CDLjobs.com Trucking Jobs Blog

“See the Nation….and get Paid While Doing it!”

Cedar Rapids, Iowa – CRST Van Expedited employee Jennifer Cooper is not only a proud company driver, but she is also currently serving in the U.S. Army Reserves. After serving in Iraq for fourteen months, Jennifer explains she returned home feeling, “Not quite ready to pick up where I had left off.” Jennifer says she realized that she wanted to “see the country whose freedom I am defending.” It was at that moment that Jennifer decided a career in truck driving would be an ideal way for her to see the nation while still earning an income.

Jennifer began driving for CRST Van Expedited in August of 2005 as a student driver. Jennifer learned about CRST after reading the feature article in an issue of “Team Drivers and Women in Trucking.” She states, “I thought CRST would be the perfect way for me to transition into the world of professional driving.” In the seven months that she has been with CRST, Jennifer says she has “enjoyed every minute of it.”

Jennifer states that she has also “been extremely satisfied with CRST as a whole, especially with my dispatcher, Jeff Francis.” As part of her responsibility with the Army, Jennifer must report to her monthly Weekend Drill. Jennifer claims, “My dispatcher, Jeff Francis, is a great guy to work for. He always gets me the miles I want and works with my schedule to get home for my military duty every month.” Jennifer also happily adds, “I have a great truck and haven’t ever had any major problems on the road.”

When she has to go home for her monthly duty, Jennifer loves the personal time she so rarely seems to find between driving and the Army. She says, “I go home to Orlando once a month, usually on a Thursday, do Drill on Saturday and Sunday, and then I get back on the road by Tuesday or Wednesday.” During those few days of free time, Jennifer enjoys video producing and editing, writing, and spending time with family and friends.

One of the greatest privileges Jennifer experiences while on the road is that she does not have to do it alone. She gets to spend quality time with her “husband, co-driver, and best friend, Jarrod Cooper.” Together, Jennifer and Jarrod average about 4500 to 5500 miles per week with CRST. When asked of the opportunities CRST has given them, Jennifer has many that come to mind. Speaking of one particular time, Jennifer fondly recalls, “A couple of months ago, Jarrod and I volunteered to help out with the recruiting department by acting as a military liaison. We spoke to a National Guard unit in Ohio, and showed the soldiers our truck during their drill weekend. It happened to be our drill weekend as well, and we were able to make arrangements with CRST to park our truck and fly home in time for our drill.”

Another favorite memory for Jennifer and Jarrod was an opportunity that came upon them when last year’s devastating hurricanes struck. Jennifer remembers, “During the hurricanes, CRST asked Jarrod and me if we could arrange a vehicle recovery mission to help rescue the company trucks and trailers that were parked at a yard in Houston, Texas. We willingly agreed, and with the aid of a few other fellow CRST drivers, we were able to rescue and relocate the trucks to San Antonio.” Jennifer and Jarrod were both rewarded for their brave and selfless efforts with extra pay for the load.

Throughout her employment with CRST Van Expedited, Jennifer says she has always been treated with the utmost respect as a professional. Jennifer adds, “To me, you must earn this respect and treat your managers as you wish to be treated.”

Jennifer enthusiastically states while speaking about her overall experience with CRST Van Expedited, “I would absolutely recommend CRST to people who are interested in, or may be new to, the world of trucking. Their company sponsored schooling program is perfect for anyone wanting to join the industry. Not only do you get to see some truly amazing places, but you earn a great paycheck doing it.”

Whatever your level of experience, there is a home for you at CRST. We are the nation’s largest team company. We run the longest average length of haul and the most miles per tractor per week in the industry. To become a part of the CRST Van Expedited team, call us at 800-553-2778 or apply online at www.joincrst.com. Also don’t forget to ask about our recent graduate and transitioning military sign-on bonus and orientation pay.

Paschall Truck Lines Announces February Awards

Paschall Truck Lines (PTL) congratulates the winners of the February Company Driver and Owner Operator of the Month Awards. William Hargrove is the Company Driver of the Month and Stephen Grissom is the Owner Operator of the Month.

Hargrove has over 21 years of driving experience under his belt, but one run in particular marked a milestone in his career.” “I drove over a mountain two-lane truck route in California several years ago,” said Hargrove. “It was rough going and when I reached my destination in San Jose, other drivers told me I could call myself a real truck driver. They said hardly anyone travels that road anymore!”

