WHY??? Why are so many starting with the worst companies?

Thing is, the companies who have an OTJ training program are essentially all the same ... "mega carriers" and all seem to have the same issues for the most part. With no experience, you are forced to look to the mega-carriers in the beginning. They don't have the experience that will allow them to start with "better" carriers who don't have training programs, and require recent experience. It is what it is.

 

True. Without the exp most go with the megas. I wish I would have looked around more. I did meet a few small operations willing to take me on, but I was worried about being thrown out on the road without training and a fistful of loose leaf log pages. I feel like I did okay, I sort of avoided the megas, but the megas force smaller companies to act like them to stay competitive.

 

If I could do it over I would have started with a tanker company. Van and reefer for a company working CPM doesn't pay well enough. And it doesn't matter who you are, the level of treatment at most van and reefer shipper/receivers is just ridiculous.

 

A starter company is just that,they're all pretty much the same in one way or another.Some students do their homework and still find flaws once they start.Your son may have the same problem with MCT,only time will tell.Staying with one company especially at the beginning of his or her carreer will show if they have what it takes to be a trucker.

 

I always encourage new drivers to get all the endorsements, TWIC, passport while in CDL school. More of them seem to be doing this now, but still too many hitting the job market with no endorsements which means lower paying jobs.

Many of us with experience try to give good advice, but it's routinely ignored. For example, a new driver wants to see the country, then hires on with a company that only runs the Northeast or Eastern half of the USA which makes us wonder, "Did they even read our posts when they asked a question?"

 

many new drivers call a company bad when they should be shouldering part of the blame being new
you ask any of us that were out here 30 years ago and they were handed keys and said go there
insurance DOT etc has changed the newbies ability to get thru the first year mistakes
but the true drivers survive any company and move on to better times
all reefer companies are not poor paying places but many of the megs are home of reefer student training