Comments By Mike W.

Try hireright.com or goodhire.com call both of them and ask what is in their detailed report. This way you don't spend your money for nothing. Hopefully you get exactly what you need. Good luck.

Thanks Will look at those sites

Does anyone know where I can get, or if its even possible for me to get a full background check on myself? Something that would allow me to see exactly what a company would see if they did a check on me. I know there are websites that do checks (instant checkmate is one I looked at) but most of them are not consumer reporting agencies that can be used for hiring purposes. I called one (official) consumer reporting company and they told me I could not do a background check on myself, and they only do background checks for companies doing checks on employees (with the employees written consent)

Doesn't seem right that you can't get an official background check on yourself

Anyone else looked into this? I would like to get an official one but if I can't are those web sites any good, such as Instant CheckMate?

Been with Schneider Bulk for a week on my own now. I love it so far. Training was very good, they taught us everything we need. Now I am just fine tuning things and getting more comfortable with the truck and the road.

Like Brett says... Make sure you understand HOURS OF SERVICE. Very important when you are out here. Also trip planning super important (you will learn that in school or company training).

My experience with Schneider has been good. I asked all the recruiters I contacted while in CDL school to answer, by email (that way I have it in writing), a long list of questions. Some recruiters told me they cannot communicate by email, so I told them if they cannot write things down for me or take the time to, then I am not interested in their company. But most did comply. The answers to those questions helped me fine tune my decision.

So far Schneider has made good on everything my recruiter told me. I was told I would receive a sign-on bonus in installments on X, Y, Z dates... today I received my first one just as promised. Recruiter told me 2000-2500 miles per week for newbies is what I should expect... My first week I got 2600 miles.

Also to ALL of you. DO NOT be scared of Tankers. Seriously the surge is not that bad once you learn to manage it. Just like shifting is hard at first, and the pre-trip, and everything else. The surge just makes you a better driver (sorry Van/Reefer/Flatbed people lol) because you are constantly thinking about it.

Here is my list. Hope it helps some of you.

Questions for Trucking Company Recruiters

Company Name:

Recruiter Name:

Phone Number:

Email:

1. Where is your orientation?

2. Is the orientation a controlled curriculum for subject matter and teaching points? Mileage? Time?

3. Do the trainers get graded by the students after completion or is there a feedback loop to make the training better? Team driving during training?

4. What is the pay during orientation and training?

5. What is the pay after training completion? List for each division please: tanker, dry van, reefer, etc. Please list if it is for ALL miles, or is a progressive (“tiered”) pay scale.

6. Any bonuses post completion? 6 months? 1 year?

7. Is there a 401k and how is it structured? Cap limits? How much does the company match?

8. During orientation are lodging and meals paid for by the company?

9. If the trainer takes home time does the newbie keep driving?

10. What electronics does your company furnish to make a more safe and efficient driver?

11. Where are the main hubs?

12. Does the company have any dedicated contracts? Divisions? Is the newbie eligible for them?

13. What medical and dental plans are offered? Details and pricing of each plan to include time with company?

14. Can you switch trainers if it doesn't work between the two of you for whatever reason?

15. Idling policy?

16. Inverter installation policy? APU in trucks?

17. Is per diem built into the pay?

18. Breakdown and layover pay? Detention pay?

19. Are they no touch or is unloading involved? Pay for unloading?

20. How many miles do they usually put on a truck before they pull it from the fleet?

21. How does the pay period work? Do they use TRANSFLO and does it cost you? Do bills have to be sent in by a certain day to get paid during a week?

22. General home-time policy and where they want the truck when you go home?

23. Slip seating or assigned trucks?

24. What speed are trucks governed at?

25. Vacation policy?

26. What miles are paid miles and what miles are not?

27. When am I working and not getting paid?

28. If weather, driver (sick) or road conditions are such that I feel it is unsafe to continue driving, will I be penalized for parking until it is safe?

29. What are the reasons I could be disciplined and or fired for?

30. What can I expect my first year earnings to be? 2nd year?

31. How many miles per week does a newbie average?

32. Is there a tuition reimbursement program? Explain how it works please.

33. How many of their recruits as a percentage remain past 90 days?

34. What is the number 1 reason new recruits quit or their biggest complaint when they're terminated?

Wow! I thought I was bad. LOL have you ever gotten a recruiter to answer all those questions?

And Jersey City is, well ... Jersey City

LOL I was born it Jersey City, went to Snyder High in the 70's Them's were some tough days, LOL I'm in central Jersey now. I lived in Bayonne before Central Jersey and that was a step up from Jersey City, I wouldn't even consider going back to Bayonne

Yep, I drive for OD. Are you in NJ?

Yeah, Jersey born and raised. I knew a few good guys from OD. Only knew them by ...OD LOL Maybe your one of them. Have you ever picked up at Roland Foods in Dayton?

Yeah, that's pretty much the way I'm looking at it. While right now I'm willing to walk away from anything that doesn't work for me, I still need medical benefits. Medicare doesn't kick in until 65. So while I could fool around a bit for a while, I'm eventually going to have to find something that works for a few years, maybe as much as 8. And as it looks, it won't be over the road.

If I were in your shoes (no wife, grown kids) I would want to give it a try... but that's just me... the OTR lifestyle is appealing to me. I would guess that most of the larger OTR carriers provide benefits comparable to "local" companies. They just don't pay as well for the hours you put in... but, if you run hard you might make up the difference.

