Questions For My Soon To Be Roehl Peeps From A Newbie

Hey all,

I am 2 days away from testing from my CDL permit. Pennsylvania DMV in Mercer Co. is closed on Mondays. Once I get that my recruiter said to call her and we would setup my start date for GYCDL, looking at the 27th of December. So I have questions about the company and driving for them.. I just finished reading Brett's book (great read for anyone who hasn't read it} anywho....

1) I live in Pennsylvania. Where is my closest Terminal? I do a Google search and Roehl pulls up in Ohio, but according to the company website, the closest might be Gary, Indiana. How important are the terminals? How often are you at the termials?

2) I am going Reefer for now, in my area my recruiter said it was reefer or flatbed. Where does reefer mostly go? Will I be doing any cross country to Arizona, California, Colorado etc, or stay mostly on the east coast, Midwest?

3) When can I bring my dog with me? I have seen at the end of Phase 3 but when does phase 3 end?

4) How often do you actually get home in reefer? I am comfortable( in my mind anyway) with staying out 3 weeks or so, but how often do they keep you out for longer?

5) How much customization of the truck can you do? I want to name my truck and put it on the side. Can I do this?

6) Does your fleet manager(dispatcher) assign the loads or does a freight manager above them do it? See I read Brett's book.

7) What are must have in the truck for my personal comfort?

8) This one is for the one's who have gone thru the GYCDL program, can you get extra time on the weekend or after hours to practice pre-trips?

9) Is Roehl a good company to work for? I have read a lot of reviews and have seen way more favorable comments then negative comments, but I want to hear from people who are currently working there.

These are just some questions I have. I could ask my recruiter but like Brett says, they will tell you what you want to hear. So I am asking my soon to be fellow drivers.

Thanks in advance,

Dingo

Hey all,

I am 2 days away from testing from my CDL permit. Pennsylvania DMV in Mercer Co. is closed on Mondays. Once I get that my recruiter said to call her and we would setup my start date for GYCDL, looking at the 27th of December. So I have questions about the company and driving for them.. I just finished reading Brett's book (great read for anyone who hasn't read it} anywho....

1) I live in Pennsylvania. Where is my closest Terminal? I do a Google search and Roehl pulls up in Ohio, but according to the company website, the closest might be Gary, Indiana. How important are the terminals? How often are you at the termials?

2) I am going Reefer for now, in my area my recruiter said it was reefer or flatbed. Where does reefer mostly go? Will I be doing any cross country to Arizona, California, Colorado etc, or stay mostly on the east coast, Midwest?

3) When can I bring my dog with me? I have seen at the end of Phase 3 but when does phase 3 end?

4) How often do you actually get home in reefer? I am comfortable( in my mind anyway) with staying out 3 weeks or so, but how often do they keep you out for longer?

5) How much customization of the truck can you do? I want to name my truck and put it on the side. Can I do this?

6) Does your fleet manager(dispatcher) assign the loads or does a freight manager above them do it? See I read Brett's book.

7) What are must have in the truck for my personal comfort?

8) This one is for the one's who have gone thru the GYCDL program, can you get extra time on the weekend or after hours to practice pre-trips?

9) Is Roehl a good company to work for? I have read a lot of reviews and have seen way more favorable comments then negative comments, but I want to hear from people who are currently working there.

These are just some questions I have. I could ask my recruiter but like Brett says, they will tell you what you want to hear. So I am asking my soon to be fellow drivers.

Thanks in advance,

Dingo

Hello Dingo,

I believe that Andrey (posts regularly) drives for Roehl.

I am going to respond to the first question and leave the others for drivers with experience related to those questions. Location of terminals is really not something with which to be concerned when it comes to driving OTR. If a company is willing to hire out of the area where you live, it means that the company has enough freight going that direction to get you home.

I have applied with quite a few companies with no terminals in my home state nor a neighboring state. From reading posts by experienced drivers, to get you home where there is not a nearby terminal , the company will send you with a load that is delivered near your home or your home is on the way so that the load can be handed off to another driver. The company will have you park the truck at a secure location near your home for home time. When you return to your truck to make yourself available for dispatch, you will pick up a load somewhere not too far from where you live and resume running as normal.

