Question:
I just got the last of my Pre-hires done today. I've looked at alot of companies. I have 6 companies on my list and I will put them in the order in which I rank them according to my selection based on what I need:
1) Garner Transportation Group. Findley, Ohio. Major carrier for Lowes. Home time is Awesome. Great Bennies at a great price from what I see. And they are local. Assigned equipment. Take truck home. http://www.garnertrucking.com/history.html
2) Great American Lines. Paulding, Ohio. Flatbed carrier concentrating on steel coils. Haul five state region. Home every weekend. Great pay. Bennies are on the bad side. But very local to me. Assigned Peterbilts. No web site.
3) HO Wolding. Wisconsin. Haul mainly paper products. Trucks are always in my area. Rider policy. Decent Bennies. Out 5-6 days and home 1-2. http://www.howolding.com/index2.cfm?choice=driver
4) Millis Transfer. Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Excellent pay!!!! Probably the best pay for a newbie out there. Nice trucks. Good training. Home time is a little on the bad for me. Out 10-14, home 2-3. If I was to pick a training carrier this would definately be the one. http://www.millistransfer.com/
5) US Express. Medway, Ohio. You know all about them. Regional is what they offered me. Good pay and home 3 out of 4 weekends and you pick the one you stay out. Autoshift tranny. Nice trucks also. Another carrier that is always in my area.
http://www.usxpress.com/XpressDrivers/default.asp
6) Schneider. Green Bay, WI. Pulling for Wal-Mart out of Garrett, Indiana. Slip seat on this account. This is the reason they went to the bottom. Out 6 and home 2. You know the rest.
http://www.schneider.com/
This is my list that I put together after about two months of searching, asking and calling. I start school on October 20th. I can't wait until its time to go. Its getting real boring sitting around and waiting. I wish it was time already! -->

Answer:
No, you've filled out applications.
Pre-hires mean nothing.
Drivers are not hired until after orientation is completed, drug tests are passed, and driving tests are passed. Another term for "hired" is becoming a first seat or solo driver.
Even if you're with a trainer, you're not "hired". BOL

Answer:
After you start school, then start talking to these folks. Remember, Recruters are like fishermen, " When their lips are moving,THEY`RE LIEING" Remember, you won`t be considered hired until you are in your own truck and have jumped thru all the hoops. Your date of hire may be the last day of orientation, but only after all is done.
fishman

Answer:
US Xpress is a decent company but they are going more and more to a team driving operation. If you go solo with them you will wind up with shag runs pulling a trailer to a point where a team can get it, or 300-500 miles deliveries.
-->
They don't tell you this during recruiting.
I've always been crazy, but it's kept me from going insane.
Waylon Jennings

Answer:
Actually a prehire means the info on your app. is acceptable. True enough you are not actually hired until all checks are made. If all the info on your app is correct there wont be a problem. You will be hired.
You will not have to wait to be hired until after your road training. You are actually hired the minute you are assigned a trainer and start being paid. Although you may not be put on as a solo driver if you fail training for some reason.
If it were me I would quickly narrow down my list to Millis, Schneider and possibly HO Wolding.
I dont know a thing about Garner Transportation.
Millis seems to have good revues and Schneider operates a higher class of company according to those I have talked with. Schneider also offers some specialized training and jobs. That could be an advantage later on. Wolding I have heard good and bad.
Best of luck to you.
A man goes to church and thinks about fishing, a man goes fishing and thinks about God.” Joe Fisherman
_________________
RC Universe


Answer:
Like the others said, you have only made it to step two in the hiring process. It is like this:
1. Application
2. Pre-hire
3. Orientation, drug screen, physical, background check
4. Training
5. Road test
6. Get assigned a truck and go solo.
You are only fully hired at step 6. If being home is important to you, then look toward the local jobs. I would say Schneider is the best of the OTR carriers you listed. And recruiters are only salespeople, take what they say with caution. Hint: always seek verifiable information.

Answer:
How are most companies with road tests? Harder than regular driving like making some of the thoughest right turns possible or backing blind??? I know a few companies like Werner that lets your trainer give you your road test. Does anyone know of any other companies that do this?
Hey, if life throws you a curve ball, try and take a swing at it. Who knows what might happen

Answer:
When I say that the companies are local, I just mean that the main terminal is local to me. They are all OTR companies. Garner has real high reviews in this area of the state. They want you to voulanteer to stay out one weekend a month. Like I said the only thing about them being local is there terminal. They also have a terminal in Greeneville, SC. They say that they travel 1000 miles radius of Toledo, Ohio.

Answer:
"How are most companies with road tests? Harder than regular driving like making some of the thoughest right turns possible or backing blind???"
Road test for trainees newbies are usually very simple. Just the basics and not difficult at all. The road test when you finish testing may be a little more difficult but your ability will also be better. Overall road test are not much. Kind of disturbing that most companies aren't a little more thorough.
If Garner runs within a thousand miles it could be they have lots of short runs. Those are ok every once in a while but not on a regular basis. Talk with their drivers and find out if alot of runs are short overniters. If so think about it hard. Those runs will keep you up all night for little pay. They actually suck. -->
As far as being hired goes. If you didn't lie on the app. and can drive along with a willingness to learn you have no problems. You can sit in orientation and watch the ones who lied be sent home. I've done that a couple times. It's a real shame they feel they need to hide stuff.
A man goes to church and thinks about fishing, a man goes fishing and thinks about God.” Joe Fisherman
_________________
RC Universe


Answer:
Why do people actually lie on the apps? Don't they realize that they will get caught? I tell the truth on my apps. Also why do some people find it hard to believe that someone has a clean MVR and criminal background? Of course then again they are probably thinking why does this person want to get into trucking, LOL.

Answer:
It is kind of a strange situation. You could have a few scrapes on your record and the company might hire you if you are HONEST about them. But say you have a clean record on your app and that turns out to be a lie, then forget it.
Let's face it. Someone who has a terrible record just might get the idea to drive a truck. Why? It is a profession that pays fairly well but does not require much advanced education, starting costs are low compared to other fields, you can drive a truck at any age, and there is the idea that you get to do things your way. No boss standing over you all the time.
So what is the result of all this? People with convictions, bad driving records, bad work history with bosses, and low education can try to compete for the jobs in trucking. Now it is the company's responsibility to weed out the bad applicants and recruit the ones who will be more responsible.
But some companies are also concerned with finding drivers who will stay at least one year. It is true that this industry has very high turnover and those individuals who have other career options are more likely to leave than those who don't.
I am not insulting the industry, drivers, or anyone else. All I am doing here is stating why there are so many applicants who have bad records and lie on their applications.
On the subject of company road tests:
Basically, you will take a truck from the yard with the instruction of a safety rep or trainer. They will tell you where to turn, so just follow their directions and drive as normal. What they want to see is that you know how to upshift, downshift, use the clutch, stop/start, use turn signals, read road signs, and obey traffic laws. You will probably not drive more than a few miles on your road test. Read the signs because they might ask you what the last sign said. Also, execute your turns carefully. You are better off to wait until an intersection clears to make a wide right turn than to run all over the curb with your trailer tires. At the end, you might have to back the rig into a spot between two trailers in the yard. Remember to get out and look.