From my research, contrary to what was said above, Prime would be a good company to start OTR with... they're one of the better paying "starter" companies. Crete is another one.

And, if you really want to go all in, and fully embrace the lifestyle, ... what about becoming an owner operator?

"an owner operator?" ! maybe in the 70's NEVER today, but thanks for the feed back on Prime and Crete

Mike, I have no OTR experience, but I've researched plenty truckload companies. I am a linehaul driver, so I can give you that kind of perspective. Not sure if you've done linehaul or just P&D. Like the other feller mentioned, if you wanna just collect some health care and get out a bit, then by all means go OTR. If you wanna make some great money, but not have that OTR lifestyle, go linehaul.

Personally, I love linehaul. Before I gained any kind of seniority, I was out for 3-4 days at a time - that's what made me realize I'd prefer to get home daily if possible. I have a young family. That little bit of time on the road gave me enough of a taste to know that OTR isn't for my family. BTW, I've also done a little P&D at my LTL company.

Why do I like linehaul?

1. The pay

2. The regularity / routine of a schedule

3. I love to pull doubles

4. Once you know your terminal / meet point locations, it's just sit back and drive - no having to find a place you've never been to before in the middle of metro NYC ( yes, I go to the 5 boroughs, but to our terminals )

5. I never touch freight

6. All drop and hooks, no waiting for 'live' loads at shippers and receivers

7. No dealing with the 'outside world,' i.e. shippers and receivers - just first name basis relationships with terminal dispatch and central dispatch, plus the camaraderie of other linehaul drivers for the company

8. No sleeping in the truck / at truck stops. Even when I bagged out, I was put up in hotel rooms. Now I'm home every day, so I sleep in my own bed and use my own shower

Hope some of this helps, at least if you're seriously considering linehaul.

Thanks, I hear ya loud and clear. I am looking into line haul work now, for the very reasons you mentioned. Only thing is, is that its not too easy to come by. I know my phone wouldn't be ringing off the hook if I applied for a line haul job, LOL. I would have never considered it before but circumstances have changed. I'm actually considering ALL options, even driving a school bus. The fact is, collecting a pension and making a good salary only puts more money into Uncle Sam's pocket. While I would never encourage a younger person to go OTR for the adventure of it, I'm actually in a position to do just that. So I might just do it, keeping in mind some the suggestions here to stay away from the start up companies. Although Schneider has a tanker operation about 30 mins from me, and i thought I could see some of the country with them. Anyone have any thoughts about Schneider? Also Oakley was looking for drivers in my area. First think I have to do is get my HAZMAT back on. I had it when i first started driving, let it lapse, got it again after the union job closed, then let it lapse again, didn't think I was going to need it, didn't want to go through the trouble to keep it. I got my Tanker and Dbl/Triple endorsements, never drove either. I was thinking that might make it a little harder to get a line haul job since thats mostly doubles

Was that an Old Dominion truck in the picture there? Is that who you do line haul work for?

Yeah, that's pretty much the way I'm looking at it. While right now I'm willing to walk away from anything that doesn't work for me, I still need medical benefits. Medicare doesn't kick in until 65. So while I could fool around a bit for a while, I'm eventually going to have to find something that works for a few years, maybe as much as 8. And as it looks, it won't be over the road.

I read that the trucking associations believe this driver shortage is only going to get worse, even though companies are trying to make life better, (more home time, creature comforts, and better pay). They say they just don't see it improving. Its a simple fact, if they want to fill these seats, they're going to have to make it worth while. I know some companies operate with a revolving door, but I can't see how that would be better than having long term employees. Seems to me that something is going to have to change, sooner or later. In the long run, either the we are all going to pay more for the things we want, or we all get used to not getting what we want when we want it. Given the way most Americans are, it seems like its going to be the later

Hi everyone! I am a 25 yr driver with no OTR experience. I drove for 21 yrs with a union job doing local work in the Tri-State area (NY,NJ,CT,PA) My union job closed its doors in 2011. After that I decided to work for a non-union company to get away from the union crap. For a while things were pretty sweet. I was collecting a pension from the union job, and was making $21 hr doing container work at the piers with the non- union job. Before you start to think I'm trying to make some kind of Non-Union/Union debate here, let me assure you I'm not. The only thing I will say is that while there is a lot of things I HATE about the unions, if I had a choice, i'd go union. There's positives and negatives on both sides of the aisle. nough said. Anyway, the reason I am now thinking of going over the road is because the second job went from good to Horrible real quick. I went from doing pier work to making retail store deliveries, in Long Is. and Manhatten. I finally quit. I was traumatized, LOL. I will never touch freight again, LOL. So thats why Im considering OTR.

In my area there is local work (which almost always means handling freight), there is Line-Haul which means working the night shift (12-8), Regional, and OTR. Being that I'm single now, with grown kids, I thought it might be interesting to go OTR for a while to see what its like.

But here is why I'm slowing down on this idea, and here is where I need some input from you experianced OTR drivers. I can't believe how DESPERATE companies are to hire new drivers! I'm to the point where I'm ignoring phone calls and emails. It's getting to be annoying. I'm still not ruling it. I feel it might work for me because of my circumstances. I have to say though, if companies are this desperate for drivers, it can't be a good job, not for the long haul anyway. You would think that if its SO hard the get drivers, the companies would have to sweeten the pot, but that doesn't seem like its happening. Not if they continue to have such a shortage of drivers.

I just want to work for about 5-6 more yrs and then retire completely. So should I run from this idea, or give it a shot?

Your thoughts please.

Mike