Discouraged
Topic 1130 | Page 1
Sorry, that wasn't all that was said about Knight, but low miles was one of the main complaints due to having to hunt down an empty trailer just so you can get a load to actually make money. Then there were the usual complaints about not being able to talk to dispatch without being on hold forever, poor comunication, blah blah blah............
Man...I hate it when disgruntled, unemployed ex employees get wireless in their mothers basements...They just get on the net and bash whatever trucking company they feel "did 'em wrong". I, for one would never believe any of that crap. If that were true, Knight would be out of business..if they don't have a trailer right there for ya, it mans that they are getting ALOT of freight, and their trialers are being loaded, which means that YOU WILL GET LOTS OF MILES......now if they were setting trucks AND trailers for extended times all over the map, then you could be leary of not getting miles. But a lack of trailers means a load of freight....I'm not sure about a policy of not paying "empty miles". But if they were that bad, they wouldn't have any drivers, period. BUT...it will give you some good questions to ask a recruiter !!! And...if he asks, please give him the website. Even a trucking company should have the right to answer reports on their company...
Andy, Gotta watch those sites like Glassdoor and Ripoff its all negative. You will hardly ever find a positive comment on any of those sites. I too have read a lot of the same comments and if you believe it all then you are lead to believe that all trucking companies are out to stick it to the driver. Trucking companies are in the game to make money and the only way they make money is by moving freight. Trailers and drivers sitting waiting for loads doesn't make anybody money. Now with that being said, there are some companies that will have more drop and hook freight than others, so they will have more loads readily available. If a driver is sitting waiting for loads and not getting the miles I would suspect that the driver might be the problem.
From what I have gathered from various drivers on here, that when a driver isn't getting many miles or his loads aren't very regular it may be due to the drivers attitude, or his willingness to take a load. A driver that refuses a load for whatever reason can get bumped down to the bottom of the list and wind up waiting for a day or two until they decide to find them something else to haul. Trucking from what I can tell is just like any other job, you have the guys that couldn't cut it and just like to blame the company, guys that have been doing it for a number of years and are tired of it and will just complain about everything, and some guys who just don't want to work period.
Just getting started you will likely wind up getting all the crappy runs as they put you through your paces (I as well) and they see just how reliable you are. Put in your time and keep a positive attitude such as Any load, Any time, Any where.
Not saying that Knight or any other company out there is perfect and will treat every driver right, but just put in your year's time to get started and if you don't like it there move on. There are plenty of local ads for CDL drivers here in the phoenix area for OTR , regional , and local work. I really wouldn't worry about about what you read on those other sites, just concentrate on getting your permit and getting on with Knight or whoever you choose and start driving. I think once you get to driving you'll probably realize most of the negative stuff is just B.S. and to ignore it.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Andy, Gotta watch those sites like Glassdoor and Ripoff its all negative. You will hardly ever find a positive comment on any of those sites. I too have read a lot of the same comments and if you believe it all then you are lead to believe that all trucking companies are out to stick it to the driver. Trucking companies are in the game to make money and the only way they make money is by moving freight. Trailers and drivers sitting waiting for loads doesn't make anybody money. Now with that being said, there are some companies that will have more drop and hook freight than others, so they will have more loads readily available. If a driver is sitting waiting for loads and not getting the miles I would suspect that the driver might be the problem.
From what I have gathered from various drivers on here, that when a driver isn't getting many miles or his loads aren't very regular it may be due to the drivers attitude, or his willingness to take a load. A driver that refuses a load for whatever reason can get bumped down to the bottom of the list and wind up waiting for a day or two until they decide to find them something else to haul. Trucking from what I can tell is just like any other job, you have the guys that couldn't cut it and just like to blame the company, guys that have been doing it for a number of years and are tired of it and will just complain about everything, and some guys who just don't want to work period.
Just getting started you will likely wind up getting all the crappy runs as they put you through your paces (I as well) and they see just how reliable you are. Put in your time and keep a positive attitude such as Any load, Any time, Any where.
Not saying that Knight or any other company out there is perfect and will treat every driver right, but just put in your year's time to get started and if you don't like it there move on. There are plenty of local ads for CDL drivers here in the phoenix area for OTR , regional , and local work. I really wouldn't worry about about what you read on those other sites, just concentrate on getting your permit and getting on with Knight or whoever you choose and start driving. I think once you get to driving you'll probably realize most of the negative stuff is just B.S. and to ignore it.
Thanks Starcar and Charles,
After reading a little more into some of the reviews I was slowly coming to that conclusion anyways. Just kinda jumped the gun on my thought process. I think I'll stick with Knight, get in my year and then take it from there.
Does anyone remember where the post was that somebody wrote with a list of like 20 questions to ask the recruiter? I should have bookmarked it but didn't.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
Andy, I was just thinking about Knight yesterday. One reason I was thinking about them is because I've missed hearing from Crazy Rebel (he drives for Knight) here in the forums lately. He always seemed to have a unique perspective on things, and I'm sure he could tell you the truth about the things you've mentioned. But, one of the things I have noticed about Knight is that no matter where I am at in the country (I have been in 45 out of the lower 48 states in the last 90 days) I always see Knight trucks out there on the road. They've got lots of trucks, and lots of freight.
