Profile For Rodney M.

Thanks OS I appreciate the reply and wisdom. I started this with intentions of going to Roehl. This school works with Roehl so it will work out in the end.

I'm still mystified by all of the negative comments about trucking companies. I drove for a long while up until 10-12 years ago when I had to come off the road for family reasons. Before that I was driving and making money with a flatbed company and all I ever heard from the other drivers is how bad the company was and they were not making any money because they couldn't get the miles. The crazy thing is I was one of those drivers that loved driving for this company and always had plenty of miles..

I guess what I'm trying to say is I understand what you are saying about different people with there own view of a company or driving school. I'm going into this with my eyes wide open and my mind set in getting my CDL any way I can to get back out on the road.

As always OS your opinion is valuable and appreciated.

Rodney M.

Rodney, I've read some "not so good things" about almost every trucking company or school that is out there. So, I have determined there has to be a better way to evaluate these things. I spent the first sixteen months of my career at Western Express, and brother, you can not find a single encouraging word about that place on the internet! Guess what? I did great there, was one of their top performers, and made some pretty decent money even though they had a fairly low rate of pay.

Here's my secret - I kept a great attitude, applied myself, and gave 130% every day I was there.

There's a strange mystery about this business of learning to drive a truck, and that is that there are thousands of folks who try it and fail, and then they have the audacity to blame it all on the industry that they knew nothing about in the first place. People continually try to jump into this career thinking they already know how to drive, this will be a cake walk! I witnessed this with my own eyes at the truck driving school I attended. There was a man in our class who threw a fit on the first day that he got to drive. He threatened to stomp the instructor into the ground, and we came very close to having a physical altercation right there on the side of the highway. He was screaming and yelling that this is no way to teach someone to drive a truck! He quit that day, and I'm sure he has never had anything good to say about that driving school. I went on to graduate and start my very successful career. Now, how can that be?

Every rookie has got to start out with the attitude that he is going to listen and learn even if he doesn't understand how the whole process is going to unfold. Sometimes the rookies don't understand the methods being used, but there is still a reason behind those methods that usually will become clear at a later point in the process. Trucking can be trying career, it's not for everyone. I happen to love it, and yet I see truck drivers out in the truck stops who seem to be miserable most of the time.

Rodney, I don't know a thing about the school you mentioned, but I do know a little about how trying it can be to get started in this career. I'm not sure what the appeal of that particular school is to you, but the thing to do is go talk to them, or make a phone call. Find out if they offer job placement services - I think that is important, and it tells you if they have some good connections in the industry. Ask the which trucking companies hire from their school - don't accept "lots of companies hire from here" - get specific names, and then call a recruiter at those companies and confirm that the information is true. Make sure that you will receive a training certificate that shows 160 hours of training upon completion of the program. If all that can be confirmed then I think you are in good hands.

We have a section here on the website designed to help you with How To Choose A School. We've also got some great material concerning How To Choose A Company.

There is a vast deal of information available to you here, in fact I would recommend that you start your reading at the Truck Driver's Career Guide, it will help you considerably when trying to learn about a new career in truck driving. Follow all the links you come across in there, you will be impressed at how much you will learn by doing that.

Just curious to see if anyone has heard of this school. They are out of MO and I have read some not so good things about them. Just trying to get another perspective.

I'm glad to hear that because I spoke to Dylan this morning and it sounds like I'm approved for there school after one more approval he should have today. Should be getting my physical this week and probably starting school the first week or so in March.

Keeping my fingers crossed that I get the approval so I can get on the road sooner rather than later.

Rodney

Everyone, from my instructors to my current / first FM, has been a stand up guy. I think that says a lot about a company. I will have no problem committing my entire first year, at least, to Roehl.

Thanks for the reply. It seems everybody on here is extremely friendly and helpful.

I drove up until about ten years ago and what I'm finding is the industry I once knew so well has changed so much. I came off the road after a really nasty divorce and had to stay close to home for my kids. Now that they are grown I'm wanting to get back at it. I know it's going to be difficult at the start but I'm praying that I will start to remember things that haven't changed so much. I was a flatbed driver before so I think that's where I will end up. However it seems they have some regional dry van here in atlanta that would get me home pretty regularly and not do any slip seating.

