Werner: My experience (in progress)

Good luck out there and God bless.

 

ok genius let me show you something first most teams average about 5k miles a week
so lets do the math here.

5000 x .34 = $1700.00 to truck now divide by 2 = $850.00
now truck does 5000 miles

5000 x .17 first driver = $850.00
5000 x .17 2nd driver = $850.00

now we still haven't taken out the .03 cents or the 1 cent per deim sure looks like .17 per driver

Per diem is option at Werner and like at all companies a bad deal if you are capable of keeping your receipts.

Half the drivers at Werner are dedicated. I got .05 raise and stop pay on a drop and hook account after five weeks off the trainer truck when I was put on the Target account 15 miles from my house and I sleep at home now. I had Home depot also offered at .08 raise and better stop pay than Target, but it was farther from home and did a lot of live loads and unloads. Where I live I also have Perdue, Walmart, and a glass company dedicated accounts, but they are OTR and I wanted a more localized gig.

[QOUTE] The worst deal at Werner is solo regional because deadhead is only about half your loaded rate. OTR can get you home nearly as often as regional and pays better. A hazmat will keep you moving while others sit on either OTR or regional. Werner calls regional driver's choice.[/QUOTE]

this I would agree with you as Werner doesn't tell you from the start that one will make 1/2 or less for deadhead. So one is basically running for free to get a load.

 

I would agree with this as Werner does get trucks and trailers into shops sometimes it takes awhile once you send your Mac 24. I never have a problem getting trailers fixed it's the wait time from when one sends Mac and where to send you.

 

Where do you get the .03 taken out, unless you hit something? I work here and only know one person who lost there safety bonus without losing there job. It must have changed since you were here. I also don't get anything subtracted for per diem which is optional and I didn't sign up for it. I don't know the details of team bonuses as I have no interest in teaming anywhere at any price.

The trainer was grossing 1600 to 1800 a week. Between the .35 5k miles the truck ran and his bonuses. Where do you suggest he apply that would pay better in a company truck and include benefits? BTW he lives in northern VT and they let him take the truck home for hometime, usually 150 miles from unloading.

I agree most Omaha staff consider you a truck accessory. However most of the dedicated accounts have a local fleet manager/planner who is onsite and you can visit in person at the start of every day if it makes you feel good.

I was able to find out the payscale for each of my options by finding the right people and asking the right questions. I called the fleet managers for the accounts I was interested in. I got their contact info from driver placement. There are 200 ways to pay because there are 200 different dedicated accounts. Driver placement is a bit like recruiting when you try to pin them down.

 

Backing practice is hard to get in a 48 state truck with multi day trips between loads. If you want to learn and practice backing in a wide variety of situations train a while on a retail account like family dollar/dollar general/target/home depot. The downside of training on these accounts is you won't get as many miles as you will in a 48 state truck. If you are learning the fundamentals of backing and just need more practice, you can practice in your own truck, just make sure you understand the principles before you finish training so you know what to practice when you are on your own.

If you continue to have ongoing problems with down time because of the trainers home time or health issues ask for a new trainer. Werner expects you to have a couple.

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true that!

 

Just got in. Old enough to tell a Kinife from a spoone. 34 years of the best Players coast to Coast. I listen, but am wary. I give love, I Help, I trust God, that's about it. Men of the cloth don't carry tire tools. Guess how old Truckers got old. Nice Try, L.A. Rats. Maybe next time. Auto Mag is clean, like to keep it that way. Truckers can't carry guns! We don't, I just hold it from time to time.

 

It's normal for tempers to fly, but you have to remember that business is business and personal is personal. It's when tempers fly might have been for good reason but when other person takes it personal it just escalates the who situation.

and your trainer was upset you were seeing double and were tired? Did you tell your trainer this beforehand? And why wasn't your trainer planning on where to stop to do a switch out? That was his fault he should have planned that better but instead of him sucking up his mistake he takes it out on you? He should have been much more professional than that.

One who waits til last minute for anything out here is the one who ends up stuck or outta luck.