Marten Transport, LTD. - Mondovi, Wi.?

Discussion in 'Marten' started by kpnpeace, Jul 17, 2006.

  1. kpnpeace

    kpnpeace Bobtail Member

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    Jul 13, 2006
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    I was just offered a job from Marten. Anybody know the scoop on them.
     
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  3. PortlandDriver

    PortlandDriver RIP, May You Be Heaventown Bound!

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    May 30, 2005
    Pacific Northwest
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    Is this the reefer company out of Wisconsin?
     
  4. kpnpeace

    kpnpeace Bobtail Member

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    Jul 13, 2006
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  5. pro1driver

    pro1driver Heavy Load Member

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    Mar 30, 2006
    North East, USA
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    i had (yet another) buddy fresh out of driving school go to work for them last summer. he had a slight mishap, hitting one of those big yellow "bollards" you see guarding parking lots or fuel islands. only a slight scratch on the fender/hood area, and some yellow paint.


    he got fired................

    no other problems with his driving, logs, etc. just that simple "newbie/rookie" mishap...............

    now, i'm talking about "marten" that has the "bird?" symbol on the sides of the trailers, near the rear, going up the trailer, but i never noticed if they were a reefer outfit or not.

    this is the company i am talking about:Marten Transport, Ltd.
     
  6. PortlandDriver

    PortlandDriver RIP, May You Be Heaventown Bound!

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    May 30, 2005
    Pacific Northwest
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    It's a dove...

    It all boils down to insurence rateing, his record may or may not have come into play but his experience more then likely did...

    In the past I have talked with Marten drivers and on the most part appear to be happy. From what I could tell this is one of the few companies that found the right combination of the bottom line and employee retention...
     
  7. Scooternasty

    Scooternasty Bobtail Member

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    Aug 6, 2006
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    I'm looking for anyone that may have info on driving for Marten Transport(blue bird), good or bad. I worked with one guy that worked for them and when I asked him why he left the only reason he gave was that he was stupid for leaving. They did accept my app and would start me @39 cpm, which was put in writing and mailed to my house, but I'm looking for a drivers' view.I know it's reefers, but that's about the only thing I haven't messed with. I have friends that only pull them 'cause they say at least if the economy goes in the crapper, people still gotta eat. Any help would be appreciated.:smt033
     
  8. skyking

    skyking Bobtail Member

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    Aug 24, 2006
    Texas
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    One thing I just learned from posting questions about some companies, is that you can click on the search button at the top of the page and enter the name of a company as a search word. try it with marten, its how I got here. I know it sounds too simple to not know, but I sure didn't.
     
  9. Skogie

    Skogie Bobtail Member

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    Sep 1, 2006
    Payson, AZ.
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    I have been both an O/O and a Company Driver with Marten for 3 years. First as an O/O for 1 1/2 years until my 98 FLD died needing $25K worth of repairs, now a Company Driver for the last 1 1/2 years. I have been driving Commercially for 10 years OTR, Regional and Local after retiring from 35 yrs. in business.

    I was and Employer for 35 years. I always treated my employess like I would like to be treated. It took me 7 years with many different companies to find one who did the same.... and that is Marten Transport.

    There are many positive things about Marten and, like all companies, there are some negative ones.

    I will list the Positive first.

