I Have Made My Decision

I am going to be pulling reefers with FFE providing I can make it through their academy and orientation hiring process. I start school in Fort Worth on Aug 26. According to Brett, and other knowledgeable folks and drivers I have spoken with, it is just not all that important as to which company you go with for the first year or so for the experience, as they all have their advantages and disadvantages. What sold me on FFE was the quality of the training program, and the starting rate of pay at .29 cpm , as opposed to .26 at others that have expressed interest in me. Most all of the companies require a contract that furnish training, and FFE is no different in that regard, but the huge thing for me is that not a cent is taken out of your paycheck. Just work for FFE for a year, and their is no further obligation. Up front costs are minimal as well. I like that they run the entire lower 48, and that runs tend to be more often longer with reefer. Their safety record is satisfactory, and their fleet is comparably young as with other big companies. Another factor in choosing reefer is that hauling food products is not as affected by seasonal slow downs. Also, when working in the trailer, I am one that MUCH prefers cold to hot. I would actually like to make this my permanent job through retirement if all goes well and not just for a year.

Good Luck, Tim...keep us updated as to how your training goes...lots of other drivers have logged their training in the diaries section..you might consider it, too..

Jeez, 26cpm?? Wow that's low. And I thought me making 30cpm was low haha!

Anyways, I'm glad you made your decision and I hope I helped with it. Take the training seriously and learn all you can.

Jeez, 26cpm?? Wow that's low. And I thought me making 30cpm was low haha!

Anyways, I'm glad you made your decision and I hope I helped with it. Take the training seriously and learn all you can.

Yeah, swift starts you at .26, but you get raises pretty regular for 6 month, 9 month and 1 year times...makes sense..they know 80% of their new drivers aren't going to be there at the end of a year...

Maybe if they paid more they would stay.

Maybe if they paid more they would stay.

The reason so many people leave has very little to do with pay. It has to do with the fact that 90% of the people who get into trucking have no idea what they're getting into and shouldn't be in the trucking industry to begin with.

Maybe if they paid more they would stay.

The reason so many people leave has very little to do with pay. It has to do with the fact that 90% of the people who get into trucking have no idea what they're getting into and shouldn't be in the trucking industry to begin with.

Yeah I know. That was an attempt at humor.

Maybe if they paid more they would stay.

The reason so many people leave has very little to do with pay. It has to do with the fact that 90% of the people who get into trucking have no idea what they're getting into and shouldn't be in the trucking industry to begin with.

Yeah I know. That was an attempt at humor.

Ahhhh. Use a smiley next time.

Good Luck, Tim...keep us updated as to how your training goes...lots of other drivers have logged their training in the diaries section..you might consider it, too..

Thanks, Roadkill. I already have a long Diaries thread going that has documented the whole nine yards up to this point beginning with my first baby steps, lol.

Jeez, 26cpm?? Wow that's low. And I thought me making 30cpm was low haha!

Anyways, I'm glad you made your decision and I hope I helped with it. Take the training seriously and learn all you can.

Thanks, Daniel. You have helped me probably more than you realize. I have read just about all your comments since being on the site, and they are appreciated. I am definitely taking the training seriously. I just can't fail. It is just that important to me that I succeed.