia with no inverter I drove with Schneider. My Peterbilt also has much lower mileage and is in the shop a lot less often.

Getting home can be tricky. I'm based in Denver but live in Charlotte, NC. If I have a complaint, it's that they rarely get me home on the day I requested. I would suggest if you come on board here to plan accordingly. That said, when my father died suddenly they got me from California to NC in four days. So props for that.

My manager can be pushy and sometimes I push back. We have our differences but I'm satisfied with the way we work them out. Overall I'm happy here. I've seen a lot of the country and am making decent money. That was my goal in trucking.

 

@Feanor - read Post #32 which explains exactly why cpm isn't a major factor in how much money you will make.

 

Thanks for the link, that is good information. But then, I can't know what to expect miles or freight wise from any of them, beyond what biased recruiters will say, so it still seems logical to go with the higher CPM unless I got some very specific info from a current driver at a company I was looking at.

 

Appreciate all the info. I am scheduled to attend Navajo orientation next week. I read some reviews where people were complaining about the equipment and management issues but I've read this sort of thing at many other beginner companies. Not sure what the training will be like since I am a rookie.

 

Depends on how they identify themselves when they wake up.

 

They get a lot of negative reviews sometimes because of that logo.

 

It was the owner's daughter, taken when she was 14. Becky Digby-Mackintosh, now 40.

 

Condolences on the passing away of your father. May he rest in peace. May God be with him for all eternity.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

excellent post

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!