Aside from exciting experiences, Hargrove enjoys trucking because it keeps him busy and he is able to see and understand how America works while meeting many good people on the road. This achievement marks his third Driver of the Month Award and he is also honored to have numerous safe driving awards.

First an Army driver during Vietnam then a driver for a private company, Grissom joined PTL in 1998 to chase his dream of becoming an owner operator. Although he loves driving, Grissom says the most exciting times are those when he is able to return home to his wife of 23 years, Linda.

Grissom, named Owner Operator of the Month previously, says his favorite part of being a truck driver is the freedom from working at a desk and doing the same things day in, day out. He also loves the view from his cab and says the changing scenery keeps him from being bored.

PTL provides driving opportunities for solos, teams and owner operators. The company offers a competitive pay package, including great sign-on bonuses for owner operators and company drivers. PTL also offers a competitive fuel surcharge along with a fuel bonus, incentives to run in New York City and Canada, guaranteed home time and no loading or unloading. To find out more about the opportunities at PTL, call 1-800-848-0405 or visit www.ptl-inc.com for an online application.

Maverick Transportation Announces 1st Quarter Drivers of the Month

Maverick Transportation announced their 1st quarter recipients of Driver of the Month honors for 2006. These include January Driver of the Month Elliott Blansett of Bristow, OK, February Driver of the Month Aaron Toney of Uniontown, KY, and March Driver of the Month Chuck Helms of Ironton, MO.

Each driver is a leader in the company’s fleet and all have received numerous safety awards from the Arkansas based flatbed carrier.

Every month Maverick recognizes a driver from the company’s fleet who takes pride in his profession and the company, employs safety, and maintains Maverick standards in all they do. Employees vote from the twelve Drivers of the Month and the Driver of the Year is announced at the end of 2006. As Driver of the Month, each recipient will also represent Maverick drivers on the prestigious Driver Advisory Council.

Based in Little Rock, Arkansas and operating over 1,000 units, Maverick has 25 years of experience providing flatbed services to the steel and building material industries coast-to-coast. The company has a variety of driving opportunities available for over-the-road drivers. To learn more about driving opportunities available with Maverick Transportation, LLC., call the recruiting department at 800-289-1100 or visit the website at www.maverickusa.com.

Trucking Jobs Jamboree

Date: April 29, 2006
Time: 10AM - 2PM
Facility: Atlanta Expo Center

OWNER OPERATORS: Bring your own truck (free) to compete in our PRIDE & POLISH!

JOB SEEKERS: Call the Job Fair Hotline 770.690.0900 ext. 243 for updates

RECRUITERS: Dial 0 for booth registration information - space is very limited!

Trucking Jobs Jamboree!

Come Work for Atlanta's TOP Transportation Companies!

Saturday, April 29th from 10am - 2pm

Company Drivers - Owner/Operators - Trainees, interested in becoming a CDL Driver?

Meet with recruiters from Stevens, Marten, Averitt, WH Transportation, and U.S. Xpress.

Fun for the whole family!
* Pride & Polish truck awards
* Moon walk for the kids
* Music and food

Atlanta Expo Center North Building
3650 Jonesboro Rd.
Atlanta, GA. 30354
Contact Phone # (800) 272-3452

Important pay change: The long and the short of miles pay

One mile…exactly two NASCAR laps at Martinsville Speedway, no more, no less. Circle the track four times at 40¢ a mile and you’ve earned 80¢, right? Wrong. In the real world of over-the-road trucking, you’ll almost always get paid less. The reason is a 60-year-old industry system for calculating the distance between two locations that shorts drivers.

Now Roehl Transport, whose driver pay already ranks among the top 10 in the nation, is changing that discrepancy by paying drivers practical route miles.

Breaking away from the industry

Drivers throughout the industry have traditionally been paid using a standardized mileage system developed for household goods movers called short route miles, Leon Palmer, Roehl’s Vice President of Operations, explained.

HHG or short route miles are the shortest distance between two points traveling on authorized highways.

“The short route, however, is seldom the best route for today’s equipment on our modern highway system,” Palmer said. “Both drivers and their companies benefit by taking a faster rather than the shortest route. That can mean driving around cities rather than through them or looping a little out of the way to catch an interstate rather than traveling county highways. In many cases, it’s not just expediency but the law—the shortest route may not even include roads designated for 48- or 53-foot trailers. The more practical route can add several miles but improves timely service and keeps the driver moving and earning.”

