The Best company to start with...

What do you want out of a company? Which company has the best benefits? What is there SMS numbers? Every company is different just as much every driver is different. What one company may be best for one driver my be lousy for another. So you need to do some research on your own then you can come back for specfic questions. By looking at numbers Schneider seems to be the safest. But that company may keep you out too long or any number of other factors you may not like.

I suggest that you make a list of your needs and goals and then you'll get a better idea of where you stand. Then you might get lucky and get a driver here on this site that's been to those companies and can tell you his or her experiences. Just remember everyone is different. Good luck.

 

I don't know how their operations run. My point was to show you that you need a lot of information in a company or school to fit your needs so you'll be satisfied. Going into trucking is, most of the time, a life changing event so you should know all you can. You start with the benefits like what type of medical insurance or what type of dental coverage is there. How long do you work before you get vacation. Does the company have idling restrictions or is their APU on the tractors. How is per diem paid. What kind of retirement programs do they have. And above all what kind of pay will you be receiving. All the human programs are what you need to look at first. Then after that you can switch to where do they run from or what kind of equipment do they use. Sorry I couldn't be more specfic.

 

I can guarantee you that, with no experience, you are going to be hard pressed to get a dedicated account. Also, there are literally thousands of trucking companies out there. For instance, there's Roehl, Swift, JB Hunt, England, Knight, Stevens, Central Refrigerated, FFE, Prime, Crete, KLLM...and those are just the ones that I pulled out of my head. My point is that you shouldn't just limit yourself to one or 2 companies (especially Werner.) Do your research, and make an informed decision

 

You need to research and find out what the important questions are. You can make an above average living but you will make sacrifices that other jobs don't require. Read the "good companies" and "bad companies" section on this forum and get an idea of what company you want to work for and what kind of trailer you want to pull. Don't just go to school and then try to figure out where to go.

I don't know your financial situation. Don't take training from a company if you can afford it or get it with financial aid. You will be their slave for up to year. If you leave they will trash you DAC and credit record. Check out your local community colleges and employment office.

Just know that most training and trucking company recruiters will do nothing but lie to you. They will let you talk about what you want and then tell you what you want to hear. Trucking is about moving freight to make money for the company. Your home time, family, paycheck and everything else comes second.

It is not like any other job. Local is usually backbreaking delivery work 10+ hours a day, 6 days a week. Often you unload dozens of times a day or you are a salesman. In my area most dump truck jobs pay less than a good factory job. Regional is lots of loading and unloading time, fewer miles than OTR and not as hard as local but will wear on you and push your HOS limits. OTR is out 3 - 5 weeks with 3 - 4 days home, less manual labor and more miles.

You'll probably have to pay your dues before you get the gravy job. Weekends off, if you are lucky enough to get something like that starting out, may be home Thursday afternoon and leave Saturday night or home Friday night and leave Sunday afternoon. Loads deliver on Monday early and you leave in time to get them there. Often your home time will be in the middle of the week.

Regardless of your driving choice, after school you will go through company training. For OTR this can be six weeks to three months with little or no home time. The first phase is usually $400 a week and the second phase is $500-550 a week. Some pay less. One company pays 12 CPM for training.

You don't want to wait around too long after training or you'll have trouble finding a job. If you get out before you have a year in, when you try to come back a few months later you will find they want you to start over.

One last thing, if you have anything that makes you less desirable than your competing job applicants, a phone or in-person interview will often bring the best results. Even if I am the best candidate I will choose face-to-face if at all possible and phone if not. Sure you may have to fill out that online application but that isn't the best way to get a good job. You have to do something or be someone who stands out from the crowd. Do regular follow-ups by phone on the jobs you really want.

 

Don't go with Werner!

 

I have been with swift for three months. I am on a dedicated route with them. Home every weekend for a 34. Got the dedicated route three days of going solo. Very lucky. Usually at least 6 months otr before you can get one. Pays 34 cents a mile loaded.or empty. Bad part. I have done one load on the dedicated account in the last month. Basically I have been otr. Still getting paid and home every weekend but not working dedicated right now maybe this helps