truck driver

driver manager

tanker driver

customer service representative

driver

Stevens Transport

First let me tell you that this is a review of what to expect if you are interested in working at Stevens Transport. This is plain and simple what you will get from working with Stevens. I'm going to focus primarily on the new driver as that is how I got started with Stevens.

I'm sure experience drivers will already know all about Stevens Transport as their reputation echos in just about every Truck Stop, Truck Shop, Distribution Centers and even on the bathroom stalls. So you are on your own!

For the Newbies... 
- If you don't have a CDL and have never drove a Big Truck, I would say this is a good place to learn and get your CDL. 
- They do have a great skill course in their facility with probably the largest amount of space dedicated to train that I've seen compared to other CDL schools.
- For the CDL School...you will get 3 weeks of schooling with an average of 8-12 hrs a day in a mix of classroom and actual driving, THIS WILL INCLUDE SATURDAYS!

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!
Be prepared to go thru hard times during the first months of your training. Stevens pays you only $350 a week during all your training, This is basically "Survival Pay" because after normal income tax deductions that will come down to between $300-$320 a week depending on your deductions and if you are single or married. Don't forget to deduct the $22 for the CDL School and your pay can be down to $280, after that comes in the portion of the "loan" for the bus ride to Dallas and the money for meals you got during school and that will bring your check down to as little as $250 a week. If you are single and you have no one to feed other than yourself you are good, but if you are married and have children like I was then figure that most of that money will have to be sent home and you have to decide how much (or how little) you will need to "Survive" on. Food at truck stop is more expensive than at the regular strip mall places, some of these places will charge a premium on the food because they figure truck drivers get paid well and they can afford to pay high prices. If you happen to go to a truck stop in New Jersey and they have a Burger King there, don't get scared if the cheapest combo costs $12 with tax. Add it all up at 3 meals a day times 7 days a week and you may be out just about your entire paycheck if that is all you spend it on.
-Best thing to do is to convince your trainer to stop at a "Wally World' (Wal-Mart) and stock up on stuff you can afford. Cup O' Noodles are cheap and will fill you up. So bite the bullet and keep it under $40-50 a week because you will still get tempted for hot fresh food some days and you have to basically give yourself a budget or you will not make it.
- Most truck stops have microwaves and Water and Ice is always free if you bring your own cup. If you don't mind drinking the sodas, the BIG thermos cup they sell there are worth the price because refills are only a buck and some places like LOVES offer a free refill when you get fuel.
- Ask your trainer to stop at the Truck stops that have McDonald's or Subways and buy from the value menu. You might just get them to buy you a meal on them if you get a good trainer.
- Once you finish all your training you will go back to the Yard to graduate which consists of a driving test (to make sure your training was done) and some additional classroom training. Then you will get your truck assigned and ready to roll all by yourself.
- Before you get you truck assigned you may ask for time off because by now you have earned several days off (one day off for every week worked). I suggest you take the time off because it may be a couple of months before you get to ask for time off again after you get your truck. Going home for time off is on you, meaning that you pay for the cost to go back home. So if you don't live in Dallas, you can still ask to get your first load near you home and after delivery take your time off, but be prepared to get routed a long way around until you land something close to your home, and don't get surprised if they take the load trip away from you during the way there as "Driver Managers" are very "Re-Power" happy (load exchange with another truck). If you get a call to do a dispatcher a favor to Re-Power your load just say NO. Driver Managers constantly will ask you for favors but never return one so don't think they are on your side, if you got the load and you got the time to deliver it, just tell them NO, believe me it will not change your future loads because those are routed thru a different department out control of the Driver Managers.
- Truck Assignments are not instant and you may have to wait several days to get one depending on their supply.
- You will not get a pretty truck, after all you are a newbie and they will assign you an old truck that has gone thru several other drivers and may look like it should be put out to pasture. 
- I suggest getting the truck in Dallas. They got a Detail shop that will clean the truck inside. They got a truck wash so you can get the truck shiny before you go out. You can also exchange mattresses for new ones so you don't have to sleep in someone's sweat and body odors. Plus you can have any mechanical issues fixed there at the shop so you don't break down in the middle of nowhere.
- At this stage you will earn 26 cents a mile with 2 cents raise at 9 months of working and 1 cent raise at one year. You will get sh!tty loads at first because they are testing you and will not give you the good ones until you prove yourself, so don't mess around and be "ON TIME" follow all the rules and drive EXTRA safe.


