Wilson Logistics

I had applied for paid CDL training with Jim Palmer Trucking / Wilson Logistics. I had to postpone training one time for a family memorial. Two weeks ago I called the recruiter who was dealing with me. Everything sounded a-ok for my august start date.

Call recruiting 3 days ago and poof out of nowhere they said nope we ain't going with you. I have one seatbelt violation in the last 10 years and no other things. Been driving a straight truck for the past 7 years. So I had put my 2 weeks notice in, so now I don't have a job.

Jesus Christ bless you

Charles, it's totally understandable that you're frustrated but I wouldn't let that stop you for a moment. There are a ton of great Paid CDL Training Programs. Apply to all of them, see who offers you a position, and if there's more than one just choose the one you feel suits you best and go for it. Don't waste a minute worrying about it. On to the next!

Charles if you were of any value at your old job I'm quite sure they would take you back. Just explain what happened. They will understand.

Now, as far as being "shifty" goes... you were the first one to throw a kink into things. I'm curious... how much time did you drop out of contact with them? You said you had a family memorial to attend. That's a couple of days at most, maybe three if you have to travel. How long did you leave them wondering about you?

You don't even need to answer that, but you need to realize how critical communications are in the logistics business. If you took your time and didn't bother keeping them updated regularly, you may have blown it.

Okay let's move on - that's what you need to do now. We always teach people to line up several pre-hire agreements. These companies are not obligated to you by any means. I got rejected countless times when I determined to get my trucking career started. Each of them said, "We have better applicants that we chose." What? I was spotless - 30 years at one job! When I finally had three or four pre-hires set up, I got started. Guess what happened? I got sent home from the first three orientations I attended.

Yeah, you need to have multiple companies lined up when you're ready to start. It's a crap shoot for them as well as you. Just move forward and try again, but get yourself some backup companies lined up to fall back on.

I'm going to add one more thought here. Everybody labors over this whole idea of having to pick the perfect company to start with. It's total baloney. These trucking companies are all so similar, and a rookie OTR driver doesn't really have a clue what he's getting into anyway. Charles, wherever you can get started will work just fine. The only critical variable is how you conduct yourself as a newbie.

Please don't let yourself be so disappointed. Rookie drivers just need a place to start. That name on the truck doors isn't going to help you or establish you in this career. Your success at this rests solely on your efforts and abilities to be productive and safe. The company will give you a shot at it, but the results are all up to you.

Yea Wilson logistics put in a couple no-fly rules recently, you just happened to nail one of them. These rules are one and done for us. Seatbelt violation, cell phone violation, or excess speed(80 mph or up in a truck) and you're done. The reason being is these violations hit your CSA score HARD. And Wilson logistics works hard to protect their score.

Bummer about you having already put in your 2 weeks bud.

Keep your head up man two years ago when I applied to go with Swift right before I had left for training I contacted a recruiter and told them I had speeding ticket in ca 55 in a 40 i was 21 I’m 23 they stopped talking to me contacting me etc. I had just passed my permit for cdl A and then I was bummed spoke to prime inc I got the ticket fixed paid it off and took a DMV class course. My advice is go with another company prime inc is a good “starter” company always look for what fits you best. Good luck

I had applied for paid CDL training with Jim Palmer Trucking / Wilson Logistics. I had to postpone training one time for a family memorial. Two weeks ago I called the recruiter who was dealing with me. Everything sounded a-ok for my august start date.

Call recruiting 3 days ago and poof out of nowhere they said nope we ain't going with you. I have one seatbelt violation in the last 10 years and no other things. Been driving a straight truck for the past 7 years. So I had put my 2 weeks notice in, so now I don't have a job.

Jesus Christ bless you

prime inc is a good “starter” company

To be clear, Prime Inc is a great company, period. We don't believe in the odd notion that large carriers are a good place to begin your career, but then somehow you're supposed to move onto a better place to work as if there's a better place to be than the largest, most successful carriers in the business. Here's my take on this from my podcast:

Episode 9: Are Major Carriers Nothing More Than Starter Companies?

I agree 100% but my experience with them prior to leaving wasn’t the best. I keep hearing from other drivers their fleet managers and etc was more in touch with what I wanted. I achieved a 1 year mark of prime time certified (on time pick up delivery with no missed p/u delivery) I asked for a 1 cent raise as I felt it wouldn’t be much to ask for as a company driver I was told the only incentive that could be given to me was for the fuel mileage bonus. I also had my hazmat. I heard certain carriers pay a higher mileage rate for just having it alone for all miles wether hazmat or not. So I asked to see if I could pull hazmat I was told they could give me loads but not pay me more for any miles. I told them I wouldn’t pull hazmat for them In that case. In the end I was just told to either go company trainer or lease operator. Keep in mind I only had 1 year behind the wheel. I couldn’t train someone and teach them the essentials to make the best of what is to be encountered I barely had any experience my self . I felt that the best thing for me at the time was to move forward. Everything else is great from roadside to personal at terminals maintenance I recommend them. I work for an LTL. carrier now. I still think prime worker better with its overall company standards but I work 5 days on 2 days off at home running linehaul.

