Werner not so bad

I am assuming Unloading aspect. Looking at Werner myself and really Unloading a truck isn't anything to me. It is what I currently do actually. But I need a company to pay/reimburse schooling.

 

I am glad some of you guys are likeing the Blue screw(lol)

 

I am a new Werner driver. I went through the orientation and 275 hours with 2 trainers. The first one was insane. It took a while for me to come to this decision because, being new to the industry, I still had "big eyes" and was naive to so much. However, the man knew his stuff. I had to make a decision about it, though. This was through this recent winter and the time I spent on his truck was rough to say the least. But, I made a personal decision that while with this "trainer" I would just be a sponge and take all the knowledge I could and the rest with a grain of salt. Right before Christmas, I had had enough of him and decided to take the time offered off.

My second trainer was great. He was an easy going 28 year veteran in the industry and there wasn't much that rattled him. He restored my confidence in "the company" enough so that I decided to finish and continue on as a solo driver. And so, as of January, I have been a solo driver averaging 2700 miles a week. Where I am not on a dedicated route, I have learned that the more "drop and hooks" you get, the better your mileage count tends to be. Whereas, LVLD (live loading) and live unloads will eat your clock up and depending on how "together" a shipper and/or consignee is will also effects your clock as well as your mileage for the week.

I know this is all rehash for veteran drivers. The point I am trying to communicate to anyone considering any company is that all of the big companies will have similar training periods as well as good or bad trainers. Most of the time, I think, it is a matter of personal compatibility and communication skills with a stranger in a small space rather than a matter of competence. Take what you need, be a sponge and the rest with a grain of salt, if you can.

 

I received a PM (private message) from a guy who is enrolled in CDL School. He is at that point in his initial training where the Big Company Recruiters come and give their recruiting pitch. He has to make a decision that we all made and is looking for the best fit for him.

Now, I don't have enough posts according to Forum Rules to PM or answer a PM so I will answer them here as none of what he asked was personal. Therefore, serving 2 purposes.

Yes, Werner is 100% on e-logs. I like the use of e-logs. Yes, you can arrange a paper log to squeeze some extra time, but not much and rarely enough to make a difference. The key, to both is Trip Planning. Plan your trip, fueling, etc. Plan your day as much as possible. This is key to potentially a good day versus a bad day. I admit, that with all that we do in the course of a day, one less thing I have to do, like prepare and fill out a paper log is fine by me. It also, helps keep you legal. A planner and dispatcher have your logs available to them as well when they are sending down trip information to you. Why is that important? A dispatcher that sends you on, say... a 630 mile run... and its a LVLD....and.. they don't have your logs handy... may not give you enough legal time to make your appointment. So you have a decision there to make of running over hours or taking up more valuable time, trying to communicate that you need a later appt. time to make the delivery. So, with e-logs, a dispatcher can see, how much time you have left on your 11hr, 14hr and your 70hr clock.

Not all Werner tractors have these APU's. Most seem to, but not all. Keep in mind, that if you choose Werner, you will have to complete 275hrs of teaming with a Trainer. That truck more than likely will have an APU. Now, your first week or so, I forget how long, your trainer will use, "observation" hours on you. This is where they are required to be in the passenger seat (not in the sleeper) observing you during your drive time. Well, that means they are on-duty too. They have a rule that says that during this first period, you cannot drive from 12:00am to 6:00am. They also could be out of hours from observing you. In this case you both will probably be on line 2 and using the APU. After your drive restriction is lifted it's more like team driving. If it works right, then that truck will rarely stop. Usually, only for fuel and if you are lucky, an occasional shower and hot meal. I used the word "like" team driving because it's really not. You are still a student and will the on-duty driver the majority of the time. I have heard of some students getting upset at trainers that they are doing all the work, driving, etc... But....you have to remember that every hour that you spend on-duty is one less off that 275hrs, therefore, finishing. If you add up those extra legally used hours during the course of your training time, you could potentially cut a week off your training time and be that closer to being in your own truck. Those drivers that insist that their trainer work an eqaul day, will of course, stay on that truck longer.
My current truck does not have an APU.

With one trainer. This first one. Yes, he was as bad and disgusting as some of the nightmare posts I have read on this forum about other trainers. He is no longer with Werner and not because of me. I never threw him under the bus but I came close. I will take heat here for it.
I might decide to write about him and that experience. If I do, it will be in the appropriate thread. My second finishing trainer was the best. He is an all around great guy and gave me the ins and outs of Werner and the trucking industry in a positive perspective that helped me decide to stay on as a rookie driver and get that first year experience in with Werner.
No, my student/manager in Omaha at Werner made my switch easy. I think those student/managers deal with situations all the time. I was assigned my new trainer within 4 hours of the initial call. I would have probably stayed with the first trainer until completion had circumstance and my naïveté allowed. In the end, I am glad I was able to switch in such an easy fashion.

I learned a lot about driving from both but I don't think anyone is ready 100%. You just do it. I was scared and I don't mind admitting it to anyone. I ended up being recruited as a sub-contractor for an O/O that hauls Werner freight and uses the Werner system. For that opportunity, I am thankful. But, I was scared. And why not admit it? I don't want to be the one who messes up. I don't want to bend a truck. I don't want to be late. I don't want violations. I want to be as successful as I can be and of course, I want to be happy.
The 2700 miles is just what I have averaged. I have had several weeks over 3000 miles and a couple nearer to 2000 miles.

So there you go. Just a small amount about my Werner experience as a Student Driver.

 

I am thinking about going with wel companie now. Havn't herd anything that bad about them and i can be home on weekends. They said after a year i get .44 cents a mile. eather that or ho wolding or schneider.

 

reefer ltl u work hard good luck

 

Have you tried to get a dedicated route yet? Heard it isn't that easy.

 

I'm guessing nobody told this guy about the Werner trainer that routinely #### his bunk while driving over the road with a trainee, to me that permanently eliminates your company from consideration, as I have a strict personal "My trainer will not #### himself" policy which I stringently adhere to. Sorry, dude.

 

I would give any company a chance, a lot times it is what a driver makes of it. Some people get on here and complain about companies such as they didn't give them a brand new truck or they aren't getting 3500 miles a week. Some people can not be satisfied for nothing. Trucking is a business where it may be great one week and crap the next, you just have to take the good weeks as they come. Some companies such as the bigger ones, have too many truck out on the road and drivers are not going to get great miles every week. It just comes along with the job.