Knight Transportation
 

Hello all, I have heard that with Knight Transportation you get to pick the areas that you run in for the most part. Is this true? I know I could call and ask them, but I wanted to see if I could hear the truth from some current or former Knight drivers. You know how it is when you ask a company those questions, they just tell you what you want to hear.

So can anyone help me out here? Thanks.

Tom

Knight terminals are pretty much ran independently. For the most part, yes that is true. They "TRY" to keep you in the area that you want but it does not always work out that way. They will get you the miles though. It is company policy that you run a minimum of 10,000 miles a month(2500 miles a week).
They use the Transflo system to turn in paperwork. You can get paid on a trip by trip basis or on a weekly basis. They have decent equipment. Mostly Volvos, Petes and freightliners. I think they are fasing the freightliners out though.

Thanks for the info. So you are saying you could pretty much list what states you want to run in and they will try to keep you in that area as much as possible?

It is more of a region type of thing as far as choosing your running area.

You really can not say you will run IL, IN, PA and not Ohio if you understand what I mean.

I worked for them for the better part of a year before family matter forced me off the road.

When I first started I ran everywhere except the NE north of PA. Once in a while I got offered loads going into New England but I always turned them down or arranged for a drop somewhere in route and I never went into the North East.

After a while I changed my running area into a 500-600 mile radius of IL and they did a good job keeping me in that area.

Same goes for the terminal I run out of. It is more of a area. When I got hired on my dispatcher sat down with me and told me what he expected out of me and asked what I expected out of him. He then asked where I like to run the most. I told him that I like to run anywhere in the midwest. For the most part, that is where he keeps me. Every now and then he will ask me to go somewhere like Pa or NY for a load and promises to take care of me if I do. So I run it and he keeps his word. Last week I was in Ohio and he asked if I would take a short run into PA. I did. He then gave me a run out of PA to Texas! I have found that if you remain flexible, that you are better off. Very seldom do I turn down a load. I think I have only turned down one load in about 4 months now. (They are no forced dispatch)

Same goes for the terminal I run out of. It is more of a area. When I got hired on my dispatcher sat down with me and told me what he expected out of me and asked what I expected out of him. He then asked where I like to run the most. I told him that I like to run anywhere in the midwest. For the most part, that is where he keeps me. Every now and then he will ask me to go somewhere like Pa or NY for a load and promises to take care of me if I do. So I run it and he keeps his word. Last week I was in Ohio and he asked if I would take a short run into PA. I did. He then gave me a run out of PA to Texas! I have found that if you remain flexible, that you are better off. Very seldom do I turn down a load. I think I have only turned down one load in about 4 months now. (They are no forced dispatch)



BINGO! That is what I do also, I love the southeast and texas area, but will run anything they send me.
He knows that and keeps me south of I-70 90% of the time, when I do take a run somewhere it is usually backed up with a long one right back.
Sit down with your dispatcher before you start and talk over with him what you like, but stay flexiable to and you will get alot better miles.

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Let's say though, that I was out of PA, but wanted to run from there to Texas, and everything in between (such as the midwest, Oklahoma, Arkansas). If I talked to my dispatcher and told them that, you are saying they would keep me in that area for the most part, and when they didn't they would back it up with something to that area?

for the most part, yes.
Like I said, you still have to go where the freight goes.
just be willing to take what is avaliable.
And you should have no problem running where you want (for the most part).

On the avg (I checked my logs) in the last 4 weeks I have run 4 loads to the notheast, and all 4 were backed up with runs back to the texas, memphis area.
But as always with Knight,the relationship you have with your dispatcher makes all the diffrence.

How long are you out on the road and how long is your hometime with Knight?

Thanks

Knight
 

All I can say is don't hesitate to sign on with Knight!

At first I had a few problems with my dispatcher, but after getting a new one I have been running an average of about 3,000 mi. per week.
I am based out of PA and I am in Dallas, TX right now. Drop and hook and heading for Salt Lake City for Friday delivery. I run mainly south and west because that's where I told my dispatcher I like to run.
I do go into the northeast on occassion, but it's usually because there is a great load coming back out.

I have not turned down any loads since last November.

Knight will not let you sit, and you will usually be preplanned on your next load before you are empty. Kinda nice knowing what you are gonna do in advance.

Good luck in whatever you decide, but you won't go wrong with chosing Knight.

That was one of the things I liked about Knight. I could get home weekly or stay out as long as I wanted to and change things around as needed and all I needed to do was talk to my dispatcher about it.

