Thoughtfull.
Topic 29666 | Page 1
If I was you I'd try to establish myself as a dependable, safe flatbedder over the next few months.
After that, if you still would rather do dry van , then make the switch.
Don't simply consider flatbed as "playing it safe". Even if that's the reason you chose it for now. Put some effort into it while focusing on developing safe habits and good clock management skills. Doing this will only make you a better driver no matter what division you choose in the future.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OOS:
When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.
At your third company this year, as in 2021, or the previous 12 months?
You also mentioned that a big problem was the type of people they bring in to hire.
In that case, you should be licking your chops to get out there and outshine the internal competition. Driving is competitive. You are competing mostly with your coworkers. Go ahead and leave them in the dust. Show WE that you are a step above the other people they hire😉
A great point RealDiehl. Eric why on earth would it matter to you what kind of people WE hired?
You also mentioned that a big problem was the type of people they bring in to hire.
In that case, you should be licking your chops to get out there and outshine the internal competition. Driving is competitive. You are competing mostly with your coworkers. Go ahead and leave them in the dust. Show WE that you are a step above the other people they hire😉
Jammer (where'd you go!?) Mentioned that in his opinion flatbed will pay the best at W.E. The sliding payscale for dry van means that the shorter the run the higher CPM , while a high mile run will pay a lower CPM.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
Because I’m pointing out to the negativity that’s out there surrounding western. Everyone loves to blame the company,I’ve done it myself. But a company is only as good as its drivers 🤷♂️. Sure I sound like a bootlicker but im just stating facts.
In that case, you should be licking your chops to get out there and outshine the internal competition. Driving is competitive. You are competing mostly with your coworkers. Go ahead and leave them in the dust. Show WE that you are a step above the other people they hire😉
Sorry I meant to say if I switched after getting in six months of clean driving it would be my third company in 2021 if I did switch.
At your third company this year, as in 2021, or the previous 12 months?
Sorry I meant to say if I switched after getting in six months of clean driving it would be my third company in 2021 if I did switch.
I understood what you meant. However, why in the world are you even possibly thinking of changing after 6 mths?? All of us experienced drivers have told new drivers to stick it out for at least one year. Try to think along those lines to get experience and you will be worth more to other companies.
My brother went thru 3 companies in 1.5 yrs and struggled finding a company that requires 1 yrs experience....they looked hard at his jumping companies. He did get hired by JB Hunt Intermodal and stayed with them for 3.5 yrs. Home life problems ended his OTR work.
Laura
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Intermodal:
Transporting freight using two or more transportation modes. An example would be freight that is moved by truck from the shipper's dock to the rail yard, then placed on a train to the next rail yard, and finally returned to a truck for delivery to the receiving customer.
In trucking when you hear someone refer to an intermodal job they're normally talking about hauling shipping containers to and from the shipyards and railyards.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Eric you not stating anything factual. What you are saying is purely subjective. You worry should be solely on yourself and your performance. Not how a company looks to other people. I have no idea what you mean by “a company is only as good as its drivers”. I worry about myself and have never blamed a company. Don’t drink that terminal rat koolaide.
Because I’m pointing out to the negativity that’s out there surrounding western. Everyone loves to blame the company,I’ve done it myself. But a company is only as good as its drivers 🤷♂️. Sure I sound like a bootlicker but im just stating facts.
In that case, you should be licking your chops to get out there and outshine the internal competition. Driving is competitive. You are competing mostly with your coworkers. Go ahead and leave them in the dust. Show WE that you are a step above the other people they hire😉
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
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Just a quick update on my short time so far with western express. I can tell you the people they bring out for hire are the biggest problem by far. A lot of bs that had to be called out on which is way to long to list in this part of the topic lol. Everyone here work wise seems helpful and kind although the communication needs a lot of work. Flat bed training has been good my trianer is a 23 year vet who is very knowledgeable,although even he says not to stay here beyond the time that I need to get my safety record up to par. I would rather not go to another company as it would be my third one this year. If any of you are confused I made a post about why I got disqualified from driving with England. On another note I’m thinking of going over to there dry van division only because backing was my weak point and I want to make it my strength because I don’t plan on doing flat bed long term. I’ve heard mixed feedback on the miles there dry van drivers get but nothing concrete from an actual OTR driver who does day van. Again I have nothing against flat bed it’s a good skill for me to learn However it’s more of a “playing it safe” kind of move as my trainer tells me. Any thoughts or feedback on anything I’ve mentioned here would be very helpful please and thank you.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.