Comments By Infidel

One of the first things that struck me about the post is that, even though the school pushed Werner, Infidel went with a "lesser known" company, that was owned by a bigger company. Maybe the school pushed Werner 'cause they had a lot of students go there with good feedback.

Certainly it sounds like you handled the situation well. But I've got to say my experience (and I only speak for mine) was, to use TruckingTruth for much of my research and I spoke with various recruiters by phone. I also believe that one of the things you've got to look for is consistency of information. By that I mean; does the information on a company's website jibe with what the recruiter tells you? Is the info on TruckingTruth consistent with the company website and/or recruiter? Also, I looked for a company that was big enough they were concerned about their reputation.

Another thing that strikes me is there could have been a sense of smaller company means better attention to detail and killer cents per mile. My opinion; anytime cents per mile is much higher than the big boys, there's a reason. I could be wrong about this, but as Brett has said a million times, if there was one company paying better and a better company all-around, everybody would be driving for them.

I say; go for a bigger company, one which knows their training drivers could cost them a lawsuit and therefore, has strict guidelines for their training drivers.

I'll bet there's a great opportunity out there you'll do well with.

Good luck!

Well I found all kinds of negative stuff about Werner. Found a lot of positive too. But it wasnt just cpm that drew me. It was a large part. But also equipment, pet policy, CSA score and general patience with my endless questions. And I like working for smaller companies generally. I had no idea they were owned by another company til I got there. They are small but if you have been driving for a while you would know the company. I knew what the main offset for the high cpm was before I left. It was their terrible healthcare plan. But my wife sells health insurance so we had that covered.

I think going with a larger company is a good idea. And I may go that route next. And thank you!

Infidel- Did you take a picture of the mattress/sheets?

You'd be doing a good service to the company if you would send a picture to the boss of the Dispatcher's boss. Also enclose what you have written here. The Safety Manager and the owner or CEO should also receive this. If the company Management is competent, they will be grateful to you.

If this doesn't cause them to take action... well... enough said.

I know the bottom line is you need to put this behind you, and move on. GOOD LUCK!

No I didn't. I thought about it. But never did. Through all this I still felt bad for they guy. It cant feel good to go around like that all the time. And I'm sure it contributed to his attitude. I honestly had a hard time telling people at the office the whole truth. I did but I didn't tell everyone I talked with everything. Its a small company kinda place. Everyone knows everyone. But the message is out now. So hopefully it is addressed.

Thanks everyone for the validation. It helps. I'm not sure honestly if I will go back and try again. I feel that the experience I had colored everything I saw while trucking as bad! So at the moment I have a bad taste in my mouth about the whole thing. But we will see. I will take my time to think it through.

Brett I don't think I will go back to that same company. Their training is very long, which at first was a positive to me. Now I'm more than a bit gun shy and want a faster path. There seems to be a split in this company between the old school people (the ones that were with the original company) and the new crew from the company that recently bought it. The new crew seems more inflexible. There is a yard for a large company here locally. I was thinking of going there and talking with some one personally and kind of explain my situation. I want to ask if they have a trainer locally and could I meet them. So to get a feel for them. What do you guys think about that idea?

Also I was wondering about your opinions on running teams when training? I remember reading somewhere to not do this. As I stated before I felt as if I was mostly being used to get my trainer miles. And not as much to train me. But that's my opinion. Should I be more open minded about this possibility? I certainly don't want too, but if I had to...

Thanks in advance for any help! And Brett thanks for the confidence man!

Continue'ed ------

So after about 10 and half driving hours we get ready to stop for the day. Or what I thought was going to be stopping for the day. Turns out weren't stopping at all. We were just changing over. I think to myself "Wait are we doing teams? Cause I specifically asked if my training would be done as team driving, and I was told no. It would be solo with a trainer." Which is what I wanted. I am not trying to set any newby records or anything. Matter of fact if I do 2500 miles a week I will be happy. We were getting most of that in about 2 days. But that's one thing. Quite another thing is that this guy has been awake with me all day! I mean he hasn't slept, AT ALL! Now he is gonna run all night. Although the frequent vibrations from going over the rumble strips all night was kinda massage like. The next day he does get about 3 hours. I end up driving through small towns in Texas with no trainer on my second total day of driving a semi. Not ideal, but it was thankfully uneventful.

But the sleeping situation itself was the worst part. I was informed during our hurried change over that I would not be sleeping in the top bunk while someone is driving cause he doesn't use the nets for the bunks. So I had take off my sheets off the top bunk and now put them on the lower bunk. Yeah that would be the previously mentioned bloody mattress. This was the last straw for me.

After the attitude, his general health condition, the lie about team driving, filthy cab (along with growing collection of urine filled bottles rolling around) and now forced to sleep on someone else's bloody mattress I was done. I called a training person at the company and told them that at this point I'm about to jump out of the truck. Go home and forget the whole thing. But I understand the money they spent on getting me there and the positive experiences I had with everyone else up too my trainer that I would give it another chance. If they could get me with another trainer as soon as possible. Or least have a plan, fast. I would love to keep going on my training. I was told they understood and would work on it.

Next day. Six hours at a shipper which is another story... Delivery time of 0530 but office doesn't open til 0600. So it turns out we owed them a late fee lol, icing on the cake I say. So while waiting I try to get in touch with the person who said they would help me. Nothing, no reply for at 16 hours. Left texts and voicemails. No responses. I know they keep him busy so I'm waiting. Then we get a preplan to PA from Laredo, TX. I can't do this. Not without some kinda plan to resolve the issue. By this time my trainer knows this and tells dispatch he might not be able to take that load. Its a team driving load apparently. Now I finally get a phone call.