Basically I recommend getting your one year deal done so they don't come after you for the CDL school fee's and then get out. Stevens is one of the worst paying companies out there and it is just not worth staying there longer that your "Sentence". 
- Don't do the 401K  as they it doesn't not vest until after 5 years, so it is not worth having them dock your small paycheck for them to use for their own purposes, plus you don't have that option until 9 months in anyhow and by then you will see how bad they do get giving you loads.
- Don't fall for the Alliance Program juice (Leased purchase). It is a ripoff and you will go broke before you know it. That program works only for the trainers that get paid the student miles. They Bambozle you into thinking that you will better loads (which you don't), and they nickle and dime your expenses to death. By the week's end your payment can be as high as a thousand dollars and if you get the average 1500 miles a newbie gets at the rate of 89 cents a mile that's just around $1300, take out the thousand for the least, the Insurance, the Plates, the Qualcom, the Pre-Pass, the Toll Tag, the TransFlow, Escrow and Fuel and you get around $300 left to your name. God forbid your truck breaks down but their "Payment" still continues so you will fall on the RED real fast!!! Take it from me, this program is meant for YOU to pay for THEIR truck, because at the end of the lease you don't get to keep the truck, you just start all over again and that truck you just paid for goes on to make them more money with another sucker! I've seen this happen to too many good drivers so don't fall for their lies.

Just finish your YEAR of experience, there are plenty of good companies that will gladly take you with one year experience and you will make way more money. Plan your budget while you are at Stevens and don't think you will make the suggested "Up to 65K" in your first year, if you are lucky you will get half that at best, but the training you gain will pay for your second year profit which for me was about 58K and got home every weekend. today I enjoy the fruits of my experience and I am an Owner Operator doing local runs making over 100K a year net, and being home every night. Just to think it only took 5 years to get here, but if you put your mind to it you can do it probably even sooner that I did.

I narrowed my job search down to Steven's Transport and Werner Enterprises, and I went with Stevens because of their training program.  I went to orientation in the middle of October. I was in a class of about 30 people. Once orientation was done we ended with a class of about another 30 people who were waiting for driver/ trainers.  Because it was so close to the holidays, I didn't get a trainer until the week of Thanksgiving.  Most of the trainers wanted to be home during the holidays so I ended up with 5 different trainers.  I stayed on the road for 4 months going through the training program. Once done I had to beg for home time to take care of some personal business (3 days off).  Once I got back to Dallas and went solo, they gave me and old truck which I didn't mind. But the truck had electrical issues.  Sometime the lights would flicker while I was driving at night. Sometimes I would lose power when I shifted to reverse. After much crying (literally) and complaining, they finally gave me a new truck.  I had no issues with the new truck.  But, I started having issues with the communication problem at Stevens.  The last straw for me was the last time I got home time.  I got to the place I where I park my truck for home time and the place was closed.  No security guard, no other Stevens trucks were there, the place was empty.Nobody told me anything. This was on a Sunday evening so Stevens only had the skeleton crew working.  I called Driver Services and the guy told me to call Road Rescue.  I get on the p[hone with Road Rescue and they gave me a secured place to park the truck.  The next day I'm out enjoying time with my husband and I get a call from my DM asking where did I park the truck.  I told him where I parked it and gave him the address and he said ok, apologized for calling on my day off and hung up.  10 mins later he calls back and tells me I need to move the truck because the place I parked it was not authorized by Stevens. I explained to him that Road Rescue told me to park it there and it was ok.  He told me that Road Rescue is not a part of Stevens Transport and that they're a separate company that Stevens hired for support.  He also told me that whenever Road Rescue sends me somewhere or tells me to do something, it is my responsibility to let my DM or someone at Stevens know what is going on because Road Rescue does not communicate with the DM's.  So needless to say, I had to waste half a day of home time moving my truck from one location to another.  When I picked up my next load, I took it straight to the Steven's Transport yard, turned in my keys and paperwork and said goodbye.

