Profile For Joe Mo

What is the turnover rate of drivers not making it through their first year? Isn't it like 90% or higher ? Reason I ask is because it's still weighing heavy on my about not continuing training. I wake up every day asking myself if this is really what I want to do. Being young I still have alot of options. One of which being college

Like others have said, I would recommend sticking it out and getting your CDL and at least some experience. If nothing else, then at least you'll have a CDL to fall back on and you'll get to experience something in life that most people don't, being a trucker. It's kinda ironic to me that you are considering transitioning from trucking to being an EMT, cause in my opinion those are probably the two most underappreciated and underpaid jobs in America. The general public has no clue. The truckers literally keep the country running and the EMT/Paramedics literally save lives all day.

Back when I was around your age, which wasn't that long ago, I was going to college with the intention of being a doctor. During my second year, I decided to drop out and join the military. At the time everyone I knew, all my friends, family, classmates all told me not to do it, that I would regret it. Fast forward to today and I don't regret it at all. The military was a great experience for me. I got to travel all over the world and experience things that I never would've otherwise, including deploying to war. It also taught me discipline, structure, purpose and not to be complacent. Things that I feel like most people from my generation(millennials) don't get. I also don't have that massive student loan debt that my classmates and friends were racking up.

Basically the reason I shared that is not to try and persuade you to join the military or anything. I just wanted to get the point across that at the end of the day, you have to do what you enjoy and what makes you happy in life cause it is YOUR life. I would be absolutely miserable today had I become a doctor. I realized as I got older and more mature, that I love to travel and be outside versus being in an office type job. So that brings me full circle to now where I'll be getting into the trucking industry in the near future. I'm actually from Missouri also, so if you'd care to share how you got hooked up with that free state sponsored trucking school, I'd appreciate it. I'm currently considering my options right now and I didn't even know that was an option in MO. Whatever you do in life do your best at it and best wishes to you.

Day 0:

Arrived in Troy Sunday evening - checked in and received access card and room key from Shop located behind the main building. Driver's lounge has living area with couches, satellite tv, computer area, lending library, kitchen (with full size fridge, microwave, and sink), sleeping rooms (3 bed/room), laundry facilities ($1 wash/$1 dry), and bathrooms with showers. Nothing fancy, but well maintained. Walmart, Aldi, and Kroger all within 4 minute drive for groceries. A very welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

This is a very informative thread, thanks for making it. I want to get into the trucking industry and I've been looking at schools I can go to. I actually stumbled upon Witte Bros. while I was reading another thread. Had never heard of them before but I only live about a 15 minute drive from their headquarters. So I looked into the school info and it looks good to me and now after reading this thread it looks even better. I have a couple questions if you wouldn't mind answering. Thanks for your help.

What is starting pay per mile once you start solo? What is the actual upfront cost of the school? I've seen a couple different numbers thrown around the internet, so I'm a little confused on that one. I think it says $660 on their website but I've seen other posts on the internet saying it's $500 or that it's completely free. Do they let you drive your own vehicle to the school and are there any restrictions on when you can leave after school hours? I'm only curious about that since I live so close. Where are their terminals located and what regions do they run? Everything I've read about them from people working there so far mentions the Midwest and the East. Do they run anything out West or in the Southern states? Are there any dress/appearance restrictions? Some of these starter companies specifically state things you can't wear while on duty or how long your hair and beard can be etc. One company, I think it was Knight but can't remember, won't let guys have beards, hair touching the collar or earrings. I'm trying to avoid companies like that. Does Witte Bros. have the VA certification so us Veterans can use our GI Bill benefits for OJT training benefits? Last but not least what type of trucks do they run? I noticed in reading through your thread that you never mentioned anything about learning how to shift or people in your class having any problems with that. That's honestly my biggest concern going into all this is getting the shifting down cause I've not only never driven any type of manual transmission vehicle, I've never even rode in one period before. Nobody I've ever known had a manual. I guess that tells everyone what generation I'm from, lol. Thanks again.

Hey Joe welcome aboard. I'm not sure if you're asking about Witte Bros or Maverick. I'm with maverick so I could tell you all you need to know in that case.

Hi C.T. Thanks for the welcome and offer to provide info on Maverick. I was actually referring to Charles in my post since he said he previously worked for Witte Bros. I only live about 15 minutes away from their main terminal/headquarters in Troy, MO is why I was asking and I actually had no idea they were a starter company with in-house training until I read this thread and looked into them further. It just seems really convenient for me but I haven't heard anything about that company before is why I wanted to ask him about them.

C.T. all I gave is a class b that's why I'm going to training there. I had a CDL A until around 1990 and drove otr in 1988-89 for Witte Bros out of troy, mo. But got out to raise a family. Now it's time to go back

Hey man not to sidetrack your thread or anything but I'm actually from the St. Louis area also (St. Charles County) and I'm looking to get into trucking at the end of the summer after some prior obligations are concluded. I've been looking at all of the mega companies that hire newbies and train in-house and Maverick is actually on my short list along with a couple others in Missouri(Prime and Wil Trans).

Maverick looks really solid to me from what I've researched but I saw you mention Witte Bros. and I looked into them a bit and was wondering if you could give me some info on what it was like working for them? I had no idea there were companies that trained in-house in the St. Louis area and those guys are really close to where I live. It seems like they have a similar setup as the other companies I've looked into, such as 1 year commitment to pay off CDL school tuition. So if everything is pretty similar in that regard, it seems like it's just common sense to go with the company closest to where I live, right?

You don't happen to know of any other OTR trucking companies in the St. Louis area that train new guys in-house do you? It seems to me that most of the ones that do in Missouri are in the southern part of the state, like Prime, Wil Trans, Conway etc. I wouldn't have even known about Witte Bros. had I not read this thread but so far that's the closest one I've seen to where I live that has their own CDL school. Thanks for your time and any input you can provide.