Comments By Whip-Stock

First off I apologize to the members for not posting my introduction earlier so I'll tru to summarize the past 3 months.....

After interviewing thru several companies I decided to choose Roehl... 1st week (Phase 1) was mainly introduction to the company and learning their safety and operating policies. Last 4 days of the 1st week was driving the local roads and some minor skills review.

At this point we went to Phase 2 whereas we were officially hired and given our "packets" and sent on our way. Our way was the 3 students in the class were rented a car where we drove from DFW to Gary, IN... 2 days after arrival in Gary I was introduced to my trainer and with whom I would spend the next 10 days.. At this time I learns a lot of on the road training and the ins and outs of trip sheets, checking in and out at shipper and consigned as well as maneuvering in tight areas and basic on the road operations..

Phase 3 started when my trainer released me to my training fleet manager and I started driving solo... I have now been solo for 2 months now and some wrong turns and errors were made but no injuries to myself, truck or others and for this I am happy.. I'm not sure how permanent this is but I have found that Roehl thrives in the N/E and N. Midwest. I have primarily been driving between Wisconsin and Chicago in which traffic consumes a lot of time and therefore cuts the salary a bit.. I'm not today thrilled will staying on this area but do hope is changes soon...... More to follow.....

You want a company that will treat it's employees like people and not numbers, with respect as long as the employees do their job they're expecting to do and so fourth.

Okay, I think this is another blunder that is common among newcomers. Some of these companies are really big, and to be honest with you I prefer the bigger companies - they have everything in place for you as a driver to be successful. When you break down in Hobunkin County, Nowhere, and you call in to the break down department they already have national accounts set up all over the country so that they can get someone there to help you get back on the road in a hurry - they want you turning miles just as much or more than you do. Who cares if all they want from you is your truck number and location - what matters is that they can get you back on the road. Yes, Billy Bob's transportation service may recognize your voice on the phone, and they may know your name, but who cares if they are treating you like a person while you wait on the side of the road for them to have their credit checked, and/or to establish some way for them to make payment on your hefty repair bill. You may have to wait a long time because the company that they found to come help you is giving preferential treatment to it's national account holders so that they can keep them happy. Don't believe all the nonsense you've read on the internet about being treated like a number - I'd far rather be a number who is turning some miles, than a person who is starving to death.

And then the next thing is the type of trucks. Schneider uses Freightliner which are not bad trucks but the company plans to automate their fleet very soon. I was taught to draw 10 speed and I'd like to continue driving nothing less. Haha

The transition to automatic trucks has come and gone several times, but I'm afraid it is here to stay for now, unless you are doing some sort of specialized hauling like over-size, over-weight. These new auto-shift gear boxes are really reliable and economical, and those two factors are selling them like hot-cakes. Don't be surprised if you decide on who you want to work for based on the fact that they have ten speeds, and then three months down the road you end up with an automatic - it is highly probable. Even just one more mile per gallon efficiency is a huge difference in a fleet of thousands of trucks - the future is here, and the old school guys who think throwing that gear selector around is all part of being a true truck driver are in for a sad awakening.

Well spoken......... Advise noted...... Anxious to get started...

From what I've read and heard from other drivers who have been doing this for awhile now, most of the time it is all going to equal up to the same. Some companies may start you off at higher pay but then they don't have as many frequent pay raises as some other companies will. The biggest thing to me in deciding which company to work for comes down to the safety record, as I've been told that the better safety record a company has the less likely the driver will have to stop at a weigh station which means more money as you're not having to stop. Other thing is, what type of environment it is for the driver. You want a company that will treat it's employees like people and not numbers, with respect as long as the employees do their job they're expecting to do and so fourth. And then the next thing is the type of trucks. Schneider uses Freightliner which are not bad trucks but the company plans to automate their fleet very soon. I was taught to draw 10 speed and I'd like to continue driving nothing less. Haha

Schneider does offer 5000 dollar sign on bonus to new drivers and 7500 to experienced drivers but both are paid over a period of time. I understand schneiders trucks are a heap but as a newbie I can't expect one off the showroom floor. Still a hard choice.