You simply can't believe all that junk you read online. If you were a little more experienced you would realize what Starcar said is true about a shortage of trailers is indicative that they've got what you need to make some real money out there. Also, knowing where empty trailers are is one of those things that a good driver keeps track of. It's not that hard to make a simple note in your smart phone or on a paper pad whenever you see some empty trailers sitting in a drop yard. It's the little details like that which separate the professionals from the moaners and groaners. Truck drivers make money by moving freight down the road, so the ones that understand that pay attention to all the little details that enable them to keep moving. The ones that don't use their mom's wireless account (like Starcar put it) to complain about how the tucking industry didn't treat them fairly.
You'll do yourself a big favor by staying away from those sites that are designed to allow people to say whatever they want without having any type of monitoring person there to hold them accountable and make them substantiate their outlandish claims.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Andy, I was just thinking about Knight yesterday. One reason I was thinking about them is because I've missed hearing from Crazy Rebel (he drives for Knight) here in the forums lately. He always seemed to have a unique perspective on things, and I'm sure he could tell you the truth about the things you've mentioned. But, one of the things I have noticed about Knight is that no matter where I am at in the country (I have been in 45 out of the lower 48 states in the last 90 days) I always see Knight trucks out there on the road. They've got lots of trucks, and lots of freight.
You simply can't believe all that junk you read online. If you were a little more experienced you would realize what Starcar said is true about a shortage of trailers is indicative that they've got what you need to make some real money out there. Also, knowing where empty trailers are is one of those things that a good driver keeps track of. It's not that hard to make a simple note in your smart phone or on a paper pad whenever you see some empty trailers sitting in a drop yard. It's the little details like that which separate the professionals from the moaners and groaners. Truck drivers make money by moving freight down the road, so the ones that understand that pay attention to all the little details that enable them to keep moving. The ones that don't use their mom's wireless account (like Starcar put it) to complain about how the tucking industry didn't treat them fairly.
You'll do yourself a big favor by staying away from those sites that are designed to allow people to say whatever they want without having any type of monitoring person there to hold them accountable and make them substantiate their outlandish claims.
That's why I love this sight. Good honest information and no bs.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Now I don't quite know what to do. Spent the last couple of hours reading truckers reviews of a bunch of different companies on Glassdoor. I was set to go to Knight but they were one of the worst rated companies on there. Most bad reviews were from the Phx terminal where I'd be working out of. Now, should I hold off and wait til I can afford to go to a private school, wait til I can afford to go to an out of state company sponsored training that has a better rating OR suck it up and go to Knight who doesn't pay for empty trailer runs and apparently has a shortage of trailers that you have to drive all over looking for one without getting paid to do it?
My drives for Knight. Had for 17 yrs now as a company driver. He has never had a problem with sitting longer than a day. And knight also pays on a sliding pay scale; meaning that the shorter distance you drive, the more they pay you. I can guarantee you this; if your waiting for a trailer then you can bet on what STARCAR said, your about to get all the miles you want. Do put to much stock into what these pitiful me wireless bullies tell you.
Keep safe and keep rolling
Chris
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Company Sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.
Stupid computer. My DAD drives for knight. Thats what it should say up there. 
One more thing to consider with the issue of not getting loads is what is the driver bringing to the table? Unless your company only hauls dry van non-hazmat to regular docks then you will probably need some endorsements and special credentials. This is why is it is recommended that you get all of your endorsements on your CDL. In addition to your endorsements a Passport will allow you to travel out of the country into Canada (some companies do go there) and a TWIC card will also allow you into shipping ports to deliver and pickup loads. If you are sitting and waiting for a load and there are 6 waiting in the area that you are in but you don't have the endorsements or credentials to haul that load to its destination than you aren't getting any of those loads. So if you want to stay busy, spend the extra time and $$, get everything you can and consider it an investment into your career. Just my .02
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
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Now I don't quite know what to do. Spent the last couple of hours reading truckers reviews of a bunch of different companies on Glassdoor. I was set to go to Knight but they were one of the worst rated companies on there. Most bad reviews were from the Phx terminal where I'd be working out of. Now, should I hold off and wait til I can afford to go to a private school, wait til I can afford to go to an out of state company sponsored training that has a better rating OR suck it up and go to Knight who doesn't pay for empty trailer runs and apparently has a shortage of trailers that you have to drive all over looking for one without getting paid to do it?
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Company Sponsored Training:
A Company-Sponsored Training Program is a school that is owned and operated by a trucking company.
The schooling often requires little or no money up front. Instead of paying up-front tuition you will sign an agreement to work for the company for a specified amount of time after graduation, usually around a year, at a slightly lower rate of pay in order to pay for the training.
If you choose to quit working for the company before your year is up, they will normally require you to pay back a prorated amount of money for the schooling. The amount you pay back will be comparable to what you would have paid if you went to an independently owned school.
Company-sponsored training can be an excellent way to get your career underway if you can't afford the tuition up front for private schooling.