Those noisy trailers and they can't take short cuts under low bridges. Well I guess they could try. Maybe if they go fast enough they can squeeze under it. Manitouman: Good luck with the application, hope you get the job.
An ex-TCD driver tried that last month. As it turns out, no matter how fast you're going, a 13' 6" trailer will not fit under a 12' 2" bridge. Ever.
Man! I was reeeally thinkin that maybe you could squeeze under there if you were going fast enough.... but I guess not.
Hey Captainx3, Thanks 4 the comeback on last post. Few more things on my mind. I've heard some horror stories about guys going thru orientation with some poor companies that once they get in a couple of days to find out they have sign a wavier that if they quit or get terminated within 90 days they will be charged back out paycheck for any exspences company paid out thru orientation. Even some where charged for am/fm radio in truck,beding,window curtains,fire extingwishers a whole line of crap. Any thing that scary at maverick? As far as miles go i'm guessing because you travel most of same states thru the middle you don't see alot of 1200 mile one way runs. mostly staying the 5-600 mile trips between most cold shippers. Can you give me some info on that? I don 't really care how i get them as long as they r steady. Hope ur not doing alot of 2-300 mile trips. After ur out there awhile do seem to hiting same places fairly routine or does it vary alot? Also if u hit the road with a trainer ur not forced to go with a smoker. Can't handle that. If u head 4 home time ru under a load? I could poabably park at a Walmart lot only 2 miles from home. But i guess u can't drop trailer unless at a terminal. That sucks since i'd be only 4 minute drive back home in tractor. How r they about calling u out on home time? Are they bugging at the last hour left or even b4 times up? Drove 4 company in past supposed to be out 4 days, home 4 days. Was always forced out much more and screamed at after 2 or 3 days. Tell me something good. Well enough 4 now. Maybe i've thought of all i can. Thanks again. Be safe out there. Manitouman.
You have thought of some great questions! I hadn't really thought about yet. Thanks for posting them and those who answer them!
Alrighty, lets see. Maverick will not charge you anything if you quit, unless you actually owe them money for something. By that I mean stuff like equipment damage due to misuse and they charge you, or money owed for any tickets that they paid that were your fault, or stuff like that. Most trips average between 400 and 800 miles, sometimes over 1000, but not terribly often. I think the shortest run I ever did was under 200 miles, it was some kind of emergency food order that was a deliver ASAP kinda thing. But you can expect an average of 400 - 800 per trip. On the weekends that you're not at home, you're always guaranteed at least 800 paid miles, even if you only run 300. As for a trainer who smokes, you wanna make sure to let them know that in orientation. I would suggest saying you're allergic to it, just to make sure no one forgets before they set you up with someone. Be aware that because TCD has very few trainers (last I heard there were only 9) it may increase how long you have to wait before getting into a trainer truck. Heck, you never know, I might try training for awhile, they usually ask if you're interested after you've been there a year, Im not sure what my answer would be if they asked lol. TCD does not typically go home with a load on them, mainly because of the reefer unit. I know they prefer a driver to be present to keep an eye on it when it's running, and if its a frozen load, the fuel likely wouldn't last 2 or 3 days, especially in the summer. I've never gone home with a load on me. And you're right, you cannot drop the trailer except at a Maverick terminal, they're quite picky about that due to trailer theft. I have never been called and asked to cut my home time short, at least not by enough to make a difference. There's been a couple times that I didn't expect to be moving until like 9am Monday morning, but they ended up getting me a load that picked up at 1am instead, so I had to leave a bit early, but I still got my full 3 days off. I was asked to volunteer once to postpone my home time to help with a Canada load, since I was the only available driver that had a passcard. I said yes because the round trip takes 6 days and is 3200 miles, not counting the extra 600 to get me home afterwards. I suppose, in theory, if they needed you back out before your home time was up the could technically make you do it, but I haven't run into anyone that they have done that too. Home time is taken very seriously at Maverick, they don't screw around with it. Sometimes they'll have a preplan on you before you go home so you know exactly when you have to head out again. If they don't, they'll call you the day before you leave and give you the load details so you know. Also, don't be one of those idiots that refuses to answer Mavericks calls while on home time - if they're calling you while you're off, it's important. It could be something simple, like your next assignment, or it could be "Hey, are you driving, because your truck is moving..." And if you're not, there's obviously a problem. Hope that helps!
Captain 3x what I have seen on your posts. I think you would be a excellent instructor for the TCD. I do believe you would be very helpfull in helping new drivers inbarking on their new careers. Keep up the excellent work and in one year I hope to see you starting your second career as a instructor. I will use the term instructor not trainer. As Sarge would say trainers are for training animals. You train your dog you train your cat etc. but I instruct my fellow man.