From what I have read, it may be easier to get home if the company has a terminal near your residence, but I would think this is a much lesser concern compared to other aspects of a company. I recently chose Dutch Maid Logistics as the company at which to start my career. Dutch Maid Logistics only has one terminal in Willard, OH. I live in Irving, TX. I am not particularly concerned about home time, but I don't envision the company having a problem getting me home when I request it.

Congrats!! I went through Roehl, many years ago. There have been many changes, but I’ll give you my opinion on some of your questions.

First of all they have expanded their training and terminals. The reefer division was just getting started good when I was there. I haven’t kept up with all they have done. They also have drop lots in various places. They always got me home on time. I took my truck and trailer home with me. The old rule was if you live 50 miles or more from a terminal or drop lot you were allowed to take it home. You must provide a safe/legal parking place.

They are a good company. They are still family run, and the family has very serious values and do have some strict rules keeping with their values.

I’m a little suprised they said reefer or flatbed in PA. They used to have tons of dry van freight there. Contracts come and go in this business all the time. The longer you stay out the farther they can send you.

I started with Roehl in 2020, got my CDL in Marshfield, drove with a trainer for a month, was assigned a truck and began driving, but was fired on my second week. I never did reefers, so can tell only about dry vans. The school itself is good, most instructors are good too. Marshfield hotel is particularly nice. The closest terminal is in Gary, IN, and there is a drop yard in Bensalem, PA. I was on a NE regional fleet, driving Monday through Friday and spending weekends at home. Roehl will let you park at a safe location if you live farther than 50 miles to any terminal or drop yard. Overall it is a good starter company - trucks and equipment are new. However, the pay is low, I got only 34 cpm. Another disadvantage is company size: Roehl is a relatively big corporation and drivers are treated like disposable truck parts. I am glad that I started with Roehl, but am glad even more that I do not drive for Roehl now.

I am excited. I have heard others say the same. They care about their drivers getting home. We will soon find out. Thanks.

Congrats!! I went through Roehl, many years ago. There have been many changes, but I’ll give you my opinion on some of your questions.

First of all they have expanded their training and terminals. The reefer division was just getting started good when I was there. I haven’t kept up with all they have done. They also have drop lots in various places. They always got me home on time. I took my truck and trailer home with me. The old rule was if you live 50 miles or more from a terminal or drop lot you were allowed to take it home. You must provide a safe/legal parking place.

They are a good company. They are still family run, and the family has very serious values and do have some strict rules keeping with their values.

I’m a little suprised they said reefer or flatbed in PA. They used to have tons of dry van freight there. Contracts come and go in this business all the time. The longer you stay out the farther they can send you.

Andry, I read your blog about the training and it was excellent. I am sorry about what happened to you. But as long as you are happy now, that is all that counts in the long run. I worked 12 years in corporate America before going into EMS and I know what just being a number is all about and playing the corporate game. EMS was no different. If you had a cert and a pulse you had a job, so there was no support for employees and it was "you are a dime a dozen". So that is why I got out. Thanks for the info, I appreciate it.

I started with Roehl in 2020, got my CDL in Marshfield, drove with a trainer for a month, was assigned a truck and began driving, but was fired on my second week. I never did reefers, so can tell only about dry vans. The school itself is good, most instructors are good too. Marshfield hotel is particularly nice. The closest terminal is in Gary, IN, and there is a drop yard in Bensalem, PA. I was on a NE regional fleet, driving Monday through Friday and spending weekends at home. Roehl will let you park at a safe location if you live farther than 50 miles to any terminal or drop yard. Overall it is a good starter company - trucks and equipment are new. However, the pay is low, I got only 34 cpm. Another disadvantage is company size: Roehl is a relatively big corporation and drivers are treated like disposable truck parts. I am glad that I started with Roehl, but am glad even more that I do not drive for Roehl now.

Got my permit!!! And got my contract letter!!! Found out I am going to Appleton not Marshfield. But that is cool. Start date is December 227th!!!

Got my permit!!! And got my contract letter!!! Found out I am going to Appleton not Marshfield. But that is cool. Start date is December 227th!!!

Awesome! Congrats!

Ok, pretty sure that you meant December 27th.

Found out I am going to Appleton not Marshfield. But that is cool.

Congratulations!

It's going to be COLD up there in late December, not "cool".