Witte Brothers, Inc. - Troy, Mo.

Mack185, I still work for Witte. Have they told you what you would start at? I have been told experienced drivers would start at .34 cents. If you have not driven in a while you will need to go back through the school and then start out at .22 cents with increases every 3 months till after one year you will be at .32 cents, this seems to be low for the average of companies out there. They do run LTL, so you are required to unload the truck on out-going runs. This can sometimes be good and sometimes bad. You will earn extra money on these runs over doing truckloads. Their equipment is very nice and the shop keeps up on maintenance very well, anything I have ever asked them to do, they have done. The miles seem to be averaging about 1800-2200 per week. I think it is slow far most carriers right now but they are consistent. Sometimes you do have to sit for a day with no load though and that can be a nice break or irritating. They are running Elog which will be required of all carriers with the new CSA2010 (so they say). Overall they seem to be as good or better as most companies out there. They are honest and will tell you straight up how it is. (most of the time) What other questions do you have.

 

HOW THE HELL CAN YOU JUST OUT RIGHT LIE TO THESE PEOPLE?! I've read your post and your are so full of it. There are so many other companies out here that pay more and you do a heck of alot less work for it. Witte is all about Witte.....Not the Driver. Safety is not of concern to anyone but safety. Speaking of Safety....hope you like being treated like your in grade school.
DRIVERS OR POTENTIAL DRIVERS THERE ARE BETTER PLACES TO DRIVE OR WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

A POST FROM RIP OFF REPORTS
Witte seems to like to make your life miserable while employed with them and after you leave. Marilyn Barnes (Saftey Director) will do everything possible to send misleading information to DAC. For example you back into a tight dock and hit your cab extender...she reports to DAC that you jack knifed your truck. Now a jack knife on your DAC black balls you from getting a good job.
Witte Bros does refrigerated LTL and some of the locations a driver has to get into can be tough at best. A driver will from time to time hit something trying to but a 53' trailer into a 28' spot. Stuff happens. She reports to DAC if a driver has scratched a truck or trailer that the driver abused equipment.

As far as the .47 cents a mile you will make as a company driver. It's true!!!
After they compute unloading pay, stop pay, carry-in pay, and whatever else.
You start at .32, the rest is manual labor. After the first year you get a raise but your pay will actually decrease. Witte says you will make $52,000 your first year. Well thats true to unless you like to run the west coast they make you sign a waiver.

Lease drivers wow do they get ripped off. .92 cents a mile, but don't go over 31,250 in a quarter it'll cost you .10 a mile. Running 12000 miles a month could cost you $475 every 3 months multiply that by 4 and WOW your giving them $1900 a year for running your truck like a business. Name another industry where you get fined for doing your job. Oh yeah they say you can turn down loads so you don't go over your mileage.....not.

Witte has a contract with a comany that the driver is required to pull the freight off the trailer for free. The driver gets paid everywhere slse he/she goes to unload or load.

Why ...Why....why can't trucking companies be honest and fair? Make your money off your customers not your drivers.

ALL TRUCKING COMPANIES OR THE SAME, JUST A DIFFERENT NAME ON THE DOOR.

Driver not Happy
Saint Charles, Missouri
U.S.A.
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She was safety director when I worked there in 2003 and her husband was an Owner-operator there also. What this person said is absolutey true about the company and safety dept. It seems Barnes has a thing for ruining former employees, she is very un-professional with her work.
Future drivers don't even get caught up in their Trucking School scam or you'll owe them forever. They tried scamming my g/f out of 500 bucks luckily she stopped payment on the check.
These people are like all of the rest of the trucking companies out there, DRIVEN BY GREED! The driver is always the one to suffer in terms of dollars with these bigger companies they are all the same. My advice to you would be find a smaller family company who cares about their employees who make them MONEY. These "turnstyle" type companies will hire anyone or anything to keep the wheels turning. You see it everyday, Goodbye American Trucker you have been outsourced by cheap foreign labor like the rest of America!

 

I work for Witte and I can't complain, I know their are probably better companies but I know their are a hell of a lot worse. I don't understand how some of you people say its all about Witte, if it was all about that then we would be in POS trucks never home and make no money, but that's not the case.

 

Look if this is the driving job you have ever had then of course you know no better. Do you think (Bay74) that taking pay raises away, turning around building new buildings, buying new trucks, getting rid of senior drivers is good? There was no reason for taking the raise away. There is no reason to go out and buy new trucks when the ones you have only 250,000-350,000. Driving your senior drivers off? That always seems to be the smart move. These are the same drivers the rode several economic storms out with the company........the same drivers that Witte could give a crap about.
Look Witte ONCE WAS a good company. One of the best. Now? They're at the bottom of the barrel. I still have friends working there, hoping things will change. Ahhh theres that word CHANGE hmmmm just like someone else we know hows that Change working out.
If you want honest answers from an honest guy stay away from Brent Witte and Vaughn McDowell

 

I wish to encourage everyone to exercise caution with Witte Bro's. The company used to be great and skates by on their reputation they earned in the past. Please don't be snowballed by wisetrucker since he is the owner and wouldnt dare to reveal the truth of how they do business. I've spent close to four years with the company and they have gone to the bottom of the pig slop. Since Vaughn, the general manger got to start having more leash the company has become substandard. I use to take extreme pride in driving for them but I can't even bring myself to recommend them to anyone. You will run miles to avoid toll rolls and will not be compensated. you will be charged if you do run the tolls so beware. You will be dinged for absolutly anything that goes wrong and it will be charged on to you. Lord help you if there is a descripency with the case count its your fault and you will be charged no matter what the sitituation. The arrogance of Vaugn and Brent is famous, I ask not that you take my word for it but only to do some research talk to some drivers that have experience one that have drove for other companies. The first chance they can throw you under the bus it will happen. The only strength of the company is the equipment and maintence. Also beware your truck will only run 64.6 miles an hour. they threw the old safety director under the bus. Now Vaughn is acting safety director and general manager. Of course this sounds like a conflict of intrest to me but what do I know Im only a driver. The biggest favor you can do is to avoid Witte. I feel sorry fo those foolishly trapped into witte by there school. Brent Witte was elected to be the Missouri Motor Carriers Associatin President, rumour has it to launch his political career again only rumours but the company is no longer his primary intrest and Vaughn is running it into the ground. If you can get 1500 miles a week count yourself blessed. Everyone wonders where the next paycut will be handed down from. Please forgive my lousy spelling.