Roehl emphasizes safety and home time above anything else. I think they're great, I maintain a positive attitude and let them know that I'd like to hit a milestone as far as mileage goes. I get at least 450 miles a day, a week off of the time, and some of the dispatchers are really good people. Recent repairs to the truck really messed up my sleep schedule, a few days later they took note and set up loads so that I could resume my normal sleeping habits, and I was even able to recover some of that lost time with slightly longer loads. They know a lot of their drivers are new, many of which are simply not confident in themselves. The company sees this and they work them in a way so that they could be broken in and shown how things are to be done at an appropriate pace. Some of the guys complain about miles and locations and how slow the trucks are, but I don't mind any of that negativity. I'm treated well, they see that I'm working as hard as I can and being as safe as possible, and everyone wins. I cannot say much about Schneider as I don't know any drivers for them and have not spoken to any of their drivers. However, they are a starter company much like Roehl. A lot of these bigger companies didn't just magically appear, they have a reputation and massive fleets for a reason. I'm sure there's a lot of good to be said about Schneider as well.

Starting pay compared to Schneider? "I think" Schneider starts at only .28 cpm but raises within 90 days...

Any professional opinions offered on either would be appreciated." I have to make a choice next week..... I'm leaning toward Roehl for now but barely. Comfort is a big issue with me.. I know I'm not driving a rolling mansion but still......

Hey, I'm new at this trucking lifestyle myself but the two companies I've been looking at are Roehl and TMC. Roehl has several flexible home time options, and they seem to have an outstanding safety record. That part from what I've been told can make a big difference in terms of being able to continously drive and not have to stop at so many weigh stations. Also I have two of my instructors drove or Roehl, one for flatbed division and the other for the dry van so I was able to get a lot of feedback on the company. Therected are quite a few great threads about driving for Roehl. One guy even posted his reports from when he actually started training with Roehl. He got his CDL from Roehl. Just look them up in the search bar. I'm hoping to start in about a week.

Schneider is a pretry good company as well but for me, later on down the road when I need it, the home time Roehl offers is unmatched by Schneider. Hope this helps.

Yea, it does help... Leaning more toward Roehl... Thanks for the info...

Any professional opinions offered on either would be appreciated." I have to make a choice next week..... I'm leaning toward Roehl for now but barely. Comfort is a big issue with me.. I know I'm not driving a rolling mansion but still......

Yap, you have a written test and indeed there is a background check they'll do also. Now some states won't let you get your Hazmat with only a CDL permit. If that's the case you have to take the test after getting your full CDL.

You can study for the Hazmat test using our High Road Training Program.

The CDL I obtained on 13 Aug.. While browsing the training program I noticed the haz-mat section so I figured to get ahead ASAP...

To obtain a Haz-Mat endorsement, at has to happen, just a written test? The study material can be obtained from anywhere such as this site?

I don't want to say too much, but if I were you, I would find another more trucker friendly doctor. Phil

Truck driving or not, apnea is awfully dangerous.. Friend of mine (with apnea) was out to a BBQ and had quite a few beers but could maintain composure. Went home, fell asleep in his recliner and didn't wake up... Breathing interrupted but due to the apnea his senses didn't alert him when breathing stopped...

Some don't like the claustrophobic feeling with the CPAP but I have no issues with it at all. When I was training for my CDL I would wake at 5 am for the 1 hour drive to the training center. 15 minutes after driving I felt like I hadn't slept in a week it seemed, so I use the CPAP religiously...

Sleep apnea is not limited to those who are overweight; although weight does exacerbate the condition. My boyfriend and I are preparing to get into team trucking. He is considerably overweight, and has already accepted the fact he will need a sleep study and more than likely have to use a CPAP. In his particular case, I think he does have sleep apnea. He's getting the ball rolling in advance of going to school to prevent any delays in getting his CDL.

To reiterate what Brett said, in my research I've found that many who were resistant to the testing and machine realize afterwards that the CPAP really does help them. This won't necessarily be the case for you, but it's worth a try. I'm sorry to hear your license was downgraded. No one should have to lose their livelihood.

At this point the best advice I can give is to comply with the requirements and get your license back on track. While it's not ideal, there probably isn't a lot anyone can do to change it. The DOT and insurance companies have decided this is what's best for the industry.

So what's the deal? If you use a CPAP, this means you can't get hired in this industry or chancing to loose your license?? I passed my DOT exam only later to find out that I did have sleep apnea and now using a CPAP but feel 100% better... I'm due for orientation in a couple of weeks and wondering now which route to take? Since I am now using the CPAP I can't very well deny that I have apnea?