Hi, I am new here. I am interested in being a driver, but after reading the forums it really makes you step back. My mother and dad where both otr drivers for about ten years, and had a business with it (three rigs). They lost it when he had a heart attack on the road while driving. So I am very leary of the business and know that thier is already alot to learn. Both my parents are gone, so know its up me to make the right decisions.

I am looking at Mays Trucking out of OR, even though I live in Florida. They have a hup down here in Pensacola.

I am wondering if anybody works for them and any comments they may have. I have no schooling yet and they mention they do train. But, need more info because the way I read it does not make sense.

"
ENTRY LEVEL PROGRAM
Graduates from accredited truck driving schools can train with
May Trucking Company.
Length of Training is Determined by YOUR Skills

We're Your Road to Success!


May Trucking Company Offers:
Driver Training Program
3 Day Orientation (travel, lodging and meals covered)
Affordable Medical/Dental Insurance"

One instance it sounds like they offer training, in another it sounds if its just orentation. And, they do not mention where the training might be held at.

If anybody has any suggestions for the Florida(Jax) area for help with getting CDL license I would greatly appreciate it. Paying out of the pocket is not going to happen. But as is with most concerns I don't want to fall into one of the CDL mills like I almost did last night. I filled out an app for Swift before checking here. They called me first thing this morning, but thankfully I had checked the forums here beforehand. Told them not interested.

I am interested in local/regional, but will also consider otr for now just to get into the business if its a good company.

I have an app in also for Coca Cola to at least get my CDL, they offer training but I do not know if its through a school or not. They have ads up every month. So I believe they will not be decent to work for because it seems they may have a high turnover rate, probably because of all the stocking you have to do at stores...which is okay with me while I get some time under my hood. But I have read also the Coca Cola just places the ads so they can actually hire internally and not get their butts in a sling.

Later on if its a good company my wife will probably being joing me.. like in 7 years(kids), so I will also be looking at Team Driving, in my later years.

I have alot to learn, I don't know a thing about the differient engines, trans or reliability of the various manufacture'rs. Not to mention, the language to and who pays what out of pocket. Family was out of the business before I had a chance to learn anything.

Anyways, I am rambling. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks beforehand,
Crank

You have to go to trucking school first and then you will get an otr trainer for a while until the trainer thinks you are goo enough to go out by yourself.

I will be starting with them on Monday but I will be leaving on sunday to drive to Utah.

check out this website for more info there are several posts on May Trucking.

Here is some links

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From what I have learned; once you've finished school and get called in for orientation and pass all the requirements, you'll wait for a trainer to take you out on the road, then just check the type of trainer you have. You might get one that is biding his time because he's already put in another application somewhere else cause he wants to drive closer to home. He might even stop along the way for the interview. You might get one that answers questions and actually lets you do some of the necessary things so you'll learn hands on. He might even test you along the way to see if you are really serious about driving.

My spouse had both. He went back after two weeks to take his final test before going solo and was not comfortable with that idea at all. They asked him "What do you want to do then?" He told him he wanted more time on the road first. The next trainer mentioned was very good, only this time they took turns driving (instead of learning from the passenger seat mostly) they were even team driving. The trainer slept while he drove. So finally he was getting the experience needed. Not only driving, he had lessons with the books and fueling, which the other driver didn't have him do.

He's also had to change dispatchers. Home Time - Well I guess it depends on bad you want to go home. He drives seven days a week. He's been home four days total since April 20. They talk about routing you home, but I think there might be a senority issue with which routes you get to drive at first. Then again, he doesn't want the same drive every day in order to make it home more often. I don't think daily would have ever been available. I thought maybe he'd be able to get routed home weekly. Eh! Oh Well!

Now he is OTR and again thought he'd be out however long to the East, then make his way back to the West, go home for three days, then do it all over again.

We'll see...

My School instructor was verry impressed with my driving I am comfortable driving the trucks so it is just go out learn what they think I need to and then test out for solo.

The instructor also said most of the students scare the fudge out of him but he said if we were teaming on the road he would and could sleep soundly while I was driving.

Matter of fact he actually dozed off a few times while I was driving and he is the hard xxx by the book instructor when it is test day.

Now that is saying something he even accused me of having prior driving experience with a company.

He did not see how I could do such a good job driving with just the school training hours that I had..

Now I am not saying I know everything and do not need a little touch up but the main thing is learning how to drive a 13spd I only drove a 10spd in school.

I work for Coca Cola now after driving for Swift. It would be better if you did have you were in the process or already have a CDL when you apply. The work is very physical when I first started it felt like Basic training all over again, but know I am very fast at it. We start at 0530 and some finish at 1:30, at 5:00 everyone is usually back. My first pay check I maid $1900 for two weeks, and I go home everynight 1 saturday every 90 days, which are usually 5 hour days. I feels good to go home everynight.

Living in Florida and driving for May you would be pulling reefers as they pull dry vans in the 11 western states.