Western express

How about ya Brandond .... Have not heard from you in an little bit. Hope that all is well!

 

My school is around the block from Western. My teachers talk to them often AFAIK.

I don't know if I can start out pulling flat bed but will sure ask!

 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN YALL!!!!!

 

Alright fellas, guys and gals. Sorry it has been so long since I last wrote. I had to come in for a family emergency which turned out to be pretty minor. But while I had the time I figured I would write and update you guys. First, no offense to loves the drive, but I dont know why you keep saying something about a trainer. I didnt have to go with a trainer. I have enough experience to pass a road test and be on me merry way. There was a couple people who failed their driving test and it was recommended that they go with a trainer but I was not among those couple people. I do know they do train though. So far all is well. No complaints. I like my D.M., miles have been good and consistent. 2700-3200 miles per week. Again this is for flatbed. If you are going to drive van you will probably not be so fortunate. I personally would never even think of pulling a van here. Flatbed side is much better. You get better loads, more miles, and more pay. Tarp pay, I will admit sucks. But considering some places pay nothing to tarp, it is better than nothing at $15 tarp pay. I cant really complain with the tarps I currently have. Which are 6 ft drop with no flaps. Their fitted lumber tarps. I do not really even want the tarps that Western usually has which are the big black 8ft drop lumber tarps. But that of course is personal preference. My truck is a International SMX truck. I like it. Would prefer that over the Freightliner any day. Hope they let me drive that thing til the wheels fall off. So far, I do like this company. No games being played with my check, at least not yet. Good miles, the pay is 33 cents, but with the perdiem (.14cpm) it averages out to be a little more when it comes to terms of take home pay. No long waiting like with some other companies for another load. Usually in 30 minutes or less of sending my empty call I have another load I am dispatched on. It is so far a good experience. Advances, of course you can only get them when you are on a load, but no b.s. to get them. There are some people I talked to whos D.M's just arent that great I guess. Who claim their only getting 1400 miles per week. Guys that smoke, and are smoking Marlboro cigarettes talking about all the bills they got, and their kids. I do not really buy that their only getting 1400 miles per week just because of the cigarettes they seem to be afforded to buy along with all of their bills and what not they are talking about. Child support would easily eat up that 1400 mile week paycheck. I think someone who really wasnt making any money would be smoking pall mall, or something far more cheaper than marlboro. There has been a few things here and there I have disliked a little but. Couple times I felt stiffed, like on layover pay. But thats not going to be perfect the way we'd like it to anywhere we go. I had to go to Hammond Indiana to get my truck. But was fortunate enough to catch a ride with another driver who had a load he had to drop at the Hammond Indiana yard. So I didnt have to take a bus and all that stuff. I really didnt want to take another bus to get a truck. In my orientation there were only 2 people who got their trucks in Birmingham, the others had to go elsewhere. Two or three took buses to places like detroit and locations in ohio, and the others took a van to nashville, and decatur. I am so far very pleased and happy with this company. B-Service I did sit for 4 days to get done. But they had a LOT of trucks that went into Nashville all at once kind of. So the shop was overloaded. Plus they had to fix other problems such as driver write-ups, and other things they found wrong while the trucks were in the shop. But I was paid $35 per day for that. Anyways, sorry for the long winded update guys, just giving the info to you. Will update more in the future as my journey continues with Western Express.

 

If YOU are happy, that's all that matters !!!!

 

Do you know if they will start new drivers on flat?

Sometime in the near future we are going to the Nashville yard for a field trip. I can see the trailers from our practice field.

If mom signs my permission slip!

 

I believe so, you will just have to go out with a trainer and all that stuff probably if you have no flatbed experience at all. The tie down isnt really that difficult to understand and do. For me the hard part was learning to tarp correctly. But even with that, after rolling your tarps the wrong way a couple times, having to pull them off unfolded, or stand on the load and flip them over the correct way you will quickly learn the easiest way for you to tarp, and roll them up when not in use. But yes, I think they will put new drivers in flatbed. Just may have to go with a trainer.

 

Sounds like a ok company but the pay is not good at all 33 cents, but with the perdiem (.14cpm how can any one make any money like that then the perdiem that's a joke my company does not do the perdiem thing we start drives out at 42 a mile I been running about 3100 to 3600 a week when the hour let me but over all like I said sounds like a good place to work good luck to u

 

When i went with them I had no flatbed experience at all,I had about3 years on the road but all in the van side of things, anyways, I didnt have to take a road test or go with a trainer to learn securement or anything. I went to nashville and got my truck, drove back top birmingham to finish up orientation,grabbed a load out of the birmingham yard and went on my merry learning curved way. I am completely self taught and veteran driver taught on all things flatbed. I got good at it pretty quick by watching other trucks and drivers with how things were done and was never afraid to ask other drivers for advice on how to get things done. Overall I learned that flatbed drivers are a different bunch from van drivers and it is a lot easier to find a helpful flatbed driver.

 

Do they run flat beds out of Nashville?