Who is hiring out of Southwest Florida (Sarasota/Tampa Bay area) thats good???

[Instigator]

So here is my dilemma, I have 16 years experience driving local and OTR. I retired back in 97 and recently got back in about 10 months ago. I know all the big outfits want at least 12 months of recent verifiable experience for insurance reasons. I am almost there, and I am currently employed OTR east coast, but I am driving crap equipment (1999 freightliner Conv) and not relly getting the miles I need to make a decent living.

Are there any carriers out there that will treat you fairly, give you a decent truck, and run you legally, and get you home? Everyone I have talked to wants you to run 3 to 4 weeks out and reset in a truck stop somewhere. I'm not really interested in running that long away from my family. I want to be home every weekend if possible, I dont mind staying out once in a while when necessary.

It seams like all the jobs I can get (with my lack of so called experience) is driving junk trucks, smoked in trucks (I dont smoke) or they run you so hard that you get zero sleep! Smaller companies that do not pay for dead head miles, they state that dead heading is always free and that they dont pay drivers because they dont get paid to pick up loads! What a bunch of crap!

So I have had 4 jobs this year alone trying to get back in to the trucking industry! It makes me look like a job jumper, which I am not, its because they are all lying to me about miles,pay and equipment. All I want is a decent job and a decent tractor in which to live in while Im out on the road.

My current tractor has the interior falling out from it, a bed with a sink hole in it (2 mattresses together) oil and dirt everywhere, governed to 65, a/c that does not work when its above 90 degrees, a water leak in the bunk when it rains, two tone paint job (not by choice, it has a new hood and was re-painted, not a good match). I will give it this, it does run good and it rides great due to the long wheel base, but it does drift around in the lanes while your on the road, something I need to get used too.

I am now at a cross road where some companies will accept 10 months especially since some of my early experience is still verifiable. So I will keep on truckin until I can find that ultimate job, if there is one! If anyone has a good company to work for I would love to hear about it.

Me: I drove vans, refers, flat beds, tankers, and I have a hazmat and TWIC card. I prefer big trucks with long wheel bases 250 and up. I can handle any type truck trailer combo. Love Peterbilts and Kenworths, just me, and I also like the frieght shakers, never rode in a Volvo, heard they are top heavy. ANyway, any info would be .

[GMAN]

If you have had 4 jobs in the last year you could have a problem finding a good carrier. Most don't want to see more than 3 jobs in the last 2 years, but every carrier is different. I would at least try to stick with your current carrier until you can get in 12 months experience. It would not hurt to start checking with other carriers. Check the company listings on this forum. It lists the minimum requirements for most of the major carriers. Give them a call and see what they say. Some carriers are becoming more selective in their hiring requirements. I would be open about the number of jobs that you have had the last year. They will find out anyway.

[Instigator]

The only reason I have had 4 jobs in the last 10 months is because all of the trucking companies are lying to me about pay and everything else! I worked for Pollywog Transport for 3 weeks until I got my first check! They said when I was interviewing that they paid .36 cents across the board loaded and empty, and used software mileage. Well the mileage was pretty close to actual odometer mileage so I was happy with that. When I got my first check, well thats a whole story in itself! They actually paid me .34 cents loaded and .22 cents empty. I was like, who set this price? The boss denied ever talking to me about the rates and that he never talks about rates, thats not his job! I told him he was the only one I spoke to about it and he denied ever having that conversation. The company before that did not tell me that they only paid loaded miles and zero for dead heading, like I was an owner operator and they were 1099 me at the end of the year so no taxes paid in to ss. My problem is that i don't have the 12 months recent that Insurance Companies want, I now have 10 months but it does not look good that I have been job jumping. Not my fault, I refuse to be taken advantage of by any trucking company! Thats a bunch of crap, I have 17 years experience in this industry and I think its shame full how the industry treats drivers.

Well the good news is that a major carrier has approved me for driving at First Fleet out of Tampa. I looked in to the company and I don't really see any complaints against them so far. They have new Volvo tractors 09 thru 11 and fairly new trailers all dry vans, dedicated freight, which I like, a 401 k program. The starting pay is a little low for me, .32 cents per mile with a .02 cents per mile fuel bonus all miles but they use Rand McNally (Which we all know is the lowest mileage calculating software out there) but I think I will go with them and see if there is a good fit for me, so far it sounds good and I liked what the recruiter had to say. I go there tomorrow for drug screen and road test, cant wait!