prime inc is a good “starter” company

To be clear, Prime Inc is a great company, period. We don't believe in the odd notion that large carriers are a good place to begin your career, but then somehow you're supposed to move onto a better place to work as if there's a better place to be than the largest, most successful carriers in the business. Here's my take on this from my podcast:

Episode 9: Are Major Carriers Nothing More Than Starter Companies?

my experience with them prior to leaving wasn’t the best

Well, the experience you're referring to was basically you making a list of demands you thought you deserved because you hit the one year mark and the company didn't jump when you said jump. That experience isn't going to go well at any company I'm afraid.

See, your perception of how this industry works was based on bits and pieces of things you heard from other drivers at other companies. For instance, because one company gave their drivers a raise at the one year mark or more money for hauling Hazmat you thought you should get the same.

What you failed to realize is that each company has its own unique pay package. Not every element is going to be the same. Some companies pay more for certain things, others won't. In the end, it all works out about the same.

What you were trying to do is to take the best elements from different companies and stack them on top of each other to get the ultimate pay package where you get the best of everything. You would get all of the raises and all of the special pay that every company combined would give their drivers. That just isn't how it works.

The reality is that you were making as much at Prime as anyone was making anywhere at that stage of their career. You just fell for the "grass is greener" thing which so many people fall for. Then they jump ship and realize there's almost no difference between the major carriers. They're all great. Even though they all do things a little bit differently, those differences are rather trivial in the end.

However, you didn't just jump to a different OTR company. Now you're working LTL , which is a completely different animal altogether. So now your job and lifestyle has a completely different set of advantages and disadvantages. The funny part is that in the end you'll wind up making about what you would've been making at Prime, possibly a little more, but probably not. Your lifestyle is going to be drastically different though. Hopefully, it suits you better than OTR did, but if not you can just switch back to OTR - no big deal.

So I don't think it's accurate to say your experience at Prime wasn't good when you left. I think it's more accurate to say your expectations got ahead of your reality. It's no big deal though. This is just part of the learning process. At some point, you'll really understand all of the nuances of this industry and you'll settle into the niche that suits you best.

I’m just getting a feel. Prime is great I’m not bashing them but I’ve made more here in 7 almost 8 months then I did at I prime in a year. The pay scale is higher for a company driver but I was tempted to stay at first I really love the way they work and how they operate. I asked and was given some options and the info on those options (lease/or trainer). I wanted to stay expressed that to them but in the end I wasn’t gonna stay cause it was just not financially good decision. I know you’ve been around longer and done this longer then me but I’m 23 I started at 21 driving and I’m sure there is a ton of things I don’t know. I’m not trying to be rude or argue it was just my input. For someone to keep in mind.

my experience with them prior to leaving wasn’t the best

Well, the experience you're referring to was basically you making a list of demands you thought you deserved because you hit the one year mark and the company didn't jump when you said jump. That experience isn't going to go well at any company I'm afraid.

See, your perception of how this industry works was based on bits and pieces of things you heard from other drivers at other companies. For instance, because one company gave their drivers a raise at the one year mark or more money for hauling Hazmat you thought you should get the same.

What you failed to realize is that each company has its own unique pay package. Not every element is going to be the same. Some companies pay more for certain things, others won't. In the end, it all works out about the same.

What you were trying to do is to take the best elements from different companies and stack them on top of each other to get the ultimate pay package where you get the best of everything. You would get all of the raises and all of the special pay that every company combined would give their drivers. That just isn't how it works.

The reality is that you were making as much at Prime as anyone was making anywhere at that stage of their career. You just fell for the "grass is greener" thing which so many people fall for. Then they jump ship and realize there's almost no difference between the major carriers. They're all great. Even though they all do things a little bit differently, those differences are rather trivial in the end.

However, you didn't just jump to a different OTR company. Now you're working LTL , which is a completely different animal altogether. So now your job and lifestyle has a completely different set of advantages and disadvantages. The funny part is that in the end you'll wind up making about what you would've been making at Prime, possibly a little more, but probably not. Your lifestyle is going to be drastically different though. Hopefully, it suits you better than OTR did, but if not you can just switch back to OTR - no big deal.

So I don't think it's accurate to say your experience at Prime wasn't good when you left. I think it's more accurate to say your expectations got ahead of your reality. It's no big deal though. This is just part of the learning process. At some point, you'll really understand all of the nuances of this industry and you'll settle into the niche that suits you best.