Question:

I am thinking about joining this company, after doing research on trucking companies for about 2 years, I find that for what I want Roehl fits my needs.
I would like to know are the miles consistant?
What is take home pay (not Gross) I know this will vary by where the driver lives, but particularly southern region flatbed, I know this may be a bit to personal, and if so you can email me with figures, if you so desire.
What is the training like, from start to finish, this includes the CDL school also.
Thanks in advance for any and all info, I will take all comments, gripes and suggestions.
Take care and be safe.
email:cpl14@msn.com

Answer:

cpl,
I pull a van for Roehl. I went through their school up in Marshfield and I've been working for them about a year.
I think they're a great company to start out with. They will never push you to cook the books and they're pretty serious about safety. They've been buying alot of new trucks and trailers over the past year -in fact, I walked right out of training into a brand-spankin' new International with 23 miles on the odometer. There's guys I know at Schneider driving beat-to-$hit cabovers with over 700,000 miles on them.
The school was a blast. Classes average about 7 students and 3 instructors per class and there were three 1999-2000 Freightliner Centuries to work with. The cool thing was that each student had assigned keys to the trucks, so you could practice backing, shifting, and wheelies in the evenings and the weekends. You will do TONS of driving all over central Cheese-Head land.
Next you'll go out with a trainer for 10 days, and then another for 10 more days. Pass those evolutions and they'll toss you the keys to your own truck. You'll work under a training fleet manager for 30 days and after that you'll be runnin' with the big dogs. While training, trucks are never dispatched as a team operation and the trainers will always be riding shotgun while you drive.
As far as miles, when I first started out, they weren't too great - probably around 2200 a week. Once I learned the ropes, my miles currently average out to around 3,100 a week - not too shabby for a rookie. Take home will obviously vary with how you finagle your taxes/deductions.
My gripes with Roehl have more to do with the industry in general than with Roehl itself. You'll give 2 free hours when you bump the dock, you're paid by HHMG miles (which means about 8% difference off your actual miles driven (or "hub" miles)), and alot of Northeast (New Joisey! ). And since this is OTR, get ready for boatloads of hours - like 80-100 hour workweeks are the norm. Then there's sleeping in truckstops that look and smell like Waste Management landfills, shakedowns by the DOT, your fellow AHEM!... "professional" drivers, dealing with shippers/receivers "I'll get you loaded AFTER I take my paid lunch break dude.", grocery warehouses, lumpers, etc etc etc.
I had some issues with bringing the truck home. Roehl wanted a fenced-in lot with an AC plug-in which would have cost me some dough. Problem with that is I'm a cheap (edited). I tried everything to get out of paying - McDonald's and even some rich dude's house who my girlfriend is a nanny for. A bunch of snobby rich folks and the mayor called up Roehl (edited) and moaning so Roehl found a place for me to park on thier dime!
Also, I don't get any recruiting bonuses for inexperienced drivers, so what I'm saying is all on the level.
Best o' luck to ya'.
Answer:
How realistic is it to get southern regional flatbed right after training?
Again thanks for the great info.

Answer:

Should be a slam dunk. They're always lookin for skateboarders.
Gotta tell you though, pulling flats can be hard work. Especially when wintertime rolls around and the livin' ain't easy out there throwing frozen tarps around in negative windchill gusts. Even though you'll run southern regional, you'll still get up north enough to meet Ole Man Winter in all his fury. Me? I prefer the coward''s way out - pulling van and kicked back watchin DVD's in my bunk with the Webasto heater fired up full throttle.
But then there's guys who swear by flats and wouldn't pull anything else. I say give it a shot - you can always transfer to van or curtainside if you find flats aren't your bag.
There's a great bunch of Roehl drivers who post here who can give you a better scoop. Wiz is a flatbedder/trainer for Roehl and there's a girl named Cheryl who's husband pulls flats for Roehl as well. Gear Jammer is an ex-Roehl driver who I think pulled flats. Others as well.
We're all just one big happy, dysfunctional family pullin for a company that nobody can pronounce correctly.
Answer:
cpl14 Woulda, shoulda, coulda, want to drive flatbed "southeast regional?" call Roehl, ask them! Get the persons name you talk to, have them put it in writing before you head to orientation! Make sure the said person understands where you live, and what division you wish to drive for!
Roehl is a good company but leave nothing to chance, it's your future!

Answer:
Cpl14 I'll help you with what I can, but keep in mind not everything works the same all the time.

Most of the time yes, but there are going to be the odd loads that will have a an extra day or 2 till they have to be delivered. For example, Chris picked up a relay load in Gary IN that was bringing him home on Friday evening to western PA. Bad thing was it didn't deliver until Thur in MA. That week, he had 1400 miles on his paycheck. So far this year he has averaged 2317 miles a week. He's been driving for 17 months and there have only been maybe 7 weeks that he's been below 2100 miles. He is home every weekend usually leaving Sunday evening/early Monday morning and he's back home Friday afternoon/early Saturday morning.

That's a hard question to answer really. It all depends on what you did for the week....your miles, tarp pay, and any other extra pay, then you take off your taxes, insurance, 401k, advances and that's what you'll take home.