[Orangetxguy]

The only reason I have had 4 jobs in the last 10 months is because all of the trucking companies are lying to me about pay and everything else! I worked for Pollywog Transport for 3 weeks until I got my first check! They said when I was interviewing that they paid .36 cents across the board loaded and empty, and used software mileage. Well the mileage was pretty close to actual odometer mileage so I was happy with that. When I got my first check, well thats a whole story in itself! They actually paid me .34 cents loaded and .22 cents empty. I was like, who set this price? The boss denied ever talking to me about the rates and that he never talks about rates, thats not his job! I told him he was the only one I spoke to about it and he denied ever having that conversation. The company before that did not tell me that they only paid loaded miles and zero for dead heading, like I was an owner operator and they were 1099 me at the end of the year so no taxes paid in to ss. My problem is that i don't have the 12 months recent that Insurance Companies want, I now have 10 months but it does not look good that I have been job jumping. Not my fault, I refuse to be taken advantage of by any trucking company! Thats a bunch of crap, I have 17 years experience in this industry and I think its shame full how the industry treats drivers.

Well the good news is that a major carrier has approved me for driving at First Fleet out of Tampa. I looked in to the company and I don't really see any complaints against them so far. They have new Volvo tractors 09 thru 11 and fairly new trailers all dry vans, dedicated freight, which I like, a 401 k program. The starting pay is a little low for me, .32 cents per mile with a .02 cents per mile fuel bonus all miles but they use Rand McNally (Which we all know is the lowest mileage calculating software out there) but I think I will go with them and see if there is a good fit for me, so far it sounds good and I liked what the recruiter had to say. I go there tomorrow for drug screen and road test, cant wait!

Ummmmm.......actually Rand McNally is a whole lot closer on mileage than Map Quest or the good ole Household Movers Guide, which is what 99.9% of low-ball companies use to determine routing mileage.

First Fleet has a good reputation, but their pay is based on "Gulf Coast" cost of living. First Fleet does have flat beds and reefers, but they are mostly dedicated fleet use, and mostly west coast based.

[Instigator]

I hope Rand McNally is as good as you say it is, I have heard different opinions on them. That being said I have heard nothing but positive things about First Fleet. I spoke to a couple of there drivers at the Tampa terminal the other day and they all said they liked there jobs. My road tester said the same thing that First Fleet was a top notch company, that was relieving news for me since I have been working for such bad companies lately. Well I start tomorrow and have to go with a driver trainer for 2 days and they will cut me loose! Cant wait to start, I know I am getting a 2011 Volvo tractor brand spanken new! Beats the 1999 Freightshaker I was driving at last company with the sinkhole bed.

Thanks for the advice, I will keep you all updated on how I am doing with them.
Safe driving!

Instigator!~.......

[Instigator]

Well I got my first week in at First Fleet and I must admit, I like what I see there. Everyone at the terminal is nice and friendly with no attitudes. My tractor is great, brand new , not a scratch on her! I like the new Volvo 670, it rides like a cream puff, I don't like the cummins ITS motors, very slow pulling up a hill. The DEF is a pain in the ass but hey , you have to get with new technology. I have read up on it and it seams like a good thing for the environment as a whole. The interior of the truck is well laid out and is one of the quietest tractors I have ever driven. You can actually have a conversation on the phone while the other person does not hear the truck in the back round. The only problem is the tractor pulls to the right a bit, something dispatch said Volvo will take a look at for me when its scheduled to go in for a service. Other than that, I love my new truck! Volvo has definitely changed my opinion on Volvo brands for sure(being a Peterbilt man). First Fleet has good trailers as well, since we all have to slide the trailer tandems on a daily basis, they slide very easily loaded and empty. Oh, the other thing I dont like on the tractor is the fifth wheel lock, you have to pull up and over at a weird angle to get her to release and catch a nub to hold it in place. I have already pulled the back muscles on this one, I guess it will take a bit to get used too. All in all I think I have found that job that I have been looking for. Drive safe everyone.

Instigator~!

[Orangetxguy]

Well I got my first week in at First Fleet and I must admit, I like what I see there. Everyone at the terminal is nice and friendly with no attitudes. My tractor is great, brand new , not a scratch on her! I like the new Volvo 670, it rides like a cream puff, I don't like the cummins ITS motors, very slow pulling up a hill. The DEF is a pain in the ass but hey , you have to get with new technology. I have read up on it and it seams like a good thing for the environment as a whole. The interior of the truck is well laid out and is one of the quietest tractors I have ever driven. You can actually have a conversation on the phone while the other person does not hear the truck in the back round. The only problem is the tractor pulls to the right a bit, something dispatch said Volvo will take a look at for me when its scheduled to go in for a service. Other than that, I love my new truck! Volvo has definitely changed my opinion on Volvo brands for sure(being a Peterbilt man). First Fleet has good trailers as well, since we all have to slide the trailer tandems on a daily basis, they slide very easily loaded and empty. Oh, the other thing I dont like on the tractor is the fifth wheel lock, you have to pull up and over at a weird angle to get her to release and catch a nub to hold it in place. I have already pulled the back muscles on this one, I guess it will take a bit to get used too. All in all I think I have found that job that I have been looking for. Drive safe everyone.

