Results 1 to 10 of 37
Thread: May Trucking: My experience
- 04.19.2011 #1Road Train Member
- Member Since
- Apr 2011
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- Trucker?
- 4 Years
- Posts
- 1,518
- Thanks
- 64
- Thanked: 475 Times
May Trucking: My experience
I worked in the construction trades for 30 plus years. In 2008 the industry went into
the crapper and I was scrambling as a 52 year man to find some means of supporting my family. The trucking industry was (and still is) about the only industry hiring at the time, so, I obtained a fully paid tuition grant for trucking school and was off and running.
May Trucking hired me right out of school in May of 2009 and I have been employed by them since then.
My experience in the industry has been mostly positive. I came into the industry out of a need to earn an income. I never dreamed of becoming a trucker or even gave it a second thought.
However, in life you have to do what you have to do to survive...
May is a good company. Like anything else, there's always positives and negatives. My experience (for me) has been that the positives outweigh the negatives...
In reality, if I don't like it, I can always go somewhere else...it's America.
I'm amused at some of the absurd comments made on sites like this against May, and many other companies for all that matters. I've discovered that some folks are just malcontents. But that's another story.
The pay in this industry is average. I earn half of what I used to earn. Such is life...
I would NOT recommend a person to enter this business as an OTR driver if you have small children at home or are newly married. It just takes too much of a toll on families and marriages if you fit that description. I have no statiscal data to prove it, however, I venture to say that on average, this industry has a higher rate of divorcees and broken families. I've talked to drivers who have essentially chosen this lifestyle over their families. That's sad if you ask me.
I am a Trainer and have witnessed guys struggling with their wife on the phone telling them they and the kids "can't handle them being away from home", that's after only being out for less than a week sometimes!
Over 70% of my trainees have quit before the end of 12 months.
The truth is brutal sometimes and the reality is that the attrition rate in this industry is off the charts. Think long and hard before you do this if you are considering it.Last edited by Scooter Jones; 04.19.2011 at 03.40 AM.
-
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Scooter Jones For This Useful Post:
- 04.19.2011 #2Light Load Member
- Member Since
- Jun 2009
- Location
- Arizona
- Trucker?
- No Answer
- Posts
- 77
- Thanks
- 88
- Thanked: 47 Times
Scooter, if you don't mind me asking, how much do you think an average "first year" driver would make with May? I understand a lot can impact your income...just trying to get an idea what I could expect when I enter the business. Also, I heard May wants a driver to stay out for 4-6 weeks at a time, is that accurate? Thanks for your time
- 04.19.2011 #3Road Train Member
- Member Since
- Apr 2011
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- Trucker?
- 4 Years
- Posts
- 1,518
- Thanks
- 64
- Thanked: 475 Times
36k to 40k.
May does not require you to be out 4 to 6 weeks at a time. I get home every two weeks for two days.
-
The Following User Says Thank You to Scooter Jones For This Useful Post:
- 04.19.2011 #4Road Train Member
- Member Since
- Oct 2010
- Location
- Holiday Inn Express
- Trucker?
- 33 Years
- Posts
- 8,062
- Thanks
- 6,667
- Thanked: 3,425 Times
Sounds good.
But you're a trainer. and with less than 2 years experience ??
That worries me a bit.............
- 04.19.2011 #5Light Load Member
- Member Since
- Mar 2011
- Location
- Redding,California
- Trucker?
- WannaBe
- Age
- 51
- Posts
- 122
- Thanks
- 5
- Thanked: 57 Times
With a 70% turnover of new guys it sounds like trainers are hard to come by. I was a medic for 14 years and was a Preceptor (trainer) to new medics coming out of school. The state only required 2 yrs as a medic to become a trainer. Most 2 yr medics have just figured the job out by that time. I saw 2 yr medics that could out teach a seasoned medic. I believe its about your ability to teach more than yrs of experience.
Originally Posted by 123456 
- 04.19.2011 #6Road Train Member
- Member Since
- Oct 2010
- Location
- Holiday Inn Express
- Trucker?
- 33 Years
- Posts
- 8,062
- Thanks
- 6,667
- Thanked: 3,425 Times
You can be the best teacher in the world,
but that won't help you teach what YOU haven't learned yet !!!
But I do understand that it's normal to have trainers with minimal experience.
Maybe that is causing a few problems out there ??
- 04.19.2011 #7Light Load Member
- Member Since
- Mar 2011
- Location
- Redding,California
- Trucker?
- WannaBe
- Age
- 51
- Posts
- 122
- Thanks
- 5
- Thanked: 57 Times
Not working in the industry makes me a little ignorant as to the specifics of trucking, so I wont try. My new medics learned most of the basics in school including procedures that they might never use or wouldn't use for several years. Teaching how to deal with problems and to use common sense was a big part of the training. Originally Posted by 123456
I was 9 yrs into my career before I "needled" someones chest to re-inflate their lung. Confidence that came with my yrs on the job allowed me to do it right. I know that nothing makes up for experience.
How many years should a guy have in before he trains new drivers?
- 04.19.2011 #8Road Train Member
- Member Since
- Apr 2011
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- Trucker?
- 4 Years
- Posts
- 1,518
- Thanks
- 64
- Thanked: 475 Times
How much time should a driver have before he trains others? Not sure there's a set in stone time veriable. Most States require an applicant for a CDL to have 160 hrs of Originally Posted by shastamedic
classroom\road driving training. Is that enough? Well, in the old days, no such thing was mandated. So, one could say it's relevant to the trainer's apptitude and skill set.
My trainer had over 2 million miles and 30 plus years of driving experience. Yet, I can say unequivocally that when a trainee gets off my truck, he knows considerably more than I did when I completed my training.
- 04.19.2011 #9Road Train Member
- Member Since
- Apr 2011
- Location
- Pacific Northwest
- Trucker?
- 4 Years
- Posts
- 1,518
- Thanks
- 64
- Thanked: 475 Times
In addition, while truck driving does require certain skills, it's not rocket science or performing open heart surgery on someone
- 04.19.2011 #10Heavy Load Member
- Member Since
- Jan 2009
- Location
- Fort Collins, CO
- Trucker?
- 4 Years
- Age
- 31
- Posts
- 933
- Thanks
- 0
- Thanked: 226 Times
My experience with May has almost paralleled yours Scooter. Good to hear someone else out there that has the same opinions and views.
I also train, and just dropped off my 14th student. I believe that only 4-5 are with the company still. Most, like scooter mentioned, have small kids or were newly married. Its a tough life on the road. Not only for the new driver but for his family as well.
I try to go over hypothetical situations with my guys, but you cannot cover everything. Once you hit the road by yourself, you will learn a lot, and fast. I still learn new things on the road. Granted I have only been out here two years as well, my two years have been over 240k miles and all accident free so far. If you are not learning on the job every so often you are not trying hard enough. At least that is what my dad tells me, and that's coming from someone who has farmed over 30 years.
-
The Following User Says Thank You to Efon For This Useful Post:
Reply With Quote
House hauling?
2 Hours Ago in Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop