Headed to Melton

That just basically means that I have OTR flatbed experience with all different flatbed loads. Don't really know exactly what their criteria is or didn't bother to notice until they brought it up during training.

 

I see. Never heard about that when I was there.

 

I never noticed that they had it on my nameplate at my seat at my table the whole time,

 

How has it been going Melton drivers? Where have you been, what have you been doing? What is Melton's time out policy? 2-3 weeks?

 

Been everywhere except Oregon and Canada. Being from Michigan, 40 miles north of G.R., I try and stay out 5 weeks at a time because I have to give up an entire week of pay to get home, and then again to get out of Michigan. Miles have been good in between and they keep me moving in between with 2000 to 3000 miles. Going home just really costs me a lot of mula. If you are in one of their steady lanes it would be much better for you I am sure. You can go home once a week if you want. You get one day for every week out. I have been hauling a lot of coils, but I don't care what I haul, a load is a load is a load.

 

My DM does the same. She will set up an appointment before I get loaded. Then, when the rolling call with your legal ETA gets sent, the appt can and will be adjusted if it is after the appt they have already set. It is done this way, imo, to try to get the most use out of all of a drivers hours.

 

They want at least 2 weeks out. But yeah, trying to get home costs you, especially if you live out of the beaten paths. Living in Houston, I have delivered to Houston only twice when going home. Otherwise, it has been a minimum 200 mile deadhead that I was not paid for: once from San Antonio, once from Dallas, and once from Jewett TX, hour south of Dallas. If you have the luxury of choice, as I do, I stay out as long as I can. I am currently at home, arrived yesterday, and plan on leaving out Monday, 4/30, and do not plan on coming home until after Sept 1. Only way to make money is driving

 

been at melton for just over a year and i've heard to get a new truck out of orentation you have to be a re-hire or have enough otr flabed experience

 

well, again, I've talked to dudes with no flat bed and only 3-6 months with a van getting them. Most likely because Bob has bought so many new trucks and is getting rid of older ones. Now, I think seniority should come in to play, but to be honest, I'd much rather stay in my 2007 century...with paper logs.

 

From my perspective, I think that what truck you get is all up to where you train at. I think the trainees at Tulsa have a better chance of getting a new truck whether they have experience or not. The other terminals are are dependant on trucks being emptied and that is what stock is available for each class. I trained in Masury, Ohio and they only had trucks for 4 of us, all 6000 numbered kenworths with no APU. I had 2 yrs previous flatbed so I got to fly down to Tulsa and get a new truck. I do know that Melton is getting rid of all trucks without EOBR's as fast as they can. I think that plays a pretty big role in what trucks are available too. I could be wrong, but I do not think that they are giving out any non EOBR trucks anymore period. But I am sure that an exception happens once in a while