I've Narrowed It Down To 2 Companies

SRT or STEVENS....

SRT is less out of pocket for school and pays better overall and has more varieties of freight than stevens it seems. They also allow pets.

stevens pays less, school cost more and from what I am told they typically have fewer miles. They also have apu and built I'm inverter where srt does not.

Anyone here have opinions of either? I am about driving my old lady bat **** :D

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.

In the first year my focus will not be on how many miles I get or how I maximize my income, but I focus on

1. learning the industry (from the perspective of the truck driver/I already finished a freight broker training)

2. good driving record

3. being on time everytime

4. learn how to use the HOS to my benefit.

5. how to lower the costs of fuel

6. The miles and money will come automatically.

7. learn how to plan the trip from A to B and use it for my benefit.

8. I want to learn to live that lifestyle.

9. There will be companies waiting for me after one or two years experience and good driving record.

10. I want first get my foot in the industry and then move on gradually to higher levels.

11. The only thing I am worried and scared about are the Lot Lizards.

5. Would be hard without an APU imo. Are you going to sacrifice your comfort for the ceo ' s pocket book amd not idle when it's hotter than 70f or colder than 60f ?

I'd be more scared about getting ramrodded by a slime ball company than a hooker. Just post no lot lizard stickers on your cab

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.

SRT or STEVENS....

SRT is less out of pocket for school and pays better overall and has more varieties of freight than stevens it seems. They also allow pets.

stevens pays less, school cost more and from what I am told they typically have fewer miles. They also have apu and built I'm inverter where srt does not.

Anyone here have opinions of either? I am about driving my old lady bat **** :D

Hey there Mr. M. 1st off welcome to the TT. Glad you found a place where the truth is king and advice is like true like an arrow: straight and true. 2nd off: Calm down man!!!! Breath!!! 3rd: Do u have your CDL-permit?? 4th: You need to grab a notepad and write down what u want to do in trucking and stop worrying about companies who has what and who doesn't . You need to look at where u want to spend your 1st year. 5th: in reference to 3rd; if u don't have your cdl permit ; study the HRT(High Road Training program) to get you up to snuff and u can be ahead of others who didn't study .

In short Mr. M, you re doing fine it just that u need to do the following that I wrote down and remember your 1st year with any company that will train you is Very important, idk how I can stressed that. It going to be hard and rough, but if u listen to the wisdom of these wise truckers You will make it in this industry. Just wishing u the best

Lilrichie

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.

OWI:

Operating While Intoxicated

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.

Collins,

I am very calm :) just also very honest, direct, and don't have much of a filter.

I do happen to disagree with those who aren't worried about making the most coin they can the first year. I think this encourages super low paying carriers like crst and the likes.

Welcome aboard!

Collins,

I am very calm :) just also very honest, direct, and don't have much of a filter.

Get one. If nothing else, you want to speak to people in a tactical way. You don't want to act like an ogre or a caveman and make your own life unnecessarily difficult. In the trucking world you're going to have to deal with your share of people who make big decisions and wear suits. It's not often, but when it happens it's usually your job or career that's going to be affected by the outcome of that interaction. You'll also be dealing with everyone from dock workers to Federal Officers on a regular basis and they will all have complete authority over you. So you have to be smart about what you say and how you say it.

And here at TruckingTruth we don't blast any entities - people, trucking companies, schools - doesn't matter. You can say negative things but you have to back them up with facts and it has to somehow be helpful. I was going to delete your second comment but I'll let it be an example of something that isn't going to fly here. Ya know why?

I'd be more scared about getting ramrodded by a slime ball company than a hooker

Isn't that classy and helpful? Geesh. And unless you can show proof - and I mean "in a court of law" kind of proof - that there's a good chance you should be worried about being "ramrodded by a slimeball company" then it isn't something we're going to talk about or worry about. You're about to get behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound death machine and you'll barely know how to shift it. New truck drivers are the most dangerous drivers on the highway and you'll be surrounded by SUV's full of children every day of your life. Don't worry about whether or not a company that's been successful in this industry for 50+ years is going to screw you over. Worry about not killing someone's family. How 'bout that?

Would be hard without an APU imo. Are you going to sacrifice your comfort for the ceo ' s pocket book

I drove 15 years without an APU and I was perfectly comfortable the overwhelming majority of the time. So don't worry about "sacrificing your comfort for the CEO's pocketbook." Worry about being safe and efficient enough that you don't cost the company money your first year working there. With a 3% profit margin in this industry, that alone will be tough enough to achieve.

I do happen to disagree with those who aren't worried about making the most coin they can the first year. I think this encourages super low paying carriers like crst and the likes.

Thank God you were able to sneak in another stab at a company. For a moment that first sentence made me think you were simply going to be wrong with your opinions and forget to criticize someone. But you came through in the end.

