Robbie D. Wood

Welcome to the forum.

Are you IN this industry today, already, as in already a driver? If so, your best source of information is to find one of these elusive RDW drivers and knock on their door (don't wake them up or else their ideas about their company won't be the first thing that comes out of their mouths) and ask them what they think. Chances are, they'll be very honest with you.

But understand, everyone has difference experiences. I know drivers that swear by the first company that I worked for. At first, they were ok, but they constantly switched me back and forth between driving during the day and driving at night. I could never get my sleep schedule right and fell asleep 3 times driving. I turned in the keys at the yard and never looked back.

 

You fell asleep 3 times ? sleep sleep ? Im glad you're alive . Good luck .

 

Is that Johnny B Goodes cousin?

 

RDW was a decent company years back. But nowadays its just a job to get you by until you find something else. Every driver that I've ran into over the last 10 yrs says the money isn't there anymore. Clean Harbors was there biggest customer. But clean Harbors started hiring there own drivers.

RDW has a tanker division now. But its mainly brokered loads. And every o/o that I've met has said that there looking to sign own elsewhere. RDW use to pay well up until maybe 2011. They also use to have profit sharing. But that hasn't happened in a while. Its the greatest job in the world for the country guys that work there and live out in the sticks. But for others its not worth it.

 

I advise to avoid RD Wood if possible. I fell for their "family oriented" bs when I worked there, but I was recently fired from their Houston division for something so absurd it's not even worth discussing. I have been in the trucking industry on and off for over 20 years, and NEVER got fired from ANY job. The sad thing is that the company overall is a pretty decent company with alot of good people in upper management, but they have a lot of turnover among drivers. The pay is inconsistent and not very good for company drivers and O/Os They do pick and choose their favorite drivers. I saw it happen many times. If you are not in the good ol boy network, you get the leftover loads. The managers and dispatchers in the Houston chemical division talk horribly about the drivers behind their backs. If you make any mistakes at all, no matter how simple, you get blackballed.
Let me make it clear for you....my experience is specifically with the Houston division. I think the company culture overall is OK to an extent.
They claim to pride themselves on being a "family oriented" company where "everyone knows your name"...I was there for almost 3 years as a local / regional driver....I was in the office frequently interacting with the terminal staff....Not one time in 3 years did anyone EVER ask about my "family". So... don't fall for it. You will become a part of their family after you've been there for 30 years. Otherwise, you're just going to be a truck number honestly. It is a job to get you by until you find another job. Nothing more. There is a reason they have very few drivers who have multiple years with them and most of those are O/Os
Oh...by the way, they recently mandated driver facing cameras in ALL trucks. Not a good sign...but they do have decent trucks. Trailers are mostly trash.