Deciding On Which Company

FFE or P.A.M????? just cant decide on which to get my training with? Any input from either company would greatly be appreciated.

Rene...with few exceptions, on the face of it, ALL COMPANIES ARE EQUAL...... that being said...its how they fit you that really matters... Will they get you by the house ?? Will they run you enough miles to make a living?? Do you like the company politics ?? Do they offer you what you think you are worth ?? Will you be driving a truck you can live in...not with ?? these kind of questions will help you decide which company you want to go with.....And you had better get used to your choice, cuz you need to stay there a year....THEN....if you don't like it...go to your number 2 choice !!!!!

I agree with everything Starcar said. It's not about finding a "good company". They can both be good companies. It's a matter of finding which one suits you the best - home time, equipment, types of freight, pay & benefits, etc.

Now find out how much unloading that FFE requires. Back in the day their drivers used to do more unloading than most companies but I think they may have changed that now. I'm not sure if their drivers are doing a lot of unloading or not.

One way we can help you make the decision is to find out how you narrowed it down to those two companies. Were those companies the only approvals you have or were there things about those two companies that stood out to you above the rest?

I'd like to Thank You for giving me this advice. I just have found it very difficult to decide which company to get training with. I am VERY VERY new to the world of trucking. The biggest vehicle I have driven is a Straight Truck. For a couple of retail business's, and those were local delivery jobs. Company wise, P.A.M has caught my eye because the recruiter has kept constant contact with me. Though there was an article a while back on this site, stating that recruiters were only there to draw you in with all these great things. I know that once you sign on that dotted line, their out with you and in with the next caller. In regards to FFE I was really interested in there company until just last night I was reading a few reviews on their company and they were all pretty negative. So I am leaning on stick with P.A.M. Though P.A.M doesn't provide transportation to and from school/motel, this has been the only negative that I have found because I have to travel from EL PASO, TEXAS to Forth Worth, TX. I really want to get on the road and join you all through the country. Still set on starting schooling on March 3. Just wanted to see what advice experienced drivers had/have for me on this journey. Thank You everyone.

So you have chosen company sponsored training versus private CDL school? I'm assuming that is mostly due to financial reasons. If not, write out the reasons and use those as a starting point to help decide which company to go with.

Like we always suggest. Apply to every single company that offers CDL training. Then call them 1 or 2 days later and chat with a recruiter.

Yes I have chosen a company sponsored training due to my financial situation. There's plenty of training schools here in El Paso, Tx, but I just can't afford these schools right now. That's the main reason I have elected to get my training out of town and with a company sponsorship program. I also tried applying with Central Refrigerated but when I got done with online app. It wouldn't go through for some reason. But I will continue to look at other companies before I head to P.A.M though. Any company suggestions??

What are the chances of me getting hired with a company if I were to get my CDL at private school? Would be difficult to get hired on by companies? I know I would have the freedom to go with anyone, but would hire me since I wouldn't have the OTR experience?

Short answer is yes. Tons of companies hire from CDL schools regularly.

I would like to address the negative reviews about FFF.....

Ever wonder why if you lookup just about ANY JOB on the net to do research about them that you see almost nothing but negative about the company? I will tell you why it's like that. The people that are doing good at those companies don't have time to post reviews about a company. They are to busy working. The negative reviews come from people with no job and they are still at home post negative stuff about this company or that company because they have the time to do it.

Let me guess cause I have not searched for the reviews that they go along the lines of.....can't get enough miles....I sit waiting for loads to long. ....I am barely making enough money to live on......the entire company does not know what they are doing.....let's not forget the favorite....I have done nothing but my dispatcher hates me.....

So I bet the reviews you read went along those lines or something close. Never pay attention to negative reviews on the Internet cause most people have an Axe to grind if they get anger at a company when they are fired.

I am a company driver for Werner running teams with my brother and we absolutely love it here. Try to find anything positive about Werner. Good luck with that search. Basically a good driver can go any where and do good with any company. A bad driver will do bad no matter what company they go to. It's a matter of work ethic. So don't give up on a company just because you read a bad review or two because you might be passing up the one company that could be your dream company to work for.

Guyjax your exactly right on the quotes you just mentioned. They pretty much had every single one of those lines. Only one thing that worries me about this particular company (FFE)is that when I call back to check status of application, I lady by the name of Nancy answered and told I had not even been assigned a recruiter, I had applied two weeks before me calling, she mentioned she would work out of her house recruiting for FFE. I called yesterday (Friday) and she said I would clear my background and everything else by Monday?? Not sure if to take these things as a BIG Red Flag or just blow this off. I like many others am afraid to make the wrong choice since there's a whole lot at stake. Thank You for taking the time to respond to my questions. ''