Stevens Transport
Topic 2542 | Page 1
Like many others I have been reading, I am looking into Stevens Transport. I have been accepted to TDI here in Florida, and I have 6 pre-hire letters, including Stevens. I keep reading about Stevens Driving Academy, but I am interested in how they are as a company to work for as a new driver. I understand the $350 gross for the training period. And I understand the $.26 a mile to start with a $.01 increase up to a year. I have a friend in the TDI program in SC, and he has an orientation date of 2/16/14 for Stevens. Is the orientation period for new drivers the same as for Student drivers? I will already have a Class A CDL from Florida, will I need to get one for Texas? The recruiter would not give me a straight answer, which, of course, would make me start to second guess my decision. I am trying to go into this with an open mind and not any high expectations, but I don't want to be thrown out onto the road by an abusive trainer, either. So I guess the ultimate question is: Is there a difference between going to Stevens for their driving course verses going in as a newly graduated TDI student? Any and all responses will be helpful! Thank you, Brett, for this site. I have found it most useful!
Per your CDL question, No. Even though the company Hiring you is out of Texas as long as your CDL is for interstate commercial use you keep the CDL in the state of which you reside in.
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.
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Like many others I have been reading, I am looking into Stevens Transport. I have been accepted to TDI here in Florida, and I have 6 pre-hire letters, including Stevens. I keep reading about Stevens Driving Academy, but I am interested in how they are as a company to work for as a new driver. I understand the $350 gross for the training period. And I understand the $.26 a mile to start with a $.01 increase up to a year. I have a friend in the TDI program in SC, and he has an orientation date of 2/16/14 for Stevens. Is the orientation period for new drivers the same as for Student drivers? I will already have a Class A CDL from Florida, will I need to get one for Texas? The recruiter would not give me a straight answer, which, of course, would make me start to second guess my decision. I am trying to go into this with an open mind and not any high expectations, but I don't want to be thrown out onto the road by an abusive trainer, either. So I guess the ultimate question is: Is there a difference between going to Stevens for their driving course verses going in as a newly graduated TDI student? Any and all responses will be helpful! Thank you, Brett, for this site. I have found it most useful!
Per your CDL question, No. Even though the company Hiring you is out of Texas as long as your CDL is for interstate commercial use you keep the CDL in the state of which you reside in.
Excellent...that is a huge relief! Thank you, Highway!
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.
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.
Any time bud. Be safe out there.
Ya know, I'm not even sure Stevens can bring people in from out of state for their academy or not anymore. Texas passed a law recently that pretty much nixed out-of-state students coming into company-sponsored programs like Stevens and FFE. But I'm not sure of the status of that. You said you spoke with the recruiter from Stevens. They seemed interested in possibly bringing you in? If so then obviously that law isn't stopping them from training out-of-state students. But you'll want to look into that more closely.
Thanks Brett. After talking with the recruiter, since I'll be getting my CDL here, I will only have orientation the first week, then get paired up with the "trainer" to drive their backlot course and as long as I can show I can handle a rig, we can be out on the road as quick as the second week. But, that was a recruiter talking, so a grain of salt is used to digest any info. But always looking forward. I feel your advice of sticking out for a year at least is some of the best I have seen. And once I get through their "OTR Training Period", I can team with a friend who is starting their orientation on 2/16. And of course the recruiter hinted at the lease program. Your advice to stay away from the lease program is embedded in my head!! Goodness, this site is awesome!
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.
I personally have not heard much about Stevens but it appears that most companies give you a road test initially then if you do not have any verifiable experience they put you with an OTR trainer for a while then road test again when your trainer releases you before you get your own truck. Good luck and please let us know how it goes.
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.
Stevens does accept out of state students. They have a contract school in denver colorado is where I attended.
Stevens does accept out of state students. They have a contract school in denver colorado is where I attended.
I see! Excellent! So they basically found a way to continue with their schooling by working together with around the country. That's great. A lot of states are passing laws now making it difficult or impossible to transfer a license into their state because they don't want students leaving the state for training. Ironically that Texas law did the opposite. It actually prevented Texas companies from bringing out of state students into Texas to train and get their CDL. But either way, private schools are trying to prevent company-sponsored programs from taking their students away by passing laws making it more difficult to move a CDL between states.
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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Like many others I have been reading, I am looking into Stevens Transport. I have been accepted to TDI here in Florida, and I have 6 pre-hire letters, including Stevens. I keep reading about Stevens Driving Academy, but I am interested in how they are as a company to work for as a new driver. I understand the $350 gross for the training period. And I understand the $.26 a mile to start with a $.01 increase up to a year. I have a friend in the TDI program in SC, and he has an orientation date of 2/16/14 for Stevens. Is the orientation period for new drivers the same as for Student drivers? I will already have a Class A CDL from Florida, will I need to get one for Texas? The recruiter would not give me a straight answer, which, of course, would make me start to second guess my decision. I am trying to go into this with an open mind and not any high expectations, but I don't want to be thrown out onto the road by an abusive trainer, either. So I guess the ultimate question is: Is there a difference between going to Stevens for their driving course verses going in as a newly graduated TDI student? Any and all responses will be helpful! Thank you, Brett, for this site. I have found it most useful!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Pre-hire:
What Exactly Is A Pre-Hire Letter?
Pre-hire letters are acceptance letters from trucking companies to students, or even potential students, to verify placement. The trucking companies are saying in writing that the student, or potential student, appears to meet the company's minimum hiring requirements and is welcome to attend their orientation at the company’s expense once he or she graduates from truck driving school and has their CDL in hand.
We have an excellent article that will help you Understand The Pre-Hire Process.
A Pre-Hire Letter Is Not A Guarantee Of Employment
The people that receive a pre-hire letter are people who meet the company's minimum hiring requirements, but it is not an employment contract. It is an invitation to orientation, and the orientation itself is a prerequisite to employment.
During the orientation you will get a physical, drug screen, and background check done. These and other qualifications must be met before someone in orientation is officially hired.