    1. Pay - Depends upon Expericence. $.36 - $.45/mile
    2. Average 3,000/week
    3. Type of Equipment - Freightliner, Volvo & Peterbuilt - all 2004-2006
    4. Kind of Freight - Frozen Food, Produce, Haz-Mat & General Freight.
    5. 50% Drop and Hook the balance "live" load/unload
    6. Detention Pay - $15/hr. after 2 hrs.
    7. Layover Pay - $25 after 24 hr. (Both a positive and a negative - kinda cheap on their part in my opinion)
    8. Tolls paid with the exception of the Chicago Skyway
    9. Pre-pass available
    10. All Lumper Fees Paid - Marten Policy drivers are NOT to load/unload
    11. Milage Bonus - $500 if you average 10,000 mi. every quarter
    12. Safety Bonus - $200/Qtr. after you wach 15 minute video and take a multiple - guess test that any moron could answer correctly.
    13. Fuel Bonus - I average $170 every quarter between the months of Sept through May. Have have idle average at less than 40%.
    14. $150 if you stay out over Christmas. $50 for any other Holiday.
    15. $1.50 for phone calls and $1.50 for Scales automatically every week.
    16. Qualcom Dispatch - No Charge (would you beleive some companies charge their drivers for QC?
    17. Routing - You choose your own route. No idiotic mandatory "short" routes that take twice as long to drive.
    18. Chains supplied on ALL trucks.
    19. Hiring Area - all 48 - same as running area.
    20. Settlements - Every week. Very accurate and detailed. They have NEVER made a mistake on my pay.

    NEGATIVES

    1. Milage pay based on Rand/McNally "short" miles. I average 6% more miles than the trip pays for.
    2. No Pets. I wanted a Hamster in the truck. Qualify as having a "pet." With a pet in the truck you are exempt from all Anti-Idling Laws. Cats and Dogs make too much of a mess and are a pain in the butt. Marten said "NO."
    3. Scales are NOT re-imbursed. However they have load pressure gauges on every one of their trailers and tractors. Very rarely do I ever have to scale a load. You ARE paid $1.50 every week - no receipt required for scales. It balances out pretty even when I add up all the scale receipts and match it against what I have received from Marten.
    4. Load Lock Policy - Marten gives you 3 load locks. It is up to you to hang on to them. They will not re-imburse you for a new one unless it breaks.
    5. Forced Dispatch. Unless you are out of Service Hours, you MUST take the load.
    6. Icy/Snowy roads. Marten does NOT want you to use the chains they supply you. They on there only because they are required by law in CA., OR, WA. ID, UT and CO. If you put them on and have an accident, even if it is not your fault (4 wheeler spinning into you) your Marten record will be charged with a PREVENTABLE ACCIDENT! While this is listed in the "negative" column, it could have been in the "positive" as well. Just didn't know where to put it.
    7. Mandatory use of a steering lock. Must be used when you are showering, eating, etc.,etc. or do not have the truck in plain sight. This peice of crap is lodged into the turnbuckle of the steering rod under the hood. A real pain in the butt to install when the temp. is 5 degrees, the wind blowing 15 mph and the chill factor -30 deg. Especially when the wind blows the hood back down on your head. If you are caught parking your truck without it - instant dismissal for not following "Company Policy." I hate that [thing].

    OK. That's about it from someone who has been with them. As you can tell this is NOT a recruitment thingy for Marten. You make up your own mind whether you can live with them or not. They advertise that they are the "BEST." I can't agree with that, but from everything I've experienced with other carriers and those of whom I have inqured, the others are so much WORSE!
     
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  10. mathematrucker

    mathematrucker Medium Load Member

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    Sep 14, 2006
    Laughlin, NV
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    I've been a company driver at Marten for about seven years. I posted a reply to Skogie's post above in a thread entitled "Marten driver (currently)" over in the Marten forum, because Skogie's same post begins that thread. One easy way to navigate there is by searching on "Marten" in the search box.

    -MT- :study:
     
  11. Monarch

    Monarch Bobtail Member

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    Apr 18, 2006
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    I worked for Randy Marten's company 1996 to 1998. If a driver lived west of the Mississippi River, you would work a lot between Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Carlisle, PA area. I lived in Arizona, and the only way to get home was to get a load headed to LA. Then get a load to a Phoenix grocery warehouse.

    They had terminals in Ontario, Califorina (LA); Atlanta, Georgia; Wilson, Oregon (Portland); and Mondovi, Wisconsin (Corporate Office).

    If you have any minor incident(s) they will make sure your DAC reflects it. I had a trailer door come unsecured when pulling forward from a grocery warehouse dock in Great Falls, Montana, and they exagerated it in the DAC.

    Watch your back. It ain't the company it was under Randy's father years ago. When he took over after his dad passed away many drivers left.
     
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