Been A While But Looking For Advice

Hello all, I know I said I was giving this life up, but here's the thing......I really like driving! Every time I see an 18 wheeler on the road, all I can think of is getting back in the driver's seat. So, I've decided to give this another shot. After talking to one of my teachers that I've kept in touch with and my old trainer, they have said that Pascall Truck Lines is a good place for me to start since I only have 3 months of experience. I was termed from Celadon, my old company, because I needed to stay home and care for my sick mother. Anyway, I've heard that PTL was only an OTR company so I'm hoping to get at least three months with them before switching to Martin and getting a Regional or Dedicated route with them. Any advice on PTL and Martin please?

Personally, I don't like the plan. There's plenty of places that would take you with three months experience. Why plan on leaving another company after three months? If something goes wrong at your third company and you get terminated, you've got a terrible record for longevity at that point.

If you want a regional or dedicated position then go where they will be available for you. Most of the large carriers have all kind of opportunities, even some they don't advertise.

Think long term when approaching this commitment.

What are good places I can go with only 3 months of experience? I'm trying to avoid having to go through training again since I went through it so soon. If I have to then I will as I heard that Heartland Express just started a training program.

Think long term when approaching this commitment.

Chelsea, were I in your position, I would fully expect to go through training again, in fact I would want to.

Swift comes to mind. They have such a multitude of options. Seriously, start talking to some recruiters at different companies and don't limit yourself by not being willing to go through some training. Chances are that the trainer will see your abilities and release you early. This kind of thing happens all the time. I was at a Knight terminal recently and a trainer brought his trainee in after being together for seven days. He simply told the manager this guy doesn't need me, he's ready for his own truck.

I believe schneider has regional positions with little to no experience. Give them a look.

All you need to do is click on your own profile and read the threads you started in the past. Not only did others give you sound advice but they told you of good companies.

From day one you wanted to leave celadon at 125k miles. You wanted a company with teams, better pay, a terminal near your home, to stay out at least two weeks. Then you complained they didn't have enough home time. Then you wanted holiday pay and all holidays off. Then you wanted time off for your mother (granted this I understand)...then you complained you didn't want to be at celadon cause you only got 1000 miles a week..which I run in two days. Then you claimed celadon wouldn't let you get home after two months out.

Then you paid off celadon...but now you got fired due to their cold hearted lack of concern for your mother. But you had every intention of leaving, and they probably knew by lack of performance or enthusiasm.

Now you want to go back to a different company after everyone here told you to stay at celadon the year, and even told you how to get good miles.... Celadon drivers included! Most of your issues are industry wide policies or aspects. So any company you choose will be the same.,..including going back out with another trainer. Yes, even with years of experience you would probably go out with a trainer to learn the company procedures.

Funny how all of your posts are about how you can find a better company rather than asking how to improve yourself as a driver, making you marketable to companies. The rest of us newer drivers ask questions about trip planning, equipment, maintenance issues, and ask for tips.

All you ask for is how you can get more from a company without proving yourself worthy or even committing yourself to them.

Dam rainy

Its the truth. Her last post just stated Celadon even gave her a choice of the truck she wanted...and they searched their inventory to find it.

But...you know...they are a terrible.company who cares little for their drivers.

I understand what you're saying Rainy. And, to be fair, I didn't understand how to run OTR so that was partly my fault. I burned myself out by staying out too long. However, I did my best when I was with Celadon. I can count on one hand how many deliveries were late because of me and I made sure to tell them ahead of time. I ran my time the way I was trained to do so. About the whole governed speed thing, I can honestly say I got used to the speed and just shut up about it. Getting a faster truck is more wishful thinking.

In regards to staying with Celadon, I would have stayed the entire year but they gave me an ultimatum. After going through 3 different DMs to find a load back home (with my main DM saying 'you don't even know if there's something wrong' by the way), they let me use my the home time I didn't realize I had to go home and help care for my mother. When that time was up, they said I could either come back to the truck that day or they would have to term me. It's only the two of us here so leaving wasn't an option for me. I paid off the contract because that was the only choice I had left after that. Since then, I've known personally 5 drivers, including my trainer and teacher, that have left Celadon because of their crappy service. One driver, whom I know is a great driver and was even trained by her father, was stuck in an intersection for 4 hours waiting for maintenance to answer the phone and send help her way. The main reason I wanted to leave is because I didn't like the way my DM was treating me, acting like I was a malfunctioning robot that was only supposed to run a certain number of hours, shut down then start over.

I didn't have to ask the same questions as most people because one of the teachers went out of their way to teach us about it. He had driven with Celadon for several years then got tired of them and left. Now, he's driving for a friend of his out of South GA. My trainer is now driving for Barnes. That friend who got stuck in an intersection is driving for another company but I don't know who. I never asked for a company with teams. The main thing I wanted was better home time which I realized I can get with regional or dedicated which Celadon doesn't have unless you live in Indy. As for the truck, all they have for company solo drivers are Prostars which I didn't realize until later. Teams get KWs and lease purchase or owner operators could choose between anything on their lot from Prostars, Lonestars, KWs and Peterbilts. Again, didn't realize any of that until later on as I had issues with the truck that required it being in the shop quite a bit; it was taking an insane amount of fuel and hardly any of the DEF which I knew it wasn't supposed to do. As for the miles, that was actually a bad week and I shouldn't have said anything in regards to that.

Now, with all this being said, I did some research and found that regional or dedicated would get me the home time I was looking for. Like I said, Celadon does not have this option and, as far as I know, neither does PTL when I was looking which is why I said I was going to get in, get the experience I needed and probably switch to another company that did. If they did, I would stay with them but I'm concerned that I'm going to have the same reaction to OTR. I want to make myself a better driver but I need to know where to go. Belittling my problems doesn't help me Rainy. All I asked for was for help. I personally do not like Swift or Schneider (please don't ask why) and that's why I choose not to go with them. So please, I just need suggestions. Now, if I need to go through training, then I will which is what I said earlier.

I never asked for a company with teams.

Now THAT post described your situation without sounding like griping and complaining. Sorry if I sounded nasty. I just read too many posts recently where people just want and want without knowing what they are asking.

But your post 10 months ago did say you were looking for team with a friend...

Looking For Good Team Driver Company

You decided regional or dedicated will get you better home time. Are you sure? Do you understand you might get home more often, say every other week. But it is often still only four days a month like most OTR. Some regionals get a 34/reset at home every other week. That's not a full weekend. Is that enough or what you were expecting? Sometimes it isn't a regular schedule...could be this weekend and next weekend then not for a couple weeks. Prime has dedicated and Northeast & Southeast regional. Your profile doesn't say where you are. Apparently not near which I'm guessing would rule out Midwest companies.

What about JB Hunt or other Intermodals? Are you near rails? Prime told.me their intermodal drivers are all lease/oo, but other intermodal companies might give you more home time. I ran intermodal in training at prime and although my trainer lived in Chicago and ran 500+ miles per day there, he didn't have time to go home much. Or got home so late his family was in bed.

I have friends on dedicated routes who live nowhere near their route...like 500 miles away. So dedicated doesn't mean you will get home more either.

If you want a company with more home time, Roehl seems to be a good place. However their "home time plus" is not offered in all regions. So be sure to ask recruiters about their regional.

Also keep in mind...more home time means less pay. You aren't rolling so no money coming in. Some drivers get caught up on "home every weekend" then if they manage to do it, they frown at their pay check.

Check out the following links

• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
• Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"

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