Wilson Logistics Training Questions

Hey all,

I'm new here and I am planning my career change and I have a few questions. I've looked at a lot of companies and I think I've settled on Wilson Logistics for CDL training & employment. I have a couple questions though before I decide 100% for sure.

1. After you've successfully obtained your cdl, can you choose to do driver training on their Kraft account or do you have to go OTR?

2. If you have to go OTR , can you be picky on who you train with? I don't want to live in a box for 8 weeks with a smoker or a pig.

3. If the trainer is not training me properly, what are my options? I will have a lot of questions because this is VERY important to me so I want to make sure I'm trained by someone who takes it just as seriously as I do. SAFETY first. I want to come home alive.

4. As a company driver, can you request options for your truck such as OnSpot auto chains?

5. I don't care about home time because I'm alone in this world so I would plan on just living in my truck and saving all my money. Is this an option as a company driver?

6. I want to work a max of 5 years while living in my truck to avoid all regular life bills and save all my money. Is it possible to be able to put away $300k as a company driver in that amount of time?

7. What are some lies the recruiter will tell me to get me to sign on?

8. I plan on taking every load thrown at me. Will that get me pay raises?

9. What is the max pay I can get as a company driver?

Thanks to all for your guidance.

1) don't know.....

2) NO you can't be picky right out the gate. A LOT of truckers smoke, period! It probably would take longer to be paired with a non smoker. I smoke, and had my first 2 co drivers that didn't. The trick is only the smoker cracks open HIS window, so it sucks the smoke out of the cab. I HATE stinky smoked in smelling cars or trucks, mine never have stunk! As a pig? eh luck of the draw.

3)How are you gunna know right away if he is or isn't training you right? lol.....Go with the flow, and worry about that later if you feel that way. You can "request" a new trainer, but who knows it that will work out...

4) No you can't ask for special "stuff" lol you get what they pay for, and those onspot chains probably won't happen. Don't be lazy, IF you ever need to chain up, it's not THAT hard to do.

5)Sure lot's do that , I did it for the most part.......6) it's do-able 5 years, depending how much you actually "save" maybe 300k is a long shot, that'd be 60k a year. Depends on your annual income too, it's gunna take you probably 2 years to know enough to make very good money.....Last job I had, 4 months solo, I pocketed, and saved 20k+ in Jan-March 2022, for my early retirement.

7) Never had that problem...........8) That don't get you raises, those are usually on some form of a schedule. All companies vary greatly. Taking every load you get, is what you should do. BUT, you have to have, and keep a great attitude with those, you work for. Being a P.I.T.A.,a whiner, complainer won't get you very far, but sitting alot lol. Having a Go getter attitude, and doing it safely, and on time, keeps you rolling...Your manager ain't your baby sitter out there, and you're not their only driver they manage daily.

9) Everything depends on your positive attitude, and getting things done as needed. You wanna be the "Go To" driver as best you can be. And the freight market needs to improve greatly soon, since it's been in the crapper a couple years now....

Don't worry about things you haven't even experienced yet. Focus on the task at hand 1st, LEARN to drive, DON"T wizz & moan over training time, it goes by FASTER than you think. Take 1 day at a time, and learn something everyday....

Greg random question, did you drive trucks in the military and or rent a 26 foot Penske or Uhaul truck to move recently?

Hello, I'm currently in the training program with Wilson Logistics and I just finished my second week of training. First week was orientation, learning maneuvers on the pad and studying the pre trip.

I was at the HQ in MO but me and 7 other students were provided a rental minivan and we drive to Dallas, TX for Kraft training. I just finished my first week of Kraft training. As I'm still learning all the answers to your questions, I'll share with you what I've learned so far.

Question#1: If I understand your question correctly, this is my answer: First week: orientation, learning basic maneuvers, studying pre trip Second and Third week: Kraft training. Basically, you'll be driving what they call a "day truck". It's basically the same freightliner cascadia, but without the sleeper cab because you'll be in a hotel the first 3 weeks. Kraft training consists of a trainer picking you up at the hotel in a bobtail , drive you to a warehouse, and you basically haul kraft products back and forth between two warehouses. Most of the time it's delivering a loaded dry van or refer van to one place, pick up an empty dry van or refer van and return it to the first place, rinse and repeat the whole two weeks of kraft training. You'll also be going over your pre trip and be getting some basic lessons on backing up into the dock, but you don't get any REAL training on backing up into docs until your OTR training phase. The purpose of Kraft training is to basically prepare you for the CDL test.

After two weeks of Kraft training, you'll then return to HQ and do the actual CDL test. If you pass and get you're CDL, that's when they'll officially hire you and then you begin OTR training with a different trainer, live out of the truck with him as you go OTR, etc.

Question#2: As far as "if you HAVE to go OTR, from what I understand this is mostly an OTR type of career path. The only local driving I've observed are the Kraft trainers but I could be wrong. so ask ur recruiter.

