May Trucking new driver training

Hey BigBlue do you know if May trucking hires In Louisiana.

 

I'll put in my two cents as a May driver. May specializes in hiring and training CDL grads mostly. They do have a well conceived and taught cone drill exercise and a carefully prepared orientation program, prior to the surprisingly brief training experience. Although an initial test drive weeds out the worst, they do have the philosophy that everyone hired will succeed and in general the mood around the terminals is positive. I didn't see anyone drop out of the program, unlike KLLM another company I had worked with previously. KLLM had an 8 week program that tortured the trainee basically into driving team. I don't think any of my orientation group at KLLM survived training to drive solo. May doesn't allow trainers to simply work team with their trainee, so trainers are limited to a "super solo" log book procedure that encourages the trainer to actually teach the trainee every skill needed to do the job. Then the training experience is limited to 30 days or less. I finished up in a week and a half. Also unlike KLLM, considerable thought is exercised in matching trainees and trainers. KLLM, being a Jackson, MS based company basically segregates blacks and whites from all that I could tell. I'm a white guy, but I really wish I had been matched with one of a number of really highly skilled black drivers whom I had met at the terminals, rather than the obese and verbally deficit and rude white lunatic racist loser that I was forced to co-habitate two weeks with. May, being an Oregon-based company has quite a different social atmosphere. The driver complaints at both KLLM and May center on a tendency to buy underpowered and inexpensive equipment, but then both companies do pay a few pennies per mile more than the average company at the entry level, and they both provide the miles for those driving 48 state refer. So, basically, you can choose between a fancy rig and low p/mile salary, or an economy rig and a higher p/mile salary. I don't care so much about the rig as long as it is safe and doesn't break down.

When soloed, I also got a 2005 long nose pete with a 450 hp motor and had some frustrating repair issues right at the start, but the company did pay breakdown wages, book a hotel, and get the rig repaired. Since then, I've been kept quite busy running 48 states with the refer. I agree in part about seeming mediocre maintenance of the trailers, but when I was stopped for a DOT inspection, the trailer passed the safety tests. Most problems are with doors and manual release tandems. All are air-ride though, the brakes are well maintained ABS style, and tires are on a good maintainance program. KLLM details Refer parachutes, whereas May doesn't even care about the parachutes. However, unlike KLLM, the May terminal parking and facilities at Brooks and elsewhere are well maintained yards, not greasy muddy lots, and there are a surprising number of them for a company with only 900 tractors.

 

There nearest terminal is in Pensacola FL from LA.

I don't know if they would hire you out of LA. They are mainly a west coast company so you would have to call FL.

the May terminal parking and facilities at Brooks and elsewhere are well maintained yards, not greasy muddy lots, and there are a surprising number of them for a company with only 900 tractors.

What? Have you ever been to the mud pits in Auburn Wa or Yolo Ca.
Try parking in that dust hole in Phoenix or taking a chance on getting your hood ripped of during a break in the yd in Fontana Ca.

You must of had it bad if you think Mays facility's are a step up from your las JOB.

 

Sorry if this has already been mentioned on this thread but you can check out a lot about May Trucking by going to Youtube and searching Trucker Steve. He has a lot of videos...and has a website by the same name...weekly blogs too I think.

Sounds like he likes the company...drives out of PHX

 

v=BM4_7AtmtH4http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BM4_7AtmtH4[

 

You've got a point here. Yolo is a dust hole in summer, but that's just a drop yard. You would be surprised by how bad a corporate terminal headquarters can look--May's looks pretty good. I've not been to Phoenix yard yet. Any yard in Fontana is a hell hole because that's life in Fontana.

 

HG, thanks for the terrrific posts about your experiences during newbie processing in and your first outing with your mentor. I'm looking at a couple more years in my present job then want to go trucking. I live in the Tri-Cities, WA about 30 miles from your pick-up in Paterson. Does May run trucks through this part quite a bit?
Thanks LL

 

live in the Tri-Cities, WA about 30 miles from your pick-up in Paterson. Does May run trucks through this part quite a bit?
Thanks LL

HG has been dee deed for a while so I will answer you.

Yes they run lots of freight to Spokane and tri cities area. My opinion would be to work on the refer side out of Peyette ID. Most of the freight out of your area is paper r from USK and Lewiston going to California.

Running dry side from were you live in the winter is not suggested unless you like to chain.

 

Stock,,I wish you would quit talking bad about KLLM,,, you really should let it go. I know it hurts that they fired you,but they can't keep people who are a liability, and can't drive. So just let it go

 

I wasn't fired by KLLM. I resigned. I am according to the Safety director eligible for rehire. But, after a summer of working for May, I have to be honest and say that I won't be interested in exercising that option. Sorry if "talking bad" about a company hurts your feelings...As you say, just let it go. Or, maybe KLLM can learn something and improve their procedures...