Honest Input about Covenant & JB Hunt

[truckerpreacher]

Having almost 20 years of experience but out of driving for 4.5 years I have considered both of these to get back into driving. I would like some real honest input about these companies or others that will bring a person in with this much time away. I perfer not to get the disgruntled ex-employee that has an axe to grind. But real input both negative and positive.
Thanks

[Cluggy619]

Having almost 20 years of experience but out of driving for 4.5 years I have considered both of these to get back into driving. I would like some real honest input about these companies or others that will bring a person in with this much time away. I perfer not to get the disgruntled ex-employee that has an axe to grind. But real input both negative and positive.
Thanks

I wish you the best of luck with JB Hunt. Be sure to sign on with them as a OTR driver. :twisted:

[truckerpreacher]

Hey Cluggy619,
I have seen some of your post about JB Hunt. I am not so naive to think when I am speaking to a recruiter to beleive all they say, however, is it as bad over there as you have made it out to be. If it is it really is a shame. I can't afford to sit around if I were to do this I need to run hard.
Thanks for your input.

[Cluggy619]

Hey Cluggy619,
I have seen some of your post about JB Hunt. I am not so naive to think when I am speaking to a recruiter to beleive all they say, however, is it as bad over there as you have made it out to be. If it is it really is a shame. I can't afford to sit around if I were to do this I need to run hard.
Thanks for your input.

You would have to ask a current driver of JB Hunt to find out how it is today. I haven't driven for them for over a year now. I'm now local driver for a fuel company, and very happy where I am.

Now, I'm not making great cash where I am. About 40-50 K per year. However, it is alot more than what I made with JB.

And if you are thinking about local fuel hauling....now would be a good time, with summer just around the corner.

Just a thought.

[Sheepdancer]

Unfortunately, if you havent driven in 4 1/2 years, you probably wont be able to get on over here at JB. Bare minimum we require you have at least 1 full year in the last 5 years. Or 3 months in the last year.

[truckerpreacher]

I appreciate the info. It is probably going to be tough to get back to driving.

[GCPK]

Try P.A.M. Transport. They're taking me,and I graduated from Sage at Isothermal CC ,N.C. in Dec 2005,and I haven't been on the road for training yet,due to other obligations.Not the greatest place in the world,but it's a start. I'll be in the AFS division out of Jax,Fl. Jerry

[Useless]

Having almost 20 years of experience but out of driving for 4.5 years I have considered both of these to get back into driving.

What made you narrow your focus down to Covenant or JB Hunt??

[truckerpreacher]

Useless, I guess it was because JB, like alot of drivers, calls pretty regulary, and covenant is only an hour from us, so I thought maybe home time would be good.

GCPK - what is P.A.M. offering you for wages and home time. I just looked at their website and AFS might be something to look at, thanks

[GCPK]

Allen Freight/P.A.M. is paying $350.or $400./week during training and then 28 cpm to start,after training,and then a penny increase every 3 months until you reach 32cpm in one year.Home time is about two weeks out and a couple of days off, I think. they have decent medical,etc. I chose them because Allen Freight is a small division,and it has been fairly easy to be processed without a bunch of hassels. I believe with your backround,they could recertify you. Jerry (GCPK)

[repete]

try Crete, I've been out of truck for about 2.5 years and had limited exp. before that I have to put in 4 weeks of training @ $500 a week then .40cpm. I'm ok with that

[trockens]

JB will make you sit around alot waiting for loads, and lately freight is slow. Also expect to spend quite a bit of time East Coast.

If you are going for home time, expect them to suddenly come up with the fact that your truck needs servicing so you will be expected to stick around and then go home. Your home time begins the minute you arrive at the terminal to service your truck...lol. Also expect lots of phone calls at home begging you to take a local load during your home time. (Best not to answer your phone when you are at home).

Don't look too closely at the rail cars going down the rail beside the roads...I call them all the JB Trains.

JB has good equipment and good communication. You will, of course, have a governor on your truck. Good Luck.

[Cluggy619]

Getting back into trucking will be easier than you think. As some has said, you might have to go with a trainer for a few weeks. Hey, that's the biz.

You might try something local....with 20 years under your belt, a 4.5 years vacation from trucking will not stop them from hiring you. And depending who you sign on with, training won't be so bad. Also, you get to go home every night.

Just a few thoughts. Keep you options open.

Good luck.

[ben45750]

This last winter while being layed off from Roadway I spent just shy of 4 months with JB Hunt. I made pretty decent money and overall I was pretty pleased with JB Hunt.

JB will make you sit around alot waiting for loads, and lately freight is slow. Also expect to spend quite a bit of time East Coast.

I didn't spend much time at all on the east coast. Spent most of the time in the mid-west and Chicago. It's probable you will sit, sometimes 5 minutes sometimes 12 hours. Depends on what is available in your area and how many trucks they have in your area.

If you are going for home time, expect them to suddenly come up with the fact that your truck needs servicing so you will be expected to stick around and then go home.

You either tell them to give you another truck or send me to a hotel. It's also best to keep your car at your home terminal so if they do have to service your truck you can go home.

Your home time begins the minute you arrive at the terminal to service your truck...lol. Also expect lots of phone calls at home begging you to take a local load during your home time. (Best not to answer your phone when you are at home).

When you are on home time you are taken out service and not available to accept load.

Don't look too closely at the rail cars going down the rail beside the roads...I call them all the JB Trains.

So does UPS,Roadway,Yellow,Swift ect...

JB has good equipment and good communication. You will, of course, have a governor on your truck. Good Luck.

How many company trucks are not governed, and what is the big deal about driving a governed truck?

