New Driver Looking For Advice On Choosin A Company

Gonna be tough to get a regional right out of school. Look for a company that runs the east most often. The closer the terminal, the better the chance you get to get home.

My company runs south and east. Might want to give them a look-see.

Paschall Truck Lines out of Murray, Ky.

Good luck on your search. Its tough being a newbie. I know. I have bad knees and a recent prehire accident that just recently became an injury accident. I had to find a company that had automatics and no touch freight.

Welcome to the forum!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I did not think PTL used to take students. They must have changed policies somewhere. I have talked to a few of their drivers they seemed happy for the most part. Talked to one in VA. We were parked side by side. Said his Mom's health got bad and they got him there quick. I had one run in with an O/O on hwy 45 from them. He was passing me while reading his map. Figured out he missed his exit and almost put me off the road. I had to leave the road on the shoulder to miss him, but held it together. Happens, there is always at least one at every company!

 

I hired on as a graduate. They put us with a trainer for 5000 to 7000 miles.

I had prior truck experience, so they cut me loose early.

 

welcome to the board mamba, i am going to TDI/CDI Werner is one of the companies they deal with and they have "regional" routes. he told me there was a waiting list though.

 

Um, watch Werner. Safety rating is not good at all. Best advice I can give is to search out companies that DON'T advertise for drivers. That is how I found my company.

 

With pleasure, but you will have to tell them I sent you!! :smt112

Ok, this is a trucking company as no TC is perfect. However, I really don't have any major gripes with them. You will be bussed to Paduca(?), KY via Greyhound, then bussed to Murray via PTL bus. They put you up in a motel down the road from the training center. First day is drug screen, physical and paperwork. Second day is some training and more paperwork. Third day is more training, paperwork, and if all goes well, truck/trainer assignment. The motel provides a small breakfast, PTL caters lunch, and they give you $7 for dinner. There are a couple of resturants that deliver that you can eat for under $7.

Pay is every Friday and they have not screwed that up yet. Getting home can be a trick, but not in a bad way. For every 6 days out, you earn 1 day home. Now, you can put in for home time on each 7th day you are out, but you won't make the money. I personally try to stay out for at least 3 weeks, and take 3 days off. I get longer runs that way. Training pay is not all that, but they pay you per truck mile not a flat rate. Starting pay is .29 a mile, but like I said, I can't complain. PTL gives you choices most others don't, like the choice to run NYC, northeast, Hazmat, etc. They will pay you more for those runs if you want to try it. I personally run the northeast, but not NYC or Hazmat.

Hope I answered most of your questions. Let me know if I can be of any further assistance.

 

i have also read that in other posts too KD5

hey KD5, i checked out the site and noticed they had a terminal pretty close to me in Mobile. the site also said that students had to be from an "accredited" school. does that mean a PTDI accredited school or what?