Companies To Avoid?

On most sites you will receive multiple answers. Not here necessarily. For example Western Express catches a lot of flack, but Old School excelled there. Swift catches bs also but the majority on here speak very highly of Swift. Stevens also, I can personally say they are a great training company not without faults. It is what you make of it. Dont be a sheep and tag along with the naysayers. Do you have your cdl or looking to go company sponsored? Lots of info here on TT. I as well as Anne know of a few training companies not mentioned here Holla!!!

As a recent graduate and hire of SWIFT Corsicana TX, I do have to say they are very good at what they do! And the folks are very helpful. SWIFT has there stuff together from Recruiting to Driver Placement. And they did not push leasing! I would recommend SWIFT. I ride for the brand and they have helped this cowboy out and I am very loyal to SWIFT for what they've done for me...

Mark Reaser Abilene, TX

Would recommend a company sponsored school vice private party CDL mills. If you research the “schools” you’ll find although they call themselves “Truck Driving - School/Academy/Institute” they are only a path to your license. Maybe a few tidbits here and there and that’s it. I went that route and had several companies tell me in the hiring process “they were not a real school”. I now understand. I can say the only thing I carried forward from them was straight line backing. Several of us here currently work for Knight Transportation and are happy there. I can personally say they have lived up to everything they stated in the hiring process. They have an outstanding company training program without a lengthy commitment. Terminal in Charlotte NC maybe your closest. Keep in mind 90+% of what you read online was written by a disgruntled employee. As others have said stay away from 1099 and LO/OO companies starting out. Whither you stay for a career or to gain experience plan to spend you learning time with a mega carrier. There’s so much to learn in a short amount of time. Choose a company that treats you fair, gives you opportunity and give them a days work in return for your education. Best of luck in your endeavors.

I don’t understand why the 1099 negativity. I’m 1099 but paid straight out of school $1500 a week salary. I drive 4 days and off Friday Thru Sunday. I have my health care, vision and dental for me my wife and kids paid for by the company 100 percent. That saved us $20,000 a year on my wife’s insurance alone. I got a $10,000 bonus which is paid out at $1000 a month for 10 months. They also pay 100 percent of my long and short term disability. 2 weeks paid vacation starting at 6 months. Plus other benefits.

I’d rather be w2 but with all that I’m ok with being 1099. I’m used to self employment anyway as I still own a construction company. 1099 means you take care of your own social security and taxes but I’ve been doing that anyway so nothing new

If the company owns the tools (truck and trailer) and tells you where to go and where to get fuel and where to get things repaired, then your job does not meet the IRS rules as a contract employee. You are controlled directly by the company and therefor you must get paid as w2. 1099 companies do not pay their portion of employer taxes nor do they deduct employee payroll taxes federal, state, and SS. Your are not eligible for workman compensation insurance. Time employed will also not count towards unemployment benefits in most states either. The risk is just too high.

What those 1099 companies do is pass the burdens onto the employee to reduce their costs. They say all those wonderful things like high cpm and other stuff, buts its all a smoke screen to screw you over.

Remember to run from 1099, unless you own the truck and trailer..

Do you know which companies are 1099?

Do you know which companies are 1099?

Almost ALL OF THEM on CraigsList, and NONE of them, here:

• Paid CDL Training Programs
• Truck Driving Jobs
• Apply For Paid CDL Training
• Apply For Truck Driving Jobs
• Trucking Company Reviews

Wish you the best, Noel ! Might be a lot of reading, but well worth it. The site master (and all the pro's on here!) put a TON of time into these compilations.

Hope this helps,

~ Anne & Tom ~

I don’t understand why the 1099 negativity. I’m 1099 but paid straight out of school $1500 a week salary. I drive 4 days and off Friday Thru Sunday. I have my health care, vision and dental for me my wife and kids paid for by the company 100 percent. That saved us $20,000 a year on my wife’s insurance alone. I got a $10,000 bonus which is paid out at $1000 a month for 10 months. They also pay 100 percent of my long and short term disability. 2 weeks paid vacation starting at 6 months. Plus other benefits.

I’d rather be w2 but with all that I’m ok with being 1099. I’m used to self employment anyway as I still own a construction company. 1099 means you take care of your own social security and taxes but I’ve been doing that anyway so nothing new

Short answer, because most of the time it’s illegal for the company to classify you as a contractor for the reasons Dan67 mentioned above.

