Crap Companies

Mr. Curmudgeon, If I may be so bold, what does six to the front and three to the rear mean???????

6 steps forward - three steps back - or 6 positive things/3 negative?

Rick

Thanks, PackRat. I see now I've had it backwards all my life. I've always done 3 steps forward and 6 steps to the rear. This new information might be life changing for me! Lol

I was perusing through YouTube and I saw a gentleman who makes videos called "Crap Companies" or something like that. I mean this guy was naming: Swift, US Xpress, PAM, Schneider, Western Express, USA Truck, etc. You name it, this guy has a myriad of videos talking about how terrible these companies are.

How would he know that? There's no way you worked for all these companies.

As someone who isn't even technically a rookie yet I thought it was very toxic to be making things like this. And unfortunately, many people in the comments were thanking this man for "warning" them.

CeCe

I'm with you on this, CeCe. I'm looking at a career change and considering the move to trucking. I run into so much negativity out there. I have a good friend who was a trucker for 12 years and he just says check out everything because there is a lot of negative things about this line of work. He says the best place to find out the scoop is on forums with guys who do this and know. Which is why I joined up here.

Bre The Newbie wrote:

I lost count of how many times i have been told by truckers "your going to get alot of crap for the name on your truck".

That’s really interesting Bre. I’ve been a Swiftie for 6+ years now and only once did someone give me crap...not even a driver, but a Walmart Unloader.

Too funny.

Sorry, "six to the front and three to the rear, thats the way we do it here" was a marching cadence taught to me very early in my 4 years spent at ftmclellan, alabama (from 5/1983 through 9/1983 - seemed like years anyway).

It was just one more way the instructors reminded us that there was one way they wanted things done while we were in their charge.

Im new to this site and just starting my training and I will say this, when I decided I was going to get into trucking, I will steer clear of the videos that explain shifting, backing and all of that. I was afraid they would be negative to my training and that I want to go in raw and fresh so that the trainers get a clean slate to work with.

As for the videos in question, i have watched several of them. While they are all negative, I will say one of the companies I was looking at was listed and I took great interest in the video. I did learn that the amount they charge for training if you do not fulfill the contract is about 75% more than the amount their website states PLUS interest which lead me to question my recruiter about it who only told me this stuff after asking point blank, so while his videos are crap themselves, they may have some useful info.

Bre The Newbie wrote:

I lost count of how many times i have been told by truckers "your going to get alot of crap for the name on your truck".

That’s really interesting Bre. I’ve been a Swiftie for 6+ years now and only once did someone give me crap...not even a driver, but a Walmart Unloader.

Too funny.

I think its because in person i look like a teenager so other drivers joke all the time asking me for my license, if my parents know im out, and every kid joke you can think of. Thats when i get the "your going to get a lot of crap for the name thats on your truck". So far its all been in good fun.

I will agree at truck stops and your terminal , you will see your share of rats. Every so often I'm routed back to my terminal for training, and in the drivers lounge, you'll see the same 2-3 people *****ing about this or that. Or how this job/that job sucks, etc.

I'm of the opinion while you're on company time/property, you need to remain a professional.

I've been driving for Stevens Transport for almost 3 years. I'm holding out for Walmart because it fits my needs better as a driver.

Until then, I'm quietly doing my job and waiting for the call.

If you don't like your location/vocation; change either/or/both. It's up to you.

Tommy my girlfriend works there I know what your speaking of. The bottom line is all companies, trucking or not those kinds of folks exist. Many of them actually help create their own problems. No company or business is perfect. Some are better than others for various reasons in all fields. We each have to find our own niche and run with it.

Great video! You left out the best parts, though: no video sitting in the dock at the shipper/receiver.

Interesting, I've got popcorn. Any comments? That said, I don't buy into this guy anyways. Was planning on Prime before they said "we are not currently hiring from Florida" and I'll be relocating in the future to join them anyways. A school, instead of company program, was never an option. Besides, you need to work and gauge experience (from what I've heard) before a smaller/local outfit might even take a chance.