Am I out of my mind for wanting to do this ?

The gang will be in here shortly to scold you for recommending a "bottom rung" company... At least that's how it went for me...

 

True, I've been bashed on here 100's of times. They can keep their "go knock on farm house doors and ask if you can haul their hay" cdl school.
Melton Truck Lines is no "bottom rung" company. I've been watching that company for decades. They used to advertise on WWL New Orleans, the truckers "Road Gang" show.
"Melton Truck Lines, home of the running rabbit." Back then they had a picture of a jack rabbit on the trucks & pulled dry vans mostly, but also flatbed.

 

Worked for many of us. Me included

Started out with top level companies.

Edit: I didn't haul their hay I hauled their small grains and corn.

 

No scolding there is just a better way for those that are determined.

 

I like how you twist around our words.

 

Dang, some of the farmers I trucked for through the years payed better and i gained more experience there then any mega fleet I could possibly find.

 

Then you didn't pay any attention I see.

 

3.5 million commercial drivers in America; they can't all get a cdl by knocking on doors.
To each his own, but I'll take the medium to large companies any day over the mom&pop outfits. I tried that and it was the worst experience of my trucking career.

 

Your missing the whole point of what "they" were/are suggesting and I don't understand the mocking. You try to help drivers out with your suggestions and you mock people that suggest a different way? Interesting.

There is an occasional success story of someone making out ok with a mega, but how many of these guys on this flatbed forum are doing it on their own or are with a smaller company making good money and are happy because they took the time to go and actually talk to someone about a job instead of just filling out an on-line app and waiting for a reply? A heck of a lot more than the guys that are with a mega, van, reefer, flatbed or tankers. It doesn't take a genius or much reading on TTR to figure that one out.

 

I worked at Melton and can confirm that it's no bottom rung.

Also to the OP, if you really wanna get out west flat bedding you're not gonna be home weekends like you would with TMC. When I was at Melton I never made it further east than PA and I was as west as Torrance, CA. Melton definitely gives you scenery. They're an irregular route carrier by definition.

Never worked at TMC and I'm not saying they don't run west but their business plan isn't in favor of long haul 1500+ mile runs from what I've seen. When I started at Melton their data showed average length of haul as over 800 miles. That's a big thing to consider based on what you're interested in. Only you will know what's best.