New With Covenant Any Advice?

It's going on three weeks with the company and it's has been very stressfull.They claimed I get a certain millage and we have call to get paid for the days we dont receive a load from them. 😐 Is it always this way?

Good morning.

I cannot tell you anything about Covenant (the trucking company). But that sounds like what I experienced initially as a driver for Schneider National. Over time I learned that as a New (Rookie) Driver that I had a low availability status for loads (meaning basically that drivers with more experience had a higher availability status). I was being assigned "easier" loads during my first weeks. Now I get the "more difficult" loads (whether it be because of small streets or extremely tight docking situations). Talk with your driver representative or recruiter and try to get the details on what is happening. Lack of communication means opportunity for misinformation.

But I can tell you that in my experience with logistics from various viewpoints over the years, the industry is what it is and things change regularly (all based on supply and demand as well as other economic factors).

It's going on three weeks with the company and it's has been very stressfull.They claimed I get a certain millage and we have call to get paid for the days we dont receive a load from them. 😐 Is it always this way?

Thanks for yor words, and may just be the industry as u said. I have to add on to all that is happening, the other driver found a new job and I am left calling driveres to be able to work.

Yeah, it takes time to learn your trade and prove yourself out there. The company is definitely going to keep you on "rookie status" for a while until they see you can make all of your delivery appointments on time and you're safe and reliable. The failure rate in this industry, especially for new drivers, is astronomical. And most new drivers run into a lot of snags, especially those first few months.

If you keep hammering away at it you can be sure the miles will come. Keep asking for more every chance you get but more importantly make sure you're getting to every appointment on time and safely.

Also, make sure you know those logbook rules inside out. If you want to turn 2,800+ miles per week eventually you're going to have to know those rules really well and master time management in every way.

And as far as getting paid when you don't have a load, that's going to be the last thing you're worried about soon enough. This is a performance-based industry. You make your money when those wheels are turning. You keep proving yourself to them and before long you'll be begging for a day off to recover.

What you're going through is totally normal. Sometimes a company will have tons of freight and even the new guys will run like crazy. But most of the time the new guys get what's left over like classA mentioned.

Your time is coming. Hang in there.

How long have you been running solo with the company and how many miles are you getting per week on average?

I have to add on to all that is happening, the other driver found a new job and I am left calling driveres to be able to work

You must have been typing that response the same time I was typing mine. What do you mean by that? Why are you "calling drivers to be able to work" - I'm not sure what you mean.

I was given some phone numbers of drivers to team up with and get some loads.

I was given some phone numbers of drivers to team up with and get some loads.

Ok I'm sorry but I'm still confused. Are you required to team at this point? I think if I remember right Covenant has a policy where new drivers have to team with other new drivers for a while before going solo. Is that what you're referring to?

Because normally once you're running solo your fate wouldn't have anything to do with any other drivers. It's all about lobbying dispatch for more miles.

Explain your situation there a little better and we'll try to give you some ideas.

I have apologize, I suck at all this and I'm Just frustrated. I was hired to work as a team driver with the company when my partner quit I was left in limbo. At the terminal they actually gave phone numbers of prospect to team up with, they said they'd work on trying to team me up also. Next day they decided to give some load solo for a week give my days off and work on teaming me up. I've been giving two loads TN to GA, other with in GA.