• Hi Guest,
    Do you have a question specific to a particular company? If so, click here for our list of over 50 popular trucking companies. Don't see the company listed? Post your question in our General Trucking Forum for all of our members to see, and we will consider adding a forum specifically for the company you mention.

Just got the nod from Werner

h9alyman

Active Member
So I passed my test on Thursday and spoke to a recruiter from Werner. Looks like I'm gonna start orientation with them on Thursday 7/21. Super exited to get going on this journey although absolutely dreading the prospect of going with a trainer for 5 weeks - just gotta ride through it and learn as much as I can.
I know it probably isnt going to be easy but I am hoping I can stick it out for 12 months, get some experience then maybe team or dedicated - not sure yet just wanna get some experience first.:)
 
best of luck, and yes, try to stay at the very least 1 full year, as that looks better for you in the long run.

keep us updated when you are able to..!!!!!
 
NO LEASING A TRUCK:stare1:. stick it out for a yr and bust your ass and save your cash and buy a decent used truck that's if you want to own one. you need to be concentrating on company policies and state and local laws and learning the freight lanes ;)
 
So I passed my test on Thursday and spoke to a recruiter from Werner. Looks like I'm gonna start orientation with them on Thursday 7/21. Super exited to get going on this journey although absolutely dreading the prospect of going with a trainer for 5 weeks - just gotta ride through it and learn as much as I can.
I know it probably isnt going to be easy but I am hoping I can stick it out for 12 months, get some experience then maybe team or dedicated - not sure yet just wanna get some experience first.:)
Good luck and no matter how much Werner sucks stick with it.But piece of advice,you do not wanna team at Werner. you should see about geting on dedicated.OTR gets the shaft with few to no miles.But with dedicated you'll probably have to unload and tight backing.
 
You'll soon hear, think, and feel, everywhere else is better...thats normal no matter what company picked you up, be ready for this...It'll come quick....Our job is to cowboy thru it..It may take forever to get there, but when your there you'll realize it was just a quick minute of your life....not a big deal...

Your nothing untill you got at least a dang year, 3 much better....

Look for the mostest most money...do the 401k, learn about it all and manage it your self!! Its easy...basically looking at 5 and 10+ years back history of the funds you can pick from off of graphs...It takes time to look em all up, but its worth it...
I dont think company otr trucking is worth any time after that..LTL pays better for a company driver, pretty sure anyways...
LTL you can gross 1300 take home 950 in most places, on the average...Lots of guys takin home 1500 a week in LTL...

Check your UPS and Matheson...Then your Old Dominion, then maybe some ABF...If its that bad you can talk to yellow (YRC)....Sure theres Conway, and Saia, and a bunch of others...And I THINK they all are better than any otr trucking company...

Just dont waste no time, like a bunch of us did...do it all right the first time and dont f around...1 year at werner, no lease, ever....Bam, now you can seek out the job you want...I personally like the save cash to buy truck plan..If ya cant wait that long, try arrow truck in phoenix...I have couple friends who have gotton a truck there, 5k down, 1400 a month with letter from carrier stating your gonna run for them..
Both of them leasing their rig onto the company they worked for...(One Saia, One Central Transport) Both of them happy, taking home double company pay...trucks holding up..they were 2012 2013's with 300k on them...fleet vehicles, figured at 50 to 60k...
Fairly safe plan...maybe the safest!!...If your truck blows up day one, you can hop right back in a company truck at most LTL places...They cover some of the bills that you would normally pay as an straight owner op running his own show too...

When I was LTL I met a lot of guys who worked there 5 years, saved money, paid cash for a tractor, leased it on, saved cash, paid cash for another truck, leased it on, hired a driver at 1k a week, saved money, paid cash for truck 3, hire another pulse to man the wheel at 1k a week..rinse and repeat, and these boys are livin large....Each truck leaving 2200 to 2500 a week for take home money, after driver gets 1k you get 1k+...3, 4, 5 trucks...million mile 10k specials....break one, buy another, or fix yourself...
If you discover a better path, holler at me !! I got a decent headstart on you, so, my info is pretty solid....mission, make as much as possible!!! right??