Driving for Stevens was highly stressful.  I currently drive for Werner and there is no stress at all, as long as I have on time delivery.  The pay is ok, but I am out as long as I want (2-3 weeks), and they get me home when I request time off.

I came to Stevens because my brother trained with them over 10 years ago and he told me that they were a great training company. Well, many of the features he lauded as being great were no longer part of the training evolution. Still, there are opportunities to learn everything you need to know, and if your trainer isn't training you, then request a new one.

The biggest complaint I have is with the loan, and pay. The fact that you have to pay the loan back at all, even though they have locked you into a 1yr contract, isn't something I think is fair. Additionally, the pay is at the bottom in regards to cpm. I can understand paying that low for the first year in order to recoup the cost of training l, but to pay that low and still require you to pay the loan off... that's ridiculous. 

The pressure to join the Alliance Leasing Program will stay on you unless you firmly tell them to stop. A lot of people have had success in it, but when I saw their checks, it looks like they're just being paid industry standard for a company driver. Only in comparison to a Stevens company driver do the checks look great. I'm fact, I was told by one of the poster drivers that they bring into the classrooms that by going that route he saw a 10cpm increase in pay, and could potentially see 15. Well, since Stevens only pays 36cpm, that only accounts for 46-51cpm...which is just industry standard company driver pay! 

Ultimately, I feel all of the company policies, from pay and loan repayment, to load prioritization and dispatch miles, are all a ploy to push drivers toward choosing the Leasing Program.. By leasing the trucks to them, they remove a lot of the financial burden of ownership, and by classifying them as independent contractors, they relieve themselves of a significant employment tax burden. It's a win-win for the company.

With all that being said, I have had a mostly positive experience with the company, because I knew what I was getting myself into, and therefore wasn't surprised or angered by anything. I get as many miles as I can run(but only after you PROVE you can and will run 500-600 miles/day when necessary), I have gotten home when I need to get home (although credit doesn't go to Stevens for GETTING me there), and my trainer did an excellent job of preparing me for most scenarios I would face on the road. 

Because of my positive experience, I will not recommend against Stevens, but I cannot recommend in favor of this company to any new drivers. There are many other companies that pay better, and will not require you to repay the loan. Do your research, talk to drivers, don't go with a mega carrier if you don't have to. If you do choose to come here, do so with your eyes open, and you could have a positive experience like I did.

Stevens is a good place to start your truck driving career. They have a good training program compared to other companies and they do seem to care how you do in that program. You spend 3 to 4 weeks in the driver academy and then minimum 240 hours on the road with a trainer. That's 240 hours behind the wheel, not total. Once you finish training and go solo, that's when things get bad. Most of the Driver Managers treat their drivers terribly. They are very rude and hard to get in contact with. You will sit on hold for hours waiting on someone to pick up the phone. Most messages go unanswered. I have sat on hold with the road breakdown department for 3 hours before. In the evening and on weekends, this problem is much worse. You will not be given anything that you do not ask for. Things like layover and detention pay are not automatically added and you have to request to receive these types of pay which is absolutely ridiculous. They will withhold from you if you let them. Most of the office personnel fail to realize that they are there for us as drivers and it really shows when you talk to them. The safety department is pretty good. My interactions with them have been positive so far and one of my biggest allies that I can count on is in the Safety Department. They stay on top of the safety of the fleet and will not hesitate help you if you need it. The rules at Stevens are fairly strict. You will not have a cruise control for your first 90 days solo, at a minimum. You are governed at 64 mph with the opportunity to get 66 mph and 68 mph as you progress with the company. There is a very strict "No U-Turn" policy that is heavily enforced and offers no review or second chance. If you are caught, you are fired, no questions. I agree with this policy 100%. There is a good amount of freight and you will always have loads which is great! You have to be willing to ask for home time because if you don't, they will run you into the ground. That's not always bad but does get old after a while. Stevens is on the low end when it comes to pay. They are a pay per mile carrier and the rate is one of the lowest in the industry. Layover, breakdown, detention, etc is all offered but you have to stay on top of it to make sure you get it as stated above. Layover and Breakdown is a joke seeing as you have to sit there for 24 hours before they will pay you anything and detention is only payed if you are there more than 2 hours after your scheduled appointment. To summarize, Stevens is a good place to get your CDL and start your career. The pay is bad but there are plenty of loads. The people are rude and not helpful.

