Question:
Hi,
A little background on me, Im retiring from the Navy in April and have already decided on the school I am going to attend. its a Community College. Im in Virginia Beach, and I have visited I think just about every Trucking Co. website I could find. Im really interested in Cressler, Smith Transport, Givens (right here in Chesapeake), Crete and Roehl. If anyone can give me more info on these companies I would appreciate it. Also, what do trainers like to see in a trainee?, Ive read some horror stories. anything that would be of help I would appreciate. Thanx,
Ike

Answer:
trainers they range from some of the nicest most qualified people to the biggest idiot you will ever meet in your life.
Don't worry about what they think of you,worry more about what you will think of them,if you don't like the guy when you first meet him,don't go with him or if you decide he is incompentant or someone that ain't working out,call the company and tell them there is no way you are staying on his truck,it happens all the time,you may have to wait for the next trainer and in most cases it will be well worth the wait.
I met one newbie that spent 2 months with an idiot,learned nothing and fell on his face once he went solo,the company sent him back out with another trainer and he said it took 2 weeks untill they turned him loose again,this time he knew what he was doing and had learned more in 2 weeks,than the 2 months with the idiot.
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you can research your decission to death and still never know what your going to encounter,at some point you just got to give it your best shot and hope for the best.
2 years ago I went with a company that didn't work out for me and I had already been driving for years,what some think as a good deal,others will not.
You seem to have stuck you toe in the water and know what your getting into overall,go ahead and dive in.

Answer:
First of all thanks for your service and welcome to the ranks of the blue card I have one also. The answer to your post is in your personal situation. Married, Kids, Home??? If your ready to get OTR, Ive heard good things about Crete. Use the archives to search the BBS. Also if your near one, go to the nearst truck stop and start being a pest. Don't listen to the recruiters, listen to the drivers! Good luck.
Deke
America: Love it or leave it

Answer:
Thanks for the reply and the advice to both. Im married, 2 kids 1 10 and 1 5. (I know, what your thinkin) My goal is to stick it out at least a year if i find Don't like it. (Im hoping that as long as I've ben wanting to do this I will like it) My Brother drove for Umpthun for a couple years and has given me a little insight. thats whay Im lookin for a company with a lot of frieght going through Virginia. Mabe its unreasonable but my goal is to hustle as hard as I can while im out, but I wanna be home at least every other week-end. Thanks again for the advice. I really appreciate it.
Ike

Answer:
ike910: Welcome aboard, you old "Anchor-Clanker" ... LOL ... I'm a former Jarhead!
I just spoke with Crete 2 days ago, and can tell you they're very picky; want the best student drivers they can find; and, starting pay is $400/week for 4 weeks.
As for Roehl, I understand they won't talk with you unless you reside on the East coast...
BOL to ya!!!
Just Another Jarhead
"Don't sweat the petty stuff --- and don't pet the sweaty stuff"

Answer:
JSG: Thanks for your great input --- I'll definitely keep that in mind as I'm going thru my school training!!!
"Don't sweat the petty stuff --- and don't pet the sweaty stuff"

Answer:
Thanks to JSG, Dekerivers and Piks95.
I Plan on running East Coast and I understand that "newbies" gotta pay thier dues, Just like anywhere else, until you prove yourself. Have prepared myself and family for a 6 week separation when I first start. Being Navy, I have been gone quite a bit. hopefully 10-14 days will be the longest, but time will tell. Crete, Roehl and I hear good things about Barr-Nunn. Problem with a lot of Co. web sites is they don't tell you where they are hiring or thier frieght lanes. your right JSG, its a crap shoot.
Thanks again,
Ike

Answer:
Problem with a lot of Co. web sites is they don't tell you where they are hiring or thier frieght lanes.Use the website to get the company phone number and then call the recruiters. In many cases, the general info on the company websites is so far out of date as to be useless.
As you talk to more & more recruiters, you'll develop a list of questions that you'll want answered. If you forget some, call them back. With the turnover in the industry, you're a hot commodity for a short period of time (until you're hired) so make the most of it.

Answer:
Thanks Paladin,
Do you think they would talk to me when I'm 3-4 mos from evan going to school?
Ike

Answer:
I don't think you'll find that there's any problem with being a few months away from going to school. Once they find out that you're about to retire from the military, they'll do handstands to recruit you.
Probably your best bet is to talk with the recruiters from the companies you are least interested in, or not interested in at all, first so you get the hang of the "recruiter dance".
BTW, unless you absolutely want to drive OTR, don't overlook the smaller companies in your local area. In many cases, you can find yourself a nice local/regional run that will pay as well as OTR (it won't have to pay much) and get you home a lot more often.

Answer:
Thanks again Paladin,
I was under the impression that you need to have a year or 2 OTR before most decent Local Co. would touch you. I would love a regional job, mabe run south from here, but I understand also, you gotta atand in line for those jobs.
Thanks again for the good info. and I'll take all the advice you wanna give.
Ike

Answer:
The problem with going along with conventional "wisdom" (1 or 2 years OTR before local) is that you often close doors that are already open. When I first started driving for a living (1993), I was able to find a local job with a couple of phone calls. It got me home every night with every weekend off and I made more money than I ever did driving OTR. That doesn't mean that you'll be as fortunate but if you don't try, you'll have no chance.
I'm not familiar with driving opportunities in your area but there's a poster who goes by Nocount who could probably offer you some good advice about trucking companies in your neck of the woods. If you seem him posting, give him a holler.

Answer:
Thanks again Paladin, I will look for him.
Ike

Answer:
Paladin: You've given ike; myself and other newbies alot of helpful information --- thanks!
A Place For Current And Former Marines To Post Resumes And Search For Jobs

Answer:
I sold my truck 6 months ago and have just been goofing off and working for a temp agency,this spring they sent me to a building insulation company that only has 2 regular drivers and rents a truck or 2 during the spring when construction picks up
One driver had about 25 years with them and the other driver,less than 1 year with them and news flash,he was straight out of drivng school when they hired him,not someone's relative at the place,just a stranger that walked in and asked for a job on the right day.
My sister does book keeping for a commercial tire shop and I met the owner,he told me if I ever need a job,let him know,most of his customers would fire 1/2 their drivers if they could find better people.
So don't listen to people that say you have to have experiance,you have a chance because many people look at an unemployed driver as a problem and than they look at all the companies they drove for and think why bother,he won't be happy here either,we offer the same thing as all the places he left.Most drivers have no reason for leaving company after company.
Crete has some container operation going in VA,it might run from your area or Richmond.
Lydall,not sure of the spelling runs out of that part of VA to new england and back.
Franklin VA huge paper mill,take a ride over there and see what local companies are pulling out of there.
Payne is down in VA someplace and runs New England and back.
Old Dominion Freight Lines.
http://trucknet.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=475098473&f=192098134&m=4593003186
click on the above
Estes,Overnight
Oh yeh,crete's national fleet will keep you out to long,no matter where you live,they seem to be pushing for 3 weeks out now.they also have a southeast regional fleet and so does shaffer and sunflower,both same company as crete
get a richmond phone book if you can't find someone to drive for down your corner of VA,you can keep a car up there and commute home for weekends with the right company