Magnum ltd - fargo, nd

My 6-month Review of Magnum
Just thought I'd write a couple paragraphs telling MY experience as a new driver who came to Magnum at the end of November, 2015. It was cool they flew me up to orientation in Fargo, and provided a private room at the hotel for the week. Orientation didn't cover NEARLY enough, IMHO, but I knew I'd be with a trainer so I wasn't too concerned. Out with a trainer for 4 weeks, which is very taxing - to say the least. Not that my trainer wasn't good; I just don't want to be cooped up with ANY one in that small a space for any length of time. Either way, those 4 weeks weren't enough to learn everything, either. Fortunately I have my trainer's phone #, as well as several numbers from folks on here.
Got my own truck mid-January, and it was a surreal moment when I realized Magnum just handed me a ~$150k piece of equipment, that could also be considered a lethal weapon. So, off I went on my first few loads - fairly uncertain of myself, but determined to let no one see it. On one of my first few loads, I ripped the door off the trailer as I was pulling out of D & D Coatings in Racine, WI (a VERY tight spot). So, I filed my crash report and took pictures, turned it all in, and prayed I wouldn't be fired (obviously, I'm still here).
Since then, I've adjusted very well. I'm now much more comfortable & confident. The biggest lesson I've learned - told me by many others - DON'T BE IN A HURRY!
Magnum is GREAT as far as not nagging you; not babysitting. But, that works both ways; no one is holding your hand as you learn, which has been fine with me. To me, the fact they leave us alone AND the superb equipment we have (my '15 Pete, 10-speed, with 80" sleeper, fridge/freezer, microwave, 25" TV, inverter, bunk air/heat is incomparable to a lot of the trucks I see on the road) makes Magnum an awesome place to work. And, no, I'm not a recruiter! They don't tell me what routes to take, or where & when to fuel, when to start & when to stop. They tell me points A & B, and times for each point, and leave the rest up to me (within reason, I'm sure, but I haven't tried to run by my house in Texas while taking a load from Fargo to Ohio...)
My only complaint is the lack of miles sometimes. Since I got my own truck, I've averaged 2397 paid miles/week taking off 7, 6, & 3 days in March, April & May, respectively. My best 2-week period (we get paid bi-weekly) was 6280 miles; worst was 3468. The last 6 weeks have been best, averaging 2699, & that includes 3 days hometime. I also had 5 layover days in that period. That's what I don't like. Not unlike a lot of others, if I'm going to be in the truck, I want to be running. In orientation, we were told Magnum is really growing, and if they could hire 100 drivers, they'd go buy 100 more trucks. I just don't see it, though. Again - just my opinion. Second on the disappointment list is the speed limiter at 64 (or some say 63.5). I know I'm a rookie, and probably don't need to be going over 30mph without training wheels, but 69-70 would really be nice - at least for x-number of minutes per day!
The Magnum folks on TTR are great! Everyone is willing to help out each other, and other Magnum drivers not on here have been just as helpful. Since being solo, I've been to 34 states and seen a lot of pretty country. Magnum has let me go on hometime any time I want, and as stated earlier, I've stayed home for up to 7 days, and nothing's been said about it. I get to take the truck to my house and don't have to leave it at a company yard miles away. Health insurance is better than I've recently had - for me alone it's $92/bi-weekly - eligible 60 days after you start. I just became eligible for the 401k, which I'll be joining soon, though I don't think Magnum contributes to it until you've been here a year. Detention has always been paid without question - $15/hr after the first 2 hours. Layover days are paid at $75/day, plus your average daily miles are added to your monthly total only for performance pay eligibility.
All in all, I have to say that I think Magnum is the best place for someone just starting out. Give me a few more miles and a faster truck, and I might retire here! Hope this is of some help to anyone looking at Magnum.

 

Oops.
I'm at Consolidated Distr in Wilmington, Illinois.
So they are a "don't open your doors, we will open them from the inside" joint.
Yeah...I put my tails into their door and bent the crap out of it.
Since I didn't open my doors I just plain forgot about them sticking out back there.

Well ####.

 

Brave of you to share that with us, my trainer even backed in once with his doors open it happens...just proves your human!

 

TY for the review I just spoke with Tony Dahl & what a nice man. My internet is sketchy but will be submitting my app soon hardest part will be remembering dates from 3 1/2:yrs ago haha

 

If I would have had my finger - less gloves and mirrored aviators on in super trucker mode it wouldn't have happened.
Alas I am but a mortal man.

 

I went to deliver in Fort Worth at MBM on day. I parked in the lot across the street the night before. I did a post trip and shut the tails.
The next morning I walked over to the guard shack and got a door assignment.
The procedure there is you back into the door with your doors closed. When they are ready to unload you, they open the dock door, remove your seal and then call you. Then you pull up, open the doors and back in again.
I went back to the truck, drove across the bumpy street and backed into my door so they could take my seal. The terminal manager came out and said I broke the dock door.
I pulled forward and sure enough... One of my fins had opened on the ride over on the bumpy street and I put it right through the dock door.
Luckily, there was NO damage to the tails and I 'only' knocked the bay door out of its tracks. They had it fixed before I was unloaded in my new door.
Nick told me I was the 3RD driver that WEEK to do the same thing at THE SAME PLACE!!!
I didn't feel so bad after that. But it goes to show you that #### happens when you least expect it.
I NEVER back in a door now without double checking!

So... Don't sweat it!

 

FYI, pilot on 80, exit 256 in Pennsylvania. Is a total cluster ####. Never stop there for anything! I stop to get fuel for refer and a splash in the tanks. By pass if at all possible. Not worth the brain damage.

 

By the amount of rain and thunderstorms last night... He may be playing in the mud down in Gaylord