Comments By Bill A. Parking Lot

Ive posted the pros and cons on here a while back on another post bout knight,but to say in the least bit the info ya got is horse ****.i drove for knight for 4 yrs now and had little to no issues the little issues were human error and it was fixed quickly.some shops are slow but that is so things get done correctly.i did have an issie with an oil leak twice but that was pro stars fault not knights for it was a warranted part.

for the layover ya get pd that and ya also get pd detention time.some terminals allow pets but only one let per truck.carlisle does not allow pets.the trucks are within 1 - 2 yrs old and ya normally only have it till 500,000 miles. these ppl leavin ill posts are steering wheel holders who think they should be pd to babysit a truck stop.in my oppinion. if ya have a problem go to ur dm they will do what they have to to help ya.

the staff are very family oriented.heck i had an offer of a meal just to move a trailer which i moved the trailer but refused the meal.so plz dnt believe the malarky others post on other sites. bc it is just that.

Thanks Crazy Rebel!

Ran across my share of cry babies in the service. Sounds like if some one truly knows how to give a good days work they'll be well off with Knight. I'm looking forward to it.

Bill

Like many in the good ol USA, I find myself unemployed and looking for employment. Who can miss all the ads for truck driving? It seems to be a wide open field for sure.

My back ground is ministry and military, I have served as a missionary (Eastern NC and Eastern VA), an Associate Pastor and Pastor. With so many young men with Masters degrees looking for churches to serve, and myself only having a BS, it has been difficult to find a place to serve, so I guess, God is sending me in a different direction.

So, I contacted the local Community College and they don't have an opening until March, I chose a Private CDL program to begin on December 2. I had already gotten my CDL B, so I have a headstart anyway.

I headed down to the school, signed the papers, went and got my DOT Medical (didn't need one with my CDL B for school bus), drivers record and paid my deposit, then I came home and went online.

That is when I began to wonder, what am I getting into? My first forum reading was from a husband/wife team with the dispatcher from hell. Boy, did that get me thinking. I was wondering if I better see about a refund from the school. But I kept reading more forums.

Now don't think me naive, I know this will require work, study, family separation, and much more that I have no idea what to antipate yet, but will learn. I also know that people posting will always have different opinions about companies, training, rule and regs, so I will continue to be positive, honest and truthful in how I view training, hiring, company training and every thing else.

I look forward to your replies and thoughts.

Until then...

Jim

Jim,

I made the transition a little over two years ago and I'm 52. Retired Navy, so we have a bit in common I think. First, welcome aboard. Second, (in my opinion) you found the right web site for the information you need. I like seeing others from other walks of life joining the Driving profession. You are smart for going the school route. I did it "old school" and was stuck taking any job I could get to chalk up miles without having to hit the road for months at a time. I can say it was very hard to keep a clean record until I reached the magic two year point! Not that all small outfits are bad, not at all, but if it costs more to insure a driver and a outfit can't attract good drivers with experience due to a poor reputation, they are stuck with guys like me who did not go to school and I'm stuck with them if I want good home time. My first Job still owes me about $1000, but I consider that part of the cost of getting my CDL. Nothing good is free. My second job was so sketchy I joined a drug consortium at my own expense just to cover my butt, befriended yard crew so I could learn when I was going out in time to plan a safe trip, and had to front my employer over $4000 through paying for fuel when the card was maxed out, or when I needed repairs and the boss was unavailable and at his beach house! I was always paid back, but still... Non-the-less, I chose that path and it was not forced on me so I made the best of it and learned a great deal. I'd never recommend that way of becoming a driver. Go to school, put 110% into it, and you should be fine. You will see/experience incredible places and you are in no way to old! The guy that trained me was 70. Be safe, always remember your choices can save or kill people, and never blow off checking your equipment. Not just when you'er required, but even if you just get a gut feeling that you need to look things over! Also, I was parked twice for being 15 min. over on logs. They were actually newbee errors on how to fill my logs out. Since the inspectors were not too busy I asked for more help and training from them and they were great! Always try to make a bad situation good and into something you can use down the road. OK, I need to get off the computer and go be productive. I'm still a newbee at two years in. It's time to go learn more!

We get a ton of great feedback from people who go with Knight.

Listen, that list of complaints you found is easy to find on pretty much every major company in America. You have to realize the number of people that go through those companies. They go through many hundreds or even thousands of drivers every single year. So to find some complaints is only to be expected. The validity of them is highly dubious.

