Thoughts/Opinions/Advise Wanted In Finding A Great Company
Topic 15830 | Page 1
Looking for a company that will keep us running. Lots of OTR time, good benefits and a great retirement plan. I'm working on my CDL so ideally one that could run us as team in the next year. Give me your thoughts on good companies that would be a match!
Hi, Dreamer. Your request for info about great companies won't really work. What's great for me may be so boring or something for you. Often people ask for high pay, long miles, and a truck built and delivered yesterday, complete with APU. Not going to happen.
Your best plan of attack is to read about trucking:
Then list the things you want to see in your company, then look here: Trucking Company Reviews. If you see a company you like, then search for it using the search box at the top left. You will find lots of comments about your future employer.
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.
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.
APU:
Auxiliary Power Unit
On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.
Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.
Errol, Your eyes aren't tired i posted before I messed with my profile. ;) I have been reading all the links to companies I've found and going to their sites. I've spoken to drivers while on the road. I guess I was hoping to hear about personal experiences with companies. I think I overwhelmed myself!
OK, I thought I had zonked out or something.
The big carriers are all "great companies", that's what makes that decision so hard for some people. I describe the problem as the difference between Denny's and Applebees. Both are Family diners, with decent food. But they are still different.
If you run across a company that sounds interesting, then put their name in the search box. You'll find many personal experiences about them. And, here, they won't be whiney negative.
A few thoughts: location of terminals or even company schools is not important. If they hire you, they will easily get you home for your home time. You will get transportation to a company school, usually Greyhound bus.
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.
I guess I was hoping to hear about personal experiences with companies
No, don't worry about that. That's not gonna help you much at all.
Everything you said you're looking for describes all of the major carriers. The one exception, to some degree, is teaming. If you want to run team then I would focus on refrigerated carriers. They have by far the largest percentage of coast to coast freight for teams.
You said you're working on your CDL. Does that mean you're in school already or are you looking for a school?
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.
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Looking for a company that will keep us running. Lots of OTR time, good benefits and a great retirement plan. I'm working on my CDL so ideally one that could run us as team in the next year. Give me your thoughts on good companies that would be a match!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
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.