Swift / Schneider / Werner / WHO??
 

My hubby is about to finish school.....a fiasco in itself....anyway....my question here is.....he paid the money himself....so he isn't BOUND by any contract with a company. He has been accepted at Werner.....which I have read LOTS of negative comments in this forum and other places as well as the BBB had some dealing with them too. He also was accepted with Swift (out of Missouri) which is not far from home for him, and today Schneider called him. Schnieder is a VERY long way for the orientation....but that is doable.....I have told him that as far as I'm concerned from what I have read that I do not think he should go to Werner. He knows that I do alot of reading when I get time.....but I also know that you can't believe EVERYTHING you read....and you make what you can of any job!! We are living on MY paycheck alone.....which sucks...and have been for over a month now......so he is getting to the desperation time where he may take anything that BITES!!! I just want to hear some input on the Swift out of Missouri.....I did read southernprides thread from GA and enjoyed it. Any help here will be great!!! Thanks!!! :D

Re: Swift / Schneider / Werner / WHO??
 

What area of MO do you folks live in? There might be better companies for the Hubby to look at than any of your listed choices.

We live in Central Missouri. Half way between St. Louis and Kansas City. Hubby is just waiting to be bussed to take the CDL now....he has scored high in all of the testing and such. Now waiting it out for the driving part of the test. He has been gone since Nov 12.

2 of my friends from school went with Swift. 1 finished his 6 weeks of training and then went 2 weeks solo before he had it with them. He said it had been 2 weeks since he was last paid and could take it anymore. The other guy is still with Swift and loves it there.

I imagine your hubby will be working out of the Edwardsville,KS terminal. I spoke with a Swift driver that was out of Edwardsville and had been with Swift for 3 months and was happy with them.

Overall, I don't think Swift is as bad as most say it is but I do believe they have room to improve. Good luck.

Something else to remember, EVERY company has negatives and EVERY company has positives. You just have to weigh the negatives and positives and figure out which is for you. Talk to drivers that are presently working for the company and see what their opinions are. Don't just talk to one. I personally have no problems with the company I work for and recommend them to anyone however, we have drivers that curse them all day and all night. (they still accept the paychecks though)

Basically, starting out, check the pay rate, the average miles you can expect, type of equipment, benefits, etc. and make a decision. From what I have see, most truck drivers are not going to stay with the first company anyway so the best company may not be the one to start with!

I agree that a company will never be able to please everyone......and some people just complain no matter what......I deal with that everyday where I work....sitting in a cube with a gal across the wall that gripes over every call and piece of paper that comes to her desk. So you make it what it is.

Hubby has gotten several calls since I did the application from a link I found here. Did it online. He is also thinking TMC.....but he has to find something SOON.....we need a paycheck!!!

Just a suggestion here, but tell the hubby to get all the endorsements on his CDL.

Where you live really crimps down on the job possabilities. How much do YOU want hubby to be gone? If you can live with only seeing him occasionally, then OTR companies like Swift, USXpress, Knight Transportation, would be the way for him to go. Werner has never been one of the companies I have ever looked at...but like anything..the job is what you make of it.

Hubby should apply at all of the LTL carriers in the area..ABF, Yellow,Roadway, Fedex(National LTL & Freight), UPS Freight...and the others.

Reefer companies like Dynamic Transit, Shaeffer, Hirshbach could work as well.

If your not to far out of the Saint Louis area, tanker companies there ,that I know are looking for drivers are, Staley Cartage, Griffin Tank Lines, (Quality Carrier terminal), Slay Transportation.


Best of luck...and don't let desperation direct Hubby's job opportunities.

