Orientation w Melton March 2014 (Tulsa, OK)

Well I was waiting for the shop and finally got in Tuesday around 11am. Get truck back around 230 and get a load. Picked up some flat aluminum sheets headed to Ohio. Appointment to pickup was 4pm, it was 30 miles away and I got the load sent to me at 345...hah.

Didnt get there til 430 and didn't load until almost 9pm. Had to tarp and it used all 3 tarps so I didn't get to leave til about 11pm. This load has 1 stop too, so at least I'll get stop pay and more tarp pay! 1000 mile run, drop off Thursday afternoon and the rest Friday morning.

Spent Friday getting unloaded and wait about an hour before I get new load. Pickup is 40 miles away Going to Laredo. I start driving to shipper and I'm about 5 miles away before I get 'load cancelled standby'. ####! Nice 1600 mile run. Owell. Drive to the Ohio turnpike and hang out for a bit. Don't get new load until 2+ hours later. Deadhead to shipper 180 miles away and head to Laredo. Nice! Miles still work out after all. I spent the night at shipper and get loaded in the afternoon today. Waited a little more than 4 hours to get loaded but that's alright, didn't start my clock at all until I was tarped and ready to roll.

Don't think I'll be able to do 1400 miles by Monday morning. I'm supposed to stop at Laredo terminal first too before taking load to consignee. I drive all night and stop in Missouri off the i44.

Its almost 2 am.. I'm beat. Was up at 630Am because appointment to get loaded was at 7. Ended up waiting a good while. Just happy to be on my way.

Oh this Friday pay wasn't bad. 3060 miles, 120$ in tarp pay, gross $1129.
My insurance kicked in for myself and my daughter, 43$ a week I think it is? I'm not sure if it's per week I forgot but I did get a deduction of 43$ for it. Also $80 deducted for 401k that melton offers. I signed up for 7% since melton will put in half, maximum was 3.5 percent so that's why I did 7.

Subtract taxes and I netted 833$.

So far so good after those weeks of breakdown. Keep Rollin with it. Can't wait to get a raise and get a little more for the same miles.

 

Yes hellpatrol, no problem. Yes some have cameras, my trainers truck had one. Mine doesn't however. I believe if you get a truck that doesn't have one and keep getting critical events or accidents I'm sure they would probably install one.

Hey roadstar, not sure but I believe orientation is now 8 days instead of 4. It may be different since you have experience. There were however people that had experience in my orientation that went through the whole thing. Once you finish orientation you either go with a trainer or you get your own truck then. The guys that had experience already got trucks while the one without experience waited for Trainers.

 

Well I made it to Laredo. I guess this load is going to Mexico so I have to wait for the guys tomorrow to retarp my load with their tarps. I will then take it to consignee about 5 miles away and drop off. Once I'm done I'm sure I'll have to come back to Laredo yard.

I was trying to get the load here in time so I could get it on my check this week since cutoff is Monday. I'm not sure what time though. My dm said she would try and ask them to put it on this check, otherwise because of being In shop for a day and half I'm looking at a 1000 mile week check, with 80 in tarp and a stop pay. We will see how it goes. Any of you guys know what time they cut off for payroll?

I get a little bit of downtime right now. Going to probably watch the NBA game from yesterday as I downloaded it, and hangout and do some laundry and shower.

Man last night driving wasn't fun though. Thunderstorms and rain pretty much the whole way from Missouri down to texas. Once I got in texas it was cool seeing the lightning up ahead as I drove on the freeway. Then 2 hours later I was in it and it started raining so much in some areas I could hardly see. This morning I woke up to even more thunder and lightning and rain.

That's all for now, we will see where I'm headed once I get unloaded tomorrow.

Oh by the way Melton now pays. .06 cents extra per mile if you have Hazmat or your passport and have a load going to Canada. It used to be 3 cents. They also upped the reimbursement for showers. From $8 to $11. If you sign up for rewards cards at the stations you should get free showers pretty much everyday, but there's been times I've wanted a shower and didn't have any free ones on my card. Most places charge anywhere from 10-13 $ for one. Cheapest one I found was coming down from Flagstaff at some random station 5$.

So if you have either of those things they pay a bit more on top of the usual mileage rate. I don't have either, I'll probably sign up for my passport next time I go home and get my Twic card too.

 

Roadstar how far are you? I would assume the one in Masury, Ohio. I was dropped off by my trainer there to get my truck.