Any Updated Info On West Side Transport Or Veriha Trucking?

Im in talks with both of these companies. Does anyone have any new info on them? Graduating Monday and looking to start orientation on the 27th. Thanks in advance.

Hello Big Bird,

I'm not sure if I have any information that you don't already have or not but one of West Side Transport's recruiters visited the school I am attending a couple of days ago.

I have a cdl diary that I've been writing titled DMACC (Des Moines Area Community College). On day 7, I highlighted some of their pros & cons from the questions our class had collectively asked her if you want to check it out.

You're in luck! Sue should be along to extolling the virtues of West Side to you shortly... She is very happy there and it sounds like a great company.

You're in luck! Sue should be along to extolling the virtues of West Side to you shortly... She is very happy there and it sounds like a great company.

What he said!

Bumping this so Sue can see it.

Hey Johnny3. Any info you have would be great.

Sue? Where are you?

Re-Bump

Hello Big Bird...

I copied what I noted on my journal entry from information I gathered from the West Side recruiter when I had a discussion with her below, some of my pros may be cons for you & vice versa:

During lunch, we had a visit with a recruiter from West Side Transport & the lady was very nice.

To me these were the pros & cons. (My pros may be cons for some other people & vice versa).

pros: -minimum pay guarantee of 1k week for new otr drivers(must not turn down loads, take unusually long breaks in transit or be late to any properly planned appointments) -good rider & pet policy -good equipment (fairly new trucks equipped with apus & inverters) -better home time than most otr companies (full 48 hours home after 10-14 days out where i live) -does not seem as likely to micromanage as some other companies that will hire new drivers(no driver facing cameras, casual dress code, no grooming policy for hair length, etc.)

cons- -it would be tough to earn too much more than the minimum pay guarantee at their starting pay rate of .35/ mile. You would have to average over 2800 miles a week to get above their minimum -the company is more regional & does a lot of shorter hauls, presumably making it tougher to rack up too much mileage above this as well.

-even otr positions do mostly midwest runs with some east coast, does very little West of Iowa where I'm at (I'd like more variety) -only does dry van (I'm interested in doing flatbed but am open to others) -no tuition reimbursement -no partnership with VA apprenticeship program (this is something that would benefit me specifically that some other companies offer) -cost of benefits are pricier than some of the other companies I'm interested in -they also don't match as much on 401k as other companies I am considering.

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.

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.

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.

APUs:

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.

At WST they may start a bit lower than some other companies but they bump up your pay quickly. I also did many longer haul forklift loads with many stops that paid extremely well so I was able to make more than the minimum.

Our insurance is good. Mine is kinda pricy but I'm maxed on short and long term disability, life, health, vision, and dental and also have an FSA . I pay double what my codriver does lol.

It's a great solo focused company.