If you want home weekly, you can count on getting at least 36 hours off at home. The longer you stay out the more home time you can take. When I first started I stayed out for 3 weeks at a time, my choice, and would take 4 and sometimes 5 days off at home just depending on how my miles for the month were adding up and what I needed to do while at home.

I run on avg 10 to 12 out 3 full days home.
And still get over 11,000 a mounth with no problem.
With Knight, who your dispatcher is and how you get along with them makes a world of diffrence.

Not saying you will never have any problems, in the last 3 weeks here is my list.

1. no drop number for a sat delivery, no answer to my call 8 hrs, finally got ahold of someone in katy tx terminal (i'am out of Kansas City) was told to drop on yard and grab another load out on sun.
Monday morn fleet mgr said "sorry my fault" paid me 50.00.

2Friday eve fuel card not working, night dispatch said "huh.. thats odd" fixed in 15 min.

3dispatched to topeka ks from kansas city, no load when I got there. 2 hr wait sent a new pick up in kansas city, paid for the miles to and from topeka.

4 2 wrong drop numbers.

So I figure that is not to bad.

I am home EVERY weekend. I usually pull into the house around 11pm or so Friday night and leave back out around 6 or 7pm on Sunday evening. This last week I got 2860 miles. Not too shabby! The only problems I have had the last few weeks was wrong directions to a shipper but that was fixed by making a phone call. And last but not least, My trailer that was supposed to be pre-loaded was not. It was a live load.

Knight sounds like a great company. Right now I drive for Swift, and although they haven't been too bad so far, I'm definitely looking into finding a company like Knight that will let me mostly run where I want to.

To you guys that were saying you would have to go to the northeast every now and then, if I were to tell my dispatcher that I don't want to run the northeast at all, do you think they would be able to arrange for me to go no further northeast than PA? I know there are exceptions when freight is slow and stuff like that, but I really really don't like running anywhere in the northeast. I would rather sit for a day and not make anything, waiting for a decent load than take a 200 mile run to NY. Just my preference though.

So my question is, if I were to tell them to keep me out of the northeast, would they make an effort to do that or do you usually have to go up there to get something better coming out? Thanks in advance.

If you develop a good relationship with your dispatcher s/he will make every effort to find loads that do not pick up or deliver in the area(s) that you do not want to go, or will make arrangements for you to drop the load somewhere in route. For example, lets say you pick up a load in Denver going to Patterson, NJ. Your dispatcher might have you drop the load at the Indianapolis terminal and pick up something else in that area.

If you get pre-planned on a load going to an area that you do not wish to go contact your dispatcher before accepting or turning down the load and find out if you can drop the load somewhere in route if you accept it. Most of the time the answer is yes.

First off Knight is non-forced dispatch, you can turn down any load you want.

That being said, I would not turn down to many or you will end up with the junk loads.

As uturn said, if you and your travel agent get along good then they will make every effort to keep you where you want to be.

Alot of the time those are the only loads they have, or any number of reason's, but my dispatcher alway's calls and ask if I would take it first (even though he knows I will)and yes 80% of the time I end up dropping it in route anyway.

There agian is the key to Knight, you and your dispatcher.

What I usually do is check if I can get a nice preplan load back out of where I am delivering if it is in the northeast. If not then I will try to drop in route also.
Even though I live in PA, that is also the furthest northeast I care to go.
I told my dispatcher that from day one, and he does a great job keeping me out of there.
Last week for me:

Mon: Delivered load in Minersville, PA I picked up in Amana, IA
Picked up load in White Marsh, MD for Arlington, TX.

Wed: Drop and hook in Arlington, TX.
Picked up load in Dallas, TX for Salt Lake City, UT

Fri: Drop and hook in Salt Lake.
Picked up load in West Valley, UT for Reno, NV

Sat: Unload in Reno, NV
Deadhead empty to Fontana, CA

Sun: Picked up preloaded trailer in Fontana yard for Denver, CO.

Mon: I am sitting in Denver right now for tomorrow morn. drop.

Tomorrow after resetting I am preplanned on a load from Denver, Co back to Carlisle, PA and head home for a few days.

Pretty good week by any standards!!!!!!

I usually don't run out west a whole lot because the freight is better on the east coast, but I have my 10 yr. old son with me and he wanted to go sightseeing.

