Metropolitan Trucking - Bloomsburg, PA

Discussion in 'Report A BAD Trucking Company Here' started by truckertruth, May 10, 2016.

  1. truckertruth

    truckertruth Bobtail Member

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    May 10, 2016
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    Don’t say, “You weren’t forewarned”.


    Pros

    Equipment (trucks and trailers) would receive an A- overall

    Qualcomm with GPS, and not a lot of Macros.

    Practical Pay

    Directv


    Cons

    If I worked 5 days and home for 48 hours I never saw more than $850.00. If I worked a 6th day which cuts into your weekend I averaged $950.00. Most of the time I only grossed $850.00. Their ad says $57,000+ avg annually ($1,100. per week). I’ve talked with several Metropolitan drivers at shipper / receivers and the majority say the same thing, “They only make around $850.00”. Now if the average is $57,000+. Explain this: if the majority of drivers are averaging around $850.00 and sometimes $950.00, then that’s $44,200 to $49,400. Doesn’t add up, however; there are drivers that stay out for 3 weeks at a time and maybe their working on recap hours. Who knows; maybe that’s where this number comes from, but I will tell you this. I don’t believe you’re ever going to see $57,000+ being home for 48 hours. Yup 48 hours, let’s discuss that.

    They say your home every weekend, but it’s based on a 48 hour rule. Here’s a couple examples:

    Example #1: If you get home Friday morning at 8:30 am, then you’ll need to leave 48 hours later which is Sunday at 8:30 am. There are no exceptions to this. If you don’t then you don’t get that minimum $850.00 guarantee, and yes sometimes they will send you home Friday morning.

    Example #2: Let’s say you get home Friday night at 8:00 pm, then you’ll need to leave 48 hours later which is Sunday night at 8:00 pm, you will be required to leave Sunday night at 8:00 pm to get to your appointment Monday morning, say at 7:30 am. They could care less if you had to sleep your Sunday away (during the day), when you could have been spending time with your family. If you ask for a load starting out Monday morning instead so you don’t have to drive at night, they’ll take the minimum $850.00 guarantee away from you! If you do leave Sunday night, then plan on doing your 10 hour break the next day, during the day and driving for the rest of the week at night.

    Back to the weekend, let the following sink in: “There will be times you’re not home for a full weekend.” I thought I would be home every Saturday and Sunday but I wasn't. Don't fall for their ad that says home every weekend. They consider Friday morning the start of the weekend, yup, Friday morning is considered the start of the weekend. I know makes no sense! Don't think because of where you live or because your special it won’t be like this because I promise you, there will be times you’re not home for the full weekend.

    Wondering how many miles you’ll average? It depends on freight. Why’s that important: If you lose the $850.00 minimum guarantee then you’re only paid for the miles you ran for the week, so sometimes you may still do better than the $850.00 but other times you won’t and it hurts? It’s added stress that’s not needed.

    You receive pre-plans about 80% of the time. The other 20% of the time you hear the same thing, “Not a lot of freight”. Most of the time my 10 hour break wasn’t 10 hours it was around 13 to 15 hours waiting for my next appointment.

    If you have any hopes of having a rapport with your driver manager, forget it, their all about business and could care less about getting to know you. For that matter when I had my 30 day review, my DM was cold, extremely cold, and I was just another driver and felt like I wasn’t even worth their time.

    Most live loads take 2 hours to load. However, one of the places I went I spent over an hour playing yard dog (moving trailers around), before the shipper would even load me, and yes obviously I didn’t receive one cent for doing any of this. They agree with the shipper / receivers to do anything they ask in order to get the loads. They know they don’t have to pay you one red cent for your on-duty time so why would they care if you work for free in someone’s yard. Detention is only paid after 2 hours and that’s when most loads are finally completed.

    You can only fuel at particular Pilots / Flying J’s around the country. Sometimes you may pass several before you get to an approved Pilot / Flying J. You’ll receive a fuel sheet with approved locations. However, sometimes, they’ll say they prefer you to avoid this place or that place due to increased fuel prices.

    Health insurance is high compared to other carriers and its two months before you’re covered.

    You are required to go to a Cat Scale anytime your over 35,000 lbs. You pay for it with the fuel card they give you. Even if there are no state weight stations (chicken coops) on your route, they want you to go to a Cat Scale at a Pilot or Flying J regardless. I know a big waste of their money and your time. I would say 2/3 of my loads were light weight and 1/3 were heavy.

    Certain parts of Ohio you’re not allowed to use the Turnpike because of tolls. You’re required to use back roads.

