Leaving for Orientation 10-13-12 in Tulsa,Ok

Alright then Noggin, I wasn't aware your were a recruiter. Tell me honestly, what kinda miles can I REALLY expect to get weekly. If I drag my feet anymore with Melton, I believe they're gonna take back the job offer.
Because of the last company I drove for, Im in a serious financial bind. 2500 miles is liveable at starting pay. I know the tarp pay will help also. Ive always thought Melton Truck Lines was a high class outfit, however, Ive also heard MANY times that the miles aren't there. Help!

 

Camera? Is that for lane departure or does it record?

 

I left off 'road' lol. I am a road recruiter...I can answer all your questions and such just like the office people, kinda get all that mumbo jumbo out of the way, making it easier for them. All they then really need to do is a quick follow up, background checks and stuff. Plus being a driver, I can answer more specific things, such as miles. That said...

The miles are there. I've had a few slow weeks recently, but with the holidays and the election, everything slows down. With the election over, I have noticed miles going back up. It should pick up even more after the new year.

 

We have both. I have a lane departure camera. The other one records outward and inward, and is activated as a result of hard brakes, multiple rapid lane changes, following too closely and such . It gets uploaded daily in the early am. From what I hear at least. I've heard those are placed in drivers trucks that have driving histories, hard brakes and stuff like that. Not sure tho.

 

Cool. Thanks guy
My orientation is Dec 10 in Youngstown
I can't wait!

 

Yeah, I only know what people tell me about them. I have heard that they are also throwing them in random new trucks as well, but majority still get the lane departure camera. I'll just say keep your curtain zipped, cuz grapevine says it can kick on even if you're not driving? Just grapevine...

 

Ok guys, its been quiet too long here. Time for updates. Hows your miles? Hows the weather where you've been? Do you have a most common load that you carry?

 

Just got off the phone with Melton about a preventable accident that was put on my DAC that wasn't even an accident at all. Went to pick up a load at a lumber yard in Linden, AL. which was nothing but a mudhole and went where I was told to go to get loaded and ended up getting stuck in the mud on the way to the loading site. A couple of guys on the yard insisted on pulling me out because they needed to get by therefore they volunteered to pull me out. They hooked up the chain and got me out then the truck rolled foward a little and the frontend loader snatched on the chain ripping a 1 inch gash in the front bumper. My fault? I think not. Once you turn in to the customer and head up the hill toward the scales its nothing but a mudhole. The only paved location on site is by the offices after you leave the scales then after that your back in the mud again. Called them to resolve the issue and they are going to look into it and then one of the guys from safety (no names) got smart with me after I stated that I was calling them first to resolve it but if it wasn't I was hiring a lawyer to dispute it. He stated "he would love to talk to my atterney". Asked him why and he says because "have you asked yourself if it could have been prevented?" "Yup, and no it couldn't have and the video from my personal window cam and pictures I took of the area will prove so". Didn't have much to say after that so now its the hurry up and wait game to see what they are going to do. Not a bad company to work for but two people I don't like is Duan over at the Birmingham terminal because he doesn't know #### about how to teach someone how to flatbed and enjoys more so of acting like a drill sgt than anything and this one other **** head in safety thats known for his poor attitude and popping of at the mouth.

 

Miles are good as long as you have a good dispatcher. Tanya was mine and she was kick ###. I was bumping around 2800 miles a week average. No, no most common load except double aluminum coils out of Alcoa in Lancaster, PA. Alot of Western Extrusion loads out of North Dallas but no one load is the same coming out of there so you can't expect the same thing twice from there. Only a few times have I hauled the same load from the same customer. Other than that, load types very so much its like playing a slot machine and some times you will haul some of the craziest most oddly shaped loads that other carriers won't touch that are much more dangerous than your typical roofing, lumber or coil loads and some that will make you want to quit because of the odd dimensions and have to figure out to tarp it. Working for these guy's, get ready for some work because you will tarp 98% of everything you haul and most loads I've had are next deliveries but with tarp pay and mileage on next day loads will get you a paycheck worth looking at but it comes with hard work. I'm working for a small 6 truck flatbed carrier here in my home town which isn't bad. Pay isn't quite as good because of tarp pay but I've been here almost 8 months and only tarped two loads and the trucks aren't governed.