May Trucking Company

In my experience, MTC was far from ethical in their treatment of drivers. Number 2 on my spit list was the idle policy. "Idling too much" is a very shaky defense. The law says drive 11, off 10 (8 of which have to be in sleeper berth.) The percentages have been adjusted downward since this thread was created. The hottest month/s allow 25% idle time. That means a quarter of 11, or 2h45m. For the rest of the mandatory 8 (= 5h15m), it may still be 90 degrees outside. And still too hot to sleep without a/c. That means the driver pays about $15 to do the job that day. If you aren't driving, you'll be lucky to get $52 from May (more on this later.) You might spend $24 of that on staying alive in the sleeper berth. I still have nightmares of my bloated, stinking corpse being found in the cab by a lot lizard or some dude walking his shih tzus. Kidding, but I did speak to drivers (plural) who'd sweat buckets before they'd pay to do their jobs. That's too bad they had to do that. It's also too bad that people (DRIVERS) will make excuses for May's wreckless greed. These house servants would find something nice to say about picking bananas on a plantation somewhere in a Central American jungle. Don't criticize their boss. SMH.

The most insidious practice, IMO, is the systematic reduction of trip mileage. I hear that this is an industry standard, but that don't make it right. I'd like to get paid for the work I do. Period. But there are too many truckers who are willing to accept this week in and week out for companies like May to have to do anything about it.

I spent lots of time jerking my d in parking lots because there wasn't enough freight to keep everybody moving. MTC is notoriously bad about paying for layover. One trainer whom I met along the way told me that he just stopped worrying about the money and that I should, too. Instead, he advised, I should focus on getting my experience. I disagree. I was in it for the money. Folks who'd been around long enough recalled a time when layover paid $85. That is closer to the amount the typical driver could earn in a day's driving at May ($200, plus or minus $50) but almost doesn't count. And the rate when I was there was $52...IF you could get it.

Driving school. May requires it of new guys. You pay roughly $4,000 to stand around in a circle j and chain smoke. I could have learned more in a couple days with a veteran driver, and I've been enjoying free circles j for decades. Why do they require it? Do they get a cut of the money? It can't REALLY be for safety purposes because MTC will pressure a brand new driver to go stalls to the wall over snow and ice. Needless to say, I think the "school" was needless...and it is companies like May who prop up the scam driving school industry by requiring it of their entry-level drivers.

There are other examples. But I need not elaborate to make my point. That being: enough goes on at May to make me think they're inentionally bilking drivers. Some would say that the only remedy is to quit. So I quit. But I don't think it has to be that way. If drivers complained in unison about policies that were designed to increase profit at the drivers' expense, May would have to change their ways. I know that there will always be people, the self-styled Bossman's Honor Guard, who take offense at any criticism of their employer. Nonsense. These are the people (and not those who take the time or have the courage to blow the whistle) who make it worse for us all.

 

Every single word this man has written is truth. By reading his words, it is clear he has actually worked for these greedy SOB's. I am currently riding as a passenger with my husband. Some of the things I have witnessed my guy going through are unbelievable. I asked to see how the Qualcom counted the time while we sat at idle. Did I mention the thermometer in his truck read 122 degrees. First thing I noticed was, the idle timer on the Qualcom, counted seconds just about twice as fast as my wrist watch. Funny thing, as already mentioned, idle is counted, even while driving. Stop at a traffic light, idle continues. Back into a loading dock, tick-tick-tick. Short miles on dispatch, you have no idea just how this adds up. In one week alone, 330 miles. Now here is one perhaps you have yet heard. Drivers who elect to get paid their per-diem weekly, they get to pay 2.5 cents of their pay, not to cover payroll taxes, this fee as explained by payroll is, "because we GUARANTEE your records are accurate"...
If you do a good job, run your butt and arrive early to a shipper or consignee, COUNT ON, sitting in most cases at least until your appointment time, and in many cases, long after your appointment time. NOW then, and finally. Someone previously suggested these folks pressure you to arrive at a shipper or consignee and log on "SLEEPER-BERTH" as a means to cheat the laws of hours of service. This statement is accurate, right on the money and needs to be brought to the attention of the DOT. This, along with the idle policies are a safety issue and it would not surprise me if someone eventually pays the ultimate price. Just my opinion as an observer.