    You’ll also have to pay a Pennsylvania local tax each week along with an unemployment tax. Doesn’t matter if you live in that state or not. You still have to pay it. It’s only a small amount each week, but adds up to around $75.00 dollars annually.

    Last, if you’re on the northeast regional account (home every weekend, “partial weekend that is”) plan on driving back and forth across the George Washington Bridge spending time sitting in traffic, along with spending much of your time around the New Jersey area. Some places are the most awful in regards to backing into. Majority of time they send you to good places, but NJ is a pain at times.

    Advice to Management

    Why bother they wouldn’t listen anyways and could care less about anything you had to say. Their opinion is the only thing that matters and this is why they will continually see driver retention not at suitable levels. Life is hard enough without a company you work for playing word games within their ads. (Home Every Weekends / Regional $57,000+ avg. annually). My advice to other drivers if you like ads with twisted words then apply, but don’t say, “You weren’t forewarned”.
     
    Last edited: May 11, 2016
    rabbiporkchop and Lonesome Thank this.
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  3. joesmoothdog

    joesmoothdog Heavy Load Member

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    First time trucking? Sounds about average for a minimega. Orville's in the mike. Doubt you'll get much love here.
     
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  4. dngrous_dime

    dngrous_dime Road Train Member

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    Jan 28, 2014
    Lansing area, MI
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    It sounds par for the course. Their truck, their money. Buy fuel where they say to.
    As far as the $1100/wk, you were getting that, before tax. I'm on track to make about $50K this year, but that doesn't mean I deposit $1K every Friday.
    And you want to complain about getting a whole 48 hours off??? From what you've described, you'd make a decent recruiter....lol
     
  5. truckertruth

    truckertruth Bobtail Member

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    May 10, 2016
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    You said, "I was getting $1100/wk, you were getting that, before tax" No I only grossed $850.00 per week. After taxes and deducting the high cost of their health insurance. I was with left with a net of $600.00
     
  6. truckertruth

    truckertruth Bobtail Member

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    May 10, 2016
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    You said, "First time trucking?" No I've been driving OTR for several years and not looking for love. Just looking to educate drivers that may be considering going to Metropolitan.
     
  7. Voyager1968

    Voyager1968 Road Train Member

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    So far, what I'm seeing in my short time here is that, yes, 48 hours is about all you get. Forget about ever seeing Saturday AND Sunday off. If you're one that likes to go camping, fishing, spending the weekend at the cabin, or whatever, forget about it.

    The memo just came out over the Qualcomm today stating that if you have an extended appointment (Monday morning 50 miles away) and you got home Friday afternoon, you are to contact weekend dispatch to see about tcalling the load and taking something else that delivers farther away or earlier so you don't dare go over the 48 hours at home.

    God forbid you should have a QUALITY weekend with your family...
     
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  8. loose_leafs

    loose_leafs Road Train Member

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    Old Man River, MN
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    Complain about hometime? What they give you is pretty much par for the course as far as the "home every week" game goes.

    Outside of the low pay they sound about average to me, most of the bottom feeders pay that or slightly less. Being on Eastern PA one would think their company pay would be higher though.

    Look at Ashley Furniture, one of the supposed "elite private carriers". Their drivers from HQ in Arcadia are only home for their 34 hour restart, nothing more. Eff that noise.

    I stay out for a month, get my 34 hour restart or more every week at the yard. Every 4 weeks I take a week off.
     
  9. Wicked Wizard

    Wicked Wizard Heavy Load Member

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    Northeast PA
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    That's one of the reasons I went local. I am home every night AND get 60 hours off on weekend. My gross is around 1100. Some weeks I work a Sat or Sun for extra cash.
     
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  10. Pepper24

    Pepper24 Road Train Member

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    Yea you take a Otr job and complain about not having enough time off?Then you complain about not enough miles?48 hours off is better then some others.What is it you want the company to do just give you the control of company because your You.You want the whole farm.why did you even decide you wanted to be a driver for
     
    Western flyer Thanks this.
  11. Voyager1968

    Voyager1968 Road Train Member

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    Well, I can't speak for op, but he sure did go on a rant...lol

    What I was getting at was what was implied about the 48 hours. Let's say I bring a load Friday evening that delivers 50 miles away on Monday morning. I'm "supposed" to tcall it and take one that delivers 400 miles away on that same Monday, thus making me leave on Sunday instead of Monday morning?

    Now, I don't mind and do leave on Sunday many times, but to me, a local delivery on Monday is a bonus as it gives me an extra day with the family. Why should I have to give that up?
     
    Last edited: Mar 29, 2017
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