01/21/10 Update on good and bad at Marten

Well I've been at Marten for over 4 months now and thought I'd give a good and bad report on them as I see it. Remember that each driver will have a different experience at Marten depending on how hard working you are and how cooperative you are with your FM.

OK the good

1: Good miles, I have been running 2500 on avr. every week. I have had a couple at 1800-2000 and a couple at 3200 weeks. But most stay between 2300-2800. This week I will have 2750 when I drop Sunday in Iowa.

2: Good equipment. They run KW 600/660 PB 387 Frieghtliner Columbia's and Cascadias. You can request the make and they will try to get you in that truck. But you will have to take what they have. They take good care of there trucks. Service will be done on time. If you don't get it done when told to you are gone. If the FM lets it go more then 10,000 over they are gone.

3: APU's in every truck. They are very tuff on idling. But with the APU's you don't need to. It provides heat, AC and power. Trucks have a built in 1800 watt converter.

4: You can take the truck home. If you live more the 50 miles from the term take them truck home. As long as you have a secure place to park it. Your driveway is prefer. A lot with a fence and a guard or cameras will work. If you can't take a trl with you thats OK. I often BT home.

5:Great home time. You get 1 day for every 5 you are out. You decide how long you want to run and how much time to take off. As long as you remember that shorter times mean less money. I run 14-18 days and take 2 off. The extra days you don't use you can bank. Every couple of months I take 5 days off. I took 8 for x-mas.

6: They always get me home on-time. As long as you give them the required 14 day notice. You will not have a problem. I am home around noon on the day I request. That day is not counted as home time.

7: I have never been asked to run illegal. In fact when given a load I can't run. They will ether reschedule or switch it. There log dept is very tough and you will get fired for running a false log.

8: Road Service is easy to work with. If you have a problem they will get it fixed. If it's a safety or DOT concern it will be fixed asap. If it's something that can wait till you get by a shop. Then that is what they will do.

9: You plan your own routs and fuel stops. They believe that they have hired a Professional Driver and they should not have to hold your hand and tell you what to do. You plan your routs. You do extra miles thats on you. The only thing they have to say is when you can be on I-90 in NY and the PA turnpike. because there so expensive. They want you to stay off of them as much as possible. You plan your fuel stops. They give you a book in orientation that has all there fuel stops in it. You can see your fuel gage. You know when you need fuel. Plan your stops according to your trip and rout. You run out of fuel. Thats on you. you will pay for the service call.

10: No Slip seating. The truck is assignd to you. It's yours till you get a new one or leave the company.


OK the Bad

1: Per Diem, They do it and you have no choice. It's .16 a mile. I hate it but what can you.

2: Detention can be a pain to get. You have to follow the rules for that customer and when/if they pay you will get it.

Thats all the bad I have. Some drivers might say that being governed at 65MPH is bad. I don't believe a truck should go much faster then that so it doesn't bother me. Some might say that Marten going paperless is bad. The industry is going that way and it doesn't bother me.

All in all if you do the job for which you where hired and follow there rules.(it is there company) it's not a bad place to work.

 

Don't know what there turnover rate is. You need 6 months OTR exp. to work here.

 

Cash Advances are done on a per trip bases. The amount depends on the miles. It's .07xmiles= advance. You get it when you fuel right of the comdata card.

 

Nope no min or max, Take zero or all of it. Lets say you leave the house on a 650 mile run. 650x.07= 45.5 they would round that off at $50 for that trip. take as much or as little of it as you want. When you get a new trip what ever you have not taken is no longer available. A new amount based on the new trip is what will now be available. So the next trip is 988 miles. 988x.07= 69.16 they round off to $75 ( they always round up the the nearest 425 mark) Next you get a 428 miles run 428x.07= 29.96 rounded is $50. then for the week end you get a 1309 mile run 1309x.07= 91.63 rounded is $100. So for that week you could have taken $225. Just remember that what ever you take will come out of you pay the next week.