Melton, Whatcher 20

My life to date miles with melton are 108,682. I've put 119,099 miles on the truck. That's a difference of 10,417 miles, or in terms of money, $4,375.14 I'm 2 days shy of 1 year with melton now.

I don't know what Melton's rates look like, but at $2 a mile, that's over 20 thousand dollars that I've put in their pocket for free... multiplied by 900 trucks and that's 18 million dollars worth of miles. However, melton says they charge customers on the same number of miles that we are dispatched on. If that's true, then melton is driving 18 million dollars worth of miles for free every year.

 

I don't think miles to the house are paid. Basically, you go towards the house with a load and deliver it, when you're empty melton says "ok, you're off now, you can drive my truck to your house if you want to."

Personally, I don't expect to be paid to drive home. Just like going to work at a grocery store, you go to work and after your shift you drive back home. The grocery store doesn't pay you to go home.

Another thing, if you feel you are being shorted on a load, kindly and politely ask if there's anything that can be done about it.

For example, I was supposed to be home on a certain day one time, deliver my load that morning and was going to head to the house 40 miles away. My DM sent me a preplan to pick up a load that had to be taken off the shippers property so they could close for the day. I was supposed to meet another driver with it just down the road when he arrived. The miles I was dispatched on was 13 miles. I explained to her that I'd be spending 2 hours to get loaded, another hour and a half securing and tarping and another hour waiting for the other driver... All for $5.46, just over a dollar an hour for my time. I let her know that I didn't think that was fair. Melton agreed and put $75 + mileage and tarp on my check for that.

 

After reading all these issues with Melton and how their paying you guys, I'm beginning to wonder if I made the right choice to come here. Here's how I look at it:
I'm here to make money for myself and the company. I will do the job to the best of my ability. In return I expect to be paid fairly for it. If they promise you x amount of cpm that's what you should get paid....no if's ands or buts about it.
By you driving free miles for them how is that fair to you?! Now I understand not getting paid to drive x amount of miles out of route to go home. Something is not right with this picture.

Like Mrh2008 said, a few mile here and a few miles there adds up to a lot of miles over time that your not getting paid for. And these trucking companies wonder why they have such a high turnover rate.
Pay your drivers fairly and you would cut the turnover rate by at least half...probably more. Just my 2 cents...

 

In all honesty, it's not a problem with melton. It's a problem with the industry as a whole. Doesn't matter who you drive for, you'll be driving about 10% of your miles for free. There are some companies that pay practical miles, and even less that pay hub miles but those jobs are few and far between. 95% of the industry pays zip to zip. I don't think Melton is a bad company. In fact, I think I'll be here until I own my own truck one day.

For that 108,000 miles, I've been paid roughly $53,000. That's 49CPM, not bad considering that I'm paid at 42CPM.

Again, I'm not speaking bad about Melton, I'm telling it like it is. Melton is a great company and I don't regret coming here at all.

On a side note, I just got a preplan for my hometime load! Amazingly, I'm picking up on the 5th. Thought for sure I'd be sitting thru the 4th of July weekend!

 

Thanks Mrh2008, that does make me feel better about my choice. I remember reading somewhere that most companies pay zip to zip. I know I have a lot to learn about this industry.
Glad to hear you'll be heading home soon.

Safe Travels! I know this holiday weekend will be crazy with all the 4 wheelers on the road lol.

 

Just remembered that we have a mandatory shutdown tomorrow. From 1800-0600, correct?

 

That means what??

 

The entire fleet is told to shutdown. No driving from 1800-0600. Or something like that.They don't want us smashing drunks that are driving the wrong way on the interstate. i know we did it on news years, pretty sure we do it on the 4th as well.

 

I thought the shut down was News Years only. Haven't seen any other shut downs in my almost year here.

 

I wasn't assigned to a truck until the 5th last year. I think I remember hearing new years and 4th. I guess we will find out tomorrow!