Listen man.....there are a lot of drivers in this forum that have been around this industry a long time and have been very successful. Every one of them, myself included, sees that right now you're just another one of those guys heading 100 mph at a brick wall and you don't know it. Your attitude has to change. You're never going to find success in this industry if literally every sentence has an uninformed opinion or an unsubstantiated insult. Believe me....you're far from alone when it comes to that attitude. Quite a few people come into the industry with that approach and a lot of em never even make it to the point that they drive a rig solo. Not even one time. They get kicked to the curb before they ever get a chance because most companies and driver trainers aren't going to deal with it.

lilrichie collins had some great advice - step back and take a look at your approach. We all value honest people and we all try telling it like it is. That's why our advice is so valuable here at TruckingTruth - because we lived it for so long and we tell it like it is. But be tactful about it. Don't go slinging insults and blaring opinions right out of the gate. Lay low, listen & learn for a while. Remember, you're coming into a career that is incredibly dangerous and difficult. It will humble you quickly. One small moment of inattention will often mean life or death. You can destroy dozens of lives in any given moment. So focus on yourself. Get your mind where it needs to be and focus on the task at hand. Let the trucking companies worry about running their businesses. Stop thinking about hookers and CEO's. You have much bigger challenges ahead of you than they do. You better be 100% focused on learning all you can and taking care of your responsibilities or someone is going to get killed.

So let's make a fresh start and try again.

HOS:

Hours Of Service

HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.

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.

Amen Brett. The facts are pretty clear in this industry. There are certain types of freight ie : dry van , flatbed, specialized, and refer. The very first question to be asked in a mirror is which one do I want to haul. That will shorten the list of companies right off the bat. Lets face it ALL these large companies do the same thing , go the same places , and can all fit under 1 blanket as far as the way they operate . They each have their own quirks according to their individual management style. Find out how the company is structured . Is it pubicly traded, or is it privately owned. That is huge in showing how many layers of management there are likely to be. The more layers the harder it is to get things done efficiently . Select a company based on your understanding of their management style and how it will fit YOU. I've heard countless stories in my short time from drivers who seem to have worked for almost every company on the planet. The common complaint THEY SCREWED ME and a detailed version of their truth. And guess what every single company did the same exact thing to them . Now that is a conspicary of grand proprtion. Guess what it aint that way . Until those folks wake up , take an honest look in a full length mirror their history will continue to repeat itself. Enough of my ranting. My best advice is make a choice based on the above, get in there work hard , learn all you can and you will be succesdful . Being a proffesdional in all dealings and aspects, safe , and reliable will propell you toward the top anywhere.

Amen Brett. The facts are pretty clear in this industry. There are certain types of freight ie : dry van , flatbed, specialized, and refer. The very first question to be asked in a mirror is which one do I want to haul. That will shorten the list of companies right off the bat. Lets face it ALL these large companies do the same thing , go the same places , and can all fit under 1 blanket as far as the way they operate . They each have their own quirks according to their individual management style. Find out how the company is structured . Is it publicly traded, or is it privately owned. That is huge in showing how many layers of management there are likely to be. The more layers the harder it is to get things done efficiently . Select a company based on your understanding of their management style and how it will fit YOU. I've heard countless stories in my short time from drivers who seem to have worked for almost every company on the planet. The common complaint THEY SCREWED ME and a detailed version of their truth. And guess what every single company did the same exact thing to them . Now that is a conspiracy of grand proportion. Guess what it ain't that way . Until those folks wake up , take an honest look in a full length mirror their history will continue to repeat itself. Enough of my ranting. My best advice is make a choice based on the above, get in there work hard , learn all you can and you will be successful . Being a professional in all dealings and aspects, safe , and reliable will propel you toward the top anywhere.

When you are looking in the mirror, you are looking at the problem. But, remember, you are also looking at the solution.

---Unknown Author---

Brett - et al,

I think you guys got me totally wrong. I didn't make any bad comment about any company merely asked what the forum thought about the two noting the good about each. SRT seems to be higher pay and better miles while stevens seems to be better training and better equipment.

The hooker comment was a half azzed joke because I've read stories of people getting fired and thrown out of a truck thousands of miles from home.

I am not going 100mph anywhere. I am actually a highly college educated network engineer that isn't happy with being a "suit" and looking to simplify life a bit and do something I've always wanted to do.

I didn't make a bad comment about any company so how did anyone here think I did?

I am not some young punk without any concept of anything.

Oh and I love the site sir. As previously noted. It seems very much more honest than other sites, less disgruntled, and the cdl training approach is second to none. So thank you very much for creating and allowing others including myself to be apart of it.

And another note, I have in my younger days worked as a yard jockey / forklift operator so I have driven big rigs in a parking lot hooking and docking trailers, loading them. I also have experience driving very heavy straight (box) trucks and have a very real understanding of how dangerous these machines can be if not driven appropriately. Especially when heavy coming down a grade.

What I should probably do is read a little less about the horror stories on that other site, because the majority are probably from people whom did not take this career seriously and or jumped in half ****ed.

With the bad on the other forum there is some good. When you get dozens of people noting they are barely able to eat and nothing more from the salary it becomes believable. When you get several people noting they are making 1-1200 a week it becomes believable.

Adding an APU to a truck is a technology that pays for itself and reduces idling. I can't understand why any company would not have them other than greed on their part. While I respect the fact that you did not have one for so long because they were not around that long ago, they are around now and save on wear and tear and fuel consumption from idling. Really hot days could be magnified intensely in the cab making the inside temperature 150F+, then their are the really cold days. I typically do not use climate control in the spring or fall. But that leaves the other 6 months.

Do you more experienced guys know why all companies would not furnish APU's? It does not make sense to me.

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.

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.