Navajo Express Unique Practices?

I've been calling a few different companies to get my career going, both those with and without CDL training programs. I got in touch with Navajo yesterday, and their recruiter told me that for the first year as a new driver, you are paid a guaranteed amount each day you are available and "ready to work" regardless of whether you're moving or sitting. This pay scale is $110 per day months 1-3, $115 per day months 4-6, and $120 per day the remaining six months of your first year. You begin your second year at $.35/mile. This is much different than what is stated on their company profile here on TT, which has first year pay at $.25/mile.

It seems most companies do a flat rate during training, and I've seen a couple that give you the choice of either a flat rate or CPM once you go solo, at least for the first year. Seems with some of these programs, if you choose the flat rate they'll give you a bonus if you end up going above a certain number of miles, but Navajo is the only company I've found so far that does exclusively flat rate as the only option for the first year. Wondering if anyone here has any experience with that type of system and how it worked out for them.

I'm not inclined to put all my eggs in the Navajo basket anyway, as their recruiter told me they do not do pre-hire letters whatsoever for drivers before they attend CDL school. This was also surprising as it seems from what I've read on this forum that pre-hire letters are pretty standard. The recruiter said it limits their liability so they don't have to commit to hiring people before they've gone through schooling, but I didn't think a pre-hire was a binding agreement that a company HAS to hire a driver. Anyone aware of any other companies that don't do pre-hire letters? Might be beneficial info to add to company profile pages or at least in a thread here on the forum.

Anything a recruiter tells you is suspect. Always get things in writing. If they wont put it in writing its probably BS. Those pay things you quote is because you will be basically an underpaid team driver your first year, not solo. Make sure you understand what you will be doing for that pay, is making the company money to pay for your training costs. Any flat rate is most likely team driving for the first xx months.

The companies change things that are not always updated here, because its not the companies that are posting those, its Brett and others trying to help out as they can by offering you ideas of companies that are typically hiring.

Phil