Question:
So, what companies out there give new drivers something to drive a little better than a total piece of sh*t? I know SNI gives Newbies their bottom-of-the-bottom rung rigs. I hate to say it but Swift seems to have a lot more newer trucks out on the road. Any others?( look, I know a newbie isn't gonna get the cream of the crop but also shoudn't get the cream of the CRAP either)

Answer:
simply ask them what the trade in cycle is for their equipment. (Dont ask about avg age of equipment) Most of the big boys usually trade in the equipment about every 3 years or so when the warranties are up.
SNI is about the only major OTR company I can recall seeing that seems to run their equipment until it is about ready to drop.
I will always be a mutter trucker at heart.
Answer:
Stevens Transport has some nice trucks. Give them a call they'll set you up.
Stevens
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:
I agree with Uturn2001 for the most part. Except the comment about Schneider (SNI).
If you start with SNI you most likely will get assigned a cabover with a Detroit 60 series motor and a ten speed transmission just like a Freightliner. While the ride is rougher, they are easy to maneuver when you backup which is an advantage to inexperienced drivers. As with any company, a driver should expect a well maintained tractor but you can get a lemon from any company. SNI will not keep you forever in a cabover; it just seems that way. Usually you get assigned a conventional in 6 months to a year.

Answer:
as a long term driver for swift. I can tell you that many newbies are recieving brand new colombians to dive. It depends on what terminal you are out of and what trucks they have available. myfirst truck was old, and had its share of problems. The two after that were fantastc. I am still in my 3rd truck, put over 300000 miles on it, and she still runs great. your chances of getting a new truck are high. The company is in the process of changing over to all new columbians, ive also seen some new volvos. Rumor has it we are now by those too. good luck
Alice AKA Highwaygal, AKA truckenalice

Answer:
I was just at the swift's Memphis teminal this past Monday and I agree that I saw many many new Columbia's. My road instructor told me that chances are very high of getting a new tractor right after completing the 4x4 training.

Answer:
My advice on this subject is as follows. Most company's have decent equipment. If it is mantained propersly that is. Just because SNI is still using a cabover doesn't mean it doesn't run great. If you are choosing a company just because they give you a pretty truck why not try to get on with Werner. That company has some of the best equipment in the industry. I can not believe people would rather drive a nice truck for a bad company than drive a maybe plain jane stripped down truck for a great company, just baffles the mind. Newbie's are picking company's because of truck's looks and all the bells and whistles, sounds like another Billy Big Rigger to me.
#3 still the man to beat in my heart and always will be but dang it go #8.


Answer:
No Billy Bigrigger here! Don't need bells and whistles, just need a truck that won't cost me money because of excess shop time. I've talked to numerous drivers for SNI who have had crappy, not just old, but CRAPPY equipment. A simple FL Century would be fine with me.......as long as it was well maintained and not a bizillion miles on it.
I'm not really trying to knock SNI, mind you, but that IS one of their issues. Otherwise, they are a good company.

Answer:
My statememt wasn't necessarily a pro schneider statement. I think the message needs to be for any newbie's out their do not expect to get the best equipment in any company you sign on with. A lot of recruiter's will use any advantage they can get and this include's telling a newbie he is going to get top of the line equipment. Then the new guy get's this hunk of $h!t and it gets him pissed and he goes of the deep end and quits. That was the only point I was trying to make I just couldn't figure out how to put in words the other day. I have been close to going with schneider and would now but I have to wait five months before I can reapply and the last time I was close the recruiter told me up front I would be in a cabover and that it was an old truck. But he said if I stayed at it for 6 month's to a year I would get a newer conventional.
If it ain't broke modify it, that's what I do. Funny thing is it alway's end's up falling apart. Can't quite figure it out.


Answer:
Yeah, a driver WILL get good equipment after that first year at SNI (and most other outfits as well) I agree with that.

Answer:
One thing a lot of people don't realize when they go with a big carrier i.e. swift, schneider, JBHunt, or Werner, is that they have a lot of truck's and high turnover. They really don't know how all their driver's have treated their equipment. It is also easier for defect's in equipment to get missed.
If it ain't broke modify it, that's what I do. Funny thing is it alway's end's up falling apart. Can't quite figure it out.


Answer:
When you think about it, Schneider is actually playing it smart. Why give a newbie who has little or no experience driving a truck a brand new $100,000 truck. Its natural for a newbie to get a little banged up. Why not do that to a POS truck than to a new truck. It makes sence when you think about it.
Also I have heard if you dont get into accidents and are overall safe and show you are a good driver, SNI will have you into a conventional in about 6 months. Also Schneider gives drivers what they have at the time also.
And I know all you newbies out there will hate me for saying this, BUT you gotta pay your dues. We all had to drive some kind of a junker truck one time or another. Dont expect to drive a large car right out of training.
And finally just because a company has new trucks dosent exactly mean they pay good either.
Steve

Answer:
It does make sense that a newbie should get the oldest trucks, they don't have any seniority yet. I guess when I see on the road and information I get from drivers and internet, a lot of companies trading their fleet in for new trucks on a 3-4 year cycle. I wonder why they ALL don't do that? A million miler that is 7 years old isn't something even a newbie should get. As far as paying dues....even newbies are professionals hauling the exact same freight as any one else in that respective company. Seems to me if a company wants to lower turnover, they would at least START with better equipment. Anyway, as you can tell, this is a peev of mine. I'll get it sorted out!