Start at McElroy on Monday!

Oh, just been busy during the week, then trying to keep up with the honey-do list on the weekends. Of course, my motorcycle thinks I've abandoned it. That really sucks.

 

Yeah, everything's going fine with the company. Basically what I was told by the company during recruiting, orientation, & training is what I'm actually experiencing. If I continue to get the same miles/pay that I've averaged these first 11 weeks out solo, I'll be at the upper end of the range of salary they forecasted for the 1st year --- i.e., close to $45K. The only real aggravations I experience are just those I'd expect are typical of flatbedding newbies. lol

As you've probably already read, I just requested time off, even tho I have no vacation time yet, but it was quickly approved, I got home sooner than I expected, & loaded instead of empty so that I didn't miss out on as many miles as I thought I might have. So, I have no complaints with the company at all.

 

Oh, not much to tell really. Just driving, strapping, & tarping --- basic flatbed life, I suppose. Still getting decent miles for a short haul gig...1800-2100 a week. This week (1816) was my lowest in a while. I did pass a Level 2 DOT inspection though, so that's another $50 from the company. Passed one last month, too.

 

"Short haul" as in we rarely are under the same load for more than a day. Pick up one day, typically drop it the next morning. My typical week consists of dropping a load Mon morning I picked up Friday afternoon, then deadheading to pick up the next load to be dropped Tue morning, & so on. Fridays I pick up a load usually en route to the house for the weekend. So, compared to a lot of OTR folks, short hauls.

 

At MTL new drivers (i.e., right out of CDL school), after the training program start at 40 cpm. At 6 months it goes to 41 cpm. That rate includes tarp pay. There are some minimum pay scales on loads with certain shippers/consignees. That ranges from $60 to $125 per load. Example: I had one load that went only 134 miles, but had a minimum pay of $125. So, I actually made about 93 cpm on that load.

We tarp MOST loads, as many shippers &/or consignees request/demand it. However, there are loads that are not tarped, and even requested by the consignee that they not be tarped. Even with all the tarping though, it's not as bad as a lot of folks seem to make it out to be. Several of the shippers with whom we deal either have tarping sheds with tarping machines that you use to actually spread the tarp over the load, or when we arrive to pick up a trailer, the tarp's already been spread over the load. Some even do most of the bungees & place the straps as well. Sure, there's still work involved, but it's not like I'm having to lift tarps up on top of a load or even having to get up there & roll tarps out every day. When I do have to roll 'em out myself, the forklift guys have already placed the tarps on top of the load.