Question:
At most truck schools, they'll eventually bring some company recruiters in. They'll stand at the front of the room and pitch their company to you. Here's a few things to keep in mind:
They probably have a financial interest in each student that signs with their company -- a head-hunting fee that probably makes-up most of their compensation.
Ask specific questions about things like forcd dispatch, the difference between mileage pay and actual miles driven, average seniority, the rate of newbie failure at their company, how long students have to wait for a trainer....everything you can think of.
Listen carefully to their answers. The MOST IMPORTANT THING is whether they ANSWER THE QUESTION and TELL THE TRUTH.
Forced Dispatch: "Yes, you have no choice which loads you're assigned."
Mileage pay versus miles driven: "The actual road miles are almost always more than the miles you're paid for, as much as 10% more."
Average seniority: "About half our new drivers quit the first year or two, so the average seniority is quite low."
How long you might have to wait for a trainer: "You usually get matched with a trainer right away, but depending on the avaibility of trainers at the time, you may have to wait in a motel for a while."
These are the TRUTHFUL answers you should expect from ANY...I repeat, ANY major company like Swift, Werner, Schneider, Gordon, U.S. Express, Knight, Covenant, England.....
That doesn't mean the recruiter shouldn't try to spin these conditions to make them not sound too bad. They are, after all, salesmen/women who's job it is to talk you into applying with their company.
But -- if they refuse to answer these questions with answers that say pretty-much what we all know the truth to be (above), it might indicate a culture of dishonesty and driver abuse at that company.
Good recruiters representing quality trucking companys have nothing they should want to hide from their recruits.
Best to tell it like it is, up front, warts and all.
Anything less is something akin to 'bait-and-switch'.
It might just be a bad recruiter, and the company's actually pretty good. But the recruiter could be unintentionally giving you a taste of what's to come -- a bunch of lies and unfulfilled promises.
Also -- all thse recruiters represent companys with 800 phone numbers and in-house telephone recruiters. If you're considering a company, double check everything the recruiter told you with a follow-up call to another recruiter on their 800#. Any discrepencies? Assume the worst.
[This message was edited by Shuffler on February 08, 2003 at 01:50.]

Answer:
Good ideas for the less experienced.
I'll just add ----- Ya can tell if most of them are lying,----- by watching their lips!
If they are moving then chances are good that ya got a live one

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Good post on recruiting. Keep in mind also the BEST carriers have NO need recruiters.
Mike
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RABELMAN,
I know what you're saying - good point.
But it depends on what you mean by "best".
Drivers saturate the better paying companies -- I know that's what you mean -- so they don't need to recruit. They just sit back and let applicants find them.
But, other than their better wages, these companys are not necessarily the "best" to work for.
Sometimes the conditions and compromises and aggravations aren't worth the extra money. They don't pay more for nothing!
I like running with seasoned union or 'union type' drivers...but with the exception of Wal-Mart, most "best company" equipment looks pretty scary to me......
Just glad there's an old-timer behind the wheel.

Answer:
I will give you all my story on recruiters and some of the results since I am not long after graduating from school.
We had alot of recruiters come and speak with us during my five weeks at school. They were scheduled twice a week and would have an hour or two to give their take on their respective companies. We were encouraged by our intructors to ask any and all questions.
I will have to give kudo's to Wiley Sander's recruiter. He was very honest and up front about everything. Very blunt about OTR driving and what to expect. I asked him about Wiley's 401k and he told me you really couldn't call it a 401k. The company didn't match contributions at all. I appreciated his honesty and quite a few students hired on with Wiley because of his honesty.
On the other hand, we had some recruiters that were telling students what "they wanted to hear" and not the real truth.
One of the biggest culprits at School was a recruiter with Covenant. All his answers were real generalized and sugar coated. For example, when I asked about home time. His response was, "We will work with you to get you home as much as you like." Which I seriously doubted would be the case especially since covenant is a primarily team driver orientated company. Instead of stating the average time most drivers get home he gave me what he thought would get me on and make the best impression.
Another thing that really burned me about covenant was the whole religious mantra they put out. They got quite a few recruits from my school for this reason just alone and not for any real intrinsic company values. I kinda rocked the boat when I asked if it would be required of me to work on Sunday and he didn't have a definant answer to give me. Just a "we really try hard to work with our drivers to get them the time they need off".
Sad to say, alot of my friends teamed up to drive for covenant for this reason alone and it really burned me. Kinda of like false advertising. All they will get are a few prayer cards and scriptures in the mail. They will be humping it on sunday just as much as I will.
Thats my take on two very different recruiters. I was lucky to have researched what to expect very thoroughly and knew what to generally expect from any company and not via what the recruiter was saying.
[This message was edited by J Minter on February 08, 2003 at 11:34.]
[This message was edited by J Minter on February 08, 2003 at 11:36.]

