Good Low Experience OTR Companies??

So I started trucking about 6.5 months ago with Swift Transport. I actually like most things about them.. They treat drivers decently. They almost always have loads. They get you home. The trucks have lots of issues tho and it has to be one of the worst paying in the industry. Im only making 30 CPM! I looked around at a few other options on the web but see all kinds of horrible and mixed reviews... How do I sift through all this to find a decent paying company??

So I started trucking about 6.5 months ago with Swift. I actually like most things about them.. They treat drivers decently. They almost always have loads. They get you home. The trucks have lots of issues tho and it has to be one of the worst paying in the industry. Im only making 30 CPM! I looked around at a few other options on the web but see all kinds of horrible and mixed reviews... How do I sift through all this to find a decent paying company??

30 cpm is probably average to above average, for starting out. I think Stevens Transport and Schneider start at around 26 cpm. Flatbed companies pay the most. However, I think Maverick and Crete one of have the highest in the industry. Maverick also has a glass hauler division that might pay more.

Dave

You'll get some experienced drivers chiming in shortly, I'm sure. From what I've gathered - stay put. It's important for more than one reason to stay with your first company for at least one year. Not to mention that if you went through Swift's company paid schooling, you'd be penalized if you left as early as 6.5 months. 30 cpm is not bad at all for a first year or under driver. You get your miles, they get you home. You might not have experienced the better equipment yet because you haven't been w/ the company that long. Unless you are under contract after earning your CDL through Swift, try to stay for at least your first year. You'll hear that good advice echoed throughout this site.

As far as sifting through all the garbage on the internet, check out this recent post by Brett. Pretty much sums it up.

"We would love to be able to give you a list of pro's and con's for each company or tell you which one you'll like the best. But it really does depend on what you're looking for. But you don't have to worry about finding a company that will treat you well or avoid companies that will treat you poorly. That's the biggest fallacy there is when it comes to getting your trucking career underway. There's a ton of negativity and slander all over the Web directed at trucking companies by drivers who either failed to take trucking seriously or didn't belong there in the first place and it gives people the impression that they have to find a "good company" that will treat them well. I can assure you that's not the case.

What you have to find is a company that suits you well. If you go in there and give them a great effort, do it with a great attitude, and prove yourself to be a safe, reliable professional then you will indeed get great miles and fair treatment. If you're lazy, you have a bad attitude, or you fail to be a safe, reliable driver you're not going to be happy no matter where you go.

So there's no such thing as "Work for Company A and you'll be treated great but avoid Company B because they'll treat you like garbage. Work for Company C and you'll get good miles but you'll go broke working for Company D." That's not how the trucking industry works. You want to go with a company that has the pay, benefits, equipment, home time, and freight that you feel suits you best and ignore people's opinions about them. If a company suits you well and you do a great job you'll make good money, be treated fairly, and you'll be happy there overall. Pick a company that doesn't suit you well or do a lousy job and you're going to be unhappy with the experience.

Believe me, if there was a list of good companies versus bad companies we would have that list on every page of this website. Because the last thing in the world we want to do is steer someone down the wrong path."

Crete Carrier starts their student drivers out at 34 CPM. They start their drivers with 1 year of verifable tractor trailer experience out at 43CPM. They also state the following: Exceptions to the one (1) year OTR requirement may be made for company drivers on an individual basis, based on a stable work history. You would have to fill out an application to see the excact CPM they would start you out at.

Crete Carrier starts their student drivers out at 34 CPM. They start their drivers with 1 year of verifable tractor trailer experience out at 43CPM. They also state the following: Exceptions to the one (1) year OTR requirement may be made for company drivers on an individual basis, based on a stable work history. You would have to fill out an application to see the excact CPM they would start you out at.

This part of the statement should be highlight and put in bold.........."Based on a stable work history".......

Work for 2 to 3 companies in less than a 12 month period is bad. To hire a driver and put them to work cost the company several thousand dollars up front before the driver even starts and if you don't have a stable work history alot of companies will pass on you.

@ Mike P.....you are still a rookie and still learning. Rookies always get the older abused equipment. That holds true at every company. Changing companies will not change that. And changing companies with less than 7 months will not help your case either.

Here is what the new company will say....Why should we give you a new truck with an unstable work history. We Wil hire you but you will get the older equipment since you will not be here in 6 months......

Most times only drivers that stick around will get the better treatment and equipment. I know it's frustrating to drive an old truck that has issues. Been there and done that.

And .30 cpm Is Not THAT Bad at all for your level of experience. Could be worst. It could be .26 cpm like at alot of companies.

Best advice I can give ya right now is to stay where you are at until you have a year put in and assuming you have an unblemished safety record you will have many choices to choose from but if you skip out less than a year PLUS have less then a year experience also that will hurt you and limit your choices.

Knight has a sliding pay scale based on the mileage of the load. 33-42 cpm. It is pretty good and as you stay longer they have raises every 6 months until you hit the top of the scale. I see lots of drivers from different companies coming over and hear a lot of horror stories about other companies. It seams like it is always the same 4-5 companies that always come up as bad.

Hey Mike. You were given a lot of good answers above. I agree that you should stay with Swift for a little longer. Try to get a year in before changing companies. You'll have a million more opportunities come available to you with one year of OTR driving under your belt.

There are a few companies like Prime Inc that pay really, really well and hire students straight out of school. But most of the best paying jobs come from companies that require 1-3 years experience. Their whole philosophy is that they'd rather pay up for proven drivers than try to get by with inexperienced drivers on lower wages. So not only will you have a more stable job history by sticking with Swift for the remainder of your first year but it won't be until that time that most of the best paying jobs will become available to you.

And for the record, we have a great listing of Truck Driving Jobs including the ability to apply for all jobs with one application.

Hang in there, 5 and a half months to go. I'm been looking to make a switch for months now but am waiting for my one year. I have 11 months now I'm almost there. Plus it will give you time to research and hopefully make a better decision so your not again looking around in the next 6 months. Good luck.

. It seams like it is always the same 4-5 companies that always come up as bad.

All the recruiters and HR people know who those companies are. Sticking it out a year with what's perceived as a terrible company is an even bigger feather in your cap.

I'm a recent graduate from swift I'm getting 36cpm but 30cpm is good it's better than stevens trucking were it's terrible 26cpm in a cent a year