Which would you pick?

I did what research I could on Ashley Distribution Services, Inc. and Midwest Coast Transport, and they both get a thumbs up from me. Their safety numbers are fantastic. They appear to run sound companies without the problems associated with abusing their drivers.

I've personally spoken with Ashley Furniture drivers, and they are for the most part treated very well. I understand there to be a bit of manual labor involved with working for them, but their compensation package is great.

Midwest Coast Transport appears to be into hauling a little of everything, including refrigerated trailers, and the only warning I would offer is that for a newbie, dealing with grocery warehouses can be rather frustrating, but don't be put off by that. I started my driving career hauling a reefer, and it had it's good points as well...make inquiries as to what they haul, what you would likely be hauling, and if they do the grocery warehouse, find out how they deal with "driver unload" situations. Do they arrange for lumpers? What will a driver make if he chooses to do the unloading himself? etc.

 

A quality reefer company will have at a minnimum the "funds" available to lumper unload the trailer. On the better accounts they will have lumpers waiting for you at the dock.

Personaly I don't mind fingerprinting a load once in a while, but if I don't make at least $15 an hour I won't do it.

 

Werner is not known to be at the top of anyone's list. They have the second worst safety record, next to Swift, and they have a terrible turnover rate as well.

Here's some of the more pointed readings on that company:

http://www.angelfire.com/rebellion/wernerscrews/

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/company_warnings.shtml
(Click on the "rip-off reports" link)

http://idodac.com/
(Go to the "W" section to find Werner reports)

 

There's an eye-opening diary of a Swift driver that I've read.

Visit my truck blog and scroll down the right hand side of the page until you get to the section entitled "Trucker Web Blogs / Trucker Web Sites" and click the link entitled "Diary of a Driver."

Best,
- Chris

 

I say you choose Schneider since I hear a lot of good, and not bad(like a lot of trucking companies) about them.

 

I know this is an old thread, but I found it recently and have a comment to make. I worked for Ashley in the mid '90s. Their pay rate was a little lower than some, but they paid by the hub mile, not household carrier miles. They pay all miles and dont route the drivers, you can take any route you want (within reason). At the time it was the best pay I ever made driving, and would be good checks still today. They have good trucks and an excellent maintenance and safety programs. You are required to tailgate the freight and I often found it to be faster to get it into the customer store and then I could get going. They dont make you wait around for backhauls as they need the trailers to reload for the next week. They would pay for a motel room once a week too. All in all, they were the best I ever worked for. I am from Wyoming and just didnt like living in Wisconsin, was the only reason I quit.

 

Hello,
Depending upon where you live you don't need to put yourself through #### by going to one of these second rate companies any more. If you try you may be able to get on with a good ltl carrier right out of school especially in the spring time when freight really picks up. I know ABF will hire drivers right out of school and I believe they even have there own driving school in Ak.. It might be worth looking onto. Well I hope I was able to help and good luck.

 

The only problem with the furniture gigs that you was asking about, a lot of them drivers have to fingerprint the load and often they are not loaded in order and you might have to wrestle the same piece several times before it reaches it's destination.