Multiple Orientations?

Not sure how to phrase this but, has anyone gone to a few orientations before they found the right fit for them? Or do most folks get their answers by calling a recruiter? I have 3 companies I am interested in. I know the recruiter on the phone is one thing. But being at an orientation is a bigger picture of that company. Has anyone gone on more than one orientation before taking their first job? Thank you

I had two scheduled orientations at one point, Crete Carrier and an interview with Old Dominion. I also had extensive and multiple phone conversations with Prime and Schneider.

Has anyone gone on more than one orientation before taking their first job?

Boomshaker, I did this, but it wasn't by my choice.

I got sent home from three different orientations before landing my first job.

Here's how it happened: My first orientation was at TMC where it turned out that on the physical it was determined that I had a hernia (this was news to me, I was unaware of it) I went straight home had surgery done to repair it and six weeks later I went right back to TMC. When it came to the part of the physical testing part on lifting the tarps I told the physical therapist who they had contracted with to administer this part of their tests that I was going to do it slowly and take it easy on myself since I was still healing from the surgery, and didn't really want to rip anything loose again. I did everything he asked me to, but apparently it was too slow for his liking, and he put down that I showed some weakness. Well, that was enough to knock me out again! They offered for me to return a third time, and then when it was time for them to bus me back up there, some one in management had decided that twice was enough and they didn't want me to come back. So... I went with another company PGT trucking in Manaca, PA. I got sent home the second or third day when they realized how long it had been since I had been in school. There was a considerable time delay because of me having the surgery and failing twice at TMC, and then waiting several more weeks just to find out they didn't really want me anyway. So, once again I got sent home - they had a policy that they had to follow - or else a policy isn't a policy. I had a pre-hire from Western Express, so I just took a bus from Manaca to Nashville and got myself a hotel room for a few days until their next orientation started. I never looked back from that day forward.

There's two things I want you to notice about my experience though. One is that orientation is like a week long interview. You are not really hired until they give you a fuel card to purchase fuel with. The other thing is that while I had several companies lined up, I ended up with the one that I thought was the worst of the bunch. Turned out I did really well over there at Western Express and I got a great start to my career. I had a crazy trainer, I had a difficult start, and I got rejected three times! My point in sharing all this with you is that you may think you've got it all figured out who is going to be the best fit for you, and yet the cards may all get shuffled before your hand is dealt. I am of the opinion that our first truck driving employer is not nearly as important as most of us stress ourselves to believe it is. Part of the pressure on newbies is all the trash talk that we come across on the internet - those terrible company reviews that scare the bejeezus out of us, making us think we are going to be stuck at some place we hate for our entire first year.

Trucking is a solo act. Let me repeat that for some impact. Trucking is a solo act. What I mean is you are on your own out here. You will be the one who determines whether you do well or not, or even if you like it or not. There is, of course, all kinds of support staff at the office of the trucking company, and they are planning loads and dispatching loads and trying their best to keep you moving and making money, because after all if you the driver are not doing any good, then they are certainly not doing well either. I really don't think the name on the doors of your truck has a whole lot to do with your success at this or not, most of the burden lies upon your approach to all this and your ability to adapt and make things happen in your favor out here on the road. They cannot make you successful, but they will keep supporting you and giving you the good stuff if you prove to be the kind of person who can handle it. This has been my experience, and it bears preaching it like I do because there are so many folks who have proven me right by declaring how badly they were treated at Western Express. Want to hear something amusing? I made pretty much a thousand dollars a week at Western on a rookies pay scale (which was very low indeed), but I did that because I busted my tail. Now I am receiving letters from an attorney who is asking me to join in his class action lawsuit against Western for not allowing their drivers, who were employed during the time period that I was there, to earn at least minimum wage!

I know I've wandered off from your original question, but there is a reason for that. You can attend as many orientations as you like, and if you don't like what you see then it is you prerogative to move on before they make you an employee. In my opinion, you'd be wasting your time and their money. Find a place that seems reasonably to be a fit for what you are looking for and go for it. Get your first year of safe driving and steep learning curves over with and then decide if you want to stay there or not. My prediction is that if you are doing well you will probably not mind staying until you get a really good offer some where else - that was how it worked for me. If you are not doing well at that point then you may just be one of those that needs to look at a different career path. You will know after that first year whether you are cut out for this job, and you will also know if you want to move on to a different company or not.

6 string and Old School, thank you so much for your information. Greatly appreciated my friends. One last question if I may, if I attend an orientation (for any company) and later on they make you a job offer and you turn it down for what ever reason. Are you obligated to pay them something back for the time they spent on you for lodging, food, transportation or whatever else? Thank you

(top 3 choices in no order are US Express, Schneider, Roehl) They have dedicated runs close to my state.

No, you're not obligated, but you had better be prepared to pay your own way home. They are not going to keep paying for stuff once they know you aren't staying around.

Boomshaker, I've just gone through Orientation with Prime, and for them in the situation you describe, the short answer is Yes.

One more thing Boomshaker - you didn't ask about this but it seems fitting to me for this conversation.

When you attend an orientation, you are an unproven nobody to them, just another rookie who probably will never make it. At Western Express they told me over ninety percent of the new hires never make it past ninety days of employment - not that they got fired, but that they just can't take it and quit!

What I'm getting at is you shouldn't be real picky. There is no negotiating a better pay rate or anything like that for a newbie, You are untested, and unproven. They are willing to take a huge chance on you. Some drivers get started at this thinking that there is such demand for drivers that they will be treated like royalty when they show up - it's no so. They have had enough guys come and go in such a hurry that they have little or no confidence in your success. There is one thing, and one thing alone, that will endear you to them and that is your performance. At orientation you are taking a look at them and they are taking a look at you. But the truth is that neither one of you will have a clear picture of the other until you get out there and prove to them that you are worth keeping. Your performance as a professional driver who can produce is the one key to success at this.

J Johns and Old School again many thanks.

Old School, I have narrowed down my searches to these three I mentioned earlier. I know I will have to prove myself and can't be "to picky" when it comes to my first job. My main goal is to try and get hired by a company that will keep me as close to the Pa state as possible. (within reason) That would be my only reason after orientation for turning them down if they can't get me close to home. I have heard of recruiters promising you the stars and the moon and, later on the company says something completely different. (Does this make sense?)

(Does this make sense?)

Sure, but what do you mean by keeping you close to PA? Are you looking for a regional gig? Because I would think you would have that already settled before you went to orientation. I'm just not sure what you mean by keeping you close to PA. Look, I'm an over the road guy, but anytime I've needed to go home my dispatchers have taken care of it. If you are worried about getting home for home time, I think it is a non issue, there is tons of freight in Pennsylvania, they should never have a problem finding you something that gets you home. Plus your home time should be scheduled a few weeks in advance anyway so that they have ample time to put a plan together that routs you to your home state.

O.S. When I say "close to Pa state" I am referring to staying on the Eastern side. Somewhere near my state. All three of the companies I mentioned have dedicated runs that take me from Ohio, over to Pa and Jersey, and down to North Carolina. So that's great for me. I guess I am just making sure that what they promise I get. I guess it's just newbie jitters and I am over thinking things. LOL