So what's everyone's opinion on Roehl Transport?

How much are they paying per mile. Out 14 home 7 doesnt seem like you make that much, unless cpm is good.

As far as staying fit on the road, I lost 70 pounds doing otr.

You are going to find very few healthy options. Salads from Subway maybe. Or if you eat at the T/A restaurant can order a good meal with veggies.

I stopped drinking any surgary pops on the road. I did Diet Pepsi cause they use Splenda. Splenda in my coffee. Dont gorge yourself at the restaurants. The buffets are okay once in a while, but learn to say no. Stay away from a lot of the fast food. If you do east ff Do something like a chicken sandwich. Something like that. Dont park in the first row (unless only spot available).

When you get to a customers and they want the doors open and tandems slid, get in and out as much as possible.

Good luck.

 

Take it from me. My wife and I extensively researched getting a CDL through a company vs. paying our own schooling. Everything we found points to pay for it yourself. We started with Schneider, and we got out training through Truck Driver Institute of Dallas.

When you train through a company, chances are you will be stuck on a certain run (regional, OTR, OTR Team, etc.) For a certain period that it usually a few years. Schneider was we had to drive so regional got 2 years to pay off our CDL. Instead, we financed it through the school. The financing worked out great because they were so used to not getting paid that we were able to pay off our loans at about 60% of the actual value. The trick is, we submitted our original financing information to Schneider, so we are getting reimbursed for the entire amount... literally making money on our training.

Most mega carriers pay for training. Schneider's was phenomenal. Training was great, I think we got $90/day for three weeks then we were on our own as a team. The training consisted of 1 week classroom/yard time, 1 week on the road with a trainer, then one final week back in the classroom learning the computer system and all the paperwork stuff.

Your driver health concern is a very real aspect of what we deal with. The difference is you are in complete control of it. If you are a solo, you get 10hrs a day that you park. This means you can exercise and sleep very well(at least that is what it seems like I see solos doing). Since we are a team, we stop for 1 day a week to hit our 34. Exercise is harder to come by, but we try to get it in when we can (easier also since I drive with my wife...). The biggest thing is to eat right. You can buy truck stop food and regular pop and energy drinks, and gain 100lbs. In a year. Us, we lost weight when we started driving. Get a Coleman 40qt iceless cooler. Go to Sam's and buy the cases of eggs, I think 15 dozen for $30, and they don't need to be refrigerated. Get some tortillas, low sodium lunch meant, cheese and some other small items. Some dry goods like healthy cereal, I like the nature valley honey oat bars for a little snack whist driving. Always get fresh fruit and veggies every week. Stick to water, coffeeand my personal favorite, green tea(again a box of 90packets at Sam's club is $7-$8.)

Find what works for you to stay full, healthy and alert.

 

Where are you out of?

 

My wife and I are on a dedicated out of Topeka. If you don't mind driving team, sick ### money and easy hauls. They are very cool about home time flexibility

 

I'm starting training with them at their Grand Prairie (Dallas, TX) terminal on the 3rd for their National Dry Van fleet.

If going GYCDL, dry van is $0.33 per mile to start, the $0.36 per mile after 6 months solo (about 7.5 - 8 months from start of CDL training). Flatbed is significantly more, $0.39 to start and $0.41 after 6 months solo, if I recall correctly. Reefer is somewhere in between.

I wanted flatbed for the higher CPM and a bit more opportunity to work outside the truck, but all they have in my area is dry van. I van deal with the lower CPM to start, and I'll get bonuses for HAZMAT and such as I add them.

Their 14/7, 7/7, 7/3, etc... hometime plans are essentially special fleets that you may become eligible for after 6 months solo. National fleets are typically 11-14 days out and 3 home (per my welcome letter).

Commitment to the company after training is 120,000 solo miles (about 15 months according to them). If you leave before then, the cost is $5,000.

 

Roehl is a pretty good company. I investigated them a long time ago, and held on to them as my backup plan if I left my current employer.

As for health, it's mostly going to be the food you eat, the stress you have, and the exercise you do. Get a fridge or electric cooler and bring food from grocery stores. Eating fast food can be reserved for once a week, and choose healthy. If you are eating for convenience or eating at truckstops and restaurants you will pack on the weight. Look at food and something you need so you don't starve. You can't eat enough to make your parents, girlfriend, wife love you. You can't eat enough to make your life better. Your job will require a lot of sitting, and little doing. So you will need less food than you currently eat. Drink lost of water, or only water. Maybe have one non-water drink per day. Walk everywhere. Don't think about bringing a bicycle, 90% of them are never used. After you drive a while the last place you will consider safe is beside traffic on a bike. Walking only requires clothes and shoes. You are bringing those anyway. Walking provides 90% of the benefit of running and 20% of the joint impact. You can find time to walk 1 hour per day if you choose. You can also equip your truck to clean up afterwards using an emergency shower or "baby wipes" and water.