roehl transportation RDTC

[datdam47]

I'm going feb.12,2007 what should i aspect i now solsdad got a lil info but does any one else. soladad my bad i always thought you was a guy . guess the dad part of your name did it.

[datdam47]

thank for you help soladad i willpm u with any ?

[Soladad]

nope....me lady Roehl driver

Soladad

PS: When you post please use correct grammer and punctation. Makes it easier for everyone to read.. thanks

[Bert]

I started with Roehl right out of school. I can say without reservation, it was the worst 4 months of my life. I worked with some fine people, regrettably none of them were my dispatchers or management at their Indiana terminal. Both of my dispatchers and Mike, the terminal manager were fired shortly after I left, hope it's better now.

[Bert]

space space space

I started with Roehl right out of school. I can say without reservation, it was the worst 4 months of my life. I worked with some fine people, regrettably none of them were my dispatchers or management at their Indiana terminal. Both of my dispatchers and Mike, the terminal manager were fired shortly after I left, hope it's better now.

It's where I started too. Wasnt getting any miles, in the year I worked there I got 3000 miles a week once one of the worst dispatchers I had was in based in Gary, IN, he never answered his phone and had a terrible attitude.

so... I work at Crete now.

[Bert]

Yes. I asked to talk to my dispatcher while stopped at Garry IN and his manager (Mike Shea) about my miles after 3 months. I told them I wasn't able to make my payments and eat, much less buy clothing. The manager puffed himself up and told me that the company policy required I be given at least 2,000 miles a week during training, "because we know you'd quit if it was less". He then pulled my stats up on his computer and saw that Darin Blakely and Joe Black had been giving me average of less than 1,700 (and not because I couldn't make the runs- I've never been stopped so often with so many excuses about why I wasn't going to get layover/detention since either). I was told to leave the office at that point, and Darin the dispatcher was told to STAY. I thought, "OK, it'll be fixed now". WRONG!!! The next 2 weeks were the worst. I called another company at the end of that run and left.

There were 25 new drivers in my intake/orientation at Marshfield. I know of only one of the 17 who went with me to Gary who made 6 months, and none who worked for Roehl after 1 year. Of the many good, helpful long term driver employees I met working for the company, there was a general attitude that things had changed a lot when the company grew dramatically and Everet Roehl stepped down a few years ago.

I was new at the time. I stuck with them far longer than I would have now. If you want to drive an underpowered truck with 48,000lb. of low value cargo (Paper, paper, paper, paper. Recycled paper. Bottled water. Gatorade) up and down mountains with management that needs to make the tiny percent of profit by screwing the driver, by all means drive for Roehl out of Gary IN.

[datdam47]

bert how was RDTC

[Bert]

RDTC is Roeh Driver Training Course.

I would recomend that you go to an independant driving school over ANY company school. I suggest you search on driving schools and find out what experienced drivers think regarding "company schools" vs. independants before going to a company school, especially if the company is "financeing" your training (this equals you being an indentured servant/slave to the company untill your training is "paid off").

If you absolutely MUST go to work for Roehl, go flatbed NOT VAN. flatbed is run out of Marshfield, and generally the Marshfield dispatch was the best in the company. I used to get them when my Gary dispatch was missig in action, and everything would go right untill the Gary dispatch came back on line...

[datdam47]

i leave sunday for rdtc i fill nervous bout it

[Smooth]

I had very few problems with Roehl , I was there 3 years and dispatched out of Gary most of the time . My FM was Kerry , as far as I know he's still there . 95% of the time I got 3000+ miles in a full week . Hell , I ran midwest regional for 6 months out of Gary and got well over 2500 miles a week and was always home two full days . Then , when I switched to 7on/7off I was dispatched out of Marshfield and got usually anywhere from 3100 to 3700 miles a week no problem with Terry and then Al as my fleet managers. The first few months suck , they usually keep you in the northeast with short runs , but once you prove yourself they will hook you up with the miles .

[datdam47]

thanx smooth

[Bert]

Smooth, what years did you work out of Gary? And when and WNY did you leave Roehl?

[Smooth]

Smooth, what years did you work out of Gary? And when and WNY did you leave Roehl?

I worked out of Gary from Nov.03 till July 05 , after that it was Marshfield . I left Roehl in August of 06 for Yellow . Although Roehl was a good company , when I was accepted at yellow it was an easy choice to go with them .

[Soladad]

You will be ok at RDTC. Just remember that you are there to learn to drive. Don't worry about all the crap you read about dispatchers and terminal locations from those that Roehl was just not the right company to work for. Right now the important thing is getting your CDL, get through training and out into your own truck.

Dispatchers and what terminal you are out of comes later. If you end up with a DSR that you can't work with then ask to change. Not everyone is going to get lucky and match up with the right DSR right off the bat. It takes some effort on your part to try and make a go with the DSR. If you just can't work it out then ask for a change. Roehl has invested time and money in your training. They really don't want to lose drivers. Give it a few months to learn how OTR life is and how your routine in your truck fits in to company expectations.

About training on the road. Again personalities may not mesh for training. If you get a trainer that you just can't learn from and work with... speak up and let the training department know. If things just can't be worked out ask for a different trainer. If you get a good trainer hopefully you can establish a working relationship and he will allow you to call him in those first few months with any questions you have.

I survived my first year with Roehl by remaining friends with one of my trainers. He was there willing to answer questions when I needed guidence. I can't say that my first year was easy but now that it is behind me I feel good that I survived.

If you have any questions PM me.

Soladad
"Miss Daisy's" driver

If you end up with a DSR that you can't work with then ask to change. Not everyone is going to get lucky and match up with the right DSR right off the bat. It takes some effort on your part to try and make a go with the DSR. If you just can't work it out then ask for a change.

You will have to kiss up to your DSR's manager if you want a change. So if you don't suck d**k or kiss azz, you're shi+ outta luck like I was. If you don't believe me go to http://www.roehldriver.com/phpBB2/index.php and read the threads entitled "fed up with roehl!" and "Adios roehl"

I worked there a year and had 3 DSR's. The one I had out of Gary got fired (thank god) and the last guy I had out of Marshfield has no idea of what being a truck driver entails. The only good DSR I had was my "training" or "developmental" one.

I think Roehl is a good company. It's just that we didn't "mesh" well... I don't know how else to explain it. If I was lazy or had a bad attitude, would I not be failing miserably at Crete like I was at Roehl?

My advice is to go to RDTC and tough it out for a year and spread your wings. Don't expect to make much $ though, I made $29,700 my first year there. I could've made that flippin' burgers at BK and been home every night and would not have had to pay all the expenses that go along with living on the road.

[Smooth]

$29,700 your first year ? wow , I made 43k my first year there OTR and well over 30k doing the 7on 7off . I didn't suck up or kiss ass either , it's called courtesy and delivering on time .

[Bert]

Being courteous and delivering on time got me less than $500.00 per week on average. I'm glad you got a good dispatcher and the company lived up to it's promises to you. I know of NONE of the new drivers of my intake who were so lucky as you.

[Soladad]

Well Prodigy.. all I can say is that I am glad that you have moved on and found a company that can put up with your BS. Don't need your attitude here at Roehl.

Soladad

[Bert]

Soladad, ANYONE who posts things to message boards he or she would not say to them face to face is part of the problem, not the solution.

I could go on about this, but I'd rather post this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbXR1i267Fg

(quote)
"The internet can be a prety scary place if you're not prepared"

"How would you PREPARE for it?!"

"I don't know, maybe go to your local middle school chess club, hand out crystal meth and hand guns?"