I'm due to test and graduate from truck school in a week (May 1, 2007). My plans are to drive OTR and hopefully find a state in the Midwest or South to purchase an inexpensive small farm in.

Missouri is one of the places I've been looking at ... but PRIME and others seem to have bad reps. Can anyone recommend a GOOD company in either Missouri, Kansas, Mississippi, Kentucky, or Tenn?

I'm currently living in California (Berkeley) and while I like the place (people, culture, etc...) the cost of living along with the insane, over-the-top bureaucracy ... and ... yeah ... there does ... um ... kinda feel like the place is being over-run by crazies ... 'nothin wrong with ME of course ... (cough, cough) ...

So ... if you can read between the lines and recommend a place that's outside of hell and a company that treats new drivers kindly ... I'd really appreciate it.

:lol:

 

CFI is based out of Joplin, Missouri. From what I've heard they take recent grads. U.S. Xpress has a terminal in Memphis, TN. There are plenty of companies that have terminals in that region that will take new hires with no exp. but I just can't think of any more right now. Sorry Its a little to early in the morning for me . Good luck.

 

Just to be sure I understand what you are saying, you plan to move to a small farm and stay OTR or are you planning to go OTR for a while and then purchase a small farm and drive local?

If you are planning to move and then go OTR, the location of the company headquarters won't make much of a difference. If you are OTR in most cases you take the truck home with you so living close to a terminal, let alone the HQ, doesn't usually matter much at all.

 

Thanks "YoungZ.W." for the names of the companies. I'll look into them. And thank you "redsfan" too.

About your question, don't let the "photo" to the left fool you ... I'm an OLD dog. So the latter is true. (I plan to drive a while, then buy a small farm.) Right now, I couldn't buy a pack of bubble gum on credit. So I'll drive a while, pray a while, do some cleaning up of old bills, then pray some more, then make that purchase.

I'm out.

 

Well, if your looking to buy the farm after you get some experience and then switch, you can look at The Castellini Company in Northern Kentucky. Land is about as cheap in that area as anywhere in the country.

Their a produce company so you'd be pulling a reefer. You'll start around 16 bucks per hour, time and a half after 40 and you'll average about 55 hours per week. You do about 3 runs per week so you'll have about every other day off. If you have a run that requires you to layover for your 10 hour break they pay you 48 bucks for sleeping and they give you $9 per day for meal money. If it takes 4 hours to get your truck unloaded, no problem. You hit the sleeper and draw your hourly wage while they're unloading you. Good bennies in a union environment (ok, that part may go in the CON column...). Not the best gig out there, but not a bad one either.

They require 2 years experience, but like most companies, will make exceptions if you have 1 year and a good background history.

Good luck.

 

CFI is based in Joplin, MO....about 60 miles or so from Springfield.

They do take recent graduates. You can search these forums using CFI as the searchword and you will find alot of information about them. Much of it was probably posted by me....I spent 7+ years there with them. They are an excellent company to work for. I didn't leave there because of anything they did..... I had to make a change due to my wife's health issues. Otherwise I would still be there.

If you find that you are interested in them, please call 1-800-641-4748 and ask to speak with Christine Lathan in Recruiting. She deals primarily with new students coming out of school. Also, you can log onto http://www.cfidrivers.com and ask questions and exchange thoughts with drivers there at CFI and others interesting in working for them.

 

If I wanted to work for a Missouri based company there would only be one choice, CFI! Talk to some of their drivers and visit the cfi message forum and you'll see how good it is. Top notch equipment, good pay and benefits and decent home time. I don't work there but I have some friends that do and they are happier then most other drivers. Drive safe driver.

 

If you dont mind flatbedding Maverick has been really good to me
Little rock Ar www.maverickusa.com

they take students and grands and pay pretty well to start also
miles are good. i have no complaints

 

I went with Tyson and I currently live in Joplin, Tyson seams to have a more steady freight since just about all we haul is our own product. And the pay is really good for newbies compared to other companies. Feel free to visit my webiste for more information. Good luck!