Hey everyone, I'm looking into a few trucking companies to start off with and I was looking to get some advice from anyone that has driven or knows someone that has driven with them. I'm poking through reviews for them but since the wrong person for the job fired for the right reasons can write a conspiracy theory, I've come here instead. Please keep in mind that I've only talked to one recruiter (Schneider) and that was a month ago. I need a job yesterday and I can't afford to drag my ass with this. I want to get the job that best suits me and my family. So I'm trying to narrow my choices and pick the best of those.
A little backstory with me:
Got out of the military in May after 8 years of service and transitioned to the Florida National Guard, and I have been otherwise unemployed since. I foolishly believed that our Sep-pay would carry us till Aug when I would go to AIT and misunderstood how unemployment worked so I didn't file. I understand it now, but I was under the impression that I only got so many months and I didn't want to 'waste' them since I was going to school soon. Turns out school was delayed till Jan and we found ourselves stuck in the **** pretty quick. Also misunderstanding how the GI Bill worked I didn't go to trucking school, I had thought that I only get one 'school' to use it on. Turns out I get 36 months to use where/how I please. Cut to the future, everything falling apart fairly quick, still trying to undo the damage from a wire transfer fraud job offer (I'm out $10,000 till I'm able to get it un****ed). Heard about a program called 'Troops to Truckers' from my NG Unit. Got my **** together and studied up, and walked out of there with a CDL Class A and a Tanker endorsement. I passed HazMat as well but they didn't have the equipment for the fingerprinting and background checks and I had literally used the last of my money to pay for the CDL. I'm not joking, I have $5 in savings and a few cents in checking. I even got to talk to a few employers that showed up and help a mini-job fair. But enough of that, let's get to why I came here.
HEYL:
Dunno if any of you know a fellow by the name of Marvin Juhl, but he seems like a great guy. Spun me a sales pitch about "In 2007 when the economy fell to **** and everyone was getting laid off, Heyl didn't lay off anyone and instead cut everyone back to a 4 day work week so they could all keep their benefits". If that is the truth then these guys may have my winning vote thus far, orientation is 90days at $100/ day. He explained the way my pay scales and claimed that after 2years or so I could be making $55,000 a year. Starting $/mile was lower than Schneider though, somewhere around $0.30-something. The husband of a friend of my wife said that Heyl was a great company to start with but he wouldn't go career with them, same fellow highly recommended Heartland Express.
SCHNEIDER:
I have had a conditional job offer with Schneider for awhile, the condition obviously being that I get my class A, and they tossed me a pretty nice sales pitch. I can't find the paper but if I recall the pay turned out to be around $0.40 or so a mile. I could be wrong as it's been about a month since I've talked to the recruiter. Schneider seems to do right by veterans and I haven't seen anymore than the usual amount of negative reviews on them. Haven't heard anything egregious about them. I believe orientation is $80/ day for 30 days. Going off of spotty memory here though, will need to talk to the recruiter again. I don't remember where their terminal is located, Jacksonville prehaps?
POLLYWOG:
These folks seemed nice enough. One of them was/is a dispatcher and claimed that to Pollywog, "their drivers were people and not numbers". I think it was them that said they have a program or partnership with Pilot and I can get points for certain freebies and such. Which is a nice incentive. The biggest issue I've found thus far is that the closest terminal to Melbourne is on the other side of St. Petersburg. Which isn't terrible if they'll bus me out there but I am going to feel real ****ty if the wife has to make a 2.5hr trip with all three kids to come get me or drop me off and another 2.5hr back.
Honorary mention: Southeast Milk Inc.- I was directed to them once I had my Tanker endorsement, at the time their terminals seemed far away but there's always a way to work around that.
The absolute biggest thing that the company has to have going for them to get my attention is location, location, location. Failing that I am more than happy to be bused out. I can not leave my wife with 3 kids and no car nor do I feel savvy about her needing to bus me 'X'hrs away to the terminal with all 3 kids in tow. After that comes the pay, needs to be decent enough to support 5 people. Given the industry and my current choices I don't think that will be a big issue. The third important thing is that the company needs to care about it's drivers. I'd like to think that the 3 I've got so far fit that need. This doesn't bother me AS much, being in the Army I have learned to deal with BS and being considered secondary to the mission and if it does get to be too much for me I can always find greener grass elsewhere.
Sorry about filling your screen with a wall of text, but I've been messing up a lot lately and it's time for me to knuckle up and get my **** straight. I know I can succeed in this business, I just want to get off to a good start if not a great one. I do thank you reading through though and appreciate any advice you may have to offer.
