Prime, Roehl, Millis, Swift, Werner, Central.....Most Miles?

What is the fascination with miles in this biz?

Driver A: 3,200 mpw X .25 cpm?
or
Driver B: 2,800 mpw X .32 cpm?

Driver A is running 400 miles per week more than Driver B.
But Driver B is making more money.
So which would you rather be?

Too many drivers think "more miles = more $$$$"
Less miles and more $$$$ is what you want to shoot for in this biz.

 

At Millis Transfer if you select straight pay, practical miles you can start at .32 pm (website) with no experience. Their drivers are getting plenty of miles. They also provide cdl training which will require you to stay with them for a year. You must have your CDL A permit and have passed your DOT physical prior to your class start. You can not go to a cdl school of your choice and then apply.

Roehl Transport is a good starter outfit. The pay per mile is similar to Millis, but I don't have info on how many miles the guys are getting.

Prime, Inc. will train you. You must run 60,000 to 80,000 team miles before your training is complete. It sounds long, but they're pretty thorough. And I hear they've got plenty of miles as well.

Central Refrigerated will train you but again you need to stay with them for a year. I'm not sure about the miles they're getting (owned by Swift).

Swift, however, may be the way to go. They can provide you with cdl training. OTR training is 240 hours BTW before you get your own truck. Per mile starts #.25 but increases rapidly.

There are plenty of satisfied drivers on this forum that work for Swift. I think they just get a bad rap because they are so big and have so many trucks that accidents are bound to happen. They're more visible than anybody else.

Keep Werner in reserve.

And stay away from leases.

 

If I were you I'd sign on with an outfit with Wisconsin ties since you live in the state.

They will have more freight in an out of their home territory since the customer base is right here.... you will get home more often and, believe me, a lot of other outfits make promises about home time that they never keep.

Being home may not seem important now... but what about getting to a doctors appt., a wedding, family reunion, Christmas? Missing an important date back home can make a guy a miserable SOB in a hurry.

Then you get pissed... leave the truck and quit... then get a bad DAC report and you will have a hard time finding another job. Most carriers could care less if you never go home...

There are many smaller outfits in your area who may give you a chance... spend a few hours at the Pilot in Beloit or the TA in J-ville and look at the local companies that frequent the place.... do some homework.

Forget the big guys... they will chew you up and spit you out...

 

With Millis, you will need your CDL permit before classes begin because part of your training will include hauling a load. They have a special 4 door tractor that they use for such an event (that's what the have in Cartersville, GA anyway). Once you submit the on-line application, call them on the phone. They get plenty of applications each day and their classes are small. They will train you in WI.

I waited too long before calling and my application was discarded. I can apply again in 6 months, but I'll be working for someone else by then.

Swift doesn't matter. They'll just send you to one of their schools. They'll even finance your hotel room for you.

Good luck!

 

Millis DOES have a 4 door Freightliner FLD in Black River Falls, WI.

IF I had to choose I guess they would be better than the really big carriers. I talk to quite a few Millis drivers when I stop for a meal at the BP trtuckstop in Richfield, WI... they have a yard just a few hundred feet down the road.

They do a lot of beer loads... they bought some of their beer authority years ago from the outfit I got my start at... Ristow Trucking in Wales, WI. Lots of drop and hook from what I hear. They HAVE to better than Swift, Werner, etc.

Keep your mouth shut and your ears open and forget everything you hear on the 'redneck internet'... channel 19.