Stevens Transport aviary

So basically if you don't want to struggle you pretty much have to go alliance. Can you get a decent paycheck if you do company driver. I start orientation next month just trying to get a heads up. I really want to start off as company for like a year and then do alliance. I'm not gonna have any deductions besides the basic taxes cause I already have my cdl. I went to a cdl school and got it

Thanks

 

I didn't quote you, nor did I mention you TTR handle. But, a letter (s) at the end of check(s) is plurar and at minimum qualifies as more than one. I understand that you want people to get your side of how things went for you which is great. But at the same time, your stay and experiences here are not the rule.

 

No it didnt come as negative that was really helpful. So can you do alright with being a company driver?

 

I agree that the normal deductions wont put you in the $50 range.

Its been awhile and I cant say for sure but it seems that one of those checks was when I got stuck on the PA turnpike service center for 4 or 5 days because Kraft couldnt get their $%&@ together. Stevens ended up taking 2 weeks worth of deductions out of my check on top of no miles. Yes, I should had been raising more hell than what I did so I will take partial blame.

The check that was negative $136 was when they didnt reimburse me for the lumper at Hunts Point. When I called Stevens they just said that there was a hold on the reimbursement but it didnt say why. She released the reimbursement and it was on my next check.

As for the other sub $50 check, I dont remember what that one was about.

Getting home time was never a problem. I always got it approved when I did ask, its just that I couldnt afford to take the time off. In fact there was once when my DM actually told me to take time off because it had been awhile.

 

If you work hard and put your best foot forward, you'll succeed anywhere. No, you dont have to go alliance to make a living. For some Alliance is not the right choice and for some it is. I'd recommend learning about the industry for 6 months atleaste before jumping in. Also, there are several accessorial pays that I personally encounter most weeks. You'll do fine if you stay away from the negativity. You only get what you expect......

 

What Wal-mart are you talking about???? I worked for Wal-mart, I made slightly above minimum wage, had to have 'perfect' attendance and job performance to get a yearly raise of approx. $0.35-0.40 an hour. Nowhere near $400 per week, and if you went one minute over 40 hours you were 'written up'. I'll take driving for Stevens over working for Wal-mart any day of the week!!! And I worked as a cashier, dept lead AND as an accounting office clerk, so I had plenty of experience at Wal-mart.

Although you don't specifically 'say' that your checks were consistently under $50, it is left to an individuals interpretation, a 'sin of omission', you don't clarify what your weekly average pay was. Just Sayin'

 

I feel that a driver can do alright as a company driver as well as Alliance. Some make it, some dont. I didnt.

My finish trainer was a company driver that had been there over 10 years.

I think that alot of guys just see the "big money" that Alliance flashes in front of you. They dont take into consideration that Alliance charrges you for your QualCom, all maintenance, fuel, washes, tires, tolls, scales, etc. All of these are no charge for the company drivers.

 

You are correct, it is plural as in 3 sub $50 checks. I think that this happens much more often that you believe. Most of the guys out of my class were in the same boat as I. Thats why they left as well. Only one guy left and he is getting screwed around by Alliance.

 

I never said or implied the checks were consistently under $50. Dujo is the one that said that. I have said many a time that I had 3 sub $50 checks and I have explained the reason for them above. And if you will read my recent posts you will see that I said from what I remember I averaged about $400 a week at Stevens.

Thats still chump change considering the amount of hours that a driver puts in 7 days a week and lives on the road for months at a time. Have you ever figured out what your pay comes out to per hour?

And that was pretty much my point in mentioning WalMart. There is much more time off, family time, etc in working WM and while the pay may not be quite as much as I made at Stevens, it would be worth the small pay cut.

And I also worked there as a cashier a couple of years ago.

I dont mind work hard, many hours a week, away from home, etc but I do expect to be compensated with a decent salary for it.

 

I've said it before, I'll say it again:
Alliance is not for everyone.
If you go the Alliance route, you are in business for yourself. You are responsible for running things. And any experienced business person will tell you that the road can be bumpy, but you get out of it what you put in.
Many people just aren't willing to put in the 'up front' effort and time to make it pay off later.
It's hard work and there are times you question your own sanity for having chosen this course.
But the payoff can be much better than staying company side.
You take the risk, you reap the rewards.
If you are not experienced in trucking or in business, I suggest you spend time on the company side and learn the way things work first.
Learn the trucking business.
Far too many people get into this business thinking one thing and finding out it's all different than their original concept.
OTR is brutal to some drivers. No matter how much they thought they knew, it's a slap upside the head.
And it doesn't matter what company you drive for, it doesn't matter what color the truck. It doesn't matter if you're L/O, O/O dedicated, regional or anything else...if you're not happy, it just won't work.
Why do some people stay in the military for 30 years while others can't wait to get out? Is the military life so bad?
I got out after 2 years, 9 months and 11 days. I got back from Viet Nam and they offered me another stripe and a recruiting gig in my hometown for a year, or...I could get out early.
Goodbye!
My older brother retired as a Master Gunnery Sgt (E-9) after 27 years. If he could have passed his fitness report, he'd still be in. He loved it.
I've been driving for 40 years. I love it, I hate it. I've done line haul, pulled a tanker locally, I've done company, owned trucks, had employees, been a L/O.
You see, each of us has different needs, wants and lifestyles.
There isn't one pigeon hole that works for everyone.
Take some time and explore the business. You may love OTR but decide you hate refers.
You may decide you want to yank a tanker around to dairies, pick up milk and step in cow dung all day...but go home at night.
But YOU have to decide.
If you're brand new, learn the buisness first. If Alliance is right for you, you'll come to that decision somewhere down the line and they'll be waiting for you. It's always there.
If you have a young family, Alliance is a tough row to hoe.
When I was young, I came off the road (line haul) and pulled a local tanker around the dairies for 8 years. My kids rode with me and loved it.
Then a certain unamed driver (who brought me to Stevens) talked me into buying my first truck and ended up driving for me for the next 18 years.
You'll find negative postings about every company. You'll find drivers for every company that love it there and can't imagine going elsewhere.
It's like marriage. No one is right for everyone and some people don't make the right choice the first or second time around.
If you're inclined, jump in and give it a try. The worst that can happen is you find out that particular 'flavor' of trucking isn't right for you and you change.
By the way, if you go the Alliance route and find out it doesn't work, you can go back to the company side. There are many that have done it.
Now that I've blown off steam, I'll go back to playing solitaire while doing my 34 here in the middle of nowhere.
But I'm not complaining!