Just got off the phone with the hubby....he's getting a bit ticked.....graduated on Sunday I guess(He is in Hazelwood at MTC).....and they are waiting to get on the list to go get the CDL.....been just riding around for 3 days now......and the list is out again today for Thursday and Friday........not on that one either!!! He's wanting to find out if he can come home.....go take the driving part himself and go back to get his certificate.....I guess he was told by others they heard a rumor you can do that?? But he wants to know for sure......so he plans to ask some questions tomorrow as the instructors were not available to talk to after the LIST was posted. HELP!!!!!!! Really......we are struggling here.....juggling the bill collectors!! I guess he's not ticked.....he really does NOT have a temper at all.......just aggrivated and anxious to get things going and money coming in.......he has always been a great provider so this is making him crazy somewhat. Time is $$$$

None of those 3 if you have a decent driving record and no felonies , But Werner is the ...LOWEST...paying company out of the "BIG THREE" you listed , As you start off at .26 CPM at the start of your 2nd year you bump up to a massive .29 cpm during that second year of service ,and then at the end of your second year of service you bump up a WHOLE PENNY to .30 CPM where you stay for your entire 3rd year of service .I would go on , but lets just say you don't make .35 CPM until year number ...10...And these pay scales are for 48/canada if you go regional you will be making even less I can't rember the scale on the loaded ,but dead head is only .15 CPM unloaded . I remember running 11 Western regional and getting about 2300-2500 miles ,and few rare instances of 3k miles ...But with trips of 500 miles and up only paying 21 CPM loaded and dead head of .15 PM i only made about $450.00 gross for 2500 miles of driving ,and when I did hit 3k miles I only grossed about $600.00 as between DH/loaded I only averaged about .19-.20 CPM (NOT GOOD) .


Now why not Crete or CFI they will offer the ability to make 4050k . Crete at your first year will pay you .41 CPM that's 41k from 100,000 miles this is by far the best from most any big carrier that takes rookies . I like CFI as well , but I have to give Crete the lead on pay at a .06 CPM advantage ...So if your hubby has a decent driving record ,and doesn't have criminal past keeping him from looking beyond those 3 I would braoden my horizions with more companies ,and more research before I hopped on a greyhound to LOW EARNINGS . I see he's thinking of TMC they pay well also good choice if you want to do flat bed .

If you live in central MO, I would say avoid Swift. Although I live in Pennsylvania, I drove for Swift for almost a year and they claim they don't have much freight in your area. I think it might be a bunch of crap, but when I was driving for them, I loved to run the midwest and they could never ever ever keep me there. This means that it could be hard for your husband to get home and get loads out of home if he drives for Swift, if they are being truthful about their frieght levels there. But they have been known to lie and bullshit their drivers quite a bit, those are two of the many reasons I quit them...........

Topic creator: By the way if you would like to know anything more about Swift I would be glad to help you out. Feel free to PM me.

Thanks for the info y'all. We submitted an online app from a side by side that I found here......it sends to all these companies......and I got a reply that the app was forwarded to 20 companies. We have had replies from FFE, Gordon, Schneider, Covenant, and CRST. Well saying that they have received the application. Schneider called him today and FFE sent an email for him to call this certain person back. Those listed aren't the only ones that he is considering......he has his eyes wide open for anything. Those are the companies that have contacted him prior to the school and who he spoke with at the school.

Any info from anyone on the ability to go home and take the CDL yourself since he has graduated and then take the CDL back to the school to get the certificate......since he is NOT yet on the list for the test. Just trying to get the ball rolling!!

Hell, I would tell him to immediately ask someone at the school what is going on to make sure they didn't make a mistake scheduling him for his test. Then if they say all is good but they just didn't get around to him yet, I would tell him to ask that same person then if he could go home in the meantime, rather than waiting around and not being at home with you when he could be.

If the Gordon you have a reply from is Gordon Trucking out of Sumner WA, get tehir application from their websire filled out, and call them. They are by far, better than any of the first 3 you listed. Same goes for those others there. Schneider would be the next best..if you completely discount Crete & CFI.


Call the MO Licensing Department...tell them what is going on regarding your hubby and that CDL school. They may have better answers for than anybody here.

He has asked.....I guess there are still some students that have been there like 5 weeks and they get the list first......although they seem to have been dallying in class and not passing things......so I think the ones passing and more eager should take priority.

Wow, that seems like a pretty piss poor system they have there for testing. I would definitely tell him to ask someone if he could come home and have them contact him with the date and time of his test, so he can show up then. The worst that could happen is they say no, its worth a shot.