Instigator~!

SOooooooooooo..............When exactly is that scratch gonna get put on?? Tuesday OR Wednesday???

[Instigator]

HAHAHAHAHAHA never! I am a professional driver, I wont be the one scratching her! Well after a few weeks at First Fleet, I must admit, I have found very little wrong with this company. Although I did sit around a truck stop for a couple of days in New Jersey waiting for a load back, it really wasn't anyones fault at First Fleet, the consignee made us (3 trucks) wait over 10 hours to get unloaded due to the fact that he had zero space for our loads, we wound up off loading on to other empty trailers. I did however get great miles last week, 3300. Uniforms have arrived and they fit, no more wearing out my clothes. The truck is doing good, small crap, a/c filter got dirty and froze up the condenser last week, and a check engine light on when I got back to the yard is all hopefully repaired over the weekend. Short week this week due to 4th of July, anyway, all is good at First Fleet.

Instigator!~

[poorboy126]

Well Instigator how's it going this past week? Truck running better?

[Instigator]

Yes the truck is running fine. Although after weeks of running here at First Fleet, I am now seeing were they are short changing drivers. Turns out the dispatch neglects to put in the computer your dead head miles, so runs have been getting shorter than odometer miles, as much as 2 to 3 hundred per week. I recently ran from Chicago to Orlando, book miles on qualcom was 1175, actual mileage was 1402! They forgot to put in my dead head miles from Orlando to Tampa 70 miles, and dead head miles from my stop in Chicago area to pick up in Aurora. They also have been not paying for sweeping out trailers, should be 12.00 bucks and I was not getting a penny for and when I asked they said it was 3 to 4 dollars. They also did not pay me for 10 hours of waiting time after an appointment unloading in NJ last week. I hate being nickled and dimed out of a job!

I am looking at U S Express out of Jacksonville. They are paying more money because I have a Hazmat Endorsement, almost 7.5 cents per mile more than I make at First Fleet. The other problem at First Fleet is that I can never make the fuel bonus of 6.4 mpg. When loaded heavy, 44 to 45 lbs the truck will average 6.4 on flt ground, but once you hiyt the hills, it drops to 6.1 mpg, and then when you idle over night it drops to 5.7 to 5.9. This way I never get the .02 cents per mile bonus and I am driving for 32 cents per mile which is too low. I also dont ever seam to get the mileage week after week, I am averaging 2,000 to 2300 and less each week. This week I clocked 2800 but I will only get paid for 2 to 3 hundred less. I lose money each week with First Fleet and I think I have had enough of the bull****. Time to move on.

Instigator~

[poorboy126]

Man that sucks Instigator, I can understand your frustrations and it's a shame they do that petty ****. Just make sure you got something locked in before you jump ship and ask plenty of questions to other US Xpress drivers to see if it's all it's cracked up to be.

[Instigator]

Well, after thinking about it, I have decided to jump ship once again! WTF? Why cant I find a company that wont lie to you and cheat you from the get go? First Fleet is a good company, BUT, like I stated before, mileage is getting to be a problem, had a few weeks there that were very short ones. I kept getting the crappy runs because I was the low man on the totem pole. Anyway, I found another company called Gingerich Trucking out of Sarasota thats actually only a few miles form my house! Beats traveling 120 miles round trip to get to work. I start tonight so we shall see how I make out here.

Going from a 2011 Volvo to a 2005 International not sure what style it is, probably a 9200 series, I think its an old Wal Mart tractor. Loking forward to a change and certainly a change in the pay check! I will keep you all posted!

[poorboy126]

Well good luck, I've heard and seen GT's trucks but don't know much about them except that they haul a lot of water loads for Zephrihills water. Keep us posted and be safe.

[Instigator]

Wow! Got fired from Gingerich Trucking in 48 hours! See my other post about the whole story! Drivers beware!

[Fried Foods]

It's not a great company, but you could try CCC out of Auburndale. If you want OTR, you could get a sleeper, but most of what they have are daycabs. Pay is low except for the sleeper drivers on CPM pay. Highest pay is about $1000 a week for the PODS drivers. They have to hustle, though. They've got terminals in Tampa, Auburndale, Port Manatee, and Brooksville - those are the ones where you are.

[Instigator]

Thanks for the info, I have seen there trucks running 60 mph down the road, that would drive me nuts! I am an old school trucker when they did not govern trucks back in the day and you could drive what ever speed you wanted.I am starting a new job today for another owner operator, I hope this one lasts! At least the tractor is not governed and I can drive the speed limit! I will keep ya all posted! Drive safe!