Former May Drivers Lounge...

Discussion in 'May Trucking' started by Scooter Jones, Feb 5, 2013.

  1. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

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    Seems like there is a good size contingency of former May drivers who participate here.As I have previously indicated, my present company is very small and most of the drivers there don't participate on forums like this. So, since I like to keep up with some of my buds at May Trucking, I thought I'd start this thread so I'm not always hijacking the threads that are more specific to May.

    I hope the thread doesn't turn into May "bashing". The company is what it is and I'm more interested in keeping up on where guys who used to work for May have moved on to and what they are doing now.

    I came into the industry with May a few years ago, paid my dues and moved on to greener pastures. Yes, there is life after May and there are greener pastures :)

    How about you?
     
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  3. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

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    One of the opportunities that has come my way is the opportunity to go to a local truck driving school and speak to the students as a goodwill ambassador for the trucking industry. Since my company doesn't hire new drivers I refer them to May Trucking.
     
  4. Paloma

    Paloma Medium Load Member

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    Great forum .. Much agreed. No longer with May, but did 4 years there and have many friends still at May.

    Thanks for this thread Scooter Jones.
     
  5. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

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    No problem. Hopefully we can generate some good conversation over here on this thread.
     
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  6. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

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    Good to see the TTR back up. Must of had some major issues.

    Hope none of you got stuck back east in the blizzard.

    We've been having some really nice weather out here on the west coast.
     
  7. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

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    I was asked to come and share my driving experience at the trucking driving school I attended a few years ago.

    I didn't have the heart to the students that most of them would be better off staying home and trying to find a couple minimum wage jobs.

    Also, couldn't bring myself to tell them that most of them wouldn't make it past the first year in this business. I've never seen an industry that chews up and spits out guys like this one does.
     
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  8. Mac2012

    Mac2012 Bobtail Member

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    hey guys....just getting back on...glad they sort of "fixed" things here..just a couple things..i am curently out training with a May driver...great guy, but there are some things i question about the way we are doing things...first off....it seems he really needs to make a large amount of $$$ while doing this due to personal issues...i have only been able to get decent amounts of drive time while flying (61 mph) down the freeways...we are always under the gun in reguards to delevery time and miles and he feels i drive too slow in city and parking situations...and, yes...i do drive slow....of course i do...i'm training...there seems to be no happy medieum to the loads...they are either too tite or too loose...i tell him in reguards to the occaional "loose" loads (lots of time) ..thats great...lets go practice ally docking somewhere...and all i get is, no...we need to shake this load and get a better one....i am learning alot about paperwork and qualcomm operations but i'm afraid my handaling of the truck in tite spots is lacking...he is already talking about wanting to head back to our home terminal (out 2 weeks) and having me test out for solo...i think i could past the test and get a truck...but when the time comes for me pic up a load or fill a hole at a night time truck stop...i'm going to be struggeling...am i over thinking this and it is common for ELD's to get alot of their handeling skills "on the job training" style ?
    I don't want to seem like a dick...he's a good guy and great driver....just wondering if i caught my training period at a bad time.....
     
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  9. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

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    When I was in training I couldn't wait to get off the trainers truck and get going on my own. I asked to solo after 9 days and did.

    Of course it took me some practice to back into docks, etc. But it's not really that big of a deal. I mean I was already approved to drive a big rig by the government having obtained my CDL, right?

    In my opinion, it is not the trainers responsibility to be your truck driving school instructor all over again. It's his job to make sure you learn the basic policies and procedures of the company. Although, when I was a trainer at May I used to have the students practice backing at the terminals obstacle course when we were there and I showed them how to split the gears on the Eaton 13 speeds.

    However, not so much at truckstops, because there's just too much going on there for a student to spend 5 minutes to get into a hole when there are other drivers trying to enter and exit the facility. I just witnessed that the other day with a CR England student, it was ridiculous.

    When I went out on my own, I used to look for the easiest spots to pull into at the stops until I got a little more confident. It's natural for all of us to feel a little intimidated when we first go out.

    I think you may be over thinking a bit.

    Oh yeah, welcome to the FORMER MAY TRUCKER'S LOUNGE ;-)
     
    Last edited: Feb 9, 2013
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  10. Mac2012

    Mac2012 Bobtail Member

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    thanks for the advice scooter.....i jumped into this thread because i have been on TR for some time and when i saw that you and Paloma were here i knew i would get an honest reply...not a company Ra Ra line ( ie Joker).....guess i am probaly over thinking it, thats normaly my style....need to relax and go with the flow...
     
  11. Scooter Jones

    Scooter Jones Road Train Member

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    No problem, man. You will do just fine.

    In addition, your trainer doesn't really have anything to gain by getting you off his truck because he is compensated for every mile that the truck does while the student is on the truck. The only reason he might want to get rid of you is if you have bad body odor, snore too loud or have bad gas ;-)
     
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