Profile For KaoMinerva

I currently drive for Marten on a local dedicated account. Are you going OTR with them? I will give you any insight that I can if you let me know what info you're looking for.

Sorry for the reply, but I'mnot going OTR. I'm goingto do regional with them.

Please keep us updated if you could. I am in school currently and considering Pepsi or Coke. I understand the pay isn't too much to start however. Do you know what you'll be making?

Hello everybody, I had my first interview with Pepsi on Tuesday. I think it went well and after the information they gave me I am going to Millis in the first part of April. It is a Union and the starting fee is $125 plus 10% of your wages, $45,000 to $55000 per year. The position I went for was Relief driver full time. Well in the job description it says they will take cdl permit but when I went to interview they are only hiring for cdl holders no cdl permits. I only have a cdl permit. For the relief driver position, you would have 5 different job functions. The start time for the 5 different jobs is between 2 am to 6:30 am. They ask me what I want at Pepsi and I told them I want to became a regular driver(not relief) eventually. They kind of chuckled and said you will be waiting a while because everybody has 10 years or more getting into that kind of jobs.

Forgot to mention that also....PEPSI IS A UNION JOB. Good luck getting promotions. My friend worked there and all the old guys were in positions with no intention on leaving. 45K-55K a year is a lie trust me. You'll barely see 2K every two weeks.

Please keep us updated if you could. I am in school currently and considering Pepsi or Coke. I understand the pay isn't too much to start however. Do you know what you'll be making?

I will tell you this about PEPSI/COKE/7UP ETC.... YOU WILL WORK YOUR ASS OFF. There is no easy day with these jobs unless you are a bulk driver ONLY! I worked for 7up about a month and quit. I could do the job, but management is so screwed up and the stops they expected to be made just didn't sit well with me. Trust me, this is the work load you'll see as an example.

Let's say your first stop is Wal-Mart right? The workload goes as follows since you will be delivering PALLETS of good that will need to be brought in by pallet jack once backed in.

7up - 1 or 2 pallets Pepsi - 3 - 5 pallets COKE - 5 or MORE on average

Trust me on this. Pepsi is like in the middle where I'm from with COKE being the big dogs. I've seen COKE/PEPSI deliver 100 cases BY HAND into a mom and pop corner store with gang members sitting around just watching. Very scared sight coming from a guy that knows the streets himself.

Ok guys, I've taken two weeks off from work and have decided to go with Marten Transportation. Do any of you veterans have any insight on them? I have a buddy that works with them and he likes it apparently. Thanks...

Elmer wrote:

I have also just been accepted to Swift and CR England. I think I'm going to go with CR England for one reason....The rep I've been speaking to claims that after phases 1 and 2 (first 6 months) drivers are able to get a dedicated route close to home (if they choose). Its not guaranteed of course, but he claims that I would have choices. Swift basically has you on the road for 13 months with little time off, and no choice in where you go, if I understand it correctly. I know any program is going to have you on the road a lot, especially in the beginning, but I also have a wife and little ones at home, and want to be able to spend as little time away from them as possible. And....with CR England, you are off the hook in 9 months, vs 13 months with Swift. These might not be facts, but its what I've gathered from talking to the reps. Bottom line, it looks like going with CR England is going to give me more time with my kids.

Elmer, I am not sure who at Swift has given you than information but I can share with you that I was assigned to Walmart Dedicated after three months OTR. Another Swift driver on the forum, Errol was also put on a dedicated route in far less time than a year. Fact.

I haven't driven with swift, but I would go with them over CR any day just based off what ACTUAL TRUCKERS have told me. I'm also from Memphis, TN so the terminals are right there for me. The only gripe I have about swift is the 62mph. If I was limited, I would definitely choose swift over CR.

I have invariably ended up talking to a driver or two that had all kinds of complaints about the company, but I was always left with a feeling they weren't telling the full story.

