Comments By Mark B.

When I joined Roehl, it took about a week from the day I accepted their offer to the day I showed up for training. This was mostly time to get the physical and drug testing done before reporting. I already had my permit.

I can't really speak on their requirements for moving violations, but I can tell you that our recruiters are back to work today (I was at the corporate HQ this morning), if you want to give them a call.

I've always heard good things about TMC, except they don't allow pets. I have a flatbed buddy who turned them down over that. I can also tell you that our pay structures are different (anybody from TMC correct me if I'm wrong). Roehl's pay isn't seniority-based, it is productivity-based with different base cpm rates depending on what type of freight you are hauling (van, reefer, flatbed, curtain, regional, local, dedicated). They do pay increases quarterly and you can come pretty close to topping out after a year, depending on how you run. Many drivers do not like this system, but they also don't read/negotiate their contracts or the company policies. If you learn how to use it, it works roehlly well.

Roanpony, I can't speak much about TMC or Prime (I understand both to be good companies), but I got my CDL through Roehl and have been with them over a year now.

I am a national reefer driver, but we have a pretty robust flatbed and specialized division and they do not charge drivers to use securement equipment. Our CDL training program is 3-4 weeks, 6 days a week at one of our terminals - flatbedders usually train at Marshfield, WI, Gary, IN or Conley, GA. We also have an outstanding training program that partners with Fox Valley Technical College in Appleton, WI, but they do not pull flatbed trailers at that location. All expenses paid during this first phase. It was not "a chicken crap boot camp experience" - for a large company, Roehl was sincere in their efforts to safely train and prepare its new drivers. I worked with multiple trainers who had worked in different segments of this industry and they were dedicated professionals that set me up for success. We did a lot of backing practice and city/close quarters driving.

During the next phase of training, the over the road with a trainer portion, my driver trainer was a two-million mile safe driver who had been with the company since 1998. He pushed me to prepare to go solo, but never raised his voice or berated me. I wasn't his logbook; when I was on-duty, so was he (Roehl requires a minimum of 6-hours overlap). The final four months of training was as a part of a training fleet - I had a fleet manager with a small board dedicated to grooming new solo drivers. I operated as a solo driver, but I still had additional training requirements to complete and skills testing. By the end, as many experienced drivers say, there was always something new to learn, but I was confident in my ability to plan and complete my trips, and I have enjoyed a very successful first year.

We have a lot of veterans working here, including senior management, support staff, drivers, and myself. They are good people who have always been honest with me. I've worked hard to develop good relationships with my fleet managers, load planners, maintenance, and regular customers. It has paid off. If you can be patient with people and develop those relationships, you will be successful at any of these companies. Roehl is not as strict as TMC with appearance (we don't have uniforms or anything), but like anywhere, it doesn't go unnoticed and they have expectations of good hygiene and maintaining the equipment. Our drivers are pretty tight-knit and we actively police up our slobs and super truckers.

Like Brett said, we do get a lot of people who come through the school houses with the wrong attitude, unrealistic expectations of what they are getting into, people who signed a contract without reading, or who otherwise fought the corporate culture during their time here. They don't stay very long, and end up owing the company repayment for their training. 3/4 of my training class left before their first year. The current contract for getting your CDL with Roehl is 120,000 paid miles, which works out to about a year, or maybe a little more depending on how you work. I was able to complete mine in just over 11 months on the national reefer fleet. Honestly, if you aren't willing or able to commit to at least year with one company, you are hurting your future employment opportunities anyway. If those folks had taken the time to read through this site, I think they would have had a much easier time.

Let me know if you have any specific questions and I will be happy to reply. Best of luck!

I would beg to differ. I don't share the view that pay should be purely based on the level of education one has. How about the level of risk one takes, not just with their own lives, but those of others. One moment of inattentiveness as a truck driver can have dire consequences, yet the pay nowhere near compensates for this level of responsibility. Let's not sell ourselves short by thinking that just because a job needs no post-secondary education, that it is not worthy of a decent paycheck. And also the amount of hours a trucker puts in is way more than in any other job. If we don't value ourselves or our time then no one else will.

Couldn't agree more, Rob.

Brett, I've read your comments in several threads where you talk about how drivers' pay has stagnated over the years - like it has with most blue collar jobs. I am curious: what is your take on companies' ability to raise driver pay? Having discussed the market with several veteran drivers in my area, they all seemed to think that the transportation industry has become so ultra-competitive that company profit margins are too small to afford the increase in pay. I remember you pointing out thin profit margins and high expenses are pitfalls for Owner Operators, although I have met a few independent O/Os who said they are doing very well for themselves (some folks are more disciplined/savvy business owners than others). It seems to me that if companies were serious about recruiting and retaining the best qualified drivers, it would make sense for them to offer a better compensation package. Although it also occurs to me that high rates of attrition are used to the company's advantage...

I may be totally wrong, but our Doctor said the urine sample he collects at the Physical is only for Kidney screening and something about sugar in the urine? I really don't care just like to know facts.

Although my company ordered their own drug test at the same time, the paperwork I received for this one was a federal form that specifically says it is a DOT drug panel for DOT and the FMCSA. They also did the local tests for excess sugar, blood, and protein for my certification.

I saw on the last page of the FMCSA medical form where it says that a drug test is not required for the two-year medical certification, so maybe this was just my company being proactive?

I don't know about Illinois, but Wisconsin required a medical card before receiving a permit. Initial drug testing was a part of the medical exam. The DMV let me take my knowledge/endorsement exams before my physical, but I couldn't actually get my permit until after I could present the medical card.