Not sure what the hang-up is with the van companies. I'd say get on with TMC. Where you live he'll have no problem at all getting home most weekends, he'll make more money than he could ever make hauling a van (flatbedding always pays better than van), he'll get great experience that could take him on to better things like car hauling or over-size loads (big $$$'s), and he could get nice and dirty everyday throwing tarps! What more could you want? And, no, I don't recruit for TMC. I worked for them for about a year-and-a-half and loved it. Hated over-the-road, but loved TMC. I just get frustrated with noobs thinking their only option is Swift or Schneider or Werner (or whatever). Tell him to haul a flatbed. He'll love it! :)

I just finished up working with Schneider. Have to say I was pleased with the company. My stint only lasted about 7 weeks b/c I just found out I've got my first baby on the way, so I refuse to be on the road. I put in my notice and just got home today to find a local gig.

I did like it though. The people I worked with were good to me. I started with 1 yr experience at .37 per mile. I averaged about 2800 miles a week during my short time there.

We have a WalMart Supercenter less than 20 miles from home.....that Swift is going in and out of all day and night. Not sure if that would be different or not....figured it must be a dedicated account. But I see Swift out here all the time. We are 30 miles from I 70 also. St Louis & Kansas City are both about 155 miles from our home.

Yeah, I see what you are saying. When I was driving for Swift I found it hard to believe what they were saying about their freight levels being low in that area, but I would always see other drivers running through there. But anyways, I'm just telling you what they would tell me all the time. But I think your husband could probably do better than Swift as long as he has his CDL.

I'm just trying to give you a heads up on what they were like so that you can assist your husband in not making the same mistake I did - choosing a company that happens to have no freight in the area you live in, thus making it very difficult for you to get loads home or out of home. Hell, I think I sat it my truck for 7 hrs straight at home in western PA before they gave me a load one time, and I would have had to go to New York to pick it up. But if you would like to know anything else about Swift for comparison reasons, I'm willing to tell you what I know from my experience with them.

Just talked to hubby.....he's on his way home!! Just goes to show that it is in the way you approach something as to how you get responsed to. If you go in with an attitude then you will get attitude back at ya!! He went to see about coming home to take the CDL on his own....as he's completed the school part and has been waiting since Monday to get on the LIST to be taken to the DMV for the driving part. He also got some extra truck time in the past 3 days....but he was told by the instructors that they didn't know if he could do it or not that he would have to talk to the VP of the school....which is MTC in Hazelwood. Rumor was that the VP was not a nice man and good luck. Well....my hubby is not a mean person and has a great attitude and the VP was very nice to him. Said that was fine....he could come home....take the test.....besides he paid for this outright....so they he wasn't bound by a contract he was told by the VP....he also was told via other people that he'd probably have to drive back to Hazelwood.....2 plus hours to show them the results and then he'd get his certificate. Again.....not so. The VP said to just fax it and he'd send his certificate....why waste a trip for that!!! The VP also said that if for some reason he was not able to find a truck to test in then to come back and they'd get him on the list. ATTITUDE goes a long way!! So now....he's almost home....and will hopefully get the CDL soon and a paycheck on the way!! We are still looking to see what Trucking Co to go with though!!!

Swift ,Werner, Schneider
 

These are the kinds of companies that thrive because of "desperate" drivers. It is extremely dangerous to be desperate in this business. If a recruiter gets that idea you are asking to be used. Be as patient as possible, and thoroughly check out any company you are considering working for. You will be much better off. I was not careful, and I got in a hurry. I have paid for it. Do not make the same mistake.

Stay away from big cookie cutter econobox companies like these three.

I would go with
Maverick
Arnold
TMC
Arrow
Schneider
Crete

Also keep in mind a rider policy. Not all companies have them, and maybe you'd wanna go along sometime.

By all means, stay away from van. yuck :lol:

Go Flatbed!

Thanks for the tips. We are still checking companies. And also waiting for his appointment for the CDL...which is Monday the 10th!!

Yeah I agree with the poster that said go flatbed. There is way more opportunity in flatbed, especially where you live in the midwest.

Drove flatbed, and drove van. Sure there is more money to be made doing flatbed...if the work is there but I'll take van anytime. I dont have to take a trailer home...ever, just the tractor yet with TMC you'll be permanently assigned a trailer that you have to haul around like some retarded siamese twin. You got parking for 70ft of vehicle, btw?