This is the person in charge of the of the dispatchers (I forget the job title). He starts being sort of nice and tries to finish by being sort of intimidating. Neither works for him. But what I get loud and clear is that the trainer change isn't happening. So I decide that I'm done. I just need off this truck and I need off now!

Too their credit they did get me on a Greyhound from Laredo to Las Vegas. Which I didn't expect. I wanted a ride to Austin where I have family. They did reserve the ticket for 2 days away, insuring me traveling during the holiday. But after a quick change for 20 dollars I was on a bus within 15 minutes and home before 36 hours.

In some ways I feel bad but in many ways more I'm relieved to be off that truck. And I'm pretty sure I was on this truck to make this trainer (who is a lease operator) money and in his opinion not so much about training. It will happen but its not a priority.

Now I'm debating trying again with another company. But I want to meet my trainer and see his truck before I commit to anything. Which I know is expecting way too much. So I'm gonna take the holidays to think about it.

Just a not so short story of my first attempt at truck driving. Any thing you guys could add could be helpful. Was I expecting too much? Did I react correctly? Should I have just sucked it up? I cant imagine a scenario where sleeping on someone else's bloody mattress is ok, but who knows.

Sorry it was so long, but it did feel good too write this out. And believe it or not there is more that I left out. But these were the highlights.

Beware long post ahead. Just wanted to share my story and maybe get some feedback from some of the old pro's out there.

So I have been a lurker here and other places for several months. I am a 44 year old Army Vet. So Im new too trucking but not new to operating heavy and potentially dangerous equipment. Also I have been around the block a few times and Im not fooled easily and expect to be treated with respect. I have been interested in trucking for a long time, but had never pulled the trigger on it until recently. After reading several forums (with a heavy dose of TT) and subscribing to every you tube vloger. I decided too take the plunge. I went with a school here in North Las Vegas called AIT. Great experience for me. I learned a lot. And was in the top of my class. I was excited to get started.

I talked with many many many companies! I am weary person in general. Life has taught me to be. The school kinda pushes Werner. But I wanted to see what else was out there. I decided to go with a a lesser known company (which at this time will remain nameless) that I found out later was actually owned by a larger company. Who in turn gets its freight from a MUCH larger company. The cpm was awesome! The recruiter was awesome (yeah I know, thats there job)! Never got fed up with my constant questions. One of my things I was looking for was a good CSA score. I was a tour guide in my last job so I know a bit of how that works. This company has a great CSA score. So decision was made I was off on the 2 day drive to orientation!

Orientation went good. Shared room and a decent enough hotel. Everyone was professional polite and safety orientated. We did all paperwork, physical all the necessary stuff. Then time too get on the road with my trainer... Ugh! This where it goes down hill, FAST!

It actually starts with my fleet manager. Him and my trainer are currently in a feud which my trainer has already regaled everyone within earshot about. Which is far cause my new trainer is very freakin loud! So my meeting with my fleet manager seemed to be more about getting in backhanded shots at my trainer than about me. But whatever we all get disgruntled from time to time. But one thing struck me was in all this talk I have had with my recruiter, training staff etc. Safety was the watchword so too speak. But one of the first things my fleet manager told me was my trainer would teach me how too "cheat" the e-logs...... Hold on, what? Personally Im not cheating the log book! I didn't do it at my tour guide job. I sure as hell will not do it in trucking! Even when we did paper logs. I dont need too work more than 14 hours a day or drive more than 11. Those rules seem more than reasonable to me.

But on too my trainer. After hours of him continually bad mouthing his fleet manager and chatting with another driver (a female who a later found out he was scouting for training a female family member of his) he finally decided we would not start tonight and he would open his truck so we could sleep. I have everything packed still. Havent even seen his truck yet, let alone get sheets on the bed and get situated. So I jump in and get started. This is where I find out that my trainer is not the patient, courteous or hell even likable person I was hoping for. He is negative, loud, obnoxious and impatient! Part of this is his feud with the dispatcher, part is because he is not well. He is a big man. He is pushing about 350lbs. Its hard for him to walk far or get into the truck. He has what seems to be a chronic cough and bad chest congestion. He has open sores on his legs due to poor circulation. Which he later asks for help too stop the bleeding if it occurs. As its hard for him to do it. I notice his mattress as I climb up too the top bunk. It has bright red blood stains all over it. All the while I have to hurry to get set up as he is getting impatient. No "Hi, welcome to the truck! Lets go make money!" lol or whatever I envisioned would happen. But he didnt even offer to shake my hand. Just a "Heh! Which one of you is from Las Vegas? Your with me!". I have immediately regretted my decision!

We start out in the morning. He had me driving, cool I love driving these trucks. So we start out. He is still very rough and not very patient. He knows I only have about 8 hours on the road with a truck. But we get on the highway get into tenth and set the cruise at 58 and all is good. At this point I'm hoping its just a rough start and it will smooth out over the day. It doesn't. He doesn't like when I try to do my own log on the qualcomm. He doesn't like it when I try to look over the route. He contently sets up questions so he can show me how much he knows that I don't. I know what you might be thinking. But at this point Im not even talking to him let alone trying to act like I know everything.

Continue'ed later due to turkey day!