In trucking school: Recruiters Galore... help...

[Jason607]

...what should I look for in an employer? What companies should I look into, and what companies should I avoid. What kind of pay system would best benifit me? I am sure a little backround would help:

I am in trucking school at America's Driving Force in Forrest Park, GA. It's a three week program, (first week classroom, second range, third road). I have no wife/kids/dependents so I am looking to be a OTR driver. Money is the most importat part. I love to work. We have had eight companies come by so far. They are all different, and I know what might work best for one, might not another.

This is my second career. I am a Master Automotive Technician and made good money at it, but recently, automotive has taken a nose dive, no work. In automotive, I have learned a lot about different companies, and how they pay. I know the initial "pay" doesn't mean that much. So, what do I need to look for?

[marcel27208]

FRESH MEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jason607]

but I'm tainted.... sorry to dissapoint.

[marcel27208]

but I'm tainted.... sorry to dissapoint.

[The Killer Rabbit]

Look for "yourself" skywalker...

Try your best in discerning which company is really "you" oriented".
Ask questions to the recruiters....study up on them and their answers as they are looking to fill seats and will not necessarily tell you all the facts about themselves. You know you best, and you have to let them know who you are....after all this is all about you.
Study study study them.

Drivers can say all they want on which company is better then the other...you have to go into this making your own decisions and living by them..you lay down your demands, your will, and you tell them what you want.
You are a professional driver who has staked his life on the road, you deserve respect for sacrificing most of your life out there and risking prison if you kill someone.

What doesnt kill you makes you stronger...go with a safe company and pay your dues....youll figure it out dude

Be safe
TKR

[Uturn2001]

You need to ask about anything and everything that is important to you. Do not be afraid to look or sound stupid.

If a company sounds good to you based on info you get from the recruiters then go down to a truckstop and look for those trucks and make an effort to talk to the drivers. Many of them will be happy to talk to you for a time if they have the time.

[Big John]

If they have Red, Blue or White colored trucks, stay away from them. Run.

[One]

Talk to the companies a lot, go into detail, ask tough questions, preferably via email so you have a record. This way you can weed out those that get short or testy or rude with you and avoid going into detail. Compare apples to apples, some companies figure milage by ripoff programs like HHG...Some co.s make bonuses a part of your pay...beware of that, safety bonus should be easy to get, but idle/fuel bonus and punctuality bonuses are iffy. Choose a co that has a lot of freight in your area and ask where most of their freight moves. Ask what the average miles/wk is, hometime, detention pay, layover pay, health ins. Also ask what kind of freight is hauled a lot in your area, if any hand-unloading is required- if so what they pay and lumper policy. Look for dedicated runs and drop and hook.

Those that come to your school are evidently looking for drivers in your area and may be good for hometime and keeping you out of the winter weather zone, so give em a look-see.
If you see a guy named Wayne Powell recruiting for his company avoid like Plague, I know he used to recruit there....GL

[rubberducky]

research for the companies that don't advertise or send out recruiters but yet take new drivers. I know they can be a challenge to find but they are your best bet. Good luck.

[GoldiesPlating]

research for the companies that don't advertise or send out recruiters but yet take new drivers. I know they can be a challenge to find but they are your best bet. Good luck.

Interesting advice. IMO totally off the wall and baseless, but none the less, interesting. How could you POSSIBLY give someone the advice to look for a ghost-type company? Yes SOME companies that don't advertise or send out recruiters are good. But some that don't send out recruiters or advertise don't do so because they are BROKE and can't afford it. Or are to disorganized to run a recruiting department. Or are running just under the DOT's radar in terms of legality. Or any number of other reasons. Advertising and recruiting cost money, and when done HONESTLY and correctly, are an EXCELLENT source of info on a company. Use these sources of info to form a list to be investigated further by talking to drivers or employees of each company, THEN choose one you hope works best for you.
To say these "ghost-companies" are the "best bet" to look for is not only NO advice, it's BAD advice.

The other posters here IMO thus far offered constructive and correct advice.