It adds up to a sizeable pay increase

“Practical route miles better approximate the distance our drivers actually drive,” Palmer said. “The fact is, practical route pay is a fairer way to compensate OTR drivers, and the difference of a few miles on each trip adds up to a sizable boost in income for Roehl drivers. Our company has always been a leader in pay and home time and being among the first major carriers to switch to practical miles seems like the Roehl thing to do,” Palmer added.

Find out more about mile pay systems and how Roehl drivers take home more with practical miles pay at www.GoRoehl.com

For more information about Roehl—The Take Home More, Be Home More Carrier,™ call 1-800-Go-Roehl or visit www.GoRoehl.com

Boyd Bros. Announces Big Driver Pay Raise

Clayton, AL – Boyd Bros. trucking is proud to announce a fantastic new base pay raise for its drivers. Citing the contribution of drivers to the growth of the company, Boyd Bros. has committed to such an aggressive pay raise in order to reward their flatbed drivers for continued outstanding performance. The decision to raise the base pay is consistent with Boyd’s belief that driver pay should not be loaded with stipulations and false promises.

Along with this new pay raise, they are raising tarp pay and have a new optional per-diem pay package coming soon. Boyd Bros. offers excellent benefits including Blue Cross/Blue Shield Insurance, free vision coverage and no cost life insurance.

“Our pay has always been great, because we have the best drivers in the industry and they deserve it. This new, big increase is a reward to them, and an incentive for other drivers of their caliber to join the Boyd Bros. family,” explains Betty Nix, Director of Recruiting. “No other company can offer such a great pay program and an environment like Boyd Bros.”

For more information about the new pay increase and great driving opportunities at Boyd Bros., call 800-543-8923 or log on to www.driveforboyd.com. Boyd Bros. is a family owned and operated business based in Clayton and Birmingham, AL. Boyd operates terminals throughout the U.S. and will soon be opening a new terminal in Cincinnati, OH.

Strong Start, Solid Finish For Barr-Nunn and O’Quinn Jr. in Nashville

LEBANON, TN. - Danny O'Quinn Jr. had an impressive start to the weekend's event in Music City. A strong qualifying effort would put him third on the starting grid, best of the Roush cars and best of the rookies. O'Quinn Jr. and the team predicted they might have a good weekend, since the 20-year-old Virginia native had a previous start and sixth place finish in the ARCA Re/Max series there in 2005.

The green flag flew over the No. 50 Stonebridge Life and Barr-Nunn Ford Fusion with O'Quinn Jr. starting inside the top-five for the first time this season. Throughout the first 25 laps of the race, he maintained his top-five position, battling with cars in the lead pack. When the second caution came out on lap 25, O'Quinn Jr. made his first pit stop of the day. He had reported the car was feeling very tight, and when he brought the Fusion in for adjustments, the No. 50 crew went to work to make the car more free. Unfortunately, a problem on the pit stop would cost O'Quinn Jr. some time on pit road, resulting in a loss of positions on the racetrack. O'Quinn Jr. would restart in the 15th position.

That would be the last of his run inside the top-five, as for the rest of the day he would continue to fight an ill-handling race car. On both lap 46 and 70 following the lap 26 pit stop, O'Quinn Jr. would report an extremely tight race car. Between those laps, he would continue to run solidly in the top-15, hoping to catch a caution and make some adjustments to free the car. Despite the tight condition, he worked his way all the way to the 11th position before the caution flag flew again. This time a flawless pit stop would maintain his 11th place position for the restart on lap 95, and adjustments would be made once again to try and free the car.

Two pit stops later, after making adjustments for what had become a super loose race car and maintaining his top-15 position, O'Quinn Jr. reported a vibration. Luckily, he caught a caution just in time to save him from what would have been a costly green flag pit stop. On lap 173, the Stonebridge crew pitted the No. 50 Ford again, and found that the front wheel had been loose. O'Quinn Jr. restarted 18th, and picked off positions until the final lap. He crossed the finish line in the 14th position, ending the weekend with a solid run.

"Definitely a little bit disappointed with our run today because we had such a good car. We just kind of got behind the eight ball there, made some changes to the car that didn't work, but by the end of the race we were really good," said O'Quinn Jr. after the race. "We had some issues on one of our last pit stops, we had a wheel loose and had to pit again and put old tires on, so we lost some time there, but we still had a fast car. But not the fresh rubber we needed to pass cars. But overall, we still came out of here with a top-15, which is definitely a big improvement form where we were last week."

