I'm going with Maverick: newbie trainee blog

I shut off my laptop before I posted my responses yesterday. So they never showed up.

I don't consider it a "horror story". Just wanted people to know what happened. It really wasn't that serious. I know it, and half of the people there know it. I just want others to learn from it. You'll need to know how to pretrip and just listen to the instructor and do exactly what he says. If you are not sure, ask.

I don't hate Maverick; I recommend those thinking about it and get an offer to take it. They still were good right up to the very end when I was dropped off at the bus station. I spent some of the morning talking to Monica (recruiter) about it. She got back in touch with me and she said that either I would have to wait a year, or just come back after 6 months and reapply as a driver with 6 months experience.

The most bizarre thing about it was just why would they spend so much money and then eliminate me as a candidate because of one test? With no chance of a retest? Also consider that I am a student graduate from CDL school. (i.e. no experience behind the truck by myself) and that it was the first time ever in a Mav truck. To conclude that I would be a potential bad driver actually defies their own safety statistics. Their own statistics show that a CDL driver most likely to get in an accident is between 30-35 yrs old (or 40-45) and has 5-10 years experience. NOT a new or young driver. For those going through their orientation, ask the director of safety (who handles the fatalities) to show you the statistics. He'll put it on the overhead for you.

Google builders transportation and click on the first result. Then click on careers and look at their student package. So I report to builders transportation (BTC) on Monday. Their orientation is real quick and they get you with an instructor by mid-week. You do load securement while you are with the trainer. I'm gonna learn this flatbed business one way or another.

Take it easy, and I'll probably start a new blog on this company on Monday.

 

Near Stone Mtn (Atlanta). What about yourself?

 

Oh, ok. He was an alright guy. He was giving me some recommendations to where I should go next. It looks like I'll be going to BTC for orientation Monday. I'll see what happens. Seems like their pay package isn't too bad. And their orientation is designed to get you out on the road very quickly. I was also looking # Arrow Trucking and Roehl. I could rack up some GI Bill extras with Roehl apprenticeship program. Maybe do their 7/7 or 7/3.

Those Light Duty guys seem to make good money. From what I understand, it's worker's comp which is 2/3s of your normal salary + whatever Maverick pays you to work the Light Duty, which is $10 or $12 an hour. That's not bad to shuttle people around.

 

Yeah. And Mav makes sure they get 40 hours a week, too. The guy said Mav wont let you get overtime .

Now that I'm looking into it, Arrow may have been another good choice. Roehl seems to have been a good combination of training and drawing some GI Bill. Perhaps with the on-the-job GI bill benefit, It would work out to be about 825.75 extra per month for the first 6 months. I particpated in the kicker, so my rate would be 938.25. Or 234.56 tax free per week. # .35/mi that would be appx 670 miles per week or 2681 mi/mo..... Actually, more because of before taxes. And if I could do their 7/7 or 7/3? That wouldn't be too bad because they are still considered full time.

I will try to see if I can get that OJT pay for the training I will receive regardless of my employer.

 

Oh, when I was there, I would go back to my room during lunch, and see some guys in the lobby. Then see them again when class was over. Sometimes see them in the morning. Didn't know why they were there, until when I left and I found out about how their LD drivers operate. You are right. But when you really think about it, what else is there to do? On Light Duty, you can only physically be required to do so much. And those guys take full advantage of that .

BTW, when I first borrowed a company vehicle, it was the white pontiac that seemed like it was breaking down. I was just glad to have something to drive to run errands. Well, the next day or so they replaced it with a Ford Taurus. Maybe 3-4 model years old. Smooth drive to Wild Oak and back.