Walmart here I come 2.0

Haven’t updated here recently, so here ‘tis.
Got through onboarding in the four day period, one of just two of the seven in our class. The remaining five passed Friday.
Went to Wellford, SC for CAT (Collision Avoidance Training), but got sick on Tuesday and had to drop out until the following Monday. Got it done that week, and was out with my mentor this week. One more week with him and I’ll be on my own.

The hardest thing for me to learn is always the e-stuff. It’s probably not as complicated as I’m making myself believe it is, but it’s not my strong suit. Factor in that we only did one store on Friday after a few days of backhauls, and that leaves next week to do (hopefully) more stores and thusly more computer experience.

I’m liking what I’m seeing. Helpful people, numerous contacts to get help if I get hung up on something, and the pay. Zero complaints, and the only hang ups are the self-imposed ones.

More after I’m on my own.

 

Flying solo for the first time Saturday, 2/7. It’s a day earlier than planned, but due in part to some family matters needing to be handled by my mentor, and my replacement mentor going home tonight, the CDTs decided I was ready.

I’ll run Saturday, then return Tuesday. I’m on the extra board, running T/W/Sat/Sun next week.

It has been tiring. I’m not looking forward to a 1300 start time, but I think I’ll be able to adjust pretty quickly. Everyone here has been really terrific and helpful. Lots of folks to call if (when) I have a question.

So that’s my update. Looking forward to getting started officially.

 

Does your DC allow drivers to back their clocks up? Like as soon as your 10 hour break is done you can get rolling again? If they do by the end of your week you could be starting your day at 8 or 9am by go home day.

The DC I'm at is the only one I know of that doesn't allow that. We can only start our clock 1 hour prior to our gate time every day. My day is done a little after midnight but I can't start it again until 13:00. It wouldnt be beneficial for me to back up my clock anyways but for a lot of drivers it would.

They'll post up other gate times and spots you can sign up for. I bet you won't be an extra for more than a few months. Extra does suck though.

 

I haven’t quite figured out exactly what the policy is. I think there is a limit, though, because I heard several drivers discussing another driver in particular who would back up their day’s consecutively and try to get home very early on their fifth day. That wasn’t going over well with the powers that be.

After working just three days this week, I start a Sat thru Wednesday schedule this weekend, though still on the extra board. So far, I’m liking it. Been running solo this week with no major hiccups.

 

You'll get in a groove soon enough. It's the easiest trucking there is.

 

Got a good pay raise announced today. Another cent on the mileage and an extra dollar an hour on wait time. All the activity pay got a decent increase too.

 

Right now the hardest part is having to switch trucks multiple times every week. A real pain. And extra board pay is nothing to brag about. But all else is great. Pretty satisfied at this point.

 

hehe, good luck

 

They do try to keep you in 1 truck for your 5 days but sometimes it's not possible. Hang in there it'll get better. If you get on a 5-2 / 5-3 you'll like it a lot better especially that 3 days off with your commute. It'll be the same 2 trucks rotated among the same 3 drivers. Sign up for every job posting possible to get off the extra spot if it's aggravating you that much.

Part of the new pay increase was making "average daily pay" will be figured off of 9.33 days work for the 5-2 / 5-3 program instead of figuring it off 10 days like they were doing. I don't think it puts it ADP equally on par with a 5-2 on 10 days but (the 5-2 will still be better for your ADP overall) but it's still a positive gain and a good thing.