Roehl Transport's New Training Contract Is It Fair?

Brett, didn't intend to blast "you", I apologize. Many members often makes remarks about the "newbies knowing nothing", and they tend to forget that we might be "newbies" at trucking, but not at life in general, and hat we're adults just like them (sometimes older) and not little kids who need a scolding. There's people from all walks of life in here. It's fine to be named a newbie. It's just that when the term is coupled too often with comments such as "you know nothing"...."you don't know what you're talking about", etc. it gets old, fast. I know sometimes it's actually called for. But many times, it's uncalled for. It's what I'm trying to say. :)

RV wrote:

There is *absolutely* nothing wrong with no wanting a smoker or someone who is a slob as a trainer. Those are MY minimum requirements and I'm not being prissy because of that. It's putting my health first. I'm allergic to cigarette smoke and will have strong nausea and eventually throw up if not taken away from a smoker fast enough. we're not children anymore, we're all adults and it's ok to know what we're willing to put up with, and what we're not. Simple as that. Being humble to me is knowing that regarding driving a truck (the skills it takes), I know NOTHING of it indeed. I do need to be humble on that aspect and pay attention to those who have the knowledge. This is why I'm going to training. To learn how to operate a truck, safely and efficiently. Regarding the rest...hygiene, how I should eat (it's well known that a vast majority of truckers eat truck stop food and are overweight as a result), how to manage my personal space, etc. I think I can manage very well with that. I know a thing or two and I'm not exactly stupid, even tho it seems that some people have all the best answers, know everything and I'm always wrong. It's getting quite frustrating to be told over and over "you know nothing, you're just a newb". Frankly, I feel like seeing myself going back to where I came from, because almost *anything* I talk about or voice an opinion on, I always get criticized on and I guess I have nothing "intelligent" to contribute for all who have apparently all the correct answers. I hope not to read that I'm "just a newb" again today. I am well aware that I am new to trucking. I am not new at LIFE, however. And I certainly do not consider myself as a super star. Quite the opposite. I matter very little in this big world.

RV I am rather puzzled by this. Everything the OP wrote is nothing remotely close to how I would expect you to handle the same situation. I seriously doubt we will ever see you post something like Ruminator wrote. I have seen enough of your posts that included encouragement and agreement from others. If total agreement is what you expect, it's not likely going to happen here. Puzzled...

Like Brett suggested you really will need a thick skin to succeed in this business. What is thrown at you here, pales in comparison to what you can expect once you're past schooling and into road training. Trust me I have dealt with far more insulting remarks and reference to a low IQ than you ever have on here. I don't really care what others have to say if it's nonsense and untrue. I will challenge there every word if it is misleading and can potentially influence a new driver into thinking something is "right' when it is flat out "wrong" and potentially dangerous. Would you rather we just let it fly, and not call out BS when we see it?

You clearly have the smarts and drive to succeed. Like I have suggested more than once, read everything, file away in your memory what is relevant and necessary for you, ignore everything else. No one in this forum wants to see you fail. No one.

I'm sick. Again. Having a bad morning. *shuffle shuffle*

Everyone thinks, I'll get my cdl and money will rain from the heavens and this and that.

They also hear, "Truck drivers are in huge demand!" and that sends some people strollin right on in the place thinkin they're a rock star.

They're wearin their shades at night, they have an entourage carrying their bags, they chose to fly instead of take the bus, and they're like "Thank you. Thank you. Here's my list of demands. Here's everything I can already see you're doing wrong as a company. Here's what I expect from the people I encounter. Here's the minimum specs for any truck I'll consider driving. Here's the minimum requirements for any trainers I'll be considering for the position."

....and they don't realize that no one thinks anything of rookies in the beginning because no one is assured of success or longevity in this industry. Unless you've lived it you haven't done anything and you don't know anything in the eyes of the people who have. You might not last a week, and even then you may hit a bridge or go bonkers from isolation and burnout. Nobody knows. They're just going to grab a bag of popcorn, sit back, and wait to see what happens.

