What's your take on Werner for a new driver?
 

After some extensive surfing I see lots of horror stories about nearly every company out there. How about Werner??
I just got my class A license. Werner is now offering an "Apprenticeship" program for military veterans......long story short.....I do the normal new driver training/orientation and get paid normal "training pay" BUT, I also get paid $1050 tax free per month from the VA for using my Army GI bill.
How is Werner for training?? Is it really that bad?
What are your thoughts?

Thanks in advance,


VTwin

OHHHHHHH Lawd!!!!!!!!


Put them in the search feature and you will see all you need to know

Where do I begin?? I used to drive and train for Werner. Send me a email and I will give you some details!

Werner is fine for training, but as soon as your training is up, you should do one 2-3 week period out with them and then move on to a company that is willing to pay you for the job you do. I trained with Werner and worked for them solo for 3 months. Then I realized I was driving 3000 miles a week and making 600 dollars. That didn't add up to me. Their equipment is a joke on the east coast. You may get better equipment if you live east of Ohio. I also got a bad attitude from everyone at all of their terminals. They are very condescending.

There's a reason they reimburse tuition monthly at $100/month....they try to get drivers to stay with them thinking "if I leave, I won't get reimbursed for my tuition." LEAVE.

After I was with Werner I started working for JB Hunt. JB Hunt is a company that will not pay you well if you aren't willing to work. I've been with JB for 4 months now and have made $976, $945, and $1044 my last 3 weeks on the road. You probably won't do well with JB if you plan to drive for 2 weeks and go home either.

But yeh, Werner is fine for training, but that's about it. The only positive thing I can say about Werner is they will get you to all 48 states, but for 26 cents a mile, it's hardly worth it. I'm making double at JB and driving 500 less miles per week.

Go with Werner for training and then look elsewhere to start your career.

:roll:

Don't just roll your eyes. Tell me how you think making 26 cents a mile is good for a truck driver, let alone the industry. Then tell me how you think it's safe for a driver with 6 months experience to train a rookie driver. Please, I'm all ears.

Nice advice. :roll: If you have no intention to put forth an effort to stay at a comapny then don't work there at all.


That's a first. Leave Werner and go to JBH. Put your time in with Werner and go work for a real company like Crete, NOT JB Hunt.

Or, you can get your experience by staying at Werner and then get on with a company that you DON'T need to stay out more than two weeks to make money with.

A company like Crete or JB Hunt will not hire you without 3 months experience. There is a reason companies like Werner and Schneider are known as "starter companies." Gotta get your training somewhere.




Where in my post did I tell him to work for JB Hunt? I posted my experience with JB Hunt (another company besides Werner...that I went to after my experience with Werner). I didn't, thanks. You've got so much anti-JB Hunt fire in your eyes that you apparently can't even read posts properly. Get over it, some of us are happy with JB. I didn't tell him to work for JB Hunt though, I could care if he works for them...I'm trying to give him advice as someone who trained with and worked with Werner for 6 months.


I can go work for Crete if I want. Or another company. I'm happy where I am. Maybe one day I'll be unhappy about where I am and go work for them.

What the hell am I doing wrong? Im begging for miles everyday. Im with JB in case you didnt know...3 weeks pay is $564 $364 and I havent got this check yet but it will be around $350. Now dont go saying that Im not willing to run. Thats bullshit cause im literally begging for miles every morning. You know what I get pped for a 200 mile trip for a 2nd day del. Im getting so pissed its not even funny. Im staying out for a month and at this rate I should be able to afford to buy my kids a package of hotdogs. Now go take if your not willing to run bullshit somewhere else because I am willing.

Well I'm glad you're willing to run. That's the first thing you need.

I've learned a few tricks with JB...

set your ETA as early as possible, before 10am is best.

when you get your load information, put the hammer down. Don't waste time in truck stops, just get there as soon as you possibly can. Most appointments are BS and they will take your load early. Ask your fleet manager if he/she can make your appointment earlier if you can be there earlier. But basically, if you have a window of 1400-2000 for delivery and you can be there by 1400, be there by 1400. The quicker you're empty, the quicker you're on to your next load.

Don't refuse any loads...I've gotten 3 shitty runs in a row followed by 1000+ mile runs. You'll get a good one eventually.

But honestly, if you're doing all that and still having problems making money, tell them you want a new fleet manager. JB has a lot to do with your fleet manager, and I think mine is pretty good.

I'm on pace to make $40-45k this year...I think that's pretty good for a rookie driver.

Is this your first 3 weeks with them? My first 3 weeks sucked too. I only made about $500/week...but since then I've made about 900 every week for 3 3 week stints out now.

Hope it works for you...but this thread is about Werner...don't want to be painted as a JB Hunt spammer, sorry if I come off that way...