Nothing can be guaranteed. But if you work with your dispatcher they will work with you. I do not like the northeast either. I hate it! BUT, I will take one up there every now and then to help out my dispatcher. In return, he takes care of me. Knight is a non-forced dispatch company, but if you turn down loads all the time you will not last long at knight or any company. BOL

I drive for Knight as well. I'm out of the Lakeland, FL terminal. I started with May trucking. That was a good place to start but after 4 months of being out for 4-5 weeks at a time I said "enough is enough". Decided to go with Knight at the beginning of May (the month :) ) and am happy over all. Like all companies, there's quirks here too.

For one, they really want you to fill out, on a daily basis, a fuel card so you can manage your miles/gallon, etc. It's sometimes a chore to get your scale and toll reimbursements. You'll get them, it's just that you have to stay on top of them, which you should anyway no matter what company IMHO.

I've had no problem getting the required 2500 miles/week. That's on the low end actually. Starting in 2 weeks I'm going to start driving with a friend of mine that I scammed.... er ... persuaded to come to Knight. :) JK Anyway, I'll immediately go from making 34/mile to 42/mile and they give preferance to teams for the longer runs, so I am told. We'll see.

The things I like most about Knight are:
1. Paid after each trip
2. Plan your own route
3. You won't sit waiting for a run (1.5 hours is the longest I've sat)
4. They run you regionally but will send you out beyond that if you want to
5. Lots of terminals. (I run along I-10 from FL to LA or TX a lot. We have a terminal in Gulfport, MS that I get to in 1 day. I usually pull in, drop my trailer and head 2 exits back to the east and go to a decent resteraunt for dinner then to Barnes & Noble for a couple hours and a Cappaccino or something. ) Nice start to my trip.

Things I like least about Knight:
1. They are a little short on trailers sometimes. I spent 6 hours one time in Atlanta looking for an empty. Boy was I hot but I'm not afraid to let them know I'm pissed and stomp my feet, etc. I got 6 hours of local pay for driving around Atlanta. With Atlanta traffic it should have been 26 hours of pay but they'll only bend so far. :)
2. You have to stay up on your reimbursements more than I think you should. I mean, why make drives work at all to get the money they are due? It's just one of those things.

As I said, no matter what company you choose, THAT company will have things you don't like and things you do like. Over all I'm very happy at Knight.

Knight sounds like a good company but there web site is abit low on information about pay and requirements. The one driver I talked to like working for them for the most part.

Yeah, the company web site is a bit bare when it comes to information.

Last I knew Knight requires 4-6 months of experience minimum. Starting pay is somewhere around a base of 34 cpm regardless of experience. You do get extra mileage pay for shorter trips, up to around 40 cpm for the really short ones, though I do not remember the exact break down.

When I was there starting pay was 32 cpm base, but with a good dispatcher and a good relationship with that dispatcher it was still quite possible to bring home close to $1000 per week with decent miles, detention pay, etc.

The biggest thing about Knight is to learn how THEY want things done and to do it that way. They operate a little different than a lot of other companies and if you do not follow their procedures you will end up screwing yourself out of money.

The single biggest money gripe I heard from drivers there was about the detention pay. I ran into many drivers who said they never got it, but after talking to them it was easy to see why. They never sent in the detention message on the qualcomm. Something that takes about 10 seconds to do. Knight tells you that if after 45 minutes beyond your appointment time you are still not loaded or unloaded to send in that message. That is all you have to do and then when the detention pay time kicks in you start getting paid. Well for $10 or $12 an hour (I don't recall what company drivers were paid for detention) I for one made real sure to send that message in. It was well worth the 10 seconds, and at the time detention kicked in after something like 2 hours, not the 4 hours most companies make you wait before getting anything.

Now that is not to say I used it often as most load were drop and hook, but there were certainly times.

Thanks for the info. They do seem to drive nice trucks that are not too old. I don't see anything but Volvos around here.

Knight is in the process, and has been for quite some time, of phasing out the Freightliners. It is up to each terminal manager if he wants to order Volvos or Pete's for his drivers. Most all terminal manager order the Volvos for dry van operations. A few will order in Pete's as a reward for drivers who have been with the company for a long time and if that driver wants one.

Least ways that was what was going on with the trucks when I was there a year and a half ago.

And the trucks are on a 3-4 year trade in cycle.

Just got my new truck 3 months ago. A 2008 Volvo :D

As far as the equipment goes.
I have not found any company stuff better then Knight.
I'am on my second brand new volvo (took the plastic off the seats new).
only had my last one for 134,000 miles.
The trailers are also in pretty good shape, In over two years I would say I have only run into mabey a dozen trailers that did not release the sliders on the first pull.
My top complaint's with Knight are
1. slow truck speed I'am at 68.
2. to much time spent looking for an m/t trailer
But after some time you learn where to look, and you can get local pay for doing it.
3. Having to watch payroll like a hawk.
They will get it right and take care of any problem's, but having to watch it that close is a pain.
But all in all. the good still far outway's the bad.

