Stevens Transport - Dallas, Tx.

If anyone has went to steven's school in keenesburg Colorado (careers worldwide) can you shoot me a message i have a question i cant find the answer too.[h=2][/h]

 

I went there. What would you like to know?

 

Push against docs hands with your arms and feet? Please explain?

 

whats the physical involve?

 

Same as any DOT physical. We were all sent to different places. my group went to the Emergicare in Commerce City. Weight, blood pressure, pee in a cup, turn your head and cough. ect ect. And the best part: you get to do it all again in 4 weeks during OR1 in Dallas. Blood Pressure seems to be the big hang up aside from failing drug tests. I don't remember pushing tests but it is possible that it was a non-issue and has been forgotten. It's been nearly two years since my last DOT.

 

Stevens requires you to pass their DOT test in Dallas before you're hired. It is a bit more thorough than the truck stop doctor.
The blood pressure requirements are one point lower than DOT's.
They do a physical look over to spot scars that may indicate an unreported serious injury or surgery. They'll question those and perhaps check you out a bit more regarding the scar.
An example was I had what is called a Mumford procedure to my shoulder 10 years earlier. It's nothing major (in my eyes), but it's exactly the same scar as you'd see for several shoulder surgeries including rotator cuff. I had failed to mention it. He spotted the scar, I told him.
He had me do a few dexterity moves...hold both arms out extended palms up. He pushed down. My resistance to was equal.
Had me raise my arms over head, reach behind to scratch my back, signed off and sent me out with a clean bill.
Another driver (told me) he'd had foot surgery for something on his instep. Doctor had him walk across the room on his tiptoes and that was it.
That's about it.

 

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That was the policy when I worked there. If you were gone more than 5 days they'd come pick up your truck. To your advantage if you wanted to quit at home. Take 7 days off. When they repoed your truck, that's when you quit. Can't charge you with abandonment if they got their truck before you quit, lol.

 

Well, you certainly have a acerbic view of the situation.
Have you ever worked for Stevens?
Yes, they bring in an average of 40 candidates per week.
About 5-7 will fail their drug test and another 2 will fail the physical
An average of 32 will go out with their OR1 trainers for the first 5 weeks.
No, trainers do not skirt rules to get a few extra miles. Especially since the advent of EOBRs. They are closely watched and shut down if they violate the training rules.
The whole purpose of training is to give the trainee experience. And how, mathematical computator, would you do that without having them drive as many miles as possible? Keep in mind the truck is limited to a certain amount of miles, regardless of who drives.
750 per day the first week, 850 the second and third and 1,000 the last two.
Yes, trainers make money off the trainees miles. What's wrong with that?
Yes, Stevens makes money off the trainees...is that wrong? Is profit wrong?
Not in my book.
What you don't know is the amount of losses caused by new drivers, trainee teams and trainees.
I sit and hear the calls that come thru to safety every weekend and night. The accidents because someone turned too sharp, backed into something or ran over something are never ending. It's part of learning and it has a cost.
Where do you suppose that comes from?
And when all is said and done, is it wrong for the company to make a profit?
Stevens, for all it's warts and misgivings, does an excellent job of training new drivers.
Is it a career? Of course not! it's a TRAINING company. After you get some experience and are comfortable...MOVE ON!
You run thru all these numbers as if it's such a crime for the company to have a 98% or so turn over rate.
They aren't a career company. They aren't Walmart, Danny Herman, Poly Trucking or myriad of other companies that DEPEND on companies like Stevens to train new drivers for them!
Yes, that's right. All these sacred companies that have such good benefits and pay usually don't train. They rely on companies like Stevens to bring a green 'good golly, look I'm driving the big rigs!' candidate into the field, give them a modicum of knowledge and experience then set them out to the career oriented trucking companies.
More than 75%...probably a lot more than 75% of people that get their CDL and head into trucking have no business there. They have no idea of the environment, the crap everyone puts up with or the abuse that exists in this industry. But hey! I want to drive a BIG RIG!
Could we (the industry) do a better job of vetting potential drivers?
You bet!
But now enter the government.
They pay training companies $7,200 for every candidate that completes training.
That can add up to serious money!
So, what's wrong with the company (or ANY company) going after that money?
Morality?
Come on...you aren't THAT naïve are you?
Take that incentive out and all of a sudden, we have to do something to keep drivers. Such as pay them better, give them better working conditions, and consider them as valuable employees instead of chaff that is expendable. But that's an indictment of the industry, not the training companies. Write your congressman (for what good that will do)
So turnover is so bad, eh?
Would you condemn Harvard or Princeton because every year they turn over 35% of their students?
Stevens is a TRAINING company.
Let me say that again....they are a company that takes green, know nothing, gee whiz people that often don't even know how to tie their shoes and attempts to make them a productive segment of society.
They do a darn good job with what they have. But no company is perfect.
If you could only see what I see daily, you would sing a different tune.
And before I get off my soap box...yes...I work for Stevens.
No, I am not a recruiter. I work in night and weekend operations...working with the drivers, attempting to help them complete their assignments.
I have more experience behind the wheel than some one year veteran that considers himself an expert to able to critique a company and all they do.
Do I think Stevens is perfect?
Not by a long shot.
If I were king, I'd do things a lot differently.
But then I probably wouldn't be successful.
Come back and give me your opinion after you get some hair between your legs.

 

Okay i had two trainers. Neither took advantage of the miles I could produce. For one the training program won't allow it The first week the truck can only be in motion something like 14 hours then you have to stop the truck for 8 hours. It doesn't matter how many hours both of you have on your logs. Safety will sometimes approve going over but that's the exception to the rule. By week 5 the truck can only be in motion for 18 hours. My first trainer and I split the day equally. and my second finish trainer would drive most of the miles. I think most of the issues is between personality conflicts with the student and trainer. put two strangers in a closet 24/7 you will have issues at some point.As far as latrition goes of my group that started school in keensburg i am the only one left. One failed drug test in ORI, one did not bring all his documentation to Dallas (i.e. CDL), two quit and are working local or regional with better pay and the last thought Werner would get him home better. And I think they have. Getting home with Stevens is sometimes like pulling teeth and plans are impossible to make in advance.