Does anyone like the company they drive for? Who are they?

[Malaki86]

I've been driving for Celadon going on 2 months now (ya, new to the company). So far things have been pretty good. I have no trouble about not having loads, the average run I've gotten is in the range of 1,000 miles per haul, and the truck is new (don't like the mid-roof International, but it's my 1st new truck ever, so I'll live with it).

[marcel27208]

I've been driving for Celadon going on 2 months now (ya, new to the company). So far things have been pretty good. I have no trouble about not having loads, the average run I've gotten is in the range of 1,000 miles per haul, and the truck is new (don't like the mid-roof International, but it's my 1st new truck ever, so I'll live with it).

i use to drive for celadon...done alot of nc/sc/ga to laredo, laredo to detroit and back to laredo.....but they cut all the miles out when they built the waxahachie terminal.... and their fuel surcharge sucks!!! other than that they were ok

[joasis]

First, I will say I am not currently on the road....but I stay up with it, in case I have to go back. After 10 years and more then a million miles since 1979. I have been around just a little, and I can safely say that any company with a turnover rate of more then 50% has major problems...and I hear the Swift and Covenant are way more then 100%. Knowing how fast employees fly away might be an indication that no one is happy.

In my experience, the happy drivers seem to pull for smaller fleets or O/O's that have more then one truck, but not really a fleet.

I taked to a Wal Mart driver several years ago, and he was really happy...pay and being home make his job.

No matter how great a company is, the longer a driver is kept out, the less they will be satisfied. And there lies the conflict.....the only way a truck makes money is the left door is closed and the wheels are turning....and this has to balance with a guy that wants to see his family...

In my opinion, the number one reason many guys fail on the road comes back to what they believe and what happens in reality....very few, and I repeat, very few guys have an idea before trucking school what it means to be away for weeks at a time.....and no return in sight. Stuck at a truck stop, broke, waiting on a load, praying you get dispatched toward home, wife complaining about no money to pay bills...kids want their daddy home...and you tell me why drivers quit....sometimes the company gets the blame when in reality a guy will look for any reason to quit when things are going bad. We have all seen it or been there.

I have often thought that rookie drivers or guys wanting to go trucking should be paid a few hundred bucks and sent out with a truck...not to drive, but just to ride along and see what trucking is...no school bs, no super trucker stories, no Dave Dudley songs...but a real reality check....some of us really love it...( if I wasn't running a company and a 7 year old at home, I would be out there)...but most will never make it long enough to know if it was a good career...due to the introduction.

[Crete_drvr]

Stuck at a truck stop, broke

reminds me of my days at roehl, very depressing :sad:

I have often thought that rookie drivers or guys wanting to go trucking should be paid a few hundred bucks and sent out with a truck...not to drive, but just to ride along and see what trucking is...no school bs, no super trucker stories, no Dave Dudley songs...but a real reality check....some of us really love it...( if I wasn't running a company and a 7 year old at home, I would be out there)...but most will never make it long enough to know if it was a good career...due to the introduction.

amen, great idea not feasible but great nonetheless.

Being away from children hurts very bad and no matter how prepared you try to be it doesnt get any easier because they grow up so fast.

[joasis]

This probably isn't the place to post something like this, but trucking is a tough trade....I fell in love with it as a kid after watching Smokey and the Bandit...got my commercial at 18 in 1979, cross contry at 21 hauling to Ca and back...heavy haul, OD loads, and straight flatbedding....loved it!

Union 76's were the truck stops, along with Dirty Dorothy's in Long Beach...the no name travel plaza in Ft Stckton Tx., and I saw the Giant being built. Things have changed......

The only time I ever saw the bad side of trucking was after I had been off the road awhile, sold out my trucks.....and then I went to Covenant as a trainer...don't ask me why them, of all companies, but I did, and I saw the poor recruits coming in...filled with great expectations and the bs from instructors in Billy Bob's trucking acadamy....and then reality set in....I had 2 kids quit after they were 1000 miles from home and a phone call devastated them....others were lured by the big money promises....for 2 bills a week training and a debt to clear if they quit. I was in Tulsa, Oklahoma on new years eve....just 90 miles from home, and no...I couldn't go out of route to see my family, even though I had a 2 day layover before dropping my load in Chicago....2 weeks later I routed back to the OKC terminal and left the truck w/o a load on (don't burn bridges people) and went back flatbedding where the money and miles are.