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Shuffler we are in total agreement on the topic.
Alot of that"Best"company equipment lacks the looks and the emenities of the big trucks that's for sure but for the most part are equal on safety
factors. No carriers want them on the side of the road.
Mike
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After listening to a recruiters sugar coating I asked him about the K-Mart Loads that are fingerprinted by his Company...his face turned bright red and he then spit out the truth, about half the potential drivers in the room didn't even know what finger printing ment, but they got the idea that a lot of information was being withheld.
I have nothing against fingerprinting a load, especially when rollers are available, but most of the people in the room seemed to think all they were going to do was sit back and drive.
Slow down and Take it easy.

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I have nothing against fingerprinting a load, especially when rollers are available, but most of the people in the room seemed to think all they were going to do was sit back and drive.
That's funny but I know it's a fact. It always amazed me how many people think that way.
Mike
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I tell you the ones that bother me. The ones that when you first get on the phone with them or talk to them face to face and they point blank ask you, "What kind of home time would you like?". Please people do not answer any question like that. All that recruiter is doing is finding out what you want to here. The best advice to give anyone is this. Before you sign on with any company you get everybit of information that recruiter has told you in writing, but not just in writing, in writing with that recruiter's name on it. That way if you sign on with the company and that recruiter sent you false information when they ask you where you got this information you have his name on the paper's for all to see.

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"... Before you sign on with any company you get everybit of information that recruiter has told you in writing, but not just in writing, in writing with that recruiter's name on it. ..."
that may be impractical at some companies -- they just won't do it. The recruiter's brochure documents the basics, but that might be all they want to give ya' -- case closed.
That makes Truck'InTexas's point about answering questions even more important.
YOU ask the questions. They may push to find out what you want -- you've got to be firm. Do not give-up your story until they've spilled their guts about what they have to offer.
Otherwise, it's easier for them to tilt their offer to make it sound like it fits your needs...and THIS is where a lot of deception takes place.
Excellent point T'T.

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On this thread, I've been lurking here and reading for a while. My 'high flying' telco job is heading for the dirt and I've been researching the trucking options. I finally made up my mind to start looking at schools and found a pretty reputable one. Checked them out with the BB folks, Texas WIA and asked around the truck stops if anyone had used them and what they thought before I even went to see them. They invited me to visit the office when recruiters came in and I can tell you that I was dismayed at what wasn't being asked by the other 'recruits.' Both recruiters were good at telling 'war stories' about their days on the road and I haven't seen anyone tap-dance that fast since I don't know when. Nothing against the school you understand, they seem to be really trying to provide the best information they can, but the recruiters could talk a racoon out it's mask. When I tried to nail them down on training, benefits and what I could expect from them as far as support when out on the road, it turned into a 'Did I tell you about... ?'
Granted, this is from a 'wanna-be' soon to be a 'will-be' but I've done my research and partnered with several drivers at various times in the past six months so I know what I'm getting into perhaps better than some newbies. If you want the straight scoop on any company, research them, research them, research them and then ask people who work for them. Also, if you ahve the time, locate on of their terminals and look for yourself what type of operation they are running. An eyeball view is worht more than a thousand words.
Just my two cents worth - I be quite now. I ride for those who can't! POW/MIA - You are NOT forgotten!!
Lead, Follow or get out of my way!!!

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It is a shame that the companies allow recruiters to spread the bull and support them by paying them well.
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"