The Dealio on Stevens

you still employed with them? you seem kinda mad at them.

 

Looks like he only joined the forum to bash the company. He probably did something stupid and got reammed or fired and is now mad at Stevens for his own failures.

 

He has posted everywhere he can find that has a Stevens reference. Obviously is an unhappy camper.
Too much of the stuff he's said just doesn't fit. I suspect his attitude has been a major contributor to his troubles.
Hope he finds a place that fits him better.

 

If your performance is low than your paycheck is going to reflect that.There are successful lease operators just because it didn't work,or you couldn't make it work for you its not the company's fault. And your still driving for them well sounds like its not a bad co. after all.
Your leaving in a couple of months? Well i hope just because your getting more cpm that you also get more miles. A buzzard in your hand is better than two in a bush.

 

do you know of another school i could go to? i live in indianapolis. Stevens called me Monday, but from what i'm learning on here, i think i will pass. Thanks

 

All the company sponsored schools are about the same as far as operations. They are there to recruit new drivers, obstensibly for the company. They will instruct you, teach you and you will, if successful, get your CDL. Then, upon completion, you will be given the same chance to come to work for that company as anyone else that might apply, already having a CDL.
First and Foremost, not everyone that thinks they want to be a driver, is cut out for the business. Unfortunately, it can be very costly to find this out.
Even if you go to a community college program (the cheapest available, usually), you will invest time, some money and upon completion, have your coveted CDL.
It doesn't matter a whole lot where you get it, just get it.
Private schools, whether company sponsored or not as well as community colleges are there to get you a license. That's it!
They teach you just enough to get the license.
Period.
The art of learning to drive, become responsible and begin a career, is done in the training phase of these training companies.
Unfortunately, more than 90% of new trainees find out somewhere in their first 12 months that driving is not for them.
But by this point they have already invested in aquiring their CDL.
Now the most expensive schools are the company sponsored schools. I don't care if it's England, Stevens, Schneider, or any other company, they are the most expensive.
And very clearly in your contract that you sign in the very beginning, it states that regardless if you use your CDL or not...regardless if the company hires you, you owe X amount of dollars upon completion.
READ YOUR CONTRACT!!!!
If you go to a community college. if you go to a private school, it's all the same. You go, you pay.
Company sponsored schools have programs that will REIMBURSE you for all or part of that expense if you go to work for that company and work for a predetermined amount of time. Each company has a different program. Usually it's about two years.
Most of these starter companies have a reimbursement program for those that come to work with their CDLs in hand. Again, each company is different.
At Stevens, they pay $25 per week up to a maximum of $3,500. (I think..it could be more or less). That comes to nearly three years to recoup your school costs.
But if you stay, you do get it.
Here is the problem that drives most of these 'hate' posts for different companies:
The poster just doesn't fit the successful profile of an OTR driver, has tried and failed and now owes this money or feels they've lost all they paid.
Not true. They still have what they agreed to purchase and the school provided: A CDL.
I have been around this business a lot of years. I've seen thousands come and go. Most, never had any business trying this industry, but they did, and the highways of the road to professional driving is littered with the bones of those that tried and failed.
When I came to Stevens, there were 62 original people the first day of orientation. That was sunday. By thursday, when the successful candidates were officially hired, there were 35. Most of those that fell off the first few days failed due to undisclosed issues or pure lies. Most common problems were undisclosed things like DUI's, criminal history that had been undisclosed or failed drug screens.
A few failed their physicals. Most of those were due to weight.
There are plenty of 'fat' (myself included) drivers at Stevens. But not obese.
Case in point: The driver candidate that bragged about his 56" waist. He couldn't climb into the trailer, couldn't fit under the frame of the tractor to examine the brakes, couldn't crawl under the trailer to examine the brakes, suspension, airlines or framework. These are all required of a driver EVERY DRIVING DAY. It's called a Pre Trip (or Post Trip) Inspection.
These aren't requirements of Stevens. These are DOT requirements.
Why would a company hire someone that can't perform these legal requirements, put all the money necessary to train them and not be able to employ them?
The same thing goes for all the other training companies.
They're in business to make a profit, not some altruistic organization.
I have run into four of these failed candidates since I came to Stevens. All bad mouth the company, just like you read here on the posts. I'm sure the same applies to Werner, England and more.
It's not the company's fault. They are in business to train drivers, move freight and make money.
Now to dispel this common misconception that the training companies are after the government training money only: They don't get paid unless you SCUCCESFULLY complete the training program. Only then are they paid.
Just putting you thru orientation doesn't bring them a dime.
Now the other oft quoted paramy of many posts: the turnover rate is indicative of the company's inability to train and keep drivers.
Each company has a business model to follow and make money.
Training companies such as Stevens are TRAINING companies. They are not there to hire and train someone that becomes a lifer!
Oh sure, there are a few that fit very well together and stay on for a long time, but that's not their business model. They expect the drivers to leave and go elsewhere.
Look at all the companies that DON'T train. They hire drivers from companies such as Stevens. Once you have two years of driving experience (a duration dictated by the insurance industry), you are fair game for most companies out there.
Every training company has high turnover, if for no other reason than most people that come into driving are not cut out for it and leave.
It's not the company (most of the time).
ITS THE INDUSTRY!!!!
The most common complaint of an OTR driver is the lack of home time.
But they were told that in the beginning. Out 5-6 weeks, then home one day for every week out.
Almost every company out there, whether training or not, will push their drivers to stay out as long as they can. It's the nature of the beast.
After you've made your bones, you become calloused a bit and will demand your home time, if it's an issue to you.
But many new drivers wouldn't be happy if they came home every 5 weeks like clock work. They find out they don't like being out that long, miss their families and use that as an excuse to leave the industry.
Then blame the trucking company.
All the above is fact.
Now my OPINION:
When you come into this industry, you want to become trained in the best manner possible so you can become a successful driver.
Some training companies have a week or two of training, then let you loose.
Others, like Stevens, have weeks and weeks of training because they believe that is the best method.
Quite frankly, would you like a dentist who has had 3 weeks of hands on training (not schooling) or one that has had 12 weeks?
Just an analogy.
There are other companies that train longer periods of time to make a complete driver out of someone. Prime comes to mind.
If you have no experience, you should consider investing a bit of time to learn the industry. You cannot become a qualified driver with just two weeks or so of training.
I'm speaking from nearly 39 years of driving experience. Some with companies and over twenty years as an Owner Operator.
But remember...it's my opinion.
So just because you read some disgruntled wanna be's posts that rant about a company, doesn't make it true.
Do your research. Go to the truck stops and ask the drivers for those companies.
Be specific with your questions. Tell them, "I heard...."
See what they say. Make your own judgement.
After all, you will be investing YOUR money into this career.
And just because I think Stevens is a #### good training company with an eye on safety success, doesn't mean it's a fit for you. Do your homework.
And certainly don't believe a recruiters promises unless they're in writing. After all, a recruiter is just another name for salesperson.
They're paid for results, no matter how they're gotten.
And that's true for every company out there.

