Choosing My First Driving Job

I'm about to finish my CDL traning and I have three jobs waiting for me. As I get closer to my graduation date, the recruiters from each of the three companies call me practically every other day, wanting to schedule me for orientation. The trouble is I'm confused by the disparity between what the companies are saying about themselves and what the obviously disgruntled current and former drivers are saying. Werner, TransAm, and Roehl want to hire me. I want to drive from coast to coast in a tractor that isnt' too old, and, though I would like to get home every once in awhile, I have no compelling reasons for getting home more than once every four to eight weeks, or so. Right now, my order of preference is: Werner (close to where I'm currently living); next, TransAm (fewer terminals and therefore more weekly mileage?); finally, Roehl (no particular reason - just that they've offered me a job). What I really need is some objective feedback on each of these companies. Can anyone provide some? Thanks!

Hey Harrison - welcome aboard! Sorry I took so long to respond. I was out of town for a bit.

If you want to run coast to coast you'll want to go with a refrigerated carrier. They have the most coast to coast freight and that will give you the best opportunity to do that. Dry van and flatbed companies tend to have more regionalized freight so you wouldn't have nearly the opportunities there you would in refrigerated. You can still make great miles and great money at dry van and flatbed companies, but you won't have the opportunity to run coast to coast as often.

And ignore the garbage you read online about these companies. If you want to know what life is like at a company, go to a local truck stop and speak with some drivers while they're fueling up or on their way into the truck stop. They'll be happy to give you a few minutes and you'll be shocked when you see how much more positive the drivers are that are out there doing it successfully everyday instead of sitting in forums crying the blues.

But I would like at any refrigerated companies and ask them about the opportunity you would have to run coast to coast. Any company has great miles available for their best drivers so it doesn't matter that much which company you start out with. Once you prove yourself, you'll get the miles. Then after getting a year of safe driving under your belt you'll have a massive list of new companies you can go work for if you'd like to try someplace else.

Hope this helps!

I'm about to finish my CDL traning and I have three jobs waiting for me. As I get closer to my graduation date, the recruiters from each of the three companies call me practically every other day, wanting to schedule me for orientation. The trouble is I'm confused by the disparity between what the companies are saying about themselves and what the obviously disgruntled current and former drivers are saying. Werner, TransAm, and Roehl want to hire me. I want to drive from coast to coast in a tractor that isnt' too old, and, though I would like to get home every once in awhile, I have no compelling reasons for getting home more than once every four to eight weeks, or so. Right now, my order of preference is: Werner (close to where I'm currently living); next, TransAm (fewer terminals and therefore more weekly mileage?); finally, Roehl (no particular reason - just that they've offered me a job). What I really need is some objective feedback on each of these companies. Can anyone provide some? Thanks!

Werner was amongst my first few companies I worked for while I was gaining experience in the trade .They were straight shooters telling me up front what to expect from them from the get go and for the most part they were spot on.You could do much worse going with someone else My first "training" company probably should have issued rose colored glasses along with the red truck they gave me to drive because nothing they told me ended up being accurate.Some companies will mislead you to get you in one of their trucks .Not Werner .After appx 6 months under my belt with them I transfered to their dedicated fleet division,pulling trailers to Family Dollar stores .Upon arrival at the stores I'd have to tailgate the floor loaded freight ,it was hot dirty work ,but it was a salaried position (no mileage pay)..I didn't run a lot of miles ,but I did have a steady regular paycheck.

The only thing I can tell you about Trans Am is that the first day of what I believed was orientation ,it quickly became apparent I was there to attend their in house ,several weeks long training program .I already had a few years experience under my belt ,so I wasnt expecting that at all,I confronted them about that essentialing telling them I came there to work ,not go to school, either put me to work or put me on greyhound . The did neither, leaving me high and dry 300 miles from home .

Every thing I've heard about Reohl is they are a good company ,however I have no practical hands on experience with them ,so I'd suggest talking with some of their drivers in truckstops etc first before making the plunge there .

The only thing I can tell you about Trans Am is that the first day of what I believed was orientation ,it quickly became apparent I was there to attend their in house ,several weeks long training program .I already had a few years experience under my belt ,so I wasnt expecting that at all,I confronted them about that essentialing telling them I came there to work ,not go to school, either put me to work or put me on greyhound . The did neither, leaving me high and dry 300 miles from home .

Sounds like you didn't do your proper research before hand and once you got there and started making ultimatums (which always works so well) they told you to take a hike and kicked you to the curb.