 

From what I have seen in my short time in the trucking industry..

Witte Bros. is by far one of the best out there! Now why do I say this? Simple, The day's of cooking books and being a (Super Trucker) are over for Witte Bros. Yes, they are on e-logs.. Not because D.O.T. makes them! Witte Bros. does not want the "Super Trucker" to drive or work for them! So if you want to drive 90+ mph and cook the books to drive for 20+ hrs without taking a brake, doing drugs, and or drinking and driving then no Witte Bros. is not the company for you and your not the driver for them!

I have seen and heard enough in my sort time working as a truck driver to know, most everyone (thinks) you can't make money unless your cooking the books! This is not true! Witte Bros. pays miles loaded and unloaded, progressive stop pay, and per pallet unloaded, extra pay for pallets over 2000lbs, detention pay, drop and hook pay, plus if you go through the (Professional) Drivers School you do start at 0.22 a mile.. but every 3 months you get a raise. After one year your up to scale.. As well as mpg pay and performance pay!

I went through Witte Bros. Truck Driving School and think it is better then others.. Why? I spent 3 months checking and asking what, why, and what if's. They have a six week school followed up by a six week trainer program.. Now if you are above average and learn fast, they will graduate you sooner then six and six.. If you need longer and are worth their time and have shown to be a safe driver then they will give you more time..

Andrew and Gary, two of the best teachers I have ever had! Both took time to teach my class over and above what was in the book! they both have years of exp. and knowlage, they both love to share!

The complants I have seen in this thread sound like former drivers that did not want to follow the rules.. I have seen owner operators quit Witte Bros. because of the e-log and the fact that they want to cook the books and not follow the rules.. I say good! Go! Leave! I would not want to work with someone that is going to work like this. 80k lbs truck moving at 65mph is hard enough to stop without someone trying to stop it on 20min of sleep in three days!

If you want to work for a good company that will help you when you need it and not leave you sitting for three days waiting for a tire, and pays very well.. Keeps you moving 97% of the time.. Is very honest with you.. Willing to train you and mentor you.. Then Witte Bros. is the place for you!

 

Well first off I still work there. Back when I started for Witte the drivers from the school where started at 24 cents per mile. Of course that was when if you were a military veteran the school was free but times change. Just another example of semi recent pay cuts and the extra pay per pallet is at 1800 lbs unless I missed the memo. Andrew is an excellent guy he was just a trainer when I started and I will be one of the first to commend him as a person a driver and a teacher. The people are great until you get into the inner office politics and they get a chance to cut your throat. There maintence is top notch and better now that Chuck has completely taken over the shop. I only said to exercise caution and to stay on their good side. I hope that you continue having a a positive experience at Witte. issues with elogs are getting better a crawling pace as the fleet managers and load planners are figuring everything out. Its still a pinch on those beardstown runs to make any kind of a decent paycheck.

 

I know that if you work for any company you will have your own set of issues.. Who likes you and who does not like you always plays a part in your paycheck in trucking and as being a comission paid mechanic.. You have to admit that after reading all of the complaints on this forum and about every company complained about.. We do have it fairly good!

I did visit this forum and a few more before making my choice to go to Witte's School and choosing to work for Witte Bros. After finding out that almost all of the Witte's have been OTR and have been in the shoes I was going to be in, It help'd make my choice easyer..

I know that Vaughn likes to joke around at times and this is a plus. Vaughn is right now trying to help the DM's until they get the new DM's trained and maybe a few more. For being a safty director and a general manager and a DM, he is doing a good job in my eye's.. I know that not everyone will like the choices he makes as he is there to make the company money and keep the doors open.. I will say I believe that insurance on a new driver with no exp. has gone up in the last few years quit a bit.. so yes I can handle 0.22 over the 0.24 for three months.. Had I gone to Swifts school..... I would not see 0.32 for a few years nor would I ever see pallet pay or half of the other pay I see here at Witte Bros. ....

Let's admit it.. This industry is changing and will never be the same as it used to be.. We can't stop the changes made nor can we stop the changes to be made. If we don't like them we can go flip burgers or what ever else we want to in order to pay the bill's..

As far as I am concerned my job is to drive and make my DM look good in his bosses eye's, so he is not getting yell'ed at because of me.. So if I do my job and stay out of everyone's way.... I sould be fine.. To me this applies anywhere I work as a driver..

Like I said, I think we have it alot better then other drivers..

 

I am looking at working for witte. some of what I am seening here, sounds familar. I hear they want to tell you what roads to run, which does,,does not make sense. I know if you run 71 south to 44 and then back east to springfeild, it is faster, but running 70 east to 13 south is shorter. six of one, half dozen of another. I saw the negative post of the safety dept. this REALLY sounds typical of safety. 15 years of driving, have not met a safety director I could trust. as for the eletronic logs, for those that feel they are awesome, (prevent cooking the books), I ask simple question, "why is it illegal to take a nap? I have ask many DOT and have not gotten a answer. I dont have any respect for the hours of service rules, I am not a light switch you turn on and off.