Is Western Express A Good Company To Work For?

Reaching out to Bryon U. and Old School as I know you 2 work for Western Express. I am just curious about their home time that they offer and what it actually looks like. I am looking for a company that I can be out 2 - 3 weeks and be home for 3. I am considering Knight because of this (or that's what the recruiter said). Does Western Express have APUs on their trucks? What about the free direct tv? How does that work? I would be dry van if that matters.

Dry Van:

A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

APUs:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Jason, I'm sorry - I missed this the other day when you first posted it. Some days I am just as busy as the forum, and when that happens things will get pushed down the list, and I don't see them until I go digging around like I did today.

I am looking for a company that I can be out 2 - 3 weeks and be home for 3.

The general rule is one day of home time for seven days out. So, three days home after three days out is doable. My experience at Western was that they liked us to stay on the road for longer periods of time, and I developed my current practice of usually around six weeks on the road while working for them. I have found that I can maximize my earnings potential by keeping myself in the flow of the freight like that. Each time you go home it kind of interrupts the whole flow of things and they have to kind of work you back into a pattern that is productive.

If you want to be on the road for two to three weeks I personally think that Knight may be the better choice for you. I have worked for both of these companies and Knight is more willing to let you take more frequent home time than Western was. That is not an indictment of Western - I was very satisfied in my experience there, but it is just my observations. Not everyone is as free as I was to be able to stay on the road for longer periods of time.

Does Western Express have APUs on their trucks?

No, neither they or Knight has APU's on the trucks. Don't let that be a deciding factor for your choice of trucking company. In short, roughly about 95% of all trucks do not have an APU on board. It is something that really is not important. It may seem like it is to you, but I have never had one, nor have I ever needed one. You will be allowed to idle your truck for comfort as much as is needed. You don't want to idle unnecessarily or excessively, but you will always be allowed to idle when needed. Here's an interesting fact for you. At Knight we receive a generous bonus each quarter for safety and fuel mileage. I have always been able to idle my truck as much as needed and still was able to meet the benchmarks set for fuel mileage so that my total bonus pay for the year was in excess of 7,000 dollars! Don't let the lack of an APU discourage you from going with a company that you otherwise find appealing.

By the way, Bryon is still with Western Express. I speak to him every now and then - he seems to be doing very well over there.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

APUs:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

APU's:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Sorry, even after proof-reading I missed that I stated three days out equals three days home! Should have read three weeks out equals three days home.

Have a question about Western Express if y'all don't mind. I came across this forum during a search on Western Express after seeing some f their job postings online. Their postings are a little vague, they say no experience necessary, or have your CDL but no school, then at the bottom it says requirements CDL with at least 3 months OTR experience. I went to company sponsored training almost 10 years ago, unfortunately only drove OTR for a little over a year, had a family member come down with some health problems so I moved back home here to Florida. Seems like nobody wants you unless you have a couple years recent OTR experience or they can get you into their CDL training to keep you on their company. I've been getting the itch lately to get back out there, but with no recent experience not sure where to look. Saw Western Express's job posting and thought that might be a good fit. Anyone know what they're looking for as far as experience, or will they take someone in with a CDL like their post says?

Hello Mike, and welcome to the forum!

Can't guarantee all this information is still accurate, but here is what I remember about Western's "refresher" course, which is what you are referring to. They will take a driver who already has their CDL , but no recent experience. They will put you through a roughly five day orientation, and then pair you up with another driver in a similar situation as you. Two beginners in a truck,.. you will team drive together and hopefully help each other out, you will also have a dispatcher who is supposed to be helpful and giving you some pointers. After approximately 40,000 safely driven miles with good on time deliveries and such then they will allow you to be assigned your own truck and dispatch you as a solo driver.

As best I can remember that is how it worked when I was there - I have been away for a little more than a year now.

Hello Mike, and welcome to the forum!

Can't guarantee all this information is still accurate, but here is what I remember about Western's "refresher" course, which is what you are referring to. They will take a driver who already has their CDL , but no recent experience. They will put you through a roughly five day orientation, and then pair you up with another driver in a similar situation as you. Two beginners in a truck,.. you will team drive together and hopefully help each other out, you will also have a dispatcher who is supposed to be helpful and giving you some pointers. After approximately 40,000 safely driven miles with good on time deliveries and such then they will allow you to be assigned your own truck and dispatch you as a solo driver.

As best I can remember that is how it worked when I was there - I have been away for a little more than a year now.

Thanks for the welcome and the reply. I've pretty much figured it's going to take a little work to get back out there. You have to work for what you want right? I'm going to give them a call and see what they say, hopefully it'll all pan out and I can get back out the and see some country. Thanks again .

Hey guys I'm going to inform you that Western Express is a great company. I've been with them since November 3rd 2015. The only problem is the home time my dispatcher gets me out 5 weeks the most and then only home for 2 days. I've been fighting for months have me out at least 2 to 3 weeks then home on the weekends.

Hey guys I'm going to inform you that Western Express is a great company. I've been with them since November 3rd 2015. The only problem is the home time my dispatcher gets me out 5 weeks the most and then only home for 2 days. I've been fighting for months have me out at least 2 to 3 weeks then home on the weekends.

Man that sounds rough...5 weeks out. Must be good money at least? I keep hearing Western take money from your paychecks or you earn 300 bucks a week. Is that all true?