New Covenant Information Husband/wife Team

Hello everyone! I've been searching for up to date information on Covenant and can't seem to find anything that isn't a couple years old. Looking mainly for other husband/wife teams that can give me some pro/cons on Covenant as we are looking hard at them but would gladly take any info about other companies. We would like to train together one main thought on looking at covenant, I know Schneider also trains together and they are a close second but haven't been able to confirm for sure any other companies that train team together. It seems like covenant has very competitive pay but pay can be so confusing with all the bonus and perk talk I don't feel super confident on my understanding of it. I'm curious about their trucks as I they claim to have a young fleet but have some some conflicting statements. Also I read somewhere that someone really liked that Schneider had so many terminals. Is that something that makes a big difference for most people out there? It seems like it could be a real bonus but I'm not sure if that is just a rookie thought or not. Anyway this is getting long, thank you for all the great advice on here!

As far as terminals I think that might depend on the area you will be working. The best I believe about terminals is I think you can use them as a place to park your truck for a break, which would be nice to be able to schedule ahead of time knowing where your stop might be. I work for a small company that travels North/South thru the mid USA. Basically the I35 corridor staying away from the East and West coast and have little problem with parking but I do not believe that is the same on the coasts. I think it would be tough on a married couple to split up for training time, depending on the length of time they train you. I know it would not have worked well in my marriage. Good luck.

Like what Joe said, terminals aren't so important in your decision making.

As for training together, you can do the basics and get CDLs together. But there is a stretch of OTR where you'll spend 3-4 weeks one-on-one with a trainer. Once you both satisfy this and your company says you can solo, you can team up.

As for training together, you can do the basics and get CDLs together. But there is a stretch of OTR where you'll spend 3-4 weeks one-on-one with a trainer. Once you both satisfy this and your company says you can solo, you can team up.

So covenant and Schneider both say they will put us together in a truck with a trainer, saying it's better for a team to stay together the whole training time, they say they will do it weather your just friends or related/married. Is that a lie?

Covenant is offering a 40,000teaming bonus(every 60,000 miles driven each drivers makes 1,000bonus they say it takes about 3 months to drive 60,000miles) 600/week training(saying it takes about a month then .40cpm for the first 60days then up to .50cpm they also have a safe driving bonus of .02cpm that they pay out quarterly. Does this sound competitive and realistic? I don't see how they can advertise it and not pay it but I'm totally new to this.

Oh and they do a tuition reimbursement of 15,000 with payments of 150/month then on 5year anniversary they pay you what is left in one lump sum. Seems like a way to try to get people to stay with them for a while. Hoping that isn't a sign they suck to work for and need all the enticement to stay with them?! But I can find positive reviews so like you guys say it's probably mostly up to our attitude, they are a large company.

Seems like a way to try to get people to stay with [Covenant] for a while. Hoping that isn't a sign they suck to work for and need all the enticement to stay with them?!

Trucking companies really need drivers. All the big ones work to keep their drivers happy. But from a driver's point of view, companies are almost all the same - a commodity. Just as there's little difference in getting gas at BP or Shell (both gasolines fill your tank so who cares?), there's almost no difference between driving for CFI, Prime or Swift.

So an "enticement" is not an admission that their jobs are "suckier" than others. It's an effort to keep the good drivers around.

Amber, you are so skeptical of everything. That's fine - I get it, especially when you research trucking companies online.

Truck drivers are notorious whiners and complainers. That means you will absolutely learn nothing by readiing the reviews of their employers.

You are going to discover that trucking is a completely performance based job. The way you execute your responsibilities and produce positive results will be the only factor that determines your success. That name on the truck's doors is meaningless.

Here's a great example of what I'm talking about. I have been employed by Knight transportation for over five years now. I was recently in one of our driver lounges at a terminal. There were seven other drivers in there with me. When I entered the room they were all discussing how bad this company is. You know... they can't get enough miles, they can't make any decent money, their dispatcher is a numbskull, on and on and on. You've seen it all online.

You have to learn how to interpret this nonsense. You see, I am treated wonderfully, and I'm earning way more money than this group of losers in the driver's lounge. When you hear truck drivers complaining about how bad this or that company is, you've got to realize they are telling you how bad they are at producing anything worthwhile in a job where you are measured by your performance. It's that simple.

If you and your husband want to do this, then get in here and learn how to be really productive. That's the issue - it's not the company's responsibility - it's all on you. It will take you several years to get the hang of this, which is another reason you see this constant gripe fest online. A lot of newbies are mouthing off when they don't even have a clue yet about how to succeed at this. It's disturbing to anyone trying to enter this career, but that's what it amounts to.

Put your skepticism aside and determine if you really want to do this or not. It won't be easy, and if you fail, you'll probably be right over there with the whiners and complainers pointing out everything but the truth as a reason for coming up short. If you succeed, you're going to realize everything I'm telling you is the rock solid truth. One thing I know is that you'll never figure it out by researching it to death. You're going to have to sign up, get engaged, and prove you've got the wherewithal to be an American truck driver.

Welcome to trucking!

Thank you old school for your comment.

I do want to do and need to do it. I know my husband and I can. I understand it will be hard and there will be times we'll want to quit but we won't, we are a great team and with each other I know we can make it thru the tough times. Not saying we won't fight but we have remodeled a house together and lived in a 16ft. van for 4years so we have fought lots and even in tight spaces, and we still love being in each other's back pocket.

I also understand about the performance based industry, but I have also read on this site, I think it was even Brett, that recruiters will lie to you and I understand that it's their job to get you in the door and they don't have much power beyond that so they might have mentioned what they said in good faith but can't deliver it in the end. I believe that's why Brett suggested getting anything that is a deal breaker in writing.

What I was trying to ask was more if what covenant is offering is something you guys think a company can and will deliver to a good performing team?

I totally admit to be skeptical of everything I read on the internet and just about anywhere else, it doesn't feel like there is a lot of truth out there anymore so I really appreciate this site because I DO believe what I read here, at least from the moderators and most experienced drivers, sorry other rookies just not sure if you know what your talking about.

I'm trying to understand the industry as much as possible before being in the middle of it but I know there are things you just can't understand until you are so thanks again for the truthful information!

Amber being cautious is good. I get it. Props to ya’ll if you went through a construction project together and still love each other. Been there and done that.

Both companies are solid big companies. Just pick the one that fits your needs the best.