Comments By Florida Phil

Werner is one of the major companies that hires out of Florida, but I can tell you from personal experience that it is often difficult getting freight into Florida for home time and even more so getting freight coming back out.

Hey, magick. Would you be kind and elaborate on this statement of yours. Possibly reword it in layman's terms for me. Hometime is not my top priority, by the way, being that I'm pretty much a freebird.

Hey, Errol. Thanks for info regarding the cpm.

Hello m.o.m (miracle of magick), Thanks for your input. I'm putting WERNER on my list of prospective employers now. Question: when your turn TEAM on the road, yet your still technically training, all cpm continues to go to the trainer? In other words (at WERNER), cpm starts when you go fully SOLO, once the trainer signs off?

Hey, Errol. Indeed, as I've read from other veteran moderators that FL is not the easiest location from which to hire from I do keep positive that I will land something upon graduation from CDL school. Although not guaranteed, the instructors from the community college I will be attending assure us that recruiters will visit us as we near completion of the program. Being that I do not plan on requesting much home time (maybe twice in my first year, possibly less) along with having excellent credit I hope companies will consider me a likely candidate. Currently, I am checking ALL companies included within TT Company Reviews who: a) have terminals in FL b) hire out of FL c) operating area includes FL d) hire w/ no experience

RE: SOLO vs TEAM training Does the trainee receive any cpm or ONLY the flat weekly training pay?

Hey there, Errol. I may have caused a bit a confusion when I used the term SOLO. I was not implying that I would be alone in a truck during training. I was implying that I would be the only driver with a trainer in the passenger seat supervising. I am in no way looking to avoid the trainer/trainee phase of this new career I hope to embark on. On the contrary, I actually look forward to having a top notch trainer as a mentor figure to guide my during the infancy stage of my new career choice. As I have been researching companies on TT I come across the statements that during training you are dispatched either as a TEAM or as SOLO. From what I gathered is that as a TEAM both myself and the trainer will take turns driving versus being dispatched SOLO wherein only myself (trainee) does all the driving. Both scenarios appeal to me yet I'm sure one may be more suitable to my personality than the other. I hope this clarifies what it is I am inquiring about. Again, thank you for time and all your feedback that's far. Do keep it coming

Greetings Errol, Thanx for taking the time to reply to my topic. The intentions behind my post was to stimulate conversation about the PROS & CONS of being dispatched SOLO vs TEAM during the training phase of a trucking career. My assumptions are probably riddled with inaccuracies yet this allows for the veterans of this forum to correct my thinking and thus teaches me a thing or two about said topic. Anywho, since I seem to have your attention would you please be kind enough to chime in on this conversation.

Appreciate everyone's replies, sincerely do. Here are some of my own thought on the matter. I strongly encourage everyone to add comments and please do correct me where I am wrong.

SOLO Good trainer is focused on your driving Good more time behind the wheel, gaining experience, & building stamina Good better rest because truck shut down Bad no brakes longer shifts Ugly peeing in a bottle/crapping in a bucket w/ trainer on board

TEAM Good learn to sleep on moving truck Good brakes w/ shorter shifts Bad poor rest because moving truck Bad stamina does not increase Bad trainer must sleep (left alone) Ugly peeing in a bottle/****ting in a bucket w/ trainer on board Ugly more loads putting big bucks in trainer's pocket

Greetings TT Forum, Greatly appreciate your time and efforts. What's the good/bad/ugly about running Solo vs Team during your training phase with your first company. Quick background; recently received my CDL A permit, will be attending a private schools (via a local community college), then hopefully move right on to the OTR training phase with a reputable company.