Question#3: Right now, I don't feel my Kraft trainer is training me correctly. He mumbles when he speaks and I have to constantly ask him to speak up. Also he only really speaks to me when I'm doing something wrong and teaches me how to do it correctly, but the only indication I get from him that I'm doing things right is when he doesn't speak at all. Last night I almost got booted out of the training program because I turned too sharply and my tires grazed a pole. He didn't say one word to me and literally looked out the window as I slowly grazed the pole and didn't speak up until AFTER I hit the pole.

I confronted him about it and his excuse is that it's not his responsibility 2 speak up every time I do something wrong and that I should be paying attention. But my counter argument to him was that I WAS paying attention but this is literally my first week driving a semi truck/trailer and I don't know exactly "what" to pay attention to. It wasn't until last night he finally told me I was using the wrong convex mirror to watch the back of my trailer when trying to avoid a curb on a sharp turn. I was using the convex mirror on the sides of my doors. He finally showed me that I can see more clearly with the second set of convex mirrors that are towards the front of the tractors.

The other kraft trainers are not like him and I can't get ahold of my recruiter until tomorrow or monday to call and ask to find out if I can change trainers. I know for a fact u can change trainers in the OTR phase of training but I don't know about the Kraft phase of training.

Will continue answering questions in a 2nd reply.

Hey all,

I'm new here and I am planning my career change and I have a few questions. I've looked at a lot of companies and I think I've settled on Wilson Logistics for CDL training & employment. I have a couple questions though before I decide 100% for sure.

1. After you've successfully obtained your cdl, can you choose to do driver training on their Kraft account or do you have to go OTR?

2. If you have to go OTR, can you be picky on who you train with? I don't want to live in a box for 8 weeks with a smoker or a pig.

3. If the trainer is not training me properly, what are my options? I will have a lot of questions because this is VERY important to me so I want to make sure I'm trained by someone who takes it just as seriously as I do. SAFETY first. I want to come home alive.

4. As a company driver, can you request options for your truck such as OnSpot auto chains?

5. I don't care about home time because I'm alone in this world so I would plan on just living in my truck and saving all my money. Is this an option as a company driver?

6. I want to work a max of 5 years while living in my truck to avoid all regular life bills and save all my money. Is it possible to be able to put away $300k as a company driver in that amount of time?

7. What are some lies the recruiter will tell me to get me to sign on?

8. I plan on taking every load thrown at me. Will that get me pay raises?

9. What is the max pay I can get as a company driver?

Thanks to all for your guidance.

Question#2: I realized I didn't completely answer that question. I really don't know what your options are but so far, at least with kraft training, I wasn't allowed to smoke in the truck and had to get out to smoke. Again this is a question you can ask your recruiter about. I do remember my recruiter asking me if I don't care about trucking with an OTR trainer who smokes, so whether you train with a smoker MIGHT be an option but I never asked.

Question#4: I really don't know. I never heard of those chains. But this is another question you can ask about to your recruiter. I do know for example, from my kraft trainer, that I think you can request a deer guard if you go company as I am planning on becoming a company OTR driver.

Question#5: Yes! I got this question answered by my recruiter before I even showed up for training. I personally don't have a home to go to. Lost my home in the pandemic and have been living with my family for the last 4 years. I put all my stuff in a few tubs from walmart in my sister's shed before leaving. I too, will be living out of my truck for the nest 2-3 years to avoid paying rent anywhere and to build up savings more rapidly.

Question#6: My personal financial goal is to use the method you mentioned to save up 150k because I want to immigrate to Mexico. I talked to the fleet manager about the pay, and she said that a solo company driver makes .50/mile, and you'll average 1,900-2,500 miles a week regardless if you're OTR, or dedicated OTR.

There is a higher pay if you decide to team drive OTR and I think you get more miles. But to get "information from the horse's mouth" on specifics of pay, depending on what kind of driver you want to be, and specifics on how many miles you get per week, you have to talk to whoever your fleet manager is going to be.

Question#7: I didn't get any lies from my recruiter. However you do have to DYOR(do your own research) and you need to learn "what questions to ask". Since questions are different for each person, that's up to you to find what the right questions are to ask. My recruiter, Bradley, has been very transparent with me.

Question#8: If you're a company driver, I think you have no say in that matter. The only acception that I learned about so far is if you go the lease route. But like I said, this is what I learned "so far". The fleet manager mentioned to me something about a delivery/economy bonus if you deliver your load withing x amount of time and are good with your fuel economy but that's literally the extent of my knowledge on that subject.

Question#9: Answered that question in answer#6.

1) don't know.....

2) NO you can't be picky right out the gate. A LOT of truckers smoke, period! It probably would take longer to be paired with a non smoker. I smoke, and had my first 2 co drivers that didn't. The trick is only the smoker cracks open HIS window, so it sucks the smoke out of the cab. I HATE stinky smoked in smelling cars or trucks, mine never have stunk! As a pig? eh luck of the draw.