Stevens paid for my CDL and I signed a contract to work for this company for one year. I got trained in their training program and it was a good experience. But I have to say, the training pay is the worst, they also start taking all the money for loan payment and whatnot from the beginning, leaving you less than 200 dollars to survive for the next almos 3 month that the training can last. Once you start as a company driver, you are required to work 3 more month under what they called "GRAD FLEET" which also have a lot of restrictions. If you go in a team as I did, it will take you a lot of effort to get miles, THIS IS NOT A GOOD COMPANY FOR TEAMS  so don't. Just to summarize, if you can pay for your CDL out of pocket, please do, then go to Stevens, work for then 6 month, no more than that. And after you get all the training, get out of there, you will be able to make a lot of money anywhere else. The office staff in this company is really lame, they have a lot of departments but there is not connection between then. The lack of organization will keep you from making money, and in order for you to make decent miles a week, you gonna have to become your own driver manager, dispatch, and all in between. Also, even if you are willing to pay any fee to get out, they won't allow you to, they will hold your contract till the end. 
Last thing, if your plan is to lease a truck, careful with Stevens, they want you to sign a contract for a minimum of 2 years, the contract you sing basically say that you will pay a lot of money weekly regardless of the situation, while Stevens won't give you any warranty of miles. Only time for leasing with Stevens is if you are planning to become a Trainner, but to do so, you'll need a minimum of one year with the company and more than 75000 miles. Thanks for reading, hope this was helpful.
I wrote this revie while working with Stevens, my name is Wil. 
I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO LEAVE THIS COMPANY BUT THERE IS STILL TIME IN MY CONTRACT.

I'm sure their are better schools than this ill break it down training sucks. They do put in a motel for a couple of days but u have to pay it back.  the trainers if u get a good one u will know if u have a good trainer.once u get your own truck it will break down the equipment is good if it works.u have to  and I repeat u have to drive at least 2000 miles every week to make any money becasue at .26cents a mile u can't make any money but they do I have another side of the company that u can make more money if u lease the truck or owner operator but depending on what kind of truck u want it will cost about 500 to 600 dollars a week to pay for the truck so u have to run even harder if u are on that side of the company.best thing u could do is be a trainer then u can make 2000 dollars  a week becasue u are getting more miles since its two of u and. u will actually make more in training then u will be making on the road only thing I can say if u choose this company have a lot of money saved up I'm talking like 3 or 4 grand if u have bills like rent a car payment cell phone or if u hade to take out a loan they do have tution reimbursement but hopefully u can make that long to get them to pay it off just be prepared for it. If I had to do it all over I would not have picked stevens transport try to get your experience for over the road somewhere else unless u are going to be grandfathered in somewhere then u will not need any Otr experience I just hope I am able to pay all my bills this month o yea u can only go 62 miles an hour so on some of these highways your going to feel like your a snail they take away your Cruise controle 
I actually made more money at my old job then driving a semi truck
This is not going to be a fun job it's more work than anything get your experience here and find a job at home or at another company if u like Otr most companies will take 6months to a year of experience 

Unprofessional Working Environment: The overall atmosphere is described as highly unprofessional, which can negatively impact personal and team productivity.

Culture of Fear and Hesitation: Employees are reluctant to voice concerns or stand up for themselves due to a pervasive culture of fear, which stifles constructive feedback and open communication.

Toxic Leadership Style: The management approach is described as toxic, which creates an unhealthy work environment and affects employee morale.

Lack of Support and Resources: There is a noticeable deficiency in support and resources, including outdated equipment and insufficient tools, which hampers employees' ability to perform their duties effectively.

