Maverick Specialised

THANKS FOR THE COME BACK HAND,LOL
WHEN YOU PICK UP THIS GLASS IS IT ALREADY TARPED, AND HOW LONG DOES THAT TAKE, ARE YOU UP AT 7AM AND DRIVING TILL10PM, SO THEY ARE USING OLD SCHINDER TRUCKS THAT SUCKS I THOUGHT MAVERICKS PERPLE TRUCKS WERE DECENT, I CALLED TMC BUT THEY SAID IM ON THE BORDER LINE, MAN THOSE TMC TRUCKS ARE NICE, WOULDNT MIND BEING STUCK FOR HOURS IN ONE OD THOSE, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN DRIVING? ALOT ODF DEADHEAD?? MILES/??

 

Bug83, I warned you awhile back when you were asking questions about specialized not to go there, and you did. And wasted your time. The only people on here posting postive things about that circus are the new clowns. My experiences there were about exactly the same as the ones you can read on Ollies blog "maverick in the rear view". And I did not even see his blog until after I had quit. I found it to be far to dangerous for what it pays, more so then other types of trucking anyway. I too left over serious saftey concerns and in the interest of keeping my cdl as they expected you to run very illegal. And you often had to run illegal just to hit 2000 miles a week because you spent so much time at shippers and receivers or dealing with some faulty component on a trailer. Its interesting that out of the 7 people that made it through orientation with me, none stayed more then 3 months. I stayed for eight, not being to keen on job hopping, but finally I had enough. And if you fall for the "you can switch from specialized to the regular maverick division" bull you'll be disappointed, because its not going to happen. Can someone who has done this come forward please? Bottom line newbies, there are dozens of other companies for you to choose from. An inexperienced driver has no business working there. But thats about all they can hire because experienced know better.The division is nothing like the regular maverick division, its like a completely different company, and is also run like one. I just saw a glass hauler last week that lost one side of his entire load of jumbo stoce glass. It all fell onto the interstate while he was rolling. He didnt look good at all. Its not worth it

 

Most of the loads are not drop and hook. The loads you will pick up out of laurenburg are, but after you deliver that load, its open season for whatever they can get on your empty trailer. They like to put shiny bar loads on you after you wait all day that you will get about 350 miles for. Then you will go another 300-700 miles and pick up some odd and end that you probably have never had practice securing or experience with.You will haul alot of other things besides glass. And it doenst take any special skill to haul glass. You just take turns wider and slower. They use that ploy "everyone cant do it" as smoke and mirrors. But there will be alot of pressure to hurry up and get there so while your trying to figure out how to secure the load to a minimun of Dot standards, your Dm or a load planner will be calling your cell phone asking whats taking so long. And your DM, David, has no experience hauling specialized. He used to drive dry van pumpkins. And there hometime is not what they say by a longshot. You can expect to get home every 12 to 14 days for a 34 hour restart. And you will be booked and planned on a load so you can truly spend no more then 34 hours at home. They always had that timed really well, but then you would sit after delivering the load you took home with you.

 

What are you doing these days?

 

Ollie didn't want to let this go unanswered, but he is visiting family right now, and can't get an internet connection. Since we typically write posts together, he asked me to jump in and give you an update.

We initially decided he would take six months off to decompress, and catch up on some household projects. During that time I developed some health problems that made it impossible for me to drive. Since my position requires a great deal of travel, Ollie started acting as my chauffer. So he gets some of his passion for road trips out of his system (even though he would prefer the big truck), and gets to play tourist while I'm working.

He has been sharpening his photography skills, and I think he has some amazing photos. I hope to find time soon to set up a website for some of his best. There is no limit to his curiosity and interests, and this has given him time to explore some of them. He loves to cook, so has been trying new recipes and creating some of his own.

He has found a new hobby - gardening - and has turned our lawn into a work of art. I tease him that he is more in touch with his feminine side than I am. But on the other hand, he is a hard core biker, and his next project is to tackle rebuilding his 1973 Harley.

We enjoy each others company so much, that it is hard to imagine him going back on the road. We can live comfortably on my salary, so for now, he is chauffer, gardener, cook, and very content.

Ollie's Gal

 

Most of what you post came true! I got an old "pumpkin" truck right off the bat,500k miles on it with an air leak to boot! My load home was not ready to leave the yard till after 5pm and I had been up all day waiting for it too. I got on the road it was after 7pm EST, it is approx. 689 miles from Laurinburg to Long Island, do the math! It's either take a 10hr break in the middle or drive illegal. Since it was my first time home in 8 weeks guess which one I chose? I manged to get to near my house by 230pm Sat afternoon, load delivers bright and early monday morning in East Mass. Beautiful! barely 34 hrs at home,still have the air leak they told me shouldn't be a problem! Except if you have to back numerous times or shut it off for awhile! I managed to get to customer early,but took driving all night and 45 mins to back into dock(remember the low air gauge) parking breaks kept coming on! Then noticed one trailer tire had "cuts" in it pretty deep too! Have to get that fixed too I guess.
Got the OK to drive to the TA in CT for repairs, big mistake waste of time! Had used up 14 hrs since leaving the night before, truck didn't get looked at till 630 that nite, wonderful right in the middle of my 10hr break,bang, bang, bang! Pull into bay # 1. WTF the thing has an air leak dummy! Took forever to get it pulled into the bay, then 3 1/2 hrs latter its fixed, or is it! By now it's 930 at night, and the ts is full. Still tired still on break. So I drive 20 miles up the road pull off into a rest area in a horrific thunderstorm! And guess what? the low air warning lite comes back on! Fixed my NY butt! I decided then and there this was my first and last load! Sent a message breakdown not driving,unsafe to move and spent the night there. Look for the book "Roadbum a newbies story" for more hair- raising tales of the road! Sorry long winded, must be a NY thing! bug-out!

 

Moderator note: OP requested this post be removed

 

Hi sailor,long time no answers!
What's ya been up too, uncle Larry? I just got back from picking my daughter up in VA. Nice trip no pressure or dead lines,LOL. I got a call wedsday on my way down from a moving comp. Allied here on the "Island". Looks like it's going to be bug the "bed bugger" lol I'm starting on Monday(lumper with a CDL) pays 18 bucks an hour, that's almost 800 a week!
Beats going to Canada, and searching for fuel, eh? Oh and I get to sleep(pass-out) in my own bed every night! I'll keep ya posted, from the "drunken Irish leprechaun" Ha Ha !

 

Hey bug! You still carting beds & such??!! Hope you're doing well, thought of you as I'm starting to look for other driving jobs...3 months now, running good every other week, so it averages out nicely, but this tarping & chaining & strapping & stressing about every rattle & jingle on the trailer bed has got this old gal thinking that I'm too old for this! Might go the van or reefer route....still kicking ### though...making my way through this, on way to Miami now... could be worse..LONG ISLAND! Take care, have one for me!