Werner Enterprises

I dont concider us "elite" at all. We are lucky enough to be able to team together, to share our lives on the road together as well as at home. I back, hook, unhook, fuel, etc but if i get into a situation i dont feel i can get out of safely i wake my husband. I dont just drive the truck forward. We have done the o/o thing. Before my cdl, the man we were lease purchasing the truck from went under after we put over 35,000 into the truck payments alone. hense we lost the truck and our rears. That was a situation hard learned. We were doing fine until he went under. I guess one of the reasons why i got uptight about all the "whining" is because this is on the disscuss your FAVORITE trucking company board. i dont feel teams are any better than solo drivers as i said. But if the thought that we just drop and hook and move forward in the truck is there thats a totally wrong misconception. oh, on the safety issue of werner saying it has to be there. we have dealt with that also, we will NOT move the truck if we feel the roads are unsafe. If they tell us it has to be there after we tell them it is unsafe you better believe we would call safety. and still not move the truck. no one is going to tell me when it is safe to drive my truck, it isnt their lives at risk, it is ours and those on the roads with us. I enjoy my life on the road, yes , there are hard times. There are times we sit and wait on loads for a few days sometimes but thats all part of being a driver. You are correct in saying that trucks dont move america the drivers do that drive the trucks. This is my job by choice, it is in my blood. I do my best to find the best in every situation, in everyday. From the sun rising to the beauty of our country. my thoughts on the whining is that those who work for said company just gripe about them, and yes we all need an ear to listen, if all they do is gripe and complain why not just leave the company? big companies, small companies, or driving o/o there is something bad to say about them all, but when it gets to where you find nothing good to say, isnt it time to re evalutate who you work for and what your outlook on life is?

 

Where to start here?

1. I don't consider myself an elite driver. I consider myself to be someone who is willing to speak the truth, regardless of the consequences. And I've openly admitted within this forum to being a complete a##hole. I don't have time for special people and their special needs.

2. Many husband/wife teams are great drivers/teams. They are the exception, not the rule. I personally know many excellent husband/wife teams.

3. The term "real" team comes from the very idea that anyone would call another driver, a steering wheel holder. But if that's all you do, then that's pretty much all you are.

4. I don't set the standard for "real" or not. But, based on what I see within this industry there are more than enough people willing to pay others to do less for more money. While trying to "steal" from the guy making less money.

5. What gives any driver the right to ask for an 80% increase in pay for 6 months experience, and a 20% starting pay increase over a 5 year driver? Then expect to do less work. The label team gives them this right. Whether they do as much work, is considered irrelevant.

These are the shining examples of husband/wife teams I have worked with within the last 5 years.

I've met husband/wife teams that refuse to drive on Sunday for religious reasons.
I've met husband/wife teams who refuse to drive at night.
I've met husband/wife teams who have never been across the GW bridge. Let alone know where it's at.
I've met husband/wife teams who have never unloaded a truck, ever.
I've met husband/wife teams who sat in a truckstop for 16 hours, while I live loaded their trailer 50 miles down the road. Because they weren't required to pick up loads. Yet they were paid to wait for me.
I've met husband/wife teams who run dedicated lanes with dedicated accounts, from day one.
I've met husband/wife teams that start at a higher base rate than 10 veteran drivers, by as much as 15%. Even if they just finished school and training.
I've met husband/wife teams that complained about running too many miles in a week. They covered 5000 total. So they didn't have time to do any sight seeing...duh.

On the flip side of that coin:

I've met solo drivers who only want 3000 miles a month !!
I've met solo drivers who need 3000 miles plus a week, while husband/wife teams whine about doing 5000 that same week.
I've met solo drivers, who I swear haven't taken a bath in 2 weeks.

 

The original poster says it's in the incorrect area. But, I will refrain from any future post within this thread.

Otherwise, she will be searching all day for responses relevant to her original comments and questions.

 

It's funny how things can get so out of hand from start to finish.
Hostility seem to be a big thin thruogh out all forms but as an outsider looking in I will say big company's are here to take advantage of atleast 70% of all new drivers.

Big company's such as Swift know first hand that not all newb's will make it but who cares they say send them tru our school they quit we still get paid with interest.LOL

What a game it's good to see Dance being honest and the rest of you need to be the same understanding the amount of money made for doing
or should I say taking advantage of the world.

Dance posted something that stated need to worry more about snow and such. Trainers for the most part aren't here to train there just on the company band wagon make the extra $any company that cares for there drivers should not allow anyone to train with less then 2 years or 4 seasons twice.
Second all new drivers should be retrained during the winter months by the same trainer.

I started driving 34 years ago with a friend O/O no big company's just get in the truck and drive a White 180" W/B Cab over no TV no cooler and no microwave just 2 seats 1 air ride and a 30 mattressLA to NY and back.

This person stated they were just another driver wrong there part of a group of people who move what needs to be moved from place to place so suzzzzzzy homemaker can go to the G store and bye it as she is to lazy to run the truck herself.

All truckers O/O as well as company drivers need to stand together and fight those who think only of themselves.

