Some Info Will Be Helpful

Is there anyone here who know/work for either of the following companies?

• Southern Refrigeration
• Roehl
• Marten
• Western Xpress
• GTI (Gordon Trucking)
• STI
• RTI
• Boyd Brothers
• TMC
• KB Transport
• Averitt

I have read the info on their websites. But would love some actual first hand knowledge.

Thanks, Deweykid

No? Nothing? Sad day for me.

Dewy I start with Roehl on Monday.

I drive for Roehl, what kind of info you looking for?

Dewey Kid, we're not accustomed to questions quite like this because you said that you've read what's on the website. Usually that kind of means that you want us to tell you if they are a sorry company and you need to stay away from them. Well they are all trucking companies and they all pretty much are doing the same thing. The drivers in the industry have gotten themselves into a bad habit of trying to determine which companies are good and which are bad, which is a completely false premise to base your choice of employer on. The truth (which is what we try to stay focused on around here) is that you could go to any of the companies you've mentioned and be just as happy as a squirrel with a mouth full of nuts as long as you are committed to making it work, and are fully prepared to face the difficulties of the job without whining and crying every time things don't go just the way you thought they should.

Trucking is a tough, and yet rewarding career, for a special group of people who have come to face the realities of life on the road and conquered the difficulties that make it an industry with one of the highest turn-over rates around. You've thrown out such a wide variety of companies that your search has put you all over the place in terms of what types of driving you might be interested in. I suggest you focus on a particular area such as flat-bed, dry-van, or reefer and then search which companies you might be interested in based on that criteria. I drive for Western Express and I absolutely love it, but that's because I love being an American Truck Driver who does his best day in and day out to get the things moving across the country that the great people of this land need to keep things rolling along smoothly. If that describes you then you will do very well at any of the companies you asked about.

Here's a couple of facts about the company that might be of interest. But, I'd like you to come back with maybe some specific questions.

1) They are the largest woman owned trucking company in the U.S.

2) They are among the top 5 largest flat-bed operations in the U.S.

3) They have approximately 2600 trucks (around 1100 flat-bed and 1500 dry-van) no reefer division.

4) While they don't necessarily make this claim themselves, many people consider them a starter or second chance company - They bring in approximately 20 new people each week for orientation and training. They are in the process right now of expanding their training program, in expectation of growing their fleet.

5) Their equipment (tractors, not necessarily the trailers) is fairly new, usually not more than 3-4 years old. (Freightliners, Internationals, and Volvos, with the bulk of it being Freightliners)

6) They move enough freight to have to spend 140 million dollars a year on fuel.

Yeah, I totally agree with Old School. You have to narrow your search by figuring out what type of trucking you'd like to do - types of freight, how often you'd like to be home, type of equipment, what parts of the country you'd like to run, pay & benefits, etc.

Someone might come in and say Prime is the best company in the world. But if you want to haul dry van and be home on weekends then for you Prime would be about the worst company in the world.

I love being an American Truck Driver who does his best day in and day out to get the things moving across the country that the great people of this land need to keep things rolling along smoothly. If that describes you then you will do very well at any of the companies you asked about.

Exactly. Trucking is a performance-based industry. The best drivers get the most freight and the best treatment. So a lousy driver is going to be miserable anywhere they go. A great driver will do great anywhere they go. So you don't pick a company because someone says they're good or not. You choose a company because they offer what you're looking for and then you go in there and show em what an amazing driver you are. Then you'll find that life will be great for you at that company.

Great advice Brett as usual!!! I picked Roehl for the following reasons:

1. More home time options (most important to me) 2. Safety record 3. Quality of their training

I never considered pay/benefits while deciding. Most large companies you could throw a blanket over those.

I also did not consider their setup for school. I.E. them providing transportation, meals, and such. Those were not important to me personally

Dewey, I will be starting with Averitt Express this coming week. This is my first truck driving job but my reason for going with them was in part due to the business relationship I had built with them over the past ten years as a warehouse manager. Everyone I dealt with was courteous and professional. When I was in school I met a couple of drivers at a truck stop we went to while doing our road driving. They had nothing but good things to say about the company. You might also look for posts by Rolling Thunder and Trafficjam. They posted about their experiences with orientation and training.

My apologies for the vague question. Basically what I am asking is does anyone have any personal experiences with any above listed companies? Good or bad? I have been on their respective websites but they are all the same. I want to know is what experiences have y'all have such as hometime? Minimum out time? Dedicated routes available for students on these companies?

I know for a fact they will say one thing to get you in, but then do the opposite once you arrive. I am not bad mouthing any of these companies, just trying to get a more completed picture here. Thanks for the info so far guys.