[solo56]

[quote="MrVain"]

Originally Posted by solo56

I used to pull reefers back in the 80's. I plan on attending a 8 week truckdiving school in the near future. I gave USXpress a call a few days ago to get some information. Here's what the recruiter told me.

I would take my orientation in memphis, Tn. Is this true? I thought all student drivers took their orientation in Medway, Ohio. The memphis terminal is the closest to me. I'm less than 100 miles away from it.

Question Number 2 Otr training is about 3 weeks ? True or False?

Question Number 3 Once assigned my own truck, I would average around 2500 miles per week. And make about 32 cents per mile. True or False?

Question Number 4 No forced dispatch to Canada, NYC, and no hazmat required, Although a hazmat endorsement would help. Is all this true?

Question Number 5 All runs will be east of I-35..True or False?

Last question Home every 8 - 10 days? Fact or Fiction?

I've looked in the archives and see a lot of drivers aren't getting very many miles...and some are getting a lot.. I'm talking about solo drivers. This has me concerned...If the truck isn't rolling theirs no money to be made. I know no one can answer everyone of these questions preciseley (sp?)

Have any of you did your student orientation in memphis, Tn? Thanks in advance for the replies.

Originally Posted by MrVain

The only thing I'm pretty certain of is that USXpress uses a sliding scale for cpm. The more miles you drive...the less it pays. I could be wrong, but I think .32 cpm is for short miles....like less than 900. Check out their website...it's on there in black and white. Good luck.

Yeah, I checked out their website before I called the recruiter. I don't like the sliding payscale. When the payscale is sliding. It will be in the companys favor. The recruiter said around 32 cents per mile. I don't believe it. It looks like 27 or 28 cents per mile would be more accurate. Looks as if this company tries to make their pay package more attractive than what it really is :lol: Although I could be wrong. I would like to hear from some UsXpress drivers to see what their average cents per mile is..before I cast judgement.

Originally Posted by ahpayne

You also have to find/pay your own way home if you get booted.

That's the reason I want to be sure that my orientation would be in memphis. If I wasn't to get hired on. I could just call my sister to come pick me up since the memphis terminal is close to my home town. Nothing would be wasted but a little time. Sorry to hear about your bad experience with them ahpayne.

Originally Posted by LiL Timmy Trucker

Yes,they have orientation at Memphis.

Same thing they told me

Thanks for the info "LiL Timmy Trucker.

Originally Posted by erolen

ive heard by more than one driver that they are centered around teams and the solos get the scraps. their recruiter came to our school and told us exactly what you just wrote. but thats just what i here

That's my thoughts exactly. You can tell their a team oriented company, just by looking at the team drivers pay scale. 39 or 40 cents per mile for teams starting right out of school. Teams always have a better payscale at every company, but compare their team pay to schneiders. I believe that schneider starts their teams at around 31 cents per mile, as does werner. etc.

No trucking company is perfect. They all have their problems. When I did a search in the archives and found a lot of drivers running 1200 miles per week. Or getting a $250.00 paycheck.. That's not good. It certainly won't pay any bills at home. A driver will actually lose money at that rate. Then their are others that are happy and running 2500-3000 miles per week. Kinda confusing.

Oh well, I just need to get a little recent experience anyway.

[solo56]

Originally Posted by dutchman1

I did not realize US Xpress was doing training in Memphis area....but they are all the time changing the way they operate..... Their training was formerly done in Medway, Ohio.... or you went to an approved training school....

dutchman1, UsXpress doesn't have a training school in Memphis. I'm going to a vo-tech school in my area. I was just wondering if I could go through orientation in memphis after I graduate from vo-tech school. They told me I could, and would then put me with a trainer for about 3 weeks. Then I would be assigned my own truck.

Originally Posted by dutchman

I think they now have a sliding scale on what a load pays....the more miles on a load....less you as a driver get to haul it..... You also can get shorted -- because they put a lot of their long-haul west coast and other long loads on the railroad as piggyback loads..... If you drive for them...get ready to run in and out of many RR yards.... Chicago, Kansas City, Philadelphia, where-ever.... Their are railroad yards in most major cities....