Does Knight pay for lumpers?

How are the benefits, do you take your truck home or leave it at a terminal?

Knight does sound pretty good.

Does Knight have many ternminals in/around NC? And do they just run you all 48 if you don't care where you run, or do you have to pick a region to run in? I was thinking someone said something like each terminal runs a certain region, but I may be mistaken.

Yes Knight pays for lumpers and prefers you use them over unloading a truck yourself.

I never had any insurance through Knight (was covered by the wife's plan) so I can no tell you anything about that.

Yes you take the truck home with you. If you live near a terminal you can of course park it there for your home time.


They have a full service terminal in Charlotte.

You can run all 48 if you wish to.

And yes each terminal does control a certain area of the country in that they are responsible for taking care of the customers in that area and are responsible for all loads that originate in that area. Each terminal though works together to provide freight for the drivers regardless of what terminal that driver is out of.

You are assigned a dispatcher from you home terminal and the people at your home terminal is pretty much all you will ever deal with with the exception of the maintence shops.

dollar, earlier you had problems with your first dispatcher and got another. How hard that to do?

Call me crazy, but having driven a both a 379 and a VN I'll take the Volvo any day of the week and twice on Sunday. The 379 was loud, had a awful turning radius and poor visibility.

I would take the Volvo also. Test drove the 770 when it first came out and it had smooth ride and was quite. Just a nice truck.

No I will not call you crazy.
Had to drive a pete for about a week while my truck was in volvo's shop and it was a total pain!
Look's great but if I had to live with it daily I would hate it.
The volvo rides and handles so much better it makes my job alot easier.
As far a benifits go, Knight is about the same as any of the bigger company's go.
I pay 54.74 a mounth for full family coverage, Dential is another 9something a mounth.

In short here are my feeling's about Knight.
I have drove for Werner, Roehl, ACB, England and Trans Am. (I know not a glowing track record)
No more than 1 year anywhere, I have been with Knight for 2yrs 5mo and don't see myself going anywhere any time soon.
They are just to easy to work for.
I know I should not drive the way I do sometimes, but I do.
As long as my fuel stops are within a half hour they don't care as long as my logs are legal when they get them.
If I feel I need some rest, DM says get some sleep call me when your ready.
I get home pretty much when I want, I run where I want most of the time, And they let me.
The equipment is great, and in general they leave me alone and let me do my job.
They have so many terminal's around the country I find I park for the night in a terminal more then anywhere else.
And most any problem I have on the road is taken care of quickly and with little effort on my part.
I do about 75% drop and hook.
Have unloaded 1 trl, styrofoam cups and then only becase I said I would.
Do they have bad points sure they do, but I find them minor.
They work well for me, other people will disagree.
After all it is just my opinion, but I make good money and I'am not strung out all the time with them.

One other question, do you take the route you want and fuel where you want, or do they give you a route to follow and tell you where to fuel?

Take the route you want, but be real about it.
To many out of route miles they will want to know why.
They do not tell you how to go.
They have a list of fuel stops that you have to use, yes mainly piolet, and terminals, but I never have to run out of my way to find one.
You will hear that they want you to get 50 gal at secondary stop's and such, but I fill the tanks at any place I stop(on the list) and never heard a word about it.

They give you a list of authorized fuel stops, some of which are limited on the gallons you can get. You choose the route you want to take and as long as it is within reason they do not say anything about out of route miles. Most of the fuel stops are Pilots and Love's with a few TA's and others mixed in.

They do ask that you stop at terminals to top off when ever going by one, but unlike some companies they do not expect you to go 100 miles out of your way to do this.

One thing about Knight, that I do not think was mentioned, is that they are very anal when it comes to tires. You will get into some big trouble if you fail to maintain the proper pressure in your tires, both truck and trailer.

They supply you with a tire gauge and an air hose that connects to your glad hands so you can air up the tires anywhere, anytime. If you pick up a trailer and the tires are in a bad way, especially if they are showing signs of being run low, CYA and call your shop foreman and let him know, that way they can tell you what they want you to do and make a note in the computer that your reported a problem with that trailer.

Yes, they are VERY anal about tires. If they find one of your steer tires showing the metal cords in them they will fire you on the spot!

Part Time Trucker:

As far as getting a new dispatcher just speak up. You know what they say....They sqeaky wheel gets the grease.