These people lured into trucking should be screened a lot better instead of the attitude of finding a warm body to slip in a seat and if they haul 2 weeks, great. I had one guy who spent his paycheck on the pay phones...talking to mama...and quit after 2 weeks....others had to send money home so they lived on nothing on the road....maybe a bad sandwich instead of hot food....so how do they feel after only a month out there...and combine that with the stress of learning a big rig and traffic and the real possibility of weather related problems and the imaginary bullseye on the front and rear of the trucks (all experienced drivers KNOW what I am talking about), and problems at home...is it any wonder the turnover in the industry runs 90% or more?

And finally.....how much encouragement do they get from pros? How many times in a Dallas truck stop when parking is tight have you heard the BS cat calls and harrassment from drivers heckling some poor kid who is scared to death of offside backing to get into a hole? God forbid if a seasoned driver would be helpful or even get off the radio long enough to help him back in. How many of us have been hopelessly lost in LA or NYC, and can't get a decent answer from a fellow driver? And we wonder why our profession isn't the same one I broke out in.....where truckers were a proud bunch, and like family......

[KATMANN]

This probably isn't the place to post something like this, but trucking is a tough trade....I fell in love with it as a kid after watching Smokey and the Bandit...got my commercial at 18 in 1979, cross contry at 21 hauling to Ca and back...heavy haul, OD loads, and straight flatbedding....loved it!

Union 76's were the truck stops, along with Dirty Dorothy's in Long Beach...the no name travel plaza in Ft Stckton Tx., and I saw the Giant being built. Things have changed......

The only time I ever saw the bad side of trucking was after I had been off the road awhile, sold out my trucks.....and then I went to Covenant as a trainer...don't ask me why them, of all companies, but I did, and I saw the poor recruits coming in...filled with great expectations and the bs from instructors in Billy Bob's trucking acadamy....and then reality set in....I had 2 kids quit after they were 1000 miles from home and a phone call devastated them....others were lured by the big money promises....for 2 bills a week training and a debt to clear if they quit. I was in Tulsa, Oklahoma on new years eve....just 90 miles from home, and no...I couldn't go out of route to see my family, even though I had a 2 day layover before dropping my load in Chicago....2 weeks later I routed back to the OKC terminal and left the truck w/o a load on (don't burn bridges people) and went back flatbedding where the money and miles are.

These people lured into trucking should be screened a lot better instead of the attitude of finding a warm body to slip in a seat and if they haul 2 weeks, great. I had one guy who spent his paycheck on the pay phones...talking to mama...and quit after 2 weeks....others had to send money home so they lived on nothing on the road....maybe a bad sandwich instead of hot food....so how do they feel after only a month out there...and combine that with the stress of learning a big rig and traffic and the real possibility of weather related problems and the imaginary bullseye on the front and rear of the trucks (all experienced drivers KNOW what I am talking about), and problems at home...is it any wonder the turnover in the industry runs 90% or more?

And finally.....how much encouragement do they get from pros? How many times in a Dallas truck stop when parking is tight have you heard the BS cat calls and harrassment from drivers heckling some poor kid who is scared to death of offside backing to get into a hole? God forbid if a seasoned driver would be helpful or even get off the radio long enough to help him back in. How many of us have been hopelessly lost in LA or NYC, and can't get a decent answer from a fellow driver? And we wonder why our profession isn't the same one I broke out in.....where truckers were a proud bunch, and like family......

Wow, an interesting read.....

[feederfred]

I am a feeder driver for brown....80k+ plus full family medical/dental/optical/pension...Cannot complain. Work 4 (layover in nice hotels) off Sat/Sun/Monday...it's a good gig..Thank God I'm NOT in a package car anymore....

