Pros
They make sure you get every opportunity to succeed and get your Auto Restricted CDL license through their training school. The training through the school is supportive and thorough, and the teachers are very helpful.
Cons
Beware, during training they offer money for food and try to give you everything you need, after being trained and signing employment agreement they deduct all advanced money out of your pay. Deductions include paying back CDL school, motel stay, food money advances, load locks and meat locks they make you buy, medical exams and more if they can. Nothing is free. After CDL school it all goes downhill. You have to drive 240hrs with a trainer. I had 2 trainers. first was the worst. Truck stank, he had a dog on board and he only had showers every 3rd or 4th day minimum. When I tried to do a PTI he questioned me and told me to stay away for his truck and while driving he got upset when I used the brakes or drove under the speed limit. Second trainer was better having showers at least every other day, PTIs were basic, under hood check fluids and lights. Never did a full PTI during training. After training I was given a well used ex contractor truck. After checking the truck it was sent to the workshop for repairs before I could start driving. Driving was ok but there were endless issues with equipment and loads. Equipment is not well looked after and seems drivers leave any issues for the next driver, I myself was doing the same thing after awhile because there is no compensation for lost time getting issues fixed. New drivers get the loads with problems, late before they are assigned, known problem or slow shipper/receivers, difficult parking andor tight manovers ect. Management want all drivers to work a minimum of 12hrs per day and Stevens Transport don't pay all miles, they pay post code to post code with a maximum of 350mile deadhead. During my time as a company driver at Stevens I drove 58525 miles and of those miles I was not paid 3100 miles. Some other numbers, I picked up and delivered 55 loads over 28 weeks and averaged gross $912.00 per week. This is nowhere near the $60000 I was told we would make is my first year. When I worked out my hourly rate I was at about $13 per hr. My first DM never wanted to pay the owed layover or detention pay, once I got $20 detention for 10hr detention. My second DM was good about giving me what was owed. As a reefer driver it is common to wait 4 to 6 hrs for loading and unloading and the longest I waited 36hrs to get loaded in California. Finally as a company driver I was asked to do things that violate my CDL, things like drive to a repair shop to get tires or trailer brakes fixed, drive over my 11hr clock, limp a blown out tire down the road to get fixed ect.
