Why so many bad vibes?

Yes, there are good companies for noobs to start out with, but realize this, no matter how good the company is, you can never please everyone all the time. Even those 'good' companies will have complaints about them, and some of those complaints will be pretty nasty. However, everyone does have to start somewhere (hell I started with Covenant) , so you need to find the one that's the best fit for you and go for it.

Also, be ready to sacrifice at least two years of hardship, since most of the 'local' or 'better' companies seem to be upping their requirements in this regard.

 

I just started with transport America, and so far I have NO complaints. WE are treated great and they pay for your time... check em out... The only other company i can tell you about is CR England and I have NOTHING good to say about them

 

How long have you been working there?

 

I think part of it might be the fact that truck driving isn't the pie job a lot of people think it's going to be when they start and they're pissed off about that more than the way they perceive their company is "treating" them.

 

EXACTLY.

Everybody thinks trucking is some kind of easy job and they don't realize how much work it truly is. And then when they don't like it all they do is complain about everything. It's a vicious cycle, and I agree...I'm tired of hearing it. Buck up and work hard. It will pay off. If you want an easy job go back to working in a cubicle, trucking might not be for you.

 

I think trucking is easy to do wrong, and hard to do right. You get plenty of both opinions on this site, and active trucking veterans always seem to be right, as evidenced by their record.

 

I think that trucking is like any other job. You have to start from the bottom of the totem pole. You will get jobs while getting experience that you will hate and then there comes a time when you are gradually moving up in life and trucking. Knowledge comes with experience and repect comes with age and good judgment. Just hang in there and it will all fall into place. Good Luck and put Safety First When behind the wheel.

 

I was in the same position last fall. Got out of private CDL training and only the big companies would hire me, and Schneider was the only one I'd heard anything good about. Unfortunately they weren't hiring in my area, so I took a warehouse job for the Winter.

Luckily I found a local wholesale nursery (Smith Gardens) last Spring that was willing to hire me for weekend runs even though I couldn't shift for crap. The pay was low, and it's seasonal work, so they take anyone with a CDL. Three months later I had some experience under my belt and found a local reefer company called Brown Line LLC. They say they require 1 year experience, but get desperate during the busy summer. Now I'm doing team runs from Northern WA to Southern CA every week. It's only 3-4 days a week and pays about $800 after bonuses. Sure beats driving for Swift, even if my co-driver is a grumpy old fart! (sure hope he doesn't read this

So I'd say talk to the local companies. All of them. Ask every driver you meet, "who's hiring?"

And if you decide to come out to WA and try for Smith Gardens or Brown Line, tell them Jason M sent you. Maybe I'll get a referal!

Good Luck!