 

First off, I drive for May, and have driven for them for 2.5 years. In that time, I have been charged for idling my truck only once during the summer. The other was during the winter and there was miss-communication with breakdown and my terminal manager. After a few calls, I got it straightened out and was reimbursed my money.

As far as being charged for idling goes, yes May does have certain percentages that if you go over, will charge you for excessive idling. Now, when it over 85 degrees outside we all know that the inside of the truck can easily get up over 90 even sometimes over 100. At this point, you should be idling your truck and in the morning send in an "Idle Credit Request" letting your DM know a few certain things. Idle time, temp, location, truck number, driver code and reason for idle. They will look over your request and as long as it is reasonable, that you didn't idle in 70 degree weather, you will get a credit applies to your over idle. The big thing here is communication. You need to be pro active in keeping a log of when/where you idle and communicating that with your DM and TM. Your DM will pass on your request to your terminal manager who will decide to give credit or not.

Another tip or two to help keep your idle down, do you have to idle the truck while hooking up to a trailer? Do you have to idle while fueling? Do you have to idle while you get out to open your doors? No. Turn the truck off when you are not in it. Leaving it run is like reaching into your pocket and grabbing some loose change and throwing it on the ground.

As far as the per-diem pay goes, May offers it as an OPTION. You can elect out of it at anytime. They do not force you to take per diem. There are some good arguments as to why a driver, when given the option, should not take it. You are not forced to take it like some companies out there.

If you arrive early at most places that handle refrigerated goods, you most likely will either have to go back at appointment time or wait until your scheduled time. The handling of temperature controlled products is strict. They have set times at most grocery warehouses that they accept deliveries. Expecting to get unloaded early all the time is ridiculous. A simple phone call ahead and being courteous on the phone will give you your answer.

As for logging sleeper when you are getting loaded/unloaded, it is an acceptable practice that most in this industry follow. If you want to sit there and use all your time on-duty line 4, then by all means do it. You ask any driver on here, and their answer to you would most likely be "I log sleeper/off duty while in the door getting loaded/unloaded." I have never been pressured by May to run illegal or log illegal. They can send you whatever message they want to, but in the end it is up to you as the driver to tell them that you will not log illegally or run illegally. If you do end up having to move the truck due to being done getting loaded/unloaded and it is past your 14 and the customer will not let you stay there, all you have to do is send in a message stating that you have to leave the property and will go to the nearest place to park. It is as simple as that.

May pays practical miles. As far as pay being shorted due to miles being rounded off, I started keeping a good log of what I drove and compared it to what they paid. Most trips were in the 2.5-3% difference in mileage. May pays practical miles. If they were more than that, I would again get with my DM and ask to have my paid miles compared to my routed miles. They don't always match, and most of the time I end up getting that 4% difference cut down to under 3% or even under 2%. Does it suck to have to keep such a close eye on your pay, yes, yes it does. But, it is YOUR pay.

Requiring new hires to the industry to get schooling on how to drive a truck, operate a truck safely and know the rules of the road is a bad thing? As far as what the school charges is out of May's hands, but you do know that May does offer tuition reimbursement, I want to say, up to $3500. Paid in $100 increments once a month.

The one thing I will agree with is the point made about the Layover pay. $52/day comes out to $6.50/hour for an eight hour day. You do have to keep up with your DM in order to get your layover. I have been up for layover twice this summer and have got it both times. To be fair, I did get them about 3 weeks later, but I was persistent enough with my DM and kept a calm demeanor when talking about it with her.

 

When someone gets hired at May, the person must sign a ton of stupid papers, acknowledging that they fully understand all of the stupid, careless company policies. Here's an idea, don't sign anything, and move on to a company that actually cares about you, and your health, and your safety.

 

. If drivers complained in unison about policies that were designed to increase profit at the drivers' expense, May would have to change their ways. I know that there will always be people, the self-styled Bossman's Honor Guard, who take offense at any criticism of their employer.

Well put, many lack balls. Idle time and low miles only thing I have concerns both are being addressed and fixed.

 

Yea one that doesn't have any papers to sign or policies to follow.. One that knows how to treat a driver right.:smt056

 

Well May hired me when everyone else wanted recent experience after I was out of driving for 6 months. So I thank them for that. I never had a problem with idle times or any of there policies. I did have a problem with there short haul runs 4hr plus customers and junkie trailers, so I moved on.

 

pray for idle credits, keep up with your dm to receive layover pay three weeks later. man that's amazing.

 

"idle credit request"........lol lol your killin me.