Micromanagement: The excessive need for detailed explanations of daily activities undermines employee autonomy and contributes to a demoralizing atmosphere.

Internal Competition: The organization fosters a culture of internal competition, which leads to a stressful work environment and affects overall morale.

High Turnover Rates: The negative work environment contributes to high turnover rates, suggesting dissatisfaction and instability among staff members.

Underinvestment in Equipment: The provision of substandard equipment reflects a lack of investment in quality and efficiency, impacting the quality of work produced.

Lack of Trust: The need for detailed reporting and micromanagement indicates a lack of trust in employees’ abilities and judgment.

I you are looking in from the outside Stevens Transport has a real nice appearance untill you get inside and see how things really are.At least in the recruiting department.  I was a Field Recruiter for Stevens and dealing with a certain female who is the sister and 1/3 ownership under their father is a real pain. The 2 brothers on the other hand are decent guys who are trying to make a business work. She has no filter and says what ever comes to her head. She has the complex of being the ugly fat girl in high school thet no one would address who when had the first chance of power decided to make anyone around her pay that was not her equal. If you get any compliments at all it a backhanded loaded compliment that in reality it not even close to a compliment. If she asks for your opinion. Beware, she really does not want your opinion.  She only says it to make you feel for the moment that you are contributing. If you give an observation in  private or in a group. She will cut you down to size and berate you infront of everyone. All she cares for in an employee is a YES person that only is task oriented and asks no questions. She cares not for your thoughts or opinion even if they are right and need to be addressed. Unless its her idea it does not exits. I have known this person for many years and she has never changed. 
Beware of what you sign when you are on boarding. They will wrap you up so tight legally that if something happens and you know its wrong they will point to the paperwork that you signed. If you actually have an issue that normally in court would be a slam dunk. Their lawyers will drain you dry trying to do the right thing.

My days are never the same twice. I learned to operate in an always changing; fast paced environment and how to give my best ability for satisfaction of customers only. When you show management your ability to do something well, you end up getting tasked with lot of other jobs that reduce  the integrity of your job. The people who hold the designation  of upper management are task masters without any desire to understand the details of a job or the volume of work that each employee must do. They don't believe that anyone does enough work and a complaint is seen as being weak rather than a cry for help. Most people who are hired are strong, reliable workers, but end up leaving within 2-3 years due to burn out. The company would rather hire new people than trust their senior staff with ideas and recommendations for how to improve the environment and culture. Their goals consist solely of making more money without any consideration of how to train, motivate, manage, or pay their staff to produce better or to establish defined goals and metrics in order to generate more money. When the money goals are not met, meetings take place, lots of talk about wanting to improve, but nothing that is long lasting or permanent. Everyone works for what they believe is a correct goal even though there are no goals.. The employees work out of fear and the teamwork found is making friends to help you to cover your mistakes. Whenever an attempt  is made to improve things, you are immediately blamed for the problem.  Nothing is clear on direction of the company or its goals.

Fast paced environment that requires great multi-tasking and organizational skills to survive. I learned a lot about my potential through the fear based, micro management style of my supervisor. She put me under so much pressure, that I managed to discover  ways to overcome the negative feelings that were projected in order to succeed to higher levels within my job. I was never trained for my position and developed the entire department based on my personal knowledge and experience of business. Most everything that the department currently reflects is based on my philosophy and experience. Although we have common goals within the program,  goals are not presented as a team effort so my co-workers can be difficult to work with because they are sometimes operating under a different set of expectations than everyone else. To overcome this, great communication and people skills are required and utilized obtain cooperation. I have enjoyed the challenges of this unique environment as it has encouraged me to recognize and develop my own potential without much inhibition and I have been able to develop a very successful program over the years that I am proud to know that I played an important role. However, because there is no clearly defined career path, I feel limited in my ability to move up or advance within the company.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Truck driver 11 salaries reported	$62,500 per year
Driver manager 5 salaries reported	$52,724 per year
Tanker driver 4 salaries reported	$90,000 per year
Customer service representative 3 salaries reported	$60,000 per year
Driver 3 salaries reported	$57,667 per year

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