Trucking next to farming is the back bone of America. It's not a job it's a LIFE STYLE

 

There are "teams" out there who do what I wanna do... Both be on the truck and allowed to legally drive it.... But only one does most of the actual driving and other associated work, while the other does things like logging and grabbing the next bottle of water, mapping, finding a fuel stop, whatever.

I got that opportunity not long ago, when I was the only driver, but got to take the woman along. She's a licensed driver too, but didn't drive, except once, when I needed her to due to a special circumstance, for a fairly short time. I was outta hours and we had to leave the shipper, so she took us out and when I got hours back, I took over. We "teamed" that day and it was great for both of us, as we actually got home sooner than expected due to the company policy requiring us to roll on. If she hadn't been there, I'd have had a problem, as no truckstop existed within about 100 miles. Yup, there are "teams" who do that quite a bit... They aren't "real teams" by any measure.

 

What, now you want to tell me what I can and can't say here in this forum? Where do you get off judging my wife and I about teaming, and the work we do??? I am still waiting for an answer to that question..But I know it's too hard for you to answer. YOU HAVE NO IDEA what my wife and I do during the week DO YOU??? YOU HAVE NO CLUE.... You haven't bothered to ask what we do, what the nature of our account is have you??? NO YOU HAVE NOT...So you can't "judge" what we do... When you take the time to ASK, then come speak to me. If you were so fn smart, you wouldn't be driving a truck, you would have you own company now wouldn't you??? And don't give that same bull S*it answer that you don't want to either. Everybody wants to make the most amount of money possiable. If it was your trucking company and your trucks were ideling, what would you do? Would you let them just sit and waste your bottom line? I doubt it. And when it comes to the idle times in the trucks. the computer doesn't count the first 5 minutes after stopping, it's called "cool down" time. That is in the computer. And the first 5-8 minutes is called warm up. My grand father has worked for detroit diesel for more than 50 years and I think he knows a little something diesel engines and their computers. But you want to be "holier than thou" with you attitude about husband and wife teams... But you still havne't answered the question I posed to you. Untill then, untill you are man enough to answer them I don't need to bother taking to a arrogant ### like you. Good day~

 

.
.
.Snoopy,

You were given the answer. Take time to actually read it and wrap your brain around it. I owe you no further response, or apology for my comments.

It's usually the guilty man who gets the most defensive, when caught the act. Any Law Enforcement officer will tell you that.

 

dan.. From the looks of his rants, it will be a few more yrs till he has enough 'control' to actually see the whole picture instead of being stuck on the part he finds offensive. We're all young and immature to some point in our lives... Some just take longer to "grow up" than others.

 

Dear Snoopy

Please review post #115 first sentence. Also You seem to forget these posts are OPINIONS, not to be taken as fact unless the opinion is factual to the person, and then they become emotionally involved or "Take it personally". Respectfully I don't think anyone cares what you and yours do as long as it works for you. Who is acting holier that tho? Your comment "If you were so fn smart, you wouldn't be driving a truck, you would have you own company now wouldn't you???" I've met several intelligent company and o/o truckers with and with out degrees that don't own there own company. I personally am from the with area. Your comment "Everybody wants to make the most amount of money possible" Is a gross assumption. I use myself as an example, 34 two office environment degrees and dislike the office environment. The women in the office environment look a lot better and aren't as good at bed wrestling. ROFL and kicking. I used my work time to put my wife through grad school,solid retirement investments, and money to the side for my little ones private school until she is eighteen. "That is intellect" I have no need to work? So please understand there are intelligent truck drivers out here, tho I have little time on the road, you may consider me a truck driver with intelligence.Thank You. Your comment "If it was your trucking company and your trucks were idling, what would you do?" A.P.U. More money up front but less spent down the road. Yes apu's for several trucks is expensive, but how much is idling going to cost long term? Your comments " If you were so fn smart, you wouldn't be driving a truck, you would have you own company now wouldn't you???" "My grand father has worked for detroit diesel for more than 50 years and I think he knows a little something about diesel engines and their computers" After 50 years does he own his own legitimate diesel business, with a tax,and business licence and legitimate employees? Just a question... To answer my first question. You appear to be sir. Rub you earlobes, breath deep and chant MOOOOO SAAAAAAA, or sing HAKUNNA MATATTA and dance around the house or truck. LOL..These are my opinions not fact. The only thing that will give my post, and opinions a hint of factual basis is if you become emotionally involved ie "Take it personal" and blast back with a negative comment. In which case you will have proven me correct and gave my post POWER.
Thank You for your time
Nefram

 

Look I went through my OTR Training with Werner in Allentown PA
Every company has its issues, I don't care where you go some drivers are lazy and have poor work ethics. You get out of it what you out in. If you are still waiting for a trainer the issue is you are female. Allot of male driver trainers will not take females because if the issues with Privacy in the sleeper. Some men have been driving there whole life and they don't want to risk having a sexual harassment issue. So they don't bother with it. I had a wonderful trainer by the name of Barry Doizer he was great clean, Stoped to take showers the whole nine. Talk to your DM and see if he is still there.

GOOD LUCK DONT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU HERE