Now we always tell people that trucking is performance based. If you go in there with a great attitude, work hard, be safe & reliable, and get along well with people you'll do great anywhere you go. If not, you'll be miserable anywhere you go and you'll soon see why TheTruckersReport is flooded with miserable people. Truth be told there are very few truck drivers that you could really consider true professionals. Most have terrible attitudes, don't get along well with people, or for one reason or another simply don't get the job done safely out there day in and day out.

The "top-tier drivers" at any company are usually well taken care of. They get great miles, they usually get home when they're supposed to, and they get a lot of special favors that most drivers won't get. That's trucking. You go out there and do an awesome job and they'll take care of you.

Now we have a ton of information on Knight Transportation for those who haven't come across it already. That will give you the low-down on their pay, policies, and the like.

But choosing a company comes down to figuring out what you're looking for in a company, narrowing your choices to those that hire from your area, applying to all of them to see who gives you an opportunity, and then picking the one you like best. But browsing the Web for "good company versus bad company" information is going to yield nothing but garbage.

Now one thing we always recommend is going to a nearby truck stop and speaking face to face with some of the current drivers at any company you're interested in. That's where you get great information - face to face from people who are out there doing it successfully day in and day out. Meet them at the fuel island or as they're walking into the truck stop. You'll be amazed at how friendly and willing to talk almost every driver will be. And it's commonplace for drivers to ask each other about their companies so no one will think anything of it.

Awsome! Very happy to see that I'm on the right track about info. on the web being unreliable. Marking The Truckers %$#(^t as spam. 15 years in the Navy, would not change it for all the $ in the world, got TONS out of it, and yet anyone can get horrible input about enlisting. Same stuff, different organization. I was a Navy recruiter too, and my gut told me that the guy I am dealing with at Knight was, all in all, a great guy. At just over two years into driving I still think of myself as a "newbee". A good leader in a new career needs to prove him/her self to be a good follower first. I intend on taking full advantage of the training materials and resources you offer. I'm willing to put my all into it, continue to learn, and always get along with people around me. Hard part is going from being the "go-to-guy" on subs to being the "who-do-I-go-to-guy" as a newbee. Now, on my way to the link you provided. Thank you!!

I cracked up at the part about your wife too. Women sure know how to keep ya calm and confident in a crisis don't they???

No comment! LOL!! This story is great. I'm in that gray area between rookie and experienced, set up for orientation with Knight, and trying to get info. on them. (Real info., not stuff from a "can't do" guy but a "git-er-done" kinda person. This HONEST post is great reading, informative, and very, very appreciated. Wish I had found all you positive people sooner.

Ok I know everybody has sour grapes about sum thing it is in our nature but I am new to the career path and need honest truths about a couple of companies.

1. Prime good or bad

2. Roehl good or bad

3.melton good or bad

4. create good or bad.

Again I know people have hang ups with a couple if they don't put the right amount of crap paper in the stalls but since i am just getting into trucking I would really like an unbiased opinion if that is possible. Thanks in advance, Navy Chief, Navy Pride!!!

MT1(SS)Ret.!! Go Navy!! Can't tell you much other than that I considered Roehl and looked into then very deep. They seem to invest a ton of time and money into new drivers orientation. First good indicator, they fly you in vs. a bus ticket. 2nd, they pay more for orientation than many other companies. 3rd. When I told the recruiter I was placing his offer on hold to see how a management interview pans out he was supportive, encouraged me to come back if it did not pan out, and did not try to "sell" me. They have solid CSA scores across the board as best as I remember. Was hard to find negative comments about them on the web too. Best of luck, Bill

I try to take posts on all sites with a grain of salt. Having been submerged in a submarine for 2-3 months at a time on Trident's I can invest the work and thought required to improve many work related situations and have thrived at jobs others give up on. So with that in mind, how do other drivers feel about Knight Transportation? I am to start orientation this Monday. I can only find horrible information about them on the Truckers Report, but it all seems dated 2009 or older. I expect to be held responsible for the job I'm expected to do, and can generally give 110%. I also expect my employer to keep promises, provided I stay up to date on rules, procedures, and required forms/documents to be submitted to get what they say you get. I've seen negative posts about not receiving layover pay, breakdown pay, negative reviews and termination for idling in trucks with broken bunk heaters, and complaints about receiving any pay other than CPM pay. Comments about terminals say mechanics are underpaid and for that reason, don't care much and that if you try to have a issue in the truck fixed at a terminal other than your home terminal it's like pulling teeth from a tiger. Are these comments true now, in 2013? If you are a company driver for them please respond!! If you feel you have solid info on them regardless of your employer, please respond!!