Patrick; Patrick; Patrick. What are we going to do with you? The Boulevard Blog (oh mother :roll: :lol: :roll: :lol: :roll: ) What will you think of next? I can see why we seem to get along. We are both Taurus; stubborn, thick headed, one track minded: yeap perfect; we're no damn good. I know the problem. When you were in the Navy, you drank too much salt water; corroded the brain :lol: I can see; in order to keep you in line I am going to have to drive my pretty red US Express truck right next to your Stevens Transport to keep you focused. The Boulevard Blog; I can see where this is going. No; your blog end up in the ever growing heap of abandoned blogs rusting on the side of the information superhighway. On the contrary; its going to be put into a time capsule to be open 1000 years from now. :alien: :borg: You keep doing what you're doing. You want to pursue trucking, pursue trucking. :!: I know what direction I am headed and refuse to be put off from it. We are all prepared for school. Neither you, redsunn21, dave63, or myself are looking at what we're getting involved in as a joke. :idea: On the contrary, we could not be more serious. :| We may be having fun now, in a way to lighten up and take the edge off. However when it comes down to training and be ready for otr we could not be more serious. I do look forward to seeing you, redsunn21, and dave63 on the big road. By the way; of the grouping I just mentioned, you are the only one going to Stevens Transport. The rest of us are going to US Express. We're going to do this, and do it right.
By the way, I am still trying to find out about this P.A.T. and whether or not US Express subscribes to it. I don't know about Stevens Transport. When I find out anything I will let you know. Go safely; see you on the big road :rock: :asta:

 

I really hope you keep this blog going i am going to be getting back to the states in march after 18 months away with the army for operation iraqi freedom (oif) and am thinking about steven's transport please keep us up to date so i know .. tell the bad and the good .. and be like everyone else in here and no sugar-coating the company..

Good luck

 

I am a recent Stevens Trucking School Grad :? I am scared Sh**less. I did manage a grand total of 3 hrs on the road driving time before my CDL test. Some people got less than 2hrs. That?s okay cause I start Orientation tomorrow.
You can not get a straight answer out of anyone over there. The recruiters promise you 3,000 miles a week but I have yet to talk to a driver in the lounge who makes over $600.00 a week, and that?s 2nd year guys too. Some of the new solo guys were talking that it was more like 1,000- 1,500 miles and most of the choice miles and western routes were run by the trainer/trainee teams and the trainee/trainee teams. After you stop the $350.00 a week salary and go on mileage you get all East Coast NYC stuff. And then they charge you for every ding and scratch and post it on your dac. Now some people get what they sow so a bitcher and complainer probably gets the shaft from a dispatcher who is sick of hearing it right. But I did talk to a long time driver trainer who said yes the recruiters will say anything to anyone to get a sign-up and yes they lie about first year earnings.....but.....If you bust your hump, take minimal home time and do everything right......you had a good year if you gross 30k....a bit short of the 35-40k recruiting says huh? I am confused but as I already owe $4,750 for a crap school and I am facing a contract signing with a non-compete clause that scares me. I do not know what to do. If I go on the road for 1 yr. and make $650. -700 a week my family can get by but if I only bring in 300 - 400 a week why did I leave my wife and kids...to go bankrupt and lose my home anyway?
Anyone.....Do you get your miles at Stevens or not any experienced drivers

 

Hi Tim,

I think I posted this link earlier but it has some information from the PumpkinDriver forums from a user called GrizzlyMan who was a Stevens driver and who is looking at going back.

http://www.pumpkindriver.com/cgi-bin...=000095#000000

http://www.pumpkindriver.com/cgi-bin...=003293#000007

additionally:
http://www.pumpkindriver.com/cgi-bin...=003587#000011

http://www.pumpkindriver.com/cgi-bin...=003572#000006

Anything new I learn about I'll try to keep everyone posted.

 

This is why I'm losing my current co-driver. My hat's off to y'all Sweetie. God bless y'all, and a VERY heartfelt

THANKYOU

 

Hey there gschall - Lady18 is right. Thank you for your service. I'll do my best to keep the blog updated and hopefully relevant enough to be helpful.

Patrick

 

After driving for Schneider and Stevens, I learned a lesson. When you hear the drivers sitting around the pool table or the picnic table outside the lunchroom in Fontana, etc., they will usually be there every time you swing through. The same ones seem like they are always there. Stevens requires their trucks to swing through Dallas every 90 days, and I discovered that the same group of people seemed to just live there. I averaged well over 3000 miles per week my entire time with Stevens. I consistently saw runs from 1200-1800 miles. I even saw a few 3000+ mile runs. Ben & Jerry's is one of the greatest runs they have. Vermont to Seattle via I-10. And yes, they do pay all of the excess miles. That's over a 5000 mile run. Ignore the complaints you hear at the lunch table. Those are the drivers that expect to sit around, and do nothing, and still manage to get 3000 miles. It just doesn't happen. They are at every company. I've talked to Crete drivers even recently. One was complaining that he never seems to get more than 1800 miles per week, and complaining about his truck, and complaining about this and that. Another Crete driver was talking about his overabundance of miles and how great of a company it is. It's all in your perspective, and how you handle the stresses of the job. Run hard, and they will give you the miles. But learn to play by their rules. (and how to cheat the system) Each company has their own way of doing it if you can pick up on it. Best of luck.
-Bill
AKA Grizzlyman
Rochester, WA

 

Patrick wrote...
Commitment for training for CDL?
- They used to require 2 years that they would prorate. Now they have the industry standard 1 year commitment. Any shorter than 1 year and the student/employee is liable to pay for the entire amount of training. How much? Not sure - still checking into it.

I just applied online for Stevens, I got called today from one of their recruiters who told me it was a two year commitment, I originally called them because of a internet job site and was told it was a one year commitment and to fill out the online app. Now, it is a two year. What gives here? anyone understand this? I do not have a CDL and was going thru their training.

 

I just had my last phone interview. I have some questions I e-mailed to them and they said they would respond to them. I fly to Dallas on Friday. I have been told repeatedly that the commitment for training is 1 year - not two.

Also of note: The financial commitment for the school (3 weeks) is $4,500. Additionally, if you need money for food, hotel stay, transportation to Dallas for training, etc ... they tack that on to the amount you owe and charge interest so it is more on the line of $4,750 commitment after all is said and done.

How's that for financially steep? I hope I love this company because I'll have to file for BK if I cannot stay with them for a year! No joke.

See my weblog (link below) for more information. I'll post answers to the questions I've asked as soon as I get a response.

Good luck,
Patrick

 

:shock: 6 weeks at the community college I went to was only $350 :shock: