Comments By Trish S.

Don't know if this will help in your situation, but when I go on road trips (I'm not a trucker YET!) I make smoothies in advance and freeze them in plastic cups or juice bottles, then keep them in a cooler with lots of ice. They will stay good as long as they don't thaw out too much.

Let's try that again.

SCHOOL: Both are 3 weeks.

STEVENS Keenesburg, CO / Don't need CDL permit / Bring $400 to cover fees & tests ($175), housing ($90) and food / 3 yrs obligation to pay back $4200 / Training pay is zero

KNIGHT Phoenix, AZ / 1st wk is 4 days, orientation / Need CDL permit so out of pocket $25+ for permit + approx $100 for DOT / Have to pay for meals (all weeks) plus lodgings (weeks 2 & 3 - they will cover week 1) / They will take out $50/wk till $2900 ($27/wk) is repaid (slightly >1 yr) / Training pay $400/week paid on Thurs, 1 wk behind i.e. immediate hire! / Note: 1st week is orientation M-W full time + a meeting on Friday

OTR TRAINING:

STEVENS Duration 8 weeks, with 3 days in Dallas after school and 4 days in Dallas after 5 wks in truck / Training pay $350/wk / Students/truck 1

KNIGHT Duration 4 weeks / Training pay $400/week / Students/truck 1, no team driving / Trainers are scheduled in advance so if I request fem and/or nonsmoker there should not be any delay

SOLO:

STEVENS Starting pay 26 cpm / Pay increases: 6-9 mo: 28 cpm / 9-12 mo: 29 cpm / 1 yr: 30 cpm / 2 yrs: 31 cpm / Benefits Medical, dental, vision, life, 401k disability, 401k, prescription / Vacation 1 week after 1 yr, 2 weeks after 3 yrs / Forced dispatch and forced NYC / Regional opport. unsure, haven't asked / Hometime 1 day per week out / Drop & hook 60%

KNIGHT Starting pay 28 cpm first 90 days / Pay increase to 35 cpm after 90 days / Benefits Medical, dental, vision, life, 401k / Vacation 1 week after 1 yr, 2 weeks after 3 yrs / No forced dispatch or forced NYC / Regional opportunities "many" / Hometime "variety" / Drop & hook 70%

All info is from recruiters or current company brochures EXCEPT I haven't verified the Stevens 3-yr school repayment deal - that particular info is from this site.

Here's the info I've gathered about Knight and Stevens:

SCHOOL: STEVENS KNIGHT Location Keenesburg, CO Phoenix, AZ Duration 3 weeks 3 weeks (1st wk is 4 days, orientation) Need CDL permit? no yes, so out of pocket $25+ for permit + approx $100 for DOT Expenses Bring $400 to cover Have to pay for meals (all weeks) fees & tests ($175), plus lodgings (weeks 2 & 3 - they housing ($90), and food will cover week 1) Obligation 3 yrs to pay back $4200 They will take out $50/wk till $2900 ($27/wk) is repaid (slightly >1 yr) Training pay zero $400/week paid on Thurs, 1 wk behind i.e. immediate hire! Note: 1st week is orientation M-W full time + a meeting on Friday

OTR TRAINING: Duration 8 weeks, with 3 days in Dallas 4 weeks after school and 4 days in Dallas after 5 wks in truck Training pay $350/wk $400/wk Students/truck 1 1, no team driving Trainers are scheduled in advance so if I request fem and/or nonsmoker there should not be any delay

SOLO Starting pay 26 cpm 28 cpm first 90 days Pay increases 6-9 mo: 28 cpm / 9-12 mo: 29 cpm 35 cpm after 90 days 1 yr: 30 cpm / 2 yrs: 31 cpm Benefits Med, dental, vision, life, Medical, dental, vision, life, 401k disability, 401k, prescription Vacation 1 week after 1 yr, 2 weeks after 3 yrs Same Forced dispatch/NYC both neither Regional opport. unsure "many" Hometime 1 day per week out "variety" Drop & hook 60% 70%

All info is from recruiters or current company brochures EXCEPT I haven't verified the Stevens 3-yr school repayment deal - that particular info is from this site.

For myself, none of these factors is a deal-breaker by itself, but when you add them all up, Knight looks a lot better. Note I haven't talked to any drivers yet.

For me, big factors are pay during training (I am dead broke!) and fact that Knight is in AZ ... kind of unique situation I'm in, but where I'll be spending most of my off days is way out in the boonies in AZ, country roads where I don't guess the company would like me to bobtail their rig, so I guess I'll park my 4x4 in the company yard while I'm working. Stevens' closest yard is SLC.

I'm amazed by the people on this site. Thank you so much - you haven't made the decision for me, but gave me some great food for thought. Thanks for the information Daniel, Doug, mountain girl, AJ D., PJ. Old School: no problem. Good lessons, and I appreciate that you help keep this site honest.

I got interested in trucking originally for the adventure, money, and so I could tell my brother my truck is bigger than his. But now I'm really excited to be part of this world because the people are so cool (at least a lot of them) - people who are generous and care about each other and what's right. Thank you. I'll let you know what I decide. Stay safe.

FYI for anybody else considering Knight or Stevens, a couple of things are now different from the info on this site:

Stevens has me training in Denver, not Dallas - I'm from Arizona. They are telling me to bring $400 to cover $175 for licensing and tests, $90 for housing and the rest to pay for my own food during training. There's supposed to be a kitchen in the lodgings.

Knight (Squire) is no longer paying for students' lodging in Phoenix. They have a setup with a local motel at $38 per night. I was liking Knight because they pay $300/week during training, but the lodging cost will cancel that out.

I appreciate knowing that. Did you train in Dallas or Denver or where?

Awesome - something I hadn't considered. Thanks Daniel.

So now I'm signed up with both Stevens and Knight (Squire) to start school in two weeks. I need to make a choice. I totally understand this is all up to me and it will be fine either way, but just wondering if anybody has comments on one or the other to help me choose. I've got the factual info from this site & the recruiters - more looking for whats-it-like-to-work-there comments. Anybody?

Matt, congrats on making the decision! I'm not 100% on Stevens yet ... just talked to Knight as well so now I have a choice to make. Hopefully one way or the other I'll start school 10/13. Good luck, let us know how it goes!

Thank you. :-) Reading Brett's book really helped clarify the issues with logs & compliance. Looks like Stevens (I'll probably be going with them) has e-logs, so that simplifies things. Congrats on your successful first year!