Starting with Schneider bulk

That don't work in Texas in the summer Tater, lol, but I'll keep it in mind.

 

No Newbie, I don't mind being out, I liked the people and attitude and company at Melton, I just don't dig flatbed. Talk about unpaid work... Not only the fact you don't get paid for it, but it's unpredictable. Say I show up at ALCOA for a pickup with 5 hours left on my 14. They may get me loaded in an hour or it may take 4, and I don't know what I'm getting till get there, so I have no idea how long it will take to secure. A couple eye to the sky coils maybe an hour and a half to strap and tarp. a few suicide coils may take me 4 or 5 hours to do. The loading time I know is unpredictable with all kinds of trucking, but the problem is once I'm loaded, it may be over 4 hours until I can move, and if I can't sleep there i might be in trouble. Plus they want you to do most of that securing on OFF DUTY status so you save your 70. Now, I'm all for saving my drive time, but if I'm doing short runs and picking up delivering every day it gets to be ########. I have gotten loads on that were more challenging than I expected and had to bust my ### so hard I literally thought I might collapse just to get out of the plant before they close or get somewhere to shut down in time. I'm talking about all my clothes from my shirt to my knees dripping sweat, and me shaking and panting. It's not a good condition to be driving in. I wanted something to get me out of the truck and active some times, but it's more than I bargained for. Maybe once I got better and faster it wouldn't be so bad, but I still don't think I would enjoy it. Then there's tarping in Laredo in the summer, or Ohio in the snow (I left before the winter, so I didn't have to do snow and frozen tarps, but I can imagine.) The list is long but let's just say I wan tto try something different, lol.
Nothing against Melton though. They seem to treat the drivers well, their trucks are pretty sweet, and the securement training was great.

 

I did flat bed previously before going bulk. It is way easier. Just gotta use your noodle.
Sitting in Charlotte OC at the moment, trip planning and debating if I can make it to the Atlanta yard with 5.5 hours on my clock.. Sources say.... Nope

 

WTF? Flatbed is way easier than bulk?! That is not good news my friend, I may have to stick it out with the heathens driving boxes.

 

I dabbled in flatbed work for 5 months at Western Express. For me it was easy but I hated tarping since almost every load had to be tarped. No physical demand tanker side but you have to use your brain a little when it comes to unloading if your doing it yourself since company policy is to have no spills.

Plus almost every place will have you watch a safety video and take a test before they let you into the plant.

 

I think he means bulk is easier. I did flatbed for 9 years, got the rotator cuff problems from throwing straps to prove it. Bulk is easier, but you need to be on the ball. SLOW is the key. Slow driving around corners, stops, and starts. Try to not allow the load to move you. You have to increase your defensive driving skills. Slow when unloading, be SURE you have everything hooked up properly. Take a couple minutes to double check everything. The only real work involved is handling those hoses, then you stand around and keep an eye on everything. You are treated a bit differently when yanking a tanker, generally they want you there.

 

Oh, yeah maybe so. Hopefully that's what was meant. That sounds good. My driver trainer at Melton was always on me to go faster. He wanted to get up to speed as fast as possible, stay at max governed speed on the highway and told me not to slow down until I was in the exit ramp, which always made me feel rushed trying to downshift and slow in a controlled way coming off the freeway.
I'm very meticulous and I hate being rushed. I'm definitely a triple checker. Tanker sounds definitely more suited to my personality. I go by Slowpoke for a reason, lol.

 

Had to do a blind side back into a spot up in Dallas today. Such a tight lot to maneuver since the lot was build for day cabs not sleepers. Won't have enough time after unload to make Houston today. They have yet to start unloading me so don't know where I'll park for the night yet.