[ws6russell]

I have been lurking these forums for quite sometime and Goldiesplating take your know it all 6 months of experience elsewhere. Because YOU drive a black Peterbilt those are the best trucks, because YOU drive for TMC they are the best company to work for. Give me a break. I see your poll isn't working out in your favor. Moron

[GoldiesPlating]

I have been lurking these forums for quite sometime and Goldiesplating take your know it all 6 months of experience elsewhere. Because YOU drive a black Peterbilt those are the best trucks, because YOU drive for TMC they are the best company to work for. Give me a break. I see your poll isn't working out in your favor. Moron

HAHAHA another disgruntled fool. Take my know it all attitude elsewhere?? Nahhhh think I'll stay right here. Seems the hundred or so guys I've helped start a SUCCESSFUL and ENJOYABLE career wouldn't have it any other way. As I've said before, you have a conflicting opinion? Back it up with facts not insults. Find me a better (not equal but better) company, and I'll go work for them. Until then you're welcome to contine being a putz. And the polls' only been running a few hours. Also take into account there are a FEW putz's like YOU who vote against my opinion just for the sake of voting against me. No matter, obviously you are not a content and happy person and for this I feel sorry for you.

[golfhobo]

WooEeee!! This one's off to a good start!

Another 1 post wonder telling a "contributor" what he can do with his advice!

Actually, I like the idea of searching out midsize companies, but Goldie's got some good points about them.

One gave real good advice, as did Uturn. The "red, white and blue" thing don't wash! There are hundreds of companies using these colors, and some are good - some are bad.

I've got some "newbie" advice too, but I think I'll wait til the dust settles!

[Jumbo]

Jason,

Rubberducky isn't that far off base. I have only had two dring jobs in the last 16 years. Both were less than 20 trucks and were both paid by the hour and I couldn't be happier. It is nice to get paid for everything you do. IMO smaller companies take better care of their equipment ( mine is serviced every week). You also don't have to go through layers of management to get something done. That is just my opinion. Nobody can tell you the best fit for you, only you can do that. Just keep your options and your mind open. Ask everything you want to know up front, don't let anybody talk you into working somewhere unless you feel it is for you.

[fkbmlb]

Give CFI a call. What are you looking for in a company.

[fkbmlb]

What are the red white and blue companies exactly.

[Rawlco]

What are the red white and blue companies exactly.

If I had to guess (and I don't get paid to guess )
Red= C.R.England
White=Swift
Blue = Werner

[ct77]

welcome jason,
Graduated ADF myself, still keep in touch with alot of the guys I went to school with, most of the recruiters were pretty straight up from what i have heard, best thing you can do is search the companies here and talk,talk,talk to everydriver you can. Some guys will complain about a company and make it sound like the worst one in the world and others will praise the same company.

Goldiesplating i am glad to hear you really like your company and maybe up in the northeast its a different story, after visiting your website i wonder if you are a recruiter or not, but after talking to bunches of TMC drivers about the only thing positive i ever heard from them was they liked their trucks, everything else left room for improvement.

jason, the main thing to decide is what type of work you want to do flats,vans,reefer,tanker... and then concentrate on finding a company.
Each of these has various pros and cons which i think influence a new drivers happiness more than anything.

[ws6russell]

I may be a one post wonder but I have been coming to these forums for over 4 years just for the good reading and there is always that one guy that comes along every now and then that is the know it all jerk but only has minimal experience. Right now it is goldiesplating. Rubberducky had good intentions I don't see why goldiesplating had to attack this person. I have been a driver since 1989 and I've done just about everything out there from flatbeds to HHG, local dump jobs, UPS. But that certainly makes me no expert. I guess it just takes 6 months of driving for TMC to become super trucker expert recruiter. I really love how he likes to make comebacks and points out new ways to make himself right geez.

Jason let me apologize for goldiesplating for turning this thread the wrong direction. I hope you find what you are looking for.

[GoldiesPlating]

I may be a one post wonder but I have been coming to these forums for over 4 years just for the good reading and there is always that one guy that comes along every now and then that is the know it all jerk but only has minimal experience. Right now it is goldiesplating. Rubberducky had good intentions I don't see why goldiesplating had to attack this person. I have been a driver since 1989 and I've done just about everything out there from flatbeds to HHG, local dump jobs, UPS. But that certainly makes me no expert. I guess it just takes 6 months of driving for TMC to become super trucker expert recruiter. I really love how he likes to make comebacks and points out new ways to make himself right geez.

Jason let me apologize for goldiesplating for turning this thread the wrong direction. I hope you find what you are looking for.

It took you four YEARS to actually figure out something you thought intelligent to write and the best you could come up with was flaming me? I'm HONORED!. Turning the post in the wrong direction!? :shock: ME? LOOK IN THE MIRROR PUTZ. I'm not the one who began the name calling, "moron".