My etas are usually always before 8am. I never refused a load. Ever since I have been here I been gettin 200-300 mile runs. I have asked to go in early and 99% of the time they say no. Im always at a truck stop and not by choice either. 99% of the time Im 1 or more early for every appt. Hell today im 14 hours early.

As I was turning in my truck at Cretes Phoenix Terminal there was a new driver going through pre-qual. He was an older driver, but, he was not an older CDL driver. He had just finished his CDL training, on his own, and was getting hired by Crete.

TMC - US xpress CRST
 

Good information to know.......
I see that there is going to be positive and negative feedback on any company. Thats good - just what I'm looking for so that I may then weigh my options and then make an "educated decision" based on gut instinct and the input of other drivers.
Like anything in life - driving success seems to be largely based on your work ethic and common sense. I'm just trying to not get screwed right off of the bat.....
I've put in applications with and received offers from..
CRST, TMC and US Xpress.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

Thanks for the input.

VTwin :shock:

If you are going to pick a company to go with, do so with the intent of STAYING thee and makeing money. Don't just pick a company to just up and leave them in a few months. That is what I was rolling my eyes at. I do agree that the pay there sucks! I also do agree that someone with 6 months experience should not be a trainer. I was with Werner for 5 years. I made ok money with them. I believe that alot of it boils down to attitude. Not all but alot of it. I never once had a problem with anyone in the terminals. But then again, I was never in a terminal. I was on the raod making money. I was not trying to start anything here. So, if you want to throw some attitude out go right ahead.

I call .B.S. on that statement...No way did you work for ...WERNER...for 5 yrs and "NEVER" entered a terminal. Loads ar split /picked up here all the the time I find it hard to beleive you never split or picked up a ld from a terminal, and on many occasions students are picked up from the terminal . you need to take you required safety cbt's at terminals every year ...have to be at a terminal for this.... :wink:

For a veteran you should check out roehl's program

Ok, you took the word NEVER to literaly. Yes I was in there to pick up students and to do my safety things but thats it. I stayed out of the terminals. All the loads I split was in a drop yard, if I even split a load. My dispatcher and I had a great working relationship. He gave me good freight and I ran it. Now, if you want to bash on Werner, go right ahead. But do not come in here with a attitude just because someone has a different opinion then yourself.

Re: TMC - US xpress CRST
 

DO NOT got to CRST. They are one of the worst companies to work for. They are a team operation and routinely fire ex-felons. They hire drivers who have criminal records and bad driving records.

http://www.etrucker.com/apps/news/article.asp?id=61412

http://www.drivertraining.net/honor/apprentice.htm

http://www.roehlhonorprogram.com/

I second the opinion on Roehl. I have never worked for them so check it carefully, but having been on the board and reading about the horror stories from Werner, Roehl seems to be a better choice for training! Plus Roehl, lets you draw up to 24 months, instead of 12. I don't know how much (GI Bill with Werner is 100% for 6mo, 75% for 3 mo, and 50% for 3 mo).

If you get board, do a search on the Novacane storyline. I think the jury is still on on whether it is fiction or not, but it was entertaining! :roll:

BOL
Ken
USA(Ret)

I call B.S. again ,because many runs you get as a trainer will deliver far far earlier than the set time ,so if your dispatcher gets with the load planners you will split very often running as a trainer/team to keep moving.

Now I did not "BASH? Werner ,But I do call B.S. on you as I don't think you're shooting straight there "TEX".


Hey toss up a few of the drop yards you rember while driving for Werner ,And tell me what they looked like ...

I worked for them and they do take better care of their trainers as far as miles etc. Their terminals are mostly mud holes. Can't believe a Co. so big can't put a little money into some pavement. They about sarved me out too. I worked for J.B. it was a little slow the first few weeks then I got plenty of miles. I was gone more than I wanted but hey with Werner I was stuck out for 6 weeks once. They really take advantage of students. They do have a attitude towards the drivers like the guy mentioned before me. I never felt like such a nobody. I think the reason I got along good with J.B was because after being treated like dirt for so long J.B. seemed great! I've just gotten a local job, home everynight. So hang in there guys and gals when you get your yr. in you really become a human being again.

I was on a dedicated run out of Siloam Springs AR for Ms. Smith pies. It had multiple stops on the runs and the way my truck ran was my student would take the out bound load and I would drive back. We traded off to break up the routine. This was 5 yrs ago. They no longer have this run. That I know of anyways. The drop yards or should I say yard that I occasionaly dropped in was in TN. Just inside the border in Dryersburgh. It was just a old dirt lot with a fence and a old guard shack. Very seldom did we ever drop anything in there. I think I dropped a load in there MAYBE 5 or 6 times the whole time. Now, when I was running OTR with them I was in the terminals quite often. I was never treated poorly or with disrespect. That is just my experience though.