They used to be a pretty good team company.....but now most of their team runs are short haul expedited type loads..... kills your average team miles per week due to shorter trips and more waiting time between loads....

Unless you can get on some type of dedicated account sooner, I would avoid US Xpress as an OTR driver....

Dutchman 1

Thanks for the info Dutchman. Doesn't sound like the type of company I want to drive for. Schneider appears to be a much better choice.

[tenn trunk monkey]

Schneider seems to be a up and up company.good luck 8)

[solo56]

Originally Posted by tenn trunk monkey

Receive less pay for when you drive a 900 mile run than a 600 mile run?.
ah,,i don't think so..why would you consider working for a company
that did their drivers like that..you get paid by the mile!.you have to apply
the same work effort ...be smart,,don't work for somebody that doesn't
care about treating their drivers better than that...thats like paying
different for loaded and empty miles,you still have to drive them,..
you go where they say..its not your fault that every load they want to make money on is not 600 miles, they do make great money on
the 900 + mile loads.... 8)

I'm guessing here. I would bet the majority of their runs are in the 500-600 mile range for solos. If the teams are getting shorter runs and not many miles..as one poster stated. Then the solo drivers would naturally be doing short runs.

Especially the drivers who say they are getting 1200 miles per week. :shock: UsXpress is just one of the companies I'm looking at. I'm going to keep all options open.

I have plenty of time to make a choice. With my prior commitements, I won't even be ready to go otr until october.

[Trapper]

Solo56 If you're going to a vo tech school for training you should be able to find plenty of companies to drive for. Have you checked out Crete, HO Wolding, Roehl, Marten etc.?

[Malaki86]

I would take my orientation in memphis, Tn. Is this true? I thought all student drivers took their orientation in Medway, Ohio. The memphis terminal is the closest to me. I'm less than 100 miles away from it.

You'll do orientation @ Memphis and a trainer will pick you up @ either the terminal or the motel.

Question Number 2 Otr training is about 3 weeks ? True or False?

You'll do 150 hours behind the wheel. Their training doesn't do any team running now. So, ya - 2.5 to 3 weeks.

Question Number 3 Once assigned my own truck, I would average around 2500 miles per week. And make about 32 cents per mile. True or False?

I'm on the Xpress Direct (expedited freight) account and average around 2,750 miles per week. As far as the pay, that depends on your pay scale. Most of my loads average 500-650 miles. However, I've had loads that came from Bangor, ME that ran to Seattle, WA. I've also had loads that ran 50 miles.

Question Number 4 No forced dispatch to Canada, NYC, and no hazmat required, Although a hazmat endorsement would help. Is all this true?

That depends on the account you're on. Some accounts require NYC, CA and/or HazMat. Xpress Direct is an OTR account, so, I won't go back to CA or NYC. Ask your recruiter about the accounts and specific requirements.

Question Number 5 All runs will be east of I-35..True or False?

For the most part, that's true. However, there may be exceptions.

Last question Home every 8 - 10 days? Fact or Fiction?

That too depends on the account. I'm home every other weekend (home Friday, leave Monday).

[solo56]

Thanks for the info Malaki. It's good to hear that you're getting good miles. I'll do as you suggest and talk with the recruiter more about the different accounts. I plan on getting the hazmat endorsement when I attend school, so that won't be a problem.

I believe I read on another thread that you are about to become a trainer. Congratuations, and be careful out there.

[solo56]

I was just looking on The US Xpress website. It looks as if Per Diem pay is mandatory and not optional. Anyone that works for US Xpress know? This is the first time I noticed it..after having visiting the website many times. LOL.

[ranger 1]

I spoke with a recruiter today and also a couple of team drivers and they said that the Per Diem pay is optional.


quote="solo56"]I was just looking on The US Xpress website. It looks as if Per Diem pay is mandatory and not optional. Anyone that works for US Xpress know? This is the first time I noticed it..after having visiting the website many times. LOL.[/quote]

[solo56]

Originally Posted by ranger 1

I spoke with a recruiter today and also a couple of team drivers and they said that the Per Diem pay is optional.

Thanks for the info ranger. I'm glad to hear the "per diem" pay is optional. I would prefer not to take the "per diem" pay option.