Reefer madness!

It can also depend on whether you make your pickup appointment on time. Majority of places that load reefer freight will require appointments. Some will charge if late

 

No and No again. Do not stay on duty. You need to know your company's policy for detention pay. I'm having to go back in time to remember how this works, as I don't have to worry about it with my current company. Anyway, Let's say your company starts paying you detention time after two hours at a consignee...then when that 2 hour mark hits, you send a message via qualcomm, or whatever, and tell them ....actually I'm going to stop right here. Listen Bolt, you have to take care of yourself and your pay. Regardless of what company you work for or what type freight you are hauling. YOU have to take care of YOU. Nobody else is going to do it. Don't depend on a company to get your pay right. You need to understand your pay and if it's wrong, call them on it right away. Okay, this is getting a bit long. Bottom line, take care of yourself, because nobody else will.

 

I want to add one more thing. As a company driver, your company (generally) does not want to pay detention pay, retention pay, layover pay, etc. You have to let them know that you are expecting it. So, if your company's policy is "we pay after 2 hours at a shipper or consignee", then you fire off a qualcomm message the very minute you hit 2 hours. Then follow up on that.

 

Okay, stop setting yourself up for a miserable experience. I used to be a trainer. You might just hit it off with your trainer and you might get along just great. I suggest you enter that phase with that attitude. It's so temporary and it will be done before you know it. Don't let all the nightmare trainer stories worry you. Go into it with an open mind and have fun...oh yeah, and learn too.

 

Well, I would say, find another trainer. Nobody is going to tell me that I can't get out of the truck to take a leak or whatever. Trainers are getting paid extra money to put up with and deal with having another driver on their truck. It's their job. So use your own judgement. I hated training for this very reason, but it's not the students fault. If you gotta go, you gotta go. If you need to do your thing, well you need to do your thing.

 

Try Tyson Foods. I have been here 8 years now. Never made under 70k a year. Last year I brought down 81k. My take home is appx. 1100 a week and after taxes and contribution of 30% to my 401k. Have great benefits and insurance. Use code 00719923 when talking to recruiting. Have managed to put 90k away in 401 since starting. Average miles per week is 2800. Sometimes more very rarely less. Run less miles make more money on sliding scale. Check them out. Many drivers here 25 plus years. Won't ever go anywhere else. Yes we have our BS also but more good than bad.