Avoid Marten Transport LTD.

im thinking your payroll clerk is blowing smoke.
They say this to drivers, so in hopes of getting people to jump on board on thier own, with out haveing dispatchers send out msgs every few weeks, saying what a great idea this is.
I talked to the payroll manager today, and they deni any mandatory per deim for all company drivers. still voluntary. New hires do have to join, then can opt out .
So why would one payroll person tell you one thing, and another, tell me differantly.
Mondovi, is starting to lose thier minds lol

 

There are still a few "HONEST" trucking companies out there. Empire Express of Memphis Tn has mandatory per diem and doesn't charge a dime for it.

 

Something else you should know, if you average 120000 miles per year you are Paying $3000, to Marten as their "Fee" to give you what you get for free at the end of the year. Just food for thought.

 

According to an inside source... per diem is becoming mandatory for ALL drivers in the very near future, period. Also, they will be implementing a sliding payscale for ALL Drivers... experience be ######, PERIOD.

Worst is: They're gonna get away with it. Why? Who else is still offering jobs?

 

Idrove for Marten for 5 months. Worst company I ever drove for. VERY CHEAP

 

It's official, per the message that went out fleet wide over the qcomm. Per iem participation will be mandatory effective September 1, 2009. Also, all OTR drivers will now be paid using the same sliding scale pay scheme used with the regional fleets, which translates into a $0.005/mile pay cut on nearly all OTR runs.

Drivers are being asked to not call payroll, which is reasonable since payroll didn't know this was coming down today, and they still are trying to get this week's payroll out and start on next week's. Drivers were initially told to contact their fleet managers or visit Marten's web site for information, but it turned out neither has information, and the FM's are already swamped trying to juggle 100 drivers each. So,, we've been told to contact HCH, the company managing the per diem (who has no answers either, nor are they involved in the sliding scale pay scheme).

Please remember, for those who are planning to quit over these two schemes, to give reasonable notice and continue to be professional. You still need a decent reference for the next job, which I advise getting before giving notice. If you FM or Marten jerks you around, but you gave proper notice and remained professional, then it will reflect well on you and bad on them in the future.

Also, from my conversations with the IRS, those on the per diem who are not qualified for that deduction because they have no fixed residence (as proven by rent or mortgage receipts, or property tax statements), you should set aside and not spend roughly 75% of your per diem, to meet the new taxes you will have to pay out of pocket (Federal and state income taxes, as well as both employee and employer shares of FICA and Medicare, and any other taxes normally deducted). If the amount paid or due is high enough, you may need to file quarterly returns. Contact your tax professional, the IRS, and the state IRS equivelant for information on what may be required.

Also, remember to tell your tax professional about the $0.025/mi fee you are being charged. This may be deductable as an involuntary and unreimbursed business expense, and you may need to issue a Form 1099 to Marten on this one next January (because of the amounts involved).

 

Couldn't agree with you more on this because it's excellent advice. Regardless of how low Marten management is willing to go, don't go there with them. Hold your head high and walk away with your integrity intact.

When the news came across this morning that per diem, etc. is now going to be mandatory, I simply sent a QComm saying that I wish to terminate my employment of over nine years two weeks from now. The loss is theirs not mine.

I'm looking forward to spending some time at my place in Laughlin, NV. Might look for a job in the casinos, maybe even one that uses my math degree. As a longtime Marten driver I met up with at our Ontario terminal put it a few weeks ago, "life's a bowl of cherries."

 

I am also an OTR driver for Marten and have been here for just over two years. I had some warning about the messages we received this morning along with the message on Monday morning about logging. My FM had said on Monday after the log message that this wasn't the only big shocker this week. It made me wonder if this was coming!!! I went to the marten website and looked for the phone number they said to call about questions on per diem and the new "Marten Fair Pay Plan". I couldnt find the number to call can anyone fill me in on that number.
When they first came out with per diem pay I asked my tax preparer what to do and she informed to opt out and I was glad that I did as my wife is self employed and the per diem deduction at the end of the year is what saved us from having to pay. I have talked to several Marten OTR drivers in the past couple of days and they all said they had irons in the fire and were expecting this to happen.
I was hoping to make Marten my final company but now I am forced to look elsewhere. The Q&A on Fair Pay and the letter about it really tell me nothing on the website. I have noticed this week that freight volume is up. I wonder if this is because freight is getting better or we are losing alot of drivers. My guess is we are losing alot of drivers.
I am wondering why a company would drop three major things like this in two days on the drivers who actually move the frieght and make the company work. Maybe they are turning out to be like the federal government these days and they just don't care!!!!

One Very Frustrated Blue Bird

 

Hi. New here. I found this thread interesting. Cowboy4U93610 started this thread and really got pummeled for his views... It's fascinating to see how the defenders of this company (which I know nothing about, except through this thread) have sort of recanted their apologies for this company. Anyone ever apologize to that Cowby4U93610. No, I'm not him in disguise or anything. Just wondering. Marten started out being so great in the eyes of so many. It's interesting to skip ahead (though I read many pages in between) to the last page and see Marten (from what I gather) disillusioning those who once defended it. Anyway, probably not the best first post ever on my part. No offense intended. I'm just looking for work myself, and researching companies---not that I want to go OTR, never have and never wanted to. Looking for local.

 

They were a pretty good company at one time. It's only been in the last 9 months or so that they really went downhill.