Stevens Transport

Stevens is a good training school. you'll get to learn most of your skills from here. But as far as making a good living stay your year and move on. don't let them try to talk you into their lease program. if you don't know how to run you business right you're screwed. As far as the company side. 24 cents isn't alot so try to get as much miles as you can. Also try to stay away from tyson in amarillo. Most of the time they send you up there after you leave the dallas yard on your first load. All I can say is Ive been thru their training, drove on the company side and got talked into their alliance program which sucked big time. Anyways, GOOD LUCK

 

Starting is .26 per mile now. I know better than to get into a lease. Today I hit a total of 5 barrels, but they have deemed me road ready. We are going out on the road tomorrow. Some lucky members of our class get to go with the head instructor, who says he is taking his truck to downtown Dallas. He said it with an evil laugh, and refused to say which students he was taking. Joy! He says he wants us all to have a terrible night.

 

Thanks for the posts Fozzy; my husband and I am very curious what kind of company Stevens is.

 

Hey, appreciate the feedback about Stevens I'm looking to start training with them in the next couple weeks. Everybody is trashing them so it's good to find someone who had a decent experience. For me I'm a newbee so I look at it as you have to start somewhere. Also I always say to each it's own. As long as they teach you to drive the right safe way with good equipment, I'm ok with that. I'll get my CDL's and training and see where the road leads me. Thanks again for noting your experience with Stevens.

 

So far so good. Today we got to drive around an industrial area practicing right and left turns. I only got about 30 mins of driving time today as we had to go back and see the head of recruiting for final sign off on all the paperwork. That's done now so tomorrow and Friday we hopefully get more driving time.

 

The rule about taking your company truck home is that its ok if you have a 8 foot fence w/ barb wire on top and a locking gate and 24 hr security. If your on Alliance you can take the truck home but you are paying for the insurance. They will have you park at an authorized secure place like a KW or PB dealership near by.

 

Today I got up on the freeway, did some more turns and got to drive around town for a bit. Found out I have to take my road test on Tuesday, so I only have tomorrow for driving practice since Monday is a holiday.

 

This morning we went out and ran the DMV test course. Since I am the only one in my truck taking the test, they all agreed to let me have extra time practicing. I went around the test course 3 times. If it had been the real test I would probably have failed all three times, but the last one was very close. There is a cut away right turn that is not only tight, there is a hole on the right and if you get in there they have to call a tow truck to get you out! My instructor told me to use the buttonhook technique, the head instructor has told us that buttonhook turns are illegal, but when I asked him about it he said to do it the way I was shown. There is also a left turn near the end of the test course that is from a left turn lane onto a small street across 2 lanes. My first trip I rolled over the mediaan with my tandems and over the curb on the corner. Second try I waited longer to make my turn and cleared the median but went so far over the curb I almost took out the street light control box as I drove over the corner again. My third try I cleared the corner and it looked like I may have had a halk inch or less of my outside tandem go over the median. The curb is only a half inch high at that point, so there was no bump. I might sqeak by if the ezaminer didn't notice. I only saw it because I was staring at it in my mirror. No more practice for me, test on Tuesday.

 

Thanks for keeping us updated as to how things are going for you at Stevens. Hope all goes well for you on Tuesday. To bad you can't get any practice in over the long weekend. I got my permit today and will start school on June 1 and if all goes well, will get down to Stevens in mid July. I wanted to go to Stevens school but the Ma. RMV will not transfer an out of state cdla unless it is at least 2 years old. Anyway Fozzy, good luck on Tuesday!

 

Any of you Stevens drivers live up here in the Northeast? I see some Stevens trucks out on I90 but not that many. There recruiters say they have plenty of loads moving in and out of the northeast. Just like to here what you Stevens drivers have to say. Kind of want to know how it would be getting in and out for home time. Thanks for your replies!