Stevens Transport A year in review

Wow, What do these folks not understand, i just checked my voice mail and it is again the lady that could not convince me that she spoke with my mom, I told her she didn't and she argued with me, then said that she was interviewing on another line and had 2 lines holding.. Then asked me if I would call her back in 30 minutes, If she wants to argue about all of that and is so busy she can't remember my name from 30 minutes earlier then I'm not real excited about going to work for them, Then I check my voice mail on my phone and guess who it is? Her again she leaves an exciting message stating "I have been approved" In a tone to octives above her normal voice like she is excited about it... I'm not going, I have a pre-hire with another company and I think I'm heading that way... Thanks. TD.

 

TreyDavid
These recruiters are hammered with heavy call counts. I'm sure they talk to 50 people a day easily some days. I talked with a couple who were mistaken about who I was. You really have to go with your gut though. Good luck to ya! Where you heading?

 

Its funny they did the same thing to me. I get calls from Arlinda and then her boss calls like she didnt even know I talked to Arlinda earlier. I was all set to go with them for Monday - but I got a call and pre-hire from Millis today and decided due to training cost being much less, better mileage pay and all the negatives I have heard about reefer freight. Not to mention I only have to agree to one year serivce and then the school cost is forgiven.

So it was a no-brainer to go with Millis. Plus school is much closer to where I live.

Tleaheart - yes I actually did understand that and thanks again for taking the time to explain things to me. I truly hope someday to meet you out on the road and dinner is on me!

 

Hindsy I'm going with Watkins Shepard, They seem the better of the ones I have dealt with. Take Care. TD.

 

See you there TD we can team in a few months once we get solo down. I am so darn excited. Had a great talk with Roxy, we have been pretty blunt and honest. I have had a few calls with the Stevens recruiters as well.

 

You are right TL, If your name is known at Stevens then its a bad thing. The best thing you can hear from the safety and compliance dept is "Who are you?" If your ego has to be polished by others then a large trucking company is not for you. I like the OTR life because of the 'distance' from the corp office. Just give me a load and don't bother me until I need another one. Once you are on the 'Yard' its sucks time and the money right out of your wallet. If you're not in your truck going down the road with a load behind you then you ain't making money.

 

I have really enjoyed this thread and to some degree allowed it to set my expectations for Steven's pre Alliance program (that plus conversations with my 3 trainers, other Stevens drivers and of course Alliance sales.) However, I am disappointed with my experience driving for Stevens thus far. I was expecting to drive anywhere from 2200 to 3000 miles per week and in fact I did do back to back weeks of 2600 and 3000 miles, but my other 4 weeks have averaged 1700 miles. I can't see leasing based on the miles I have been dispatched. At this point I should add that I get ahead of my loads and do call for repower when appropriate - though they are seldom acted upon. My lack of miles is not a case of my sitting around the truck stop when I should be moving.

I made my disappointment clear to my DM. But my DM does not think I am doing badly "not great but not terrible either" she says. She's nice enough as a person, but as a result of that conversation combined with my overall experience, I have reset my expectations and now am working only for experience. I will be leaving, the only question is when and to what? No point in jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire just because I am disappointed.

I started with Stevens driving school this past December and the funny thing is that the crap that starts there - for ex: one instructor telling you one thing then another instructor knowingly undercutting and rebutting what you've been told and characterizing the first instructor as, to put it charitably, unwise - doesn't relent when you become a driver. It clearly is part of the corporate culture to have different departments and personnel competing with each other and questioning the wisdom of each other. It is impressive to witness this type of management in action - just not in a good way.

Though I would feel better if I were dispatched on more miles and making a little bit more money, I often feel like a ping pong ball being swatted around between fuedal kingdoms (DM, dispatch, compliance, safety, etc.). Communication takes a lot of work and it is a constant issue. To echo a point made here, most issues seem to be dealt with as they arise. More like a fire being put out than a plan being executed...

Well, I came, I saw, and I will learn a few lessons while I am with the company. But unless there is a sudden change in procedure and practice (I'm not holding my breath) I will be leaving when I can line up something that appears to be better. In the meantime I'll just bend over, smile as I take another strap across the backside and say "Thank you sir, I enjoyed that, may I have another?"

 

Thanks for the post, just another reason not to go there... I'm hung up on the recruiter not knowing my name but I'm seeing other things that do not impress me as my first job in this great industry. Take Care. TD.

 

TLEAHEART____I interviewed with T.D.I (Truck Driving Institute) in Sanford, Fl. yesterday, Friday and gave my $50.00 background/credit check fee to a school recruiter named Rodney, after he told me of a company called Stevens Transport that has a new program guaranteeing you to make $80,000 per year net your first year out but you have to stay out 3 weeks a month all year. I stated that would be no prob for me, 42 and divorced with kids in college depending on me to pay for their education. I asked the cash price for the T.D.I. training school and its $4995 with job placement, yet he as very adament on financing half of the school tuition. Like TLeaheart, I did not think it smart to be indebted to your employer due to the fact that it would really give them an advantage in being able to treat you poorly and expect you to have to put up with it, so I opted to go with an outside instructor like T.D.I. and pay up front out of my internet poker bankroll, which I never normally would touch for any investments other than poker, but was recently laid off due to no construction in Florida. I read your entire thread TLea, and I cannot thank you enough. You have mos def asured me that Rodney, my school recruiter, is blowing a ****load of smoke up my *** as you only netted 30k your first year out with Stevens. Do you know of any new programs at Stevens paying this kind of money? Didnt you grad from T.D.I. ? I really dont know what to do now if this guy is lying about this I dont trust anything he says, (not used to dealing with liers of this magnitude), hell what he is saying I'll make my first year almost triples what you made you're first year! Had he been truthful and said low pay, around 30k your first year or two till you earn your redwings I probably still would have signed, but I hate a lier and now do not wish to do any business at all with him (if he is lying and I'm almost positive he is, cause you really got it goin on and you arent making anywhere near that money net)...YET-I have a feeling you will one day. Any feedback about this T.D.I. or Rodney if any Florida drivers know of him would be helpful. Thanks, lips