Builders take TWO: my 6 months at BTC memphis and why I still recommend them....

thanks alot man. i really been wondering about those. I drive lowboy right now probaly stay here for another 8 months (untill im 21). I really believe this time next year ill be driving ya macks lol. Thats amazing MPG though it does suck 1300-1400 rpm. never ran a truck with that low RPM, but like you said it pulls good and it will go from A-B. i have been driving for little over a year local now but BTC will be my first OTR job ive ever had and i tell ya i been lookin into them hard the past month a personly...i havnt found anything to bad on them(except the 65 governer lol )...im asuming they have bunkers in the back huh? The home time seems pretty good as long as i can get around 3 weekends a month ill be happy cause my first kid will be here in bout 5 months so you probaly no how that is. id asume during orintation they furnish room, food, and etc.. or do i need my own money for food and etc.....What was the entire deal behing the guy u training that started this post? (i cant remember his user name)


PS: this is not no where near everything you wrote me (which i really apreciate) but i wrote all this untill my figures hurt so were even now partner lol

 

First of all gratz on being a dad in 5 more months.Kids are great.I have a 10 year old girl thats going on 18 and a 5 year old son.Yes the trucks do have bunks in them and all hotel,food,and transportation is taken care of.Rather you bring any money is up to you, but I always take some just in case I need it.

 

I have tried to post the answers to your questions but for sme reason it didn't post.So I will try again.If your truck breaks down they will get it fixed.Rather on the road or at the memphis yard.Anything that is DOT required will be fixed on the road as soon as it happens.As far as the dispatchers go I guess it depends on which driver you talk to as to if thier dispatcher is good for them or not.But knowledgeable yes.They also go through classes with the safty dept. every so offten.Just make sure that you commuicate with your dispatcher anytime something changes or comes up.The area that you are moving to is a good area to live while working for us.When you first get finished training you will be assigned a dispatcher that will only be a temp. dispatcher for you.He will be kind of your support team to help you along the way to help get you started.Once you are use to flatbed and doing well you will then be assigned a full time dispatcher.Now at first when you call them they are gonna ask for your truck number and name.Then once they know you name will be all you have to say because they will remember your truck number.I have had 5 dispatchers since I have been there in over 6 years and they all knew me by name.the people in the office will come out and talk to you on their breaks like regular people.I think just about everyone that works there knows me by name.And take the time to say hi when they see me.The orientation/securement training mostly covers what we mostly haul but not everything.Everyone in class is required to attend rather you have done fltbed or not.Not fast pace at all.Everyone will do some hands on training on the loads.We mostly haul pipe,coils,and beams.Mostly steel loads.However if it pays we will haul it.We don't have a lot of lumber loads or sheetrock loads.I have never in the 6 years that I have been here hauled a load of sheetrock.But stop myself short of saying we never will.Just not a lot of tall loads.This time of the year we have to tarp a lot of pipe loads because of the time of the year.You can get a coil load as soon as you get out of the trainers truck.Just make sure you understand how to do so safely while in the truck with your trainer.Ask all the questions you may have while with your trainer.All the trainers are easy going guys so they don't mind the questions.And you will get coil loads while in his truck.It is required.At this time I am adveraging about 4 loads a week.And as far as a 200 or 300 mile run for a 3 day delivery has never happened to me.Unless I was going home with that load.But if that was to happen work with your dispatcher to see about dropping it on the yard and get another load.Every day on the quallcom you will send in daily check call mesg. so they will know what time you will be ready for your next load and how many driving hours you will have left to drive.We run 100% legal with the E-logs so can't run any harded than no matter if they did want you to or not.You plan your own route as well as your own fuel stops.You can get fuel at any pilot and flying J.And you can top the tanks off every time.But I do recomend the guys I train to use the request routing because it gives you the closest route from point A to B while using mostly interstates and U.S highways.When they send me a mesg. on the quallcom while I am in route I don't check it until the next time I stop unless it is a important mesg.You will know the differance because it will be flashing if it is important.If it was important enough dispach can call me.The 10 speed transmission is the most used transmission on the road by most companies.So you will hear more fussing over them than any other.I think it's fine.I mean unless you haul a lot of heavy equip. or over weight loads you don't need any more gears.It's really not an APU on the truck.But mainly a bunk heater and a built in 1800 watt inverter.The bunk heater works great no matter what the temp is outside.The way the trucks are set it won't idle when the outside temp is between 0 and 70 degrees.Anytine below 0 or above 70 you can idle.If in a freightliner without a bunk heater they want the idle time to be less than 40%.Also when you get in your truck you will be assigned a king pin lock.As long as you live more than 50 miles from any of the yards you can take the truck home.And as long as you don't go home with a high value load you can drop your trailor at a safe place with the king pin lock on it and bobtail home.But must be in a safe place.Hope this answers all your questions.Thanks for the service that you do for this country.And I hope this time it post because it's a lot.LOL

 

thats good...LOL dont u love the 10 years olds where swear up and down there old enough to live on there own. I no i was one of them a long time ago. and overall i believe this BTC flat is a pretty good company.
Thank you again for all your help

 

i just read your answers to that other guy. I live in jonesborough right out of johnson city tn. Its a pretty good ditance from mephis but when im on my own driving do i no drive my truck home for the weekend?

 

Yes you will be able to take truck home with you.

 

ok thanks again partner you been more than helpfull with all this hopefully i will see you soon out there...
Be safe on the road.....

 

when your assigned a truck are you also assigned a trailer, or do you guy's do a lot of drop and hook?

 

No you won't be assigned a trailer because we do drop and hook at some of our customers.Some weeks you may drop and hook a few times, or you may keep the same trailer for a month or two. Just depends on the runs that you get.

 

hey honestsin i'm looking at btc what about there lease plan, any detail about it good bad