 

You are absolutely right..... I am planning to go to stevens in February, i already have my CDL Class A with Hazmat and Tanker endorsements and a TWIC card from NY. But i dont have any experience driving a truck, so no matter what negative words people put in this site about Stevens i will go anyways, for all the seach that i have done i believe in my heart that Stevens is the best company to go to, i Know for sure at the bigining its going to be hard for me been away from my Family ( Wife and a 2 year old son) but this is the choice that i made to provide a better future for my family, and the best part is that i have the support from my wife.....

 

Emulsified knows whereof he speaks, doesn't he? The smartest words I've read on any forum came from a guy who was set to leave his house for the airport enroute to Stevens training and decided he did not want to get into trucking because of what he would give up. He went back into his house and is choosing another path.

If one goes into or stays out of trucking with that kind of maturity, the industry and those working in it will be better off.

 

What you read on this site and others re Stevens are someones opinions. I did months of research before selecting Stevens. I'm not going to bash other OTR companies but the best choice for me was Stevens. Do your research on all the other training companies, then form your own opinion. You do not always get back what you put into a job or company but then, sometimes you do - and that's the reward.

 

Really? You make your decisions based on what you hear here? And what's with "What is wrong with the ppl in the threads saying how good it is" anyway? Seriously, bro, you've done no research on your own? Haven't talked to any Stevens drivers at truck stops? Haven't asked the "ppl in the thread saying how good it is" why they think it's good?

But you believe one poster who is clearly unhappy with his experience?

Well, bro, you're probably better off not going to this or any other company. Here "in the threads," you will hear a whole bunch of good about companies and a whole bunch of bad. You have to take all of it and process it to get the general picture of what some drivers think about it. Remember, Stevens has thousands of drivers, only a few of whom post anything.

You better do better than this or you will never be happy anywhere you work.