Next week, World Financial Group and Barr-Nunn colors return to the No. 50 for the season's first night race at the Phoenix International Raceway.

To find out more about the racing program at Barr-Nunn Transportation or to become part of the Barr-Nunn team call: 1-888-999-7576.

Continental Express Driver Sings Tunes For Truckers

“I worked as a professional musician for about 12 years playing with David Crosby of Crosby, Stills & Nash among others,” says Whatley. “Then I began driving and am in my 16th year with Continental Express. I just decided it was time I put my two professions together.”

Working with a connection in Nashville, Whatley is planning on cutting a CD called “American Trucker” in late May. “I wrote all of the songs for the album,” he says. “There’s a real market for songs that speak to today’s trucker.”

Whatley sent a demo tape to a friend who is well known in Nashville among the music industry insiders, having played for Waylon Jennings, George Strait and others. “He took my tape to a few people and they said they were definitely interested,” he says. “It’s exciting. Everyone at Continental have been so supportive and excited for me.”

Even with his musical aspirations, Whatley says his time with Continental has been satisfying and inspiring. “Many of my songs come from my own experiences on the road,” he says. “I have over 2 million safe miles with Continental Express. It’s a wonderful career home for any driver.”

Continental Express was founded two decades ago as a small truckload carrier with only 25 trucks. Today, the company is a premier coast-to-coast truckload, truck/rail, and logistics transportation company with over 500 trucks and more than 1,200 dry van trailers. Headquartered in Little Rock, Ark., Continental Express has a network of secure regional drop facilities that sweep the nation from California to Georgia.

Drivers interested in company driver positions or the lease purchase program at Continental Express should call 800-745-9670 or visit www.continentalx.com.

Hogan Transport raises pay for owner operators

Hogan Transport, the company that has been putting drivers first for nearly 100 years, has again shown its commitment to being the best by raising its owner operator pay.

“If we provide plates, pay is now 90¢ per mile, a three-cent increase,” says Tracey Miller of Hogan. “For owner operators with their own plates, we’ve raised pay by 3¢ to 91.5¢.”

The raise, which was effective March 12, 2006, was an effort to meet owner operator needs. “We asked our owner operators what they wanted and we researched what was being offered elsewhere,” says Miller. “We’ve received very positive feedback on this and with our other offerings, Hogan is an excellent career home.”

In addition to higher pay, owner operators enjoy 48-state routes for solo OTR, Eastern & Western team divisions, pay for all miles both dispatched and empty, no up front escrow required, permits and tolls paid, weekly settlements, driver referral bonus, Qualcomm installed at no charge, tires available at volume discounts, no forced dispatch and network discounts available for fuel. All Hogan motor leasing shops are available at shop rate for maintenance.

Another way Hogan puts driving professionals first is by keeping them safe. Safety has long been a priority at Hogan. In April of 2005 the Commercial Carriers Journal named Hogan as its “Innovator of the Year” for their proactive safety programs. Hogan enjoys an outstanding safety record by constantly evaluating new safety methods and continually training drivers in the most recent safety techniques.

Company drivers are also welcome for regional and/or local runs in select areas, dedicated freight in select areas, excellent equipment, 401k retirement plan , vacation & holiday pay, medical, dental & life insurance, layover, unloading & loading pay.

For a limited time only both company drivers and Owner operators who hire or lease on with HOGAN will receive a $4000 sign on bonus.

Owner operators who are ready to be the #1 priority, should call Hogan at 800-444-6042 or visit www.hogan1.com.

Straight Talk: We think everyone deserves 5 weeks of paid vacation

We’re Celadon Trucking Services and we know our fleet members have lives off the road! It’s why you are guaranteed $1,000 for the first 30,000 miles you drive with us. Each additional 30,000 miles you will receive $1,000 and guaranteed one week off. That’s what we mean by straight talk.

For a complete description of how we tell it to you straight, like how our dispatchers work for you, our programs, benefits, great pay packages and more, please call or visit our website.

Now Hiring:
* Company Drivers • Solos & Teams
* Owner Operators • Solos & Teams
* “Lease-Less” Truck Purchase Program™ Operators

DriveCeladon.com
(800) 226-0291