Comments By Josh E.

Thanks Errol! Was that when you tested out before getting your own truck? How you liking it at Swift? They take pretty good care of their equipment? I read about your first week, I'm sure things are getting easier every week for ya.

Thanks Jeff, yeah its more so gears 3-5 on an in/de cline with me weighing 78k. You have to be quick. Its all about speed and rpms but the weight seems to through a cure into things. I haven't yet mastered my lower gears. I mean I can double clutch, float, through all my gears. But sometimes if I lose a lower gear, I'll check my speed, put my rps where they need to be and... Nothing but good ol' grindage lol

Grr, those lower gears...I still grind them from time to time and I've been driving 7 months (not a pro, of course). So don't be too hard on yourself... but, you know when I grind them the most??? When I'm thinking about it...usually if I just use my instincts I'll float it into the right gear with no trouble...weird how it works. Good luck to you Driver!

I've looked on this forum and couldn't find anything on the road test for the experienced drivers. Anyone have any first hand knowledge of what Swift's road test is like? I'm asking because I do grind gears every now and then and still not perfect at backing. Been driving for close to 7 months and not trying to fail a road test lol. Any help would be appreciated.

Oh, and while I'm at it I'd like to say thanks to all the hard working drivers out there that come to this forum. There's other forums out there that is 90% of complainers. It gets very old after awhile. You guys and gals on this forum are very optimistic and tell it like it is. Most of the other forums love to spit out garbage that defies logic...and worst of all they make it sound so believable. And I know truckers are complainers, I do it myself... but to slam companies for things you could have controlled is just nonsense. Anyways, thanks to all you guys/ gals on here!! :-)

Awesome man, thanks for the tip!

Company list (working):

Crete

Roehl

Werner

Melton

TMC

US Xpress

Schneider

C.T. Transportation (part of Comcar)

Hogan

Pam

Covenant

Cargo Transporters

EPES

Wil-Trans

Con-Way TL

Jim Palmer (bought out recently, I think)

May Trucking

Trans-Am

Watkins-Shepard

Shaffer (reefer div. of Crete)

Use this site to see the rate: http://department-of-veterans-affairs.github.io/gi-bill-comparison-tool/

You can go to this comparison tool and type in keywords like, 'trucking' 'truck lines' 'transport' etc. It'll bring up a list of companies with those keywords in their names. Melton 'truck lines', Roehl 'Transport' etc...

I'd speak to a recruiter about the details, on the aforementioned website it says Stevens is an OJT/Apprenticeship paying $1749/mo. I thought this would be for a year but a recruiter told me it was only for their school. That was awhile back, so it may have changed. I wouldn't mind $1749/mo, but you could pick a company that pays well and use your GI Bill to take online classes in the truck when your shift is over, that's what I do. Just use my smartphone for a mobile hotspot and voila! Going full time it's $750/mo for all online classes.

Ah man, bummer. I'm looking for a new company and planning on taking my wife with me over the summer.

It's when you use your post 9/11 GI Bill benefits and the VA gives the veteran a check every month from anywhere to 1000-1300 depending on the benefits you have available for the first year of being a solo driver, a lot of the bigger dry van and flatbed companies use it.

Cody, thank you for your service. What branch? I don't think Prime offers the GI Bill benefits program. It's not advertised on their website but, like you said, double check with the recruiter. Below is a list of companies that offer the GI Bill program:

-Crete Carrier

-Roehl

-Werner

-TMC

-Melton

This list is off the top of my head so I'm sure there are more out there. Keep researching and post your finding. There are a good amount of veterans that view this site. Thanks.

The US Xpress recruiter told me they also have the VA apprenticeship program.

Has far as I know, us xpress doesn't have the GI bill apprenticeship program. What they do is start you off paying at an experienced rate, 2 Years worth. 7 months ago it was .38cpm I believe. After all the industry wide raises it could be higher. You could go there and then take online classes and earn $750/mo. Type in the company and see how much you can earn on this site.

http://department-of-veterans-affairs.github.io/gi-bill-comparison-tool/

What I've done it the past is just type in the keywords 'trucking' 'truck' 'lines' 'transport' 'transportation' 'express'

That way it will form a drop down menu and you can scroll to select the trucking companies that are listed. Such as Roehl 'Transport' Melton 'truck' 'lines' ....you get the idea

I spent a little time at Melton with their program and got my first check pretty quick. A lot of companies say you'll have to wait up to 3 months but that wasn't the case with me. Just make sure whatever company you go with you fill out the paperwork for it in orientation.

You misunderstood, it's 30,000 miles team driving and 10,000 during the PSD phase where you are the primary driver and your instructor is watching you in the passenger seat.

Mike, the starting pay for a fullsize truck is .38cpm, and for a LW truck it's .43cpm.

The time will go by fast. Every student, especially the younger guys like me and you, would greatly benefit from a longer training period.

I'm a retired Instructor/Trainer at Prime. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Can you still have riders in those LW trucks?

This happened to me when I applied to DHE while working at Prime. Prime found out because DHE called them to verify my employment dates.

Then whoever spoke with DHE let my fleet manager know. Then my fleet manager called me about it.

They have no control over who you work for. If you want to apply at a different company then by all means do so. I simply told my FM that I'm browsing the market since I just hit my 2 year mark.

What you absolutely don't want to do is burn bridges, leave on a bad note, or abandon the truck because they want you in their truck asap. Take your time with the process and do things correctly.

But to answer your question. Yes, your current employer will always find out about it.

Ah okay...I'm just trying to test the waters right now and go solo in late April or early May. I'm definitely trying to give them and my partner atleast a two weeks notice, I just don't want them to rub them wrong too early, so to speak. Thanks for letting me know!

I was reading an article online that stated that your DAC report shows all the companies you apply for. I was just wondering if my current trucking company would find out if I applied at another company.