To OP… the main thing in my opinion to stay away from is sketchy companies that don’t do things by the book. Unless you’re poking around on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace you don’t really have to worry much about sketchy companies because most of the companies willing to hire you are going to be well known larger carriers that do things by the book. I personally like a little bit smaller carriers over the bigger ones (just personal taste) but most of the smaller guys don’t take new drivers and even if they do they don’t typically offer comparable training to the larger carriers.

To parrot what we recommend here on this site, go with a company that offers free cdl training in exchange for staying with them for a contracted period of time because they will have more vested in you from the get go and you can get started right away without having to spend your money on school. Stay with your first company for at least a year so you can really learn the ropes and get your routine down while building a good relationship with your company and your dispatcher

If the company owns the tools (truck and trailer) and tells you where to go and where to get fuel and where to get things repaired, then your job does not meet the IRS rules as a contract employee. You are controlled directly by the company and therefor you must get paid as w2. 1099 companies do not pay their portion of employer taxes nor do they deduct employee payroll taxes federal, state, and SS. Your are not eligible for workman compensation insurance. Time employed will also not count towards unemployment benefits in most states either. The risk is just too high.

What those 1099 companies do is pass the burdens onto the employee to reduce their costs. They say all those wonderful things like high cpm and other stuff, buts its all a smoke screen to screw you over.

Remember to run from 1099, unless you own the truck and trailer..

I can understand how some of them may not be on the up and up. I’m sure there may be some gray areas but there are loop holes. The company I work for does not own their equipment. They lease everything. If the irs were to snoop around they may not like it. I don’t know. As far as workers comp goes I’m not worried about that as they pay 100 percent of my short term and long term disability insurance. They spend 28k on my insurance alone. I’m guaranteed 88k this year in pay for my first year plus the benefits. I would have to find a job paying over 100k to consider leaving. Even then I don’t know if I would as I really like where I’m at. Not all 1099 companies are bad. Especially when you agree just starting out as the bigger companies who take new drivers pay like crap.

If the company owns the tools (truck and trailer) and tells you where to go and where to get fuel and where to get things repaired, then your job does not meet the IRS rules as a contract employee. You are controlled directly by the company and therefor you must get paid as w2. 1099 companies do not pay their portion of employer taxes nor do they deduct employee payroll taxes federal, state, and SS. Your are not eligible for workman compensation insurance. Time employed will also not count towards unemployment benefits in most states either. The risk is just too high.

What those 1099 companies do is pass the burdens onto the employee to reduce their costs. They say all those wonderful things like high cpm and other stuff, buts its all a smoke screen to screw you over.

Remember to run from 1099, unless you own the truck and trailer..

I can understand how some of them may not be on the up and up. I’m sure there may be some gray areas but there are loop holes. The company I work for does not own their equipment. They lease everything. If the irs were to snoop around they may not like it. I don’t know. As far as workers comp goes I’m not worried about that as they pay 100 percent of my short term and long term disability insurance. They spend 28k on my insurance alone. I’m guaranteed 88k this year in pay for my first year plus the benefits. I would have to find a job paying over 100k to consider leaving. Even then I don’t know if I would as I really like where I’m at. Not all 1099 companies are bad. Especially when you agree just starting out as the bigger companies who take new drivers pay like crap.

Yeah, four months ago you wrote about a Wonder Job you had started, but didn't give any real details then either.

Joel you are a misclassified W2. You’re employer by definition is shady. Pray you never get in an accident..

I don’t understand why the 1099 negativity. I’m 1099 but paid straight out of school $1500 a week salary. I drive 4 days and off Friday Thru Sunday. I have my health care, vision and dental for me my wife and kids paid for by the company 100 percent. That saved us $20,000 a year on my wife’s insurance alone. I got a $10,000 bonus which is paid out at $1000 a month for 10 months. They also pay 100 percent of my long and short term disability. 2 weeks paid vacation starting at 6 months. Plus other benefits.

I’d rather be w2 but with all that I’m ok with being 1099. I’m used to self employment anyway as I still own a construction company. 1099 means you take care of your own social security and taxes but I’ve been doing that anyway so nothing new