May Trucking and miles

Less miles may mean more time, but sometimes your "short" days are spent tied up more with customers. Also running western 11 can be a tough area for a rookie between weather and some of the geography. I don't know how well May does for their drivers safety, but Wilson Logistics also has a Western 11 fleet, and they will 100% back your safety decisions if you shutdown.

 

I worked in May's western fleet for a few weeks years ago. Thkse less miles really mean more work. Well unless you like sitting in Central OR for 2 days waiting on a GP load. Most days were spent busting your rear trying to get 400 miles in with a live load and unload on the same day. I won't say they are a bad starter company but you may need more realistic goals.

 

If your priority is the dog you'll be just fine.

 

Your not naive, your just clueless to what
Your getting into.
Having time to play with your dog,
And go camping and hiking is not
Something your gonna get.

 

I do commend you for thinking about playing with and exercising the dog. I’ve been driving close to a year and a half, and I’ve only this week seen a driver do that. Mostly dogs in trucks get to come out long enough to pee and then back in.

That said, while OTR either 11 or 48 will likely provide you far less time than you realize, walking the dog for 20 minutes should be doable often, but you will need to make it a priority. Working for megas is a full time job, not 40 hours, full time.

 

May is ok if it's your first gig, stay for a year and then ruuunnnn as far away from starvin' Marvin as you can.

 

I drove for May out of the Pensacola, FL terminal. They were always good to me, but being so far from the mother ship, they kind of did their own thing. Plus, I had a great DM.

That said, there’s no way in hades I would work for May if I were out west. And I sure as heck wouldn’t do Western 11. You’ll be busting your behind for peanuts.

Last, If you love your dog as much as you say, then re-home him/her when you start driving a truck. Living in a truck is no life for a dog. Think of the dog’s needs.

If you think you’re going to be hitting rest areas and playing fetch in the dog area, you’re in for a big surprise. There isn’t any stopping to smell the roses.

 

I've seen/heard drivers complain that they were barely getting a couple thousand miles per week on May''s western 11, but that was a few years ago. Yes there might be more same-day runs but some of those might offer their own oportunities for playtime.