I can't stress this enough.....be humble, especially in the beginning. You don't know how difficult this job or lifestyle is until you've lived it. Just trust us when we tell you that. We're saying it for your own good. If you want things to go smoothly you need to get along well with people, listen and learn, be tolerant, and be humble.

Just curious Brett do you still drive? Cause I know you have been at it a long time. Still in the game or hung up the keys? Not trying to get into your personal business or anything. 😁

I think I've read that he doesn't. Maintaining this site the way he does is probably at least a 12 hr/wk job which I couldn't see anyone accomplishing from the road.

It's just that when the term is coupled too often with comments such as "you know nothing"...."you don't know what you're talking about", etc. it gets old, fast.

Maybe I've missed it, but who has been throwing around phrases like this?

I do agree with others RV, it seems like you assume everything is somehow a direct insult towards you, even when it's clearly not. You gotta just let things like that roll, because I don't think anyone here has any doubts about your abilities or your motivation. I know you want to stand up for your convictions and defend your opinions, which is very admirable, but when the "attack" isn't even meant for you, there's really nothing that needs defending.

It would be like if the US bombed Syria, and then Iceland dropped a bomb on the US in retaliation.

Hey all, thank you for your replies.

A company asking for their training money back is in my experience unheard of to me. I could be wrong, I understand if a company that you work for pays your tuition to get a degree or certification with the understanding that your doing, you benefit the company. So I would expect that you would have to pay for that if you bail right after getting that education. But what were talking about here is the simple on-the-job-training that is done here. Something you generally receive it 99% of the time at any job that you go to. Like any company these trucking companies are here to make a profit. They make a profit from each driver in their company. So a new driver is an investment. You hope to spend X amount of money and get Y in return. You got to spend money to make money, right. Usually if you're doing something right then most people will stay rather than leave your company, therefore you make money and grow your business. Gee, can I get a guarantee that my $3,000 investment in XYZ company stock will go up in value in at least the first 6 months. If it doesn't then i want my money back. That's Fantastic. Just found my new career.....Day Trading...Someone say millionaire... And by the way the average company revenue per truck per month is like 16k so if you subtract salary, fuel, equipment costs, etc then lets say conservatively that's 11k a month, then that leaves 4k. That's 4k a month easy that they make off you. Do they really need their training costs back? and again I'm not talking about CDL School Training here.

Did the things I've read about the Truck Driver shortage, play a part in me coming to this industry......Yes. Did I expect a trucking company to swoon a little over me.....Kinda. Do I expect Driver pay/benefits to be good because of the shortage.....Yes. (Laws of supply and demand being used here) And....Yes, I am a brand new driver with limited training in a CDL school. I get it. Yes, I need to prove that I'm a competent driver/employee. I get it. Yes, I know that I should work at least a year before I can consider myself an experienced driver....I get that, too........ but I'm not talking about that stuff.

I'm just talking about their "Contract" guarantee that they will get their job training dollars back if things don't work out for new hires. WHY OH WHY Would a company do that. If a company wants to decrease their turnover rate because its costing them too much money then why not improve driver morale in someway by increasing either pay, benefits or working conditions. DUH? Is Roehl even aware there is a shortage and they need to be a little more welcoming.. If I work for a month or two and find this career isnt right for me or the Job isn't a good fit for me, I would like to be able to quit and be done with it. Also, wouldn't it be in the best interest of the company to part ways with you because aren't you a liability, morale and safety-wise, to have you continue working. But, No, I can't leave because I will owe them 3,000 if I do.

I worked a lot of years for a Huge Global Manufacturing company that has always been in the top 25 companies to work for in america for decades. I guess I got a little spoiled there. Why I left is a long story but it wasn't really the company's fault. They're turnover rate was super low I can assure you that. There was a reason for that. They incorporated the motto that their employees were their number one concern and they held up to that. If anything I should have given them more than I did; because they gave me more than they needed to.

Anyway, finally, may I be making too big of deal with this...perhaps. It's a matter of principal and ethics to me...I always had the intention to stay and be loyal to the company that i apply to and wants me as an employee. They do their drug tests, their physical tests and their background checks so they can trust that I could perform the needs of their business. Can't I do the same? Can't I look to trust them, too... This Contract just leaves me, personally, with too much doubt about wither this company is the kind of company I want to work for....