Whereas some like the work of flatbed, I prefer to hook and go and not waste my time and safety...tarping someone elses crap.

I dont load, I dont unload I just hook and go. In and out of any shipper in less than 30 mins.

Flatbed would be great as a change of pace ,but I can't picture tarping/securing a load in high winds ...heavy rains...thunder storms...or playing around with the load when you are in the south at 110 and humid as hell ...Hey who do you drive for :?:

Got a call from Schneider.....supposed to have a phone interview on Thursday. He still has to take the driving test on Monday though. Holding out on other calls right now. Applied to TMC and others too.

Have you checked out Roehl? I drive for them pretty good company

Have you thought about SRT - Southern Refrigerated Transport?

Today is the big day! good luck!

SRT is a Covanant Transport company. Avoid them like the plague.

The appointment was postponed until the 14th.....we are under a HUGE ice storm. Haven't had any school around here since Friday. Thanks for the luck wishes though!! :)

passed
 

YEA!!!!!!!!!!! My husband passed his test. He now has his CDL. Now......we get to make up our mind on which company to go with. Decisions decisions!!!!!!

Re: passed
 

Make sure you investigate each and every company you look at VERY thoroughly. Don't jump on the first company you can find, you'll likely end up regretting it later.

I had different opportunities available when I got my CDL in November of last year. Crete, CFI, TMC, Werner, & Swift all "pre-approved me". I went with Swift just because they have a terminal here in Albuquerque. I won't get into the details, but I was there for 2 months and left for a local job. Now I no longer drive a truck at all and am investing my time in something far better.

I can't stress enough how important proper research on any company is. Also, if you ask people their opinion on a company, be it from this board or in a truck stop, look at it objectively.

now what???
 

Ok....my husband attended MTC trucking school in Hazelwood, MO. Graduated on 11/25/07.....stayed for a few more days and never got on the list to take the road test......was told he could come home and take the test.....due to weather he finally took the test on Friday and passed. Now the school will not return calls about getting him his certificate.....they had said he could fax his CDL to them and then they would fax his certificate......but they won't call him back!! And most trucking companies say accepting student drivers but must be within 30 days of graduation. How unfair!!! Also some of the guys that graduated with him on the 25th are still waiting in Hazelwood to take the road test......so how does this 30 days thing work with all that?????

Living where you do give Maverick a call.We have a terminal in Madison,Il.They will get you home most weekends,if he don't mind flatbed.The training pay is a little more than most.

clay51 did you ever drive for SRT or Covenant?

I'm a little late to this thread, but I'll chime in anyway. I'm a Swift driver based out of the Edwardsville, KS terminal. I'm still a newbie pretty much.... I've only been driving solo for 5 months now. I can honestly say that I have no complaints with the company though.

My weekly mileage is anywhere from 2500 to 3000 miles. This week will be the 1st time that I actually got more than 3000 miles. By the time that this coming Sunday night rolls around, I will have driven almost 3400 miles!

I have no problems with getting home when I want. For the past 2 months, I've been home almost every weekend or sometime during the week day.

For the most part, I've mainly been running on the east coast lately which is what I want. I've pretty much covered all 48 states with the exceptions of Minnesota, North and South Dakota.

I think the key to having a good truck driving experience is have a good relationship with your driver manager and planners. I tell them which state I would to go to and they will make it happen. I always try to make my trips fun and where there may be an event that I'd like to attend or visit friends and family.

The main thing is, I don't bust my ass to get my mileage. I hardly ever get sent loads to where I have to push really hard to get there. I usually make it to my final destination a day early or more and that leaves me plenty of time to do what I want with my personal life.

The only desires that I have right now is to make a little more money, drive a Volvo VN 780, and to stay away from gravel/dirt drop lots.

My current pay is only .32 per mile and I drive an '07 Volvo VN 670. I love my truck, but the I would prefer to drive a 780 because it's bigger and sexier. Lol!

I always keep my truck clean and the tires shiney which is the reason why I hate gravel/dirt drop lots.

Anyhooooo.... I believe the job is what you make it, no matter which company you work for.

shill