3)How are you gunna know right away if he is or isn't training you right? lol.....Go with the flow, and worry about that later if you feel that way. You can "request" a new trainer, but who knows it that will work out...

4) No you can't ask for special "stuff" lol you get what they pay for, and those onspot chains probably won't happen. Don't be lazy, IF you ever need to chain up, it's not THAT hard to do.

5)Sure lot's do that , I did it for the most part.......6) it's do-able 5 years, depending how much you actually "save" maybe 300k is a long shot, that'd be 60k a year. Depends on your annual income too, it's gunna take you probably 2 years to know enough to make very good money.....Last job I had, 4 months solo, I pocketed, and saved 20k+ in Jan-March 2022, for my early retirement.

7) Never had that problem...........8) That don't get you raises, those are usually on some form of a schedule. All companies vary greatly. Taking every load you get, is what you should do. BUT, you have to have, and keep a great attitude with those, you work for. Being a P.I.T.A.,a whiner, complainer won't get you very far, but sitting alot lol. Having a Go getter attitude, and doing it safely, and on time, keeps you rolling...Your manager ain't your baby sitter out there, and you're not their only driver they manage daily.

9) Everything depends on your positive attitude, and getting things done as needed. You wanna be the "Go To" driver as best you can be. And the freight market needs to improve greatly soon, since it's been in the crapper a couple years now....

Don't worry about things you haven't even experienced yet. Focus on the task at hand 1st, LEARN to drive, DON"T wizz & moan over training time, it goes by FASTER than you think. Take 1 day at a time, and learn something everyday....

Got a little update on whether you can switch trainers during kraft training. The details are in the latest addition to my training diary in the training diaries section of this forum.

Basically you can switch trainers if you need to during kraft training. But you can't if there's not enough trainers available.

Greg random question, did you drive trucks in the military and or rent a 26 foot Penske or Uhaul truck to move recently?

No, why?

2) NO you can't be picky right out the gate. A LOT of truckers smoke, period! It probably would take longer to be paired with a non smoker. I smoke, and had my first 2 co drivers that didn't. The trick is only the smoker cracks open HIS window, so it sucks the smoke out of the cab. I HATE stinky smoked in smelling cars or trucks, mine never have stunk! As a pig? eh luck of the draw.

3)How are you gunna know right away if he is or isn't training you right? lol.....Go with the flow, and worry about that later if you feel that way. You can "request" a new trainer, but who knows it that will work out...

4) No you can't ask for special "stuff" lol you get what they pay for, and those onspot chains probably won't happen. Don't be lazy, IF you ever need to chain up, it's not THAT hard to do.

2. So they will send someone who is allergic to cigarette smoke with a smoker? Hmmm, seems like that's opening up a heck of a can of worms if that's the case. I was a smoker for 35 years & I don't want to be around it. 2nd hand smoke killed 2 of my loved ones & it makes me quite sick now so I won't be settling for a trainer that's a smoker and if that means I have to find another company, than so be it.

3. Because I'm learning right now, via other truckers on Youtube, Facebook, Tiktok, forums, etc, therefore I already know some things and I'm not a simpleton so I think I'd be able to figure out if someone were doing a poor job of teaching me.

4. I'm NOT lazy and I don't appreciate the presumption that I am. However, I find it a little odd that I could feasibly encounter times where I chain up, drive 20 miles, unchain, drive 100 miles, chain up, drive 30 miles, unchain, drive 75 miles, chain up etc and that seems a little much to me. It seems it would make things not only easier, but would also save time with auto chains.

I must have missed the part where someone presumed you lazy. You were essentially told don't be whiny etc and it will be much easier for you, which is solid advice and should be common sense. As far as chaining, at the most you should only need to chain to get to safe and legal parking. If the weather's that bad to require constant chaining and unchaining you shouldn't be driving and no reputable carrier would want you to be.

You chain to get out of the POO and to safe parking. You do not chain to get yourself into deeper 💩

Here's the thing. You are new. You don't know the exact reasons trainers are doing something the way they are. You do not yet know enough to understand all of the why.

You are coming off as an arrogant know it all, which likely rubs the trainers the wrong way. Training sucks. It sucks HARD. This job is not, nor will it ever be, suitable for the weak and whiney.

Your job as a student is to learn how to drive the truck without killing yourself or the general public, despite their eagerness to yeet their lives into oblivion. This job is unlike any other, and "I'll just pack up my toys and go somewhere else" is likely to kill your career before you even get turned lose in your own truck.

Do they put us with smokers? Yep. Even those of us with an allergy. It was either go with that driver, now, today, or wait possibly weeks without pay (not available for dispatch, not on the company's choice.)

Sometimes you have to put your big boy pants on, suck it up, and get the job done.