who's better

I believe you made the best choice....never know what you are going to get in OTR trucking, but I would have chosen Nat'l. Carriers also....Good Luck, and keep us informed.

 

Hello Everyone,

I am new to trucking, just getting my CDL's on July 7. My hubby is an OTR trucker for Summitt Trucking out of Indiana. We are strongly considering going with Covenant Transport due to the fact that they will let hubby train me. I have heard good and bad about this company. Could I please get some feedback, whether good or bad.
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I seem to recall reading or hearing that Covenant has some serious financial isues lately. How true this is or not I cannot say for sure. Perhaps one of the other forum members has better info on that in particular.

Other than that I can only relay what I have heard from other drivers over the years in passing. That is the vast majority complained about pay, equipment, and their training program. It seems after a trainee has gone out with a driver trainer for 4 to 6 weeks that trainee is then assigned to a different truck with another fresh trainee for an additional period of time (I have heard 3 months). These 2 "trainees" then run as a team splitting the pay and supposedly teaching other. What 2 6 week trainees can teach other while running as a team escapes me.

As a veteran driver and former driver trainer I would NOT go to work for Covenant based on what I have read and heard from others. Of course it is your decision. Good luck.

 

Hi , sorry for asking the same question again Happyhammer .. Did you call these companies and just apply yourself or did you go through a recruiting agency? Hope you do not mind me asking and many congrats on your new job. Am hoping to move over myself from the UK and find either a driving job or work as a diesel mechanic. Any info you can give would be much appreciated. Alex

 

Hi again Happy Hammer, cheers for the reply! Last night I posted my resume , telling them I was in the UK, on a truck drivers search employment site and got two phone messages this morning to call back, one of them a large company mentioned on here alot!

Update on that, called them back but for some reason even though they read on resume that I was in the UK and needed to get the US equiv cdl once beong offered work and so forth...they said to let them know when I had got the cdl etc. Kind of odd considering I was specific in stating and detailing what exactly I would have to process through on getting work. I guess they just did not read it properly.
Oz might def be the answer HH ..lol.. wish there was a way I could get in touch and talk to you about your experiences the last 18 mths.

 

Cheers mate, just emailed, hopefully it will work ..lol...They "tfu" gave me only two companies to choose from, Smith transport and Frey Miller. So once I confirm they are above board then I will go ahead and apply. Am hopeful, where there is a will there's a way eh.

 

Are there trucking jobs available in England? I am curious as to why you fellows would want to come to the USA to drive trucks here (in a recession where many American drivers are losing their businesses and jobs) and possibly displace other American drivers.

There is alot of BS being spread about a so-called "driver shortage" but do not believe it. There is an over capacity problem currently in the US and many carriers and owner operators have gone belly up already. Other carriers are reducing the size of their fleets and reducing the maximum governed speed.

You may also be surprised that trucking here in the states is not the same as trucking in the UK or Europe. There are more non-union companies than union and pay is per mile rather than hourly. Few companies pay overtime either. Unless you get a local job (which is doubtful) right off the bat.

 

Am sure that if there are drivers there readily available for positions offered, they will be taken well ahead before I, an outsider, were to be offered any employment.

I have no desire to displace drivers. Yes there is work in the UK and we have drivers from all over the world including the US, working and applying for driving jobs here also, I do not begrudge them the opportunity. Our cost of living is high, our fuel even higher.

I have been planning on emigrating for a few years now and am deciding whether to drive or work as a diesel mechanic, I do both. There seems to be many positions available in the US, though coming over here is not as easy for British drivers/mechanics as it is for other countries. We are not eligible for the immigration lottery or other methods. Seeking a job and sponsorship via correct means is the way to go and is a lengthy process, likelyhood of success debatable as companies require cdl at time off applying etc.

But I happen to spend a lot of time visiting the states over many years, I love the people I meet and the lifestyle. I have great friends there and basically would like to live and work there. As regards recession, this seems to be a huge point of debate amongst friends over there as to what defines recession. But that is another topic.