Excited for ya...give erhell bubba
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. Especially the LTL gig. I honestly thought OTR was the way to go, as far as more money. I know Werner have the Dollar General and Family Dollar accounts so I may take a look there once I'm through my training stint. Dont mind the handballing for FD or the rolltainers for DG, gives me a bit of a workout.
I'll post my progress as my new trucker life begins.
 
Thanks for the advice, much appreciated. Especially the LTL gig. I honestly thought OTR was the way to go, as far as more money. I know Werner have the Dollar General and Family Dollar accounts so I may take a look there once I'm through my training stint. Dont mind the handballing for FD or the rolltainers for DG, gives me a bit of a workout.
I'll post my progress as my new trucker life begins.
Ya, i got ya....700 a week will be ok for a while....then your gonna want/need 800...then 9, then guess what, you now need 1300 a week...and will soon look at LTL and fuel delivery, oilfield....etc etc
My point is, skip your middle companies, FD or DG....If you wanna stay in shape, call shamrock, or sysco, or coremark or one of the other food delivery companies...them boys are 1k a week plus also

If your asked, you want manual transmission school/work...when you leave the mega carrier, you'll likely find yourself in older trucks..most manual, try to avoid the automatics

In my journey, ive hopped in end dumps and transfers locally in between jobs, you can always grab a local end dump job for 18+ an hour....theses will be your scary trucks with every kind of manual transmision there is...If you can shift, you can grab any of these jobs...

Hopefully you get a trainer you can survive with...If you dont see ziploc pee bags everywhere and smell hot garbage and open a-hole, your in decent shape...

Dont just hop in and go...give er a look first...If you get a pig, you may be able to get a manager to come take a look...Make sure he's doing all the stuff your supposed to do!!!....If he;s not checking his truck and the tires all the time etc etc then you got a crap head...dont be afraid to insist on a higher standard or different trainer...We cant have guys poppin steers and comin at us head on across medians and stuff...We need you to be a top gun driver, we are in short supply and recruit you!!!
Look at the insides of the dam tires, make sure all your steering and suspension is all together...Im in a new 2016 and I got bolts loosening, broken shocks, etc etc....Dont trust er, always check your stuff!!! Guys die daily on this job, trucks not designed for crashing!!

Stay in touch for sure....there are people like me that will go on and on bout somethin if you let em!! LOL
 
Thanks realdersertkickin, again, good advice. I seem to be pretty okay with shifting, although not driven with a load yet so I'm sure it is a totally different ball game.
I'm not going into this thinking I'm a great driver, right now I have a license - by no means a truck driver. I am wanting my trainer to teach me that.
I wont be afraid to speak up if my trainer is less than expected. I am 100% committed to this and I want the trainer to push me.
I am no stranger to starting at the bottom of the totem pole with companies, I think I have a good positive attitude and am fine with takin the crap from DM's and trainers (to a certain point).

I'll post my progress as I go from orientation to trainer and eventually to solo driving...
 
Thanks realdersertkickin, again, good advice. I seem to be pretty okay with shifting, although not driven with a load yet so I'm sure it is a totally different ball game.
I'm not going into this thinking I'm a great driver, right now I have a license - by no means a truck driver. I am wanting my trainer to teach me that.
I wont be afraid to speak up if my trainer is less than expected. I am 100% committed to this and I want the trainer to push me.
I am no stranger to starting at the bottom of the totem pole with companies, I think I have a good positive attitude and am fine with takin the crap from DM's and trainers (to a certain point).

I'll post my progress as I go from orientation to trainer and eventually to solo driving...
use the trainers brain as your playground ask questions. if you feel that your more qualified to drive than your trainer is then i would ask for a new trainer as some of them are only in it for the extra money when they should be training..
 
Haha you guys hilarious,,,,but, me to,,,,he tossed out that accent, and somethin about freckled pekker, and I heard airbrakes all across the land!!!

Haha, you'll be allright mate...just now we know to keep an eye on you...we catch you on video getting in the wrong door, its getting posted

I can see the thread now...."Werner driver cant find steering wheel, looses 50/50 bet"

LOL
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Top