That was a great response Ruminator and it explains very well where your line of reasoning comes from.

Usually if you're doing something right then most people will stay rather than leave your company, therefore you make money and grow your business

That's true in most industries but no so much in trucking. Turnover in trucking has become a self-fulfilling prophecy. People know that with a good record they can have any of 100 jobs within hours so their loyalty toward their company and their tolerance for anything goes way down. When you know you can go anywhere, anytime it's going to change your approach and attitude. People quit jobs far more quickly and easily when they can have ten more in an hour than they would otherwise, simple as that. It's easy to market "The grass is greener" to people who are free to shop around.

That's 4k a month easy that they make off you

They wish!!! Are you kidding me? No wonders you think they're being greedy. You think they're making a killing off you. Making $4,000/month profit off $16,000 in revenues would put the profit margins in trucking at 25%. The actual number is around 3%. So you've overestimated their profits eightfold. I don't think Wall Street is going to come calling anytime soon looking for analysts so you better be good at driving.

Years ago I worked at US Xpress and the operations manager told me that an average 500 mile run where nothing goes wrong earns the company an average profit of about $50. That's right, $50 in profit for 500 miles of running if nothing goes wrong. Blow a tire and it takes you half the week just to break even again.

.Yes, I am a brand new driver with limited training in a CDL school. I get it. Yes, I need to prove that I'm a competent driver/employee. I get it. Yes, I know that I should work at least a year before I can consider myself an experienced driver....I get that, too........ but I'm not talking about that stuff.

So you get it, but you don't care. Great. We tell you what's important, you decide you have other things that are more important like:

If I work for a month or two and find this career isnt right for me or the Job isn't a good fit for me, I would like to be able to quit and be done with it.

...and that's exactly why this company has the policy they have. They know a lot of people have no loyalty to the company they work for nor any real dedication to their new career. They're just dipping their toes in the water.

I mean, you realize this isn't the Make-A-Wish foundation, right? I don't blame you for wanting to play around with a new career or shop around from company to company like you're a celebrity on someone else's dime but you can't blame that someone else for not being interested in sponsoring your whims. They're going to put you in a $100,000 truck, train you, take an enormous risk on you, and dedicate all these resources your way and you shouldn't have to do anything in return, right?

If you think they should have to invest the resources and take the risks necessary to pull you straight out of school and put you in one of their rigs without expecting anything in return then you're feeling entitled to an awful lot even though you've done nothing to earn it and that's exactly the type of people they're hoping to avoid I'm afraid.

Ruminator wrote

I'm just talking about their "Contract" guarantee that they will get their job training dollars back if things don't work out for new hires. WHY OH WHY Would a company do that.

For the same reason that any Technical School, Community College, and University talks about the requirements for Students to pay their tuition before attending class and, then, prorating any amount due if the Student leaves the School early.

I may be completely off base with this, but I believe Trucking Companies with CDL Programs actually want their Students to succeed, and they will do everything they can to make it happen. Unfortunately, that line of business practice has led many Companies, Roehl included, to develop contracts that explain the Student's responsibilities for failing to achieve their obligations. One year is not a long time... And, neither is 75,000 miles, in my humble opinion.

Ruminate, I believe there is one very important point you are missing. Several times, thou have made the distinction that this is not cdl school, but on the job training. While you are correct, the part you are missing is that the on the job training is more valuable than what you learn in cdl school. CDL school is just that, it teaches you just enough to get that CDL. That does not make you a trucker. It makes you eligible to learn how to be a trucker.

When a company trains you, they are paying your salary, your trainer's salary, and higher insurance for hiring new drivers. There are plenty of other costs to training you as well. They are putting a huge investment in you. You really can't fault them for trying to insure they get some return in that investment.

You referred to your experiences in a different industry. While I am sure what you learned from those experiences would apply in many cases, the trucking industry is not like most. The same rules just don't apply.