They never do. If you talk it out long enough they'll eventually reveal why they're not getting the miles and treatment they want. At first it's always like, "I'm perfect and I do everything perfectly but they won't give me any miles." Then over a period of about ten minutes they'll reveal:

• I don't like driving at night and I told them that
• I told them I hate the Northeast and I won't go there
• I don't like short runs and I keep telling them I don't want em
• I hate Volvos and they won't give me a Freightliner
• I've only been late a few times but they weren't my fault

......and on and on it goes. It didn't take long being in this industry before I realized that 98% of the drivers out there complaining about their companies aren't getting any miles because they either can't handle them or won't handle them for various reasons. But the pattern is always the same. A driver will start with this list of complaints about the company and slowly over time reveal the list of reasons summarizing how they're causing their own demise.

Man I was never like that. When I was driving, it was me and the road. I should be starting at Marten Transport on Monday so I'm ready to get back to doing what I love. Still in driving shape too. Drove from Memphis to Tucson in under 24 hours. (Personal vehicle of course)

Like I said, Werner has a bad rep and for good reason, but they were very good to me man. I really miss them already.

Great story, but don't you realize by now that the "bad rep" is usually NOT for "good reason?"

I was gonna say the same thing. They're one of the largest, most successful, and most consistently profitable major companies in the nation. They're publicly traded under the symbol WERN so you can see their financials over the years. And you said yourself you had no problem getting miles, you were treated well, you made good money, and the equipment is great.

So why would they have a bad reputation?

Well you know the ole bad sayings about Werner. I was hesitant at first, but it was the best decision I ever made. Glad I chose them over Schneider. I really hate it ended the way it did.

First off let me say that I have been lurking here before I even got my CDL. I finally had to join after reading so much and needing so many questions answered. Well, let's get to it.

Werner doesn't have a good reputation as a company, EVERYONE knows this. I'm here to tell you that I had a very VERY good experience with Werner. I started fresh out of school back in Feb. 2015 on DG training and quit the first day lol. I greyhound myself back to Memphis and eventually got a local gig with 7up. For you rookies out there, local jobs are just as demanding as the real truck driving jobs when you have no experience. You will be home every night, but only to sleep, wake up, and work that 60 hour work week. After being sore every day from lifting drinks etc, I took the path of less resistance and went back to Werner. Now...

I started training again sometime back in June 2015 with the trainer Bret Smith... AWESOME GUY. He's the best thing about training on Dollar General. All I did was drive and only unloaded if I wanted to. I stayed on with him like 2 weeks, passed road test, and got my truck. IF YOU ARE IN MEMPHIS, TN.... GET ON THE TREADWAYS ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!! This account was like HEAVEN WITH WERNER. You will be hauling tires to TX, LA, MS, SC, OH, TN, OK, AL, GA. It's a dedicated account and you will be home on weekends and pass through several times weekly. The fleet manager, Kate, is a god send. I told her I wouldn't accept any runs under Memphis to Dallas and she made it happen. All my runs were 450+. I knew where I was going and didn't need my GPS anymore. Your loads WILL NEVER even smell 40K, usually around 32K-35K so don't bother scaling. I was in a brand new 2016 Pete, had 67 miles on that baby when I got her. Man I loved it. The pay WAS .25 then .30 after safety bonus given you don't tear their **** up lol. It was just raised to straight .33 which was nice. I ran an average of 2500 miles a week. On a bad week, like 2000-2200 on a good week 2700-3200. I have the stubs to prove I was making gross between 750-1000 easily home so much you'd think I was local. Werner bought my new mustang lol.

On the negative side, sometimes you may have to get a trailer fixed which was annoying AF. I found the 60 day inspections and DOT inspections you must do annoying but for good reason. Werner does take care of their equipment no matter how slow they are at approving things. Forget detention pay unless you got a cool ass fleet manager. I have gotten it every time, but only $50. Hey, $50 is better than 0 right?

As good as this may sound, my time with Werner came to an end mid Jan. Fraudulent accusations from an ex were brought against me and I had to leave. It sucks because as I rookie, I loved Werner. The money was great, DOT was a non factor, good trailers at TBC/Cooper Tires, best home time out of all my rookie driving friends. Oh and let's not forget those new trucks. Like I said, Werner has a bad rep and for good reason, but they were very good to me man. I really miss them already.

As stated, IF YOU ARE OUT OF MEMPHIS.... KILL SOMEBODY TO GET ON THAT TREADWAYS ACCOUNT!

That's my experience guys, thanks for reading.