[inmate1577]

You might want to consider Schneider as well.
I never understood this attitude towards governed trucks.
I get where I'm going and on time and have not had a service failure yet and yes, my truck is governed at 65mph.

Set the cruise control and go and I dont have tailgate anyone in the process.

If you go to JB Hunt be expected to get alot of flak because you are not flying down the interstate like some "Billy BigRigger"....
I get flak too from slobs who complain that "Schneider trucks are too slow". What I find hillarious, is that some idiot who doesnt work for the company is complaining..........that SNI are trucks are too slow.

[truckerpreacher]

I really appreciate all the input. Mostly about JB. What's covenant's story. No one seems to have an opinion thus far. Am I to assume they are alright?? I really have not seen much about them good or bad.
Thanks everyone, great info here. We may be moving back to Phx. soon from western NC, would that make any difference with the various companies and home time.

[Skywalker]

I really appreciate all the input. Mostly about JB. What's covenant's story. No one seems to have an opinion thus far. Am I to assume they are alright?? I really have not seen much about them good or bad.
Thanks everyone, great info here. We may be moving back to Phx. soon from western NC, would that make any difference with the various companies and home time.

Just do a search about Covenant.....you'll get lots of responses.

If you are a solo driver.... you will hate them. They are team oriented, actually a team based company....yeah they spend a ton of money on advertising.... pass themselves off as "christians " but the funny thing is they have a monstrous turnover and one of the highest in the nation.

If you are going to run team.... that could be different....but at the same time, I will be honest and tell you... I will not work for or drive for any company or person that wears their religion on their shoulder or makes a point of it in any visible way..... Toooooo many liars and hypocrites have done that in the past.... and the feedback on Covenant..... well, lets just say when the president of a trucking company tells the press that God came to him and told him how to run the company......

Sorry folks, but while I am very much a "believer" ... Its a real hard sell for me to believe that God makes "house calls" on trucking companies and tells them how to write their business plans and run their business.....

Me, I'd work for SWIFT....before I would even look at Covenant.....

Another option would be CFI..... and they are a whole lot better than most.....

[Geeeeeezer]

Just thought I would give you my two cents worth....., not that it really matters.
I drove for Crete for over a year, and hated the equipment. My tractor was a pig sty when I picked it up, and no one would do anything about it. Every other trailer needed a team effort to slide the tandems or close the doors. The miles were good, but I only got home every other weekend, and I spent A LOT of time in Chicago, PA, and New Jersey.
After Crete, I went with Barr Nunn for a little over a year, thinking I was making a move up..... Not really. Barr Nunn had me sitting around for 6 or 7 hours at a time, and had many, many, many late night, early morning deliveries. Had to sleep whenever I could, and had to play with the log books more than I was really comfortable with. I spent so much time in Jersey and up north, that my wife suggested I get an apartment in Hackensack, and Hell Bubba, I live in Georgia.
I finally decided to take a chance and go with the "dreaded" JB Hunt, and I could not be happier.
I have noticed several things since I have been with them,...... here are a few:
I am home every weekend and still have as many miles as I got with Barr Nunn.....1600 to 2000. Keeps me busy and pays the bills.
I NEVER drive at night. All of my loads deliver after 7:00 am or before 8:00 pm, (unless it is a 24 hr drop and hook, then I do it whenever I want).
Yeah, the trucks are slow, but so were my Crete and Barr Nunn trucks, big deal.
The equipment is GREAT...... it took some doing, but I had a new truck after my 2nd week there, and I will not let it go. The 1st truck had MAJOR problems, and I discussed it with my Dispatcher and got a new one within 2 days........Crete could not get me a new one in a whole year!
The trailers are unbelieveable........ I have not had ANY problem sliding ANY tandems the entire time I have been at JB. My hammer and steel rod are pretty much just for decoration in my tool box now. Trailers that may look like crap, but function well, make life MUCH EASIER.
Now for the funny part..... I can park a truck just about anywhere I need to, and whenever I enter a truck stop, I ALWAYS turn my CB on just in case someone is trying to warn me of an impending fender bender. Well, I park in the same spots that I always have parked in, and do it in the same manner, BUT, now that there is a big ol yellow "JB Hunt" on the side of my truck, whenever I get backed into my space, all I here on the radio is "damn fine job of parking JB, I didn't know any of y'all could drive like that" or, the drivers parked next to me will smile and give me a thumbs up, like it was some kind of miracle that I even made it to the truck stop, let alone, got the truck into a tight spot without causing massive damage!!! I laugh myself silly just about every night!!!
Now, as far as having the CB on the rest of the day, ...... forget it. I get cussed out and flipped off all day long for things that ANOTHER JB driver may or may not have done. I just keep me and my gears in the right lane and plug on. It is TOUGH being a JB driver with the attitudes that exist out there right now, but if you have thick skin and dont really give a rats butt, then it aint no big deal!!!
Hope you find what you're looking for and I wish you the best of luck.

[buckhunter71]

dont limit your search to just jb or covenant if your looking for a company close to you try us xpress im a driver trainer there been there since 2001 if you want to run all 48 xpress direct is the way hardly any repower or rail stop i do about 1 repower a month only been to rail yard 1 time just a thought

[Sheepdancer]

Geeezer........glad you are enjoying working over here.
Are you on a dedicated account or general dry freight regional like the SE regional?
The reason I ask is we just got out of a meeting with the big boys over here at corporate and something really big is about to happen for our OTR drivers and Regional drivers. Im not allowed to say yet....but I can say its a great thing. I should be able to talk about it early next week and I will let you know.