Again I appreciate all of the replies and I really appreciate Brett taking the time and building a forum that is so friendly and helpful.

Rodney

Hello there I have been with Roehl for about 6 months now and I like it there are a lot of people that have been here for countless years and still have nothing but good things to say. I currently drive in the flatbed great lakes fleet and flatbed in the beginning was a lot more then I had bargained for but after a couple months of doings things I am starting to develop the skills to where it doesn't take forever to get things done and I love it. Just recently I had some major family related things happen and they were very understanding. My FM is awesome and is also very understanding that I am new to truck driving and load securement. I have only had to sit for more then 40 minutes waiting on a load twice they have been really good about keeping me busy. I don't know that I will retire from here because the world and the industry changes daily but I am satisfied here and I plan on staying for a while. I also obtained my cdl through them and that was a fantastic program you will get lots of time behind the wheel with guys that have been with Roehl for many years and have tons of knowledge. PJ has a training diary on here from when he went through roehls cdl program might make a good read for you. Hope this was helpful and good luck

Not long winded at all. It's great information that I need/want to know. I've had info from disgruntled drivers but that doesn't away my decision. I like talking to drivers that are happy or at least content with a company. I drove up until 10 years ago so I know how drivers are at times.

Again thanks for the info Rodney

Hey Rodney, I went to Roehl's CDL school in the fall and Dylan Schmoldts was the recruiter I worked with. If you are working with the same person, I will tell you he is great. He gave me all the info straight up and never tried to blow smoke up my skirt. I drive for Roehl right now and have been solo for 2 months. Some days are good, some average, and some not so good but that has more to do with me and my ability than it does with Roehl. My fleet manager and I had a rocky start but it is getting better, largely due to the fact that I am flexible and don't fuss when plans change. I had a 700 mile load switched out from me to go rescue a load from another driver that was only 200 miles. Did I get nasty or a bad attitude? Nope, just said OK. Was I happy? Not especially, but griping wasn't going to get me anywhere. He did tell me the load planner will try to keep you moving if you show you will. Yesterday was a bad day for me because it took me 2 hours to find a shipper once I got to the town. I had bad directions from Roehl and the broker, and I couldn't get Google maps on my smart phone. Consequently, I couldn't deliver my load at 09:00 this morning and will have to tomorrow. I lost a preplan because of it, but that's what happens. The preplan was to be a live unload at 18:00 today, and I couldn't do it. Lots of drivers would complain and moan, but I had a bad day and that's what happens. It wasn't personal they canceled it, I was not capable of getting the job done. Will my paycheck suffer? Yep, because I cannot deliver my load until 10:00 tomorrow and I don't have a preplan for once it's done. Hopefully, I will have one before I get unloaded. Keep in mind that things that happen are not personal, but business decisions and you will be OK. What a long winded way to say Roehl recruiters are straight up! Good luck in school, but be prepared because it is lightening fast. They will do all they can to help you (I am living proof of that), but it is crazy fast.

I start my training with Roehl on Monday I'll let ya know how it's goin

Yes please keep us updated.

Hi I'm new to this forum but have found great information here and really appreciate all of the time and effort you guys have out in to helping out newbies and rookies.

I applied to Roehl Transport yesterday online after reading a few of the posts about the training they offer. Dillon called me today from Roehl to go over my application and to answer my questions. He seemed very professional and knowledgable and answered most all of my questions.

I was hoping to get some feedback from guys that have been there for over a year on how you like it and if the recruiters are being somewhat truthful. I have heard horror stories about recruiters and how they are on commission.

Please let me know if you have been there over a year and if you are still happy with the company. I don't want to go to a company with a high turnover rate just because the recruiter wasn't honest. I want to go into this with as much information as possible so I can be successful and so can the company. I understand that drivers sometimes can be lazy or picky and thus creates turnover so I'm looking for guys that like the company and not those guys that quit because they couldn't do it or those that blame the FM for there inability to do the job.

Sorry for the long first post but just trying to get my ducks in a row before I move forward with Roehl.

Rodney