information on NTB trucking outta michigan

They used to have some fine looking trucks. Not so much anymore.

 

Whats a U.P.

 

That's a Yooper.

UP = Upper Peninsula
Yooper = Someone that lives in the UP.
Troll = Someone that lives in the lower peninsula (under Mackinaw Bridge)

 

I was just in the Meijer DC in Newport MI.... All the trucks there were Colombia's. I was contacted by them last year. So I took a look around.
Pretty dirty.... They could seriously use a good scrubbing. For me, a "Con".
Super Singles... all 10 tires tires on the trucks were virgin and deep. A Plus on good rubber.
Lots of caked grease, on a visual.... a Con....washes would help this, IMO. So I can do a thorough pretrip.

Too me.... They looked like a DOT inspection waiting to happen. Not saying they couldn't/wouldn't pass.... But why draw attention?

 

NTB drives regional dedicated to meijer driving to their stores and their backhauls. They run Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and a sliver of Northeast Kentucky ( Cinci area). They are headquartered in Grand Rapids, MI. They have terminals in Lansing, MI and Tipp City, OH, as well as inside the Meijer DC in Pleasant Prairie, WI. They have drop yards (as well as places you can park for home time) in Saginaw, MI, Kalamazoo, MI, Newport, MI, Stanwood, MI, Columbus, OH, Fort Wayne, IN, Indianapolis IN, Gary, IN, and Decatur, IL. Disoatch works out of office in GR as well as Lansing Terminal. All of their trucks are very old, glider kits. But maintenance does a decent job on them. Yes as someone else said, they are very dirty, they never seem anxious to clean them, you’re pretty much on your own to wash them yourselves as Meijer has an automatic truck wash at DC in Pleasant Praiirie. Guaranteed home 2 days a week, usually worked 4.5 days out, 2.5 days home. Miles can be good, 2500-3000 easy per week for drivers that don’t screw around. About 95% drop and hook. All no-touch EXCEPT loads on Wednesday and Sunday evenings they load stuff for the Meijer gas stations in the back of Reefer loads, where you’re expected to get in the back of the truck and unpack 2-4 pallets of product and move it t9 back of truck by hand where the gas station employees unload it. They pay $10/ hour for detention but there are thresholds to meet....intrastate this loads, anything over 30 minutes is payable; interstate is anyth8ng over 2 hours for a live load and 1 hour for a live unload. Biggest negative of NTB is their dispatch team is super manipulative and somewhat abusive towards drivers. They will push you to do as much if not more than what’s legally allowable. And for the most part they have zero understand or concern for the well being of the driver. To them, up you are just a truck number and a driver code. It gets worse when they get behind on loads and are short handed on drivers. Collectively, their dispatch team is the equivalent of a VCR that is flashing midnight.
Pros: reliable miles and pay, guaranteed home time, good maintenance
Cons: really old and abused equipment, and poor support team

 

I mostly agree with cbernier7. For an old truck though mine ran great. the shop stayed on top of things. The residue of previous filthy drivers was hard baked on though; an trust me I gave it a good go.
I frequently found my self in Pleasant Prairie, WI though and it was hard to get good runs out. After sitting there a few hours though anything is better then nothing. eventually I'd get back to the DC and wait to qualify for detention pay again. Hurry up to sit and wait... In the end I regretfully had to move on. Bills don't wait for better days after all. met a few others in the same boat. I have talked to other drivers who did well enough to great so good on them. Home time was great.

I could see myself going back one day should circumstances dictate.

 

They aren't all looking like this, rather white with NTB on the side or Meijer, but here I am with a nice looking reefer. Glad I remembered to take a picture.