[marcel27208]

I am a feeder driver for brown....80k+ plus full family medical/dental/optical/pension...Cannot complain. Work 4 (layover in nice hotels) off Sat/Sun/Monday...it's a good gig..Thank God I'm NOT in a package car anymore....

80k in california is 55-60k east coast

[GoldiesPlating]

So far my day-cab home-daily gig for TMC in NJ is going real well. Making $1100.00/week and am home every night plus Saturdays/Sundays off.

[-FlyByNight-]

Crete has been a good job experience for me so far.

[kjbprd]

I'm with Pride Transport out of Salt Lake, and I love the hell out of them...I never thought I'd find the treatment I get here, given that the company is relatively large (250 power units)...still, I see and speak with the owner every time I'm back at the terminal and I can't say more for the drivers here...I finally feel like I've found a little bit of professionalism in this industry.

[HeavyChevy]

i am currently with styline transportation from huntingdon,in
while i am in a straight truck they do have tractor trailers
the pay is excellent [most drivers earn anywhere from 52,000 to
60,000 year] the only drawback getting used to is,almost every run
is a multiple stop at smaller customer bases delivering office
furniture, the equipment is excellent mostly 2005-2007 volvos and
internationals, i believe the starting pay is 39 cpm and 19 dollars a stop
[usually have about anywhere from 7 to 10 stops on a trip] they are definately a company looking into, i am very satisfied here!

[driver62]

I drove for NTB out of Grand Rapids, MI for over 8 years until I retired around 3.5 years ago.
They're a short haul company running mostly the upper mid-west but also do runs as far south as Texas.
You are out 5 and home two. The two is 48 hours minimum. The pay is the industry average and they pay extra for short runs and weekend driving. They also pay for detention and breakdown.
They have around 200 trucks and have quite a bit drop and hook, which I liked. They have a few dedicated accounts...Target is one.
My last job with them was a dedicated where I was home every night with weekends off. I knew the owners by their first names and the dispatchers are pretty good also.
The equipment is good, Freightliners but I think they have bought some Volvos, and the company supplies the stereo and the CB radio.
If anyone wants to check them out, their website is www.ntbtrk.com.
Yes, I'm retired and no, I'm not a recruiter. They're a good company.

Last company I drove for was Earl Henderson out of Salem IL and I would still be there if my brain had not decided to go haywire. I loved the quality of miles 3500+ a week no slowdown in the winter west cosast runs solo or team. You could talk to anyone of the senior managers and they knew who you were and not as a truck number as your name and that right there makes a difference. I made on avage after taxes about 850 a week after my advances and road expenses were taken out that is was going to the bank for my bills so I was making some serious money there.

[Double R]

I drive for a local food service company in Pittsburgh doing regional delivers(eastern,PA and De) Been doing it for 3 years now. Been a driver for 8. Started with a HHG agent in Pittsburgh and then moved to foodservice. The pay is good, excellent home time and great benefits. Have done both local and regional for this company and prefer regional. Four day work week, two nights out of town(Monday and Thursday) and weekends off. It may be back breaking work but I like it.

[Cyanide]

I loved driving a food-grade tanker for Jim Aartman out of Ripon, CA. Very good equipment, plenty of miles, plenty of time off, and the job was easy beyond belief...pull into a loading bay, wait for the customer to load or unload the tank, and get rolling. Unfortunately the pay was a bit low regardless of how many miles you could drive...

...so I switched back to a chemical tank outfit, Superior Carriers out of Oak Brook (Chicago), IL. The equipment may not be the newest or fastest, but I now get paid for everything I do with the execption of fueling the truck and my pre- and post-trip inspection. I've made some very good money with them so far, especiallly in some of the weeks where my lack of miles would have starved or put a serious crunch upon someone driving for stricly mileage pay only :wink:.

[doboy]

i drive for conway truckload and like it. i run the southeast and drive a 2006 volvo. they try to be a different style of trucking company by treating the drivers from respect from the very first day. if you are a team you can run national and get all the miles you want basically running terminal to terminal.