Honestly I don't know. Chris wanted to run Eastern Regional. When he came out of training and was assigned to his FM, they sat down for a meeting before he left with his first load. His FM wanted to know where he wanted to run and how often he wanted to be home. Chris told him he wanted to run Eastern and do the 7-10 days out. His FM looked at where we live and told Chris he could be home every weekend if he wanted and Chris said ok. We live right off of I80 and since it seems to be a major freight lane for them it has worked out for us. He's only had to be out 2 weekends in his year and a half....one was a delivery to downtown Boston and they could only take him on Sat because of having to shut the road down, and the other was a screw up on dispatch's and the load planners part.
I can't help you with the rest...Chris didn't go to Roehl's school, and they have changed the way they do the training since he did his.
Hope this helps a little and good luck to you!

Answer:
Here is a way off topic question..how the heck do you pronounce Roehl?

Answer:
LOL Common question...Roehl is of German orgin I believe and it is pronounced "RAIL" like the train.
I started here at Roehl in their school in Jan of 03 , I'm currently a flatbed trainer.
I've been very happy overall. I get home when I want to (whithin reason) usually I run 10-12 out and 3 home. Its a schedule that works for me and my family.
If you are considering Roehl's school ...You could do a lot worse. I've had new drivers in the truck that have spent far too much money on substandard CDL schools, And some that have found flexible, low cost adult education programs (within community colleges / trade schools etc. that do a fantastic job at low cost.
I felt that the instructiors were very knoweldgeable and professional. And they were willing to help the students learn as well.
If you are seeking more just search the posts I've made in the past.
Congratulations for finding this web site and doing your homework before jumping into the career change.
Good luck to you and feel free hit me up on e-mail or on the boards I'll answer any questuons.
Answer:
CPL:
Ensoledad is giving you the straight poop on Roehl's school. When I started looking into driving in 2001, Roehl had a lot of pluses because of where I live in NE Wisconsin. A terminal 8 miles away made it a no brainer. But were the guys on trucknet BS'ing me? Roehl offered a school that would give me a chance to check them outat the same time of going to school. Hanging out at the maintenance building helped me pick-up on driver satisfaction. If I liked them I would stay, if not I would have my CDL and have to look elsewhere for training. But everything Ensoledad has said is true. Additionally, the instructors teach you the way Roehl wants you to drive and log for Roehl. During the driving portion I put on 400 miles, while guys from other schools have as little as 40. You are put in a truck the first day of school (in the afternoon) and drive around in low range. They have a training couse on the property. You take your CDL test in the truck you used for school. I've heard of guys from other schools who took their test in "Coke" trucks (alot shorter than big rigs), and when I became a trainer for Roehl ran into students who did not know how to shift a 10 speed road ranger because they were trained on a 5 speed without high/low range selector. This alone can add to your training time. The instructors will work with you for a week before the CDL test, and the state testers come to Roehl to give the test, so you will be on familiar ground. Additionally, when your assigned to a trainer, the trainer will usually compliment you about the fact that you went to Roehl's school. They may tell you horror stories of other newbies from other schools. When you come out of Roehl's school, you've been trained the way Roehl wants you to drive for them, which eliminates alot of problems with your trainer. Additionally, you will find out that what the trainer really has to do is "fine tune" you faults. Mine were down shifting on grades, of which Wisconsin doesn't have too many during school. One other thing. By going to Roehl's school, they will tell you the first day that they DO NOT guarentee a job with Roehl. I had 2 guys (out of 9 to start) drop out. The school is intended for you to get your CDL. If you do well on homework, driving skills and so on, they will offer you a "conditional" hire at the end of the third week - conditional if you pass your CDL the following week. I'll send you some additonal stuff via email.

Answer:
All the answers you've received so far are right on the mark. But keep in mind, that this is a game of averages. Being OTR sometimes sets you up for short pay weeks because you can't get the paperwork scanned in before the cut-off. Same thing with miles, some weeks, you are running all over and others it seems you spend lots of time sitting waiting for a load. AS long as your averages are up there, you should be doing okay.
I pulled van for over a year with ROEHL and switched to the Curtainside Division last month. The freight is there to pull if you are willing and able to manage your time to the 'n'th degree. Flats and Curtains set thier own appointments in large part but you have to hustle and maximize your hours every single trip.
Recently, they have set up a new way to plan loads that is supposed to maximize the drivers' hours. With this system in place, I've always known at least 12 hours in advance where my next load is shipping from/to. It does make for some interesting discussions with my FM, especially when I am due through the house.
Home time. ROEHL tries it's best, but don't cast your plans in concrete!!!! They will get you home, but more often than not if you tell them you want home on a specific date, they have you in the area or headed home but not there. This is due to the way frieght is flowing and what the planners can book. Also, you may run out of hours short of the house and have to wait. It happens. If you are flexible and can handle getting home close to the time you want, then it'll work for you. I normally let them know I want to be home by a certain date and allow a couple days "fudge" factor just in case.
Good luck to you!I ride for those who can't! POW/MIA - You are NOT forgotten!!
Lead, Follow or get out of my way!!!