manitouman

I completely agree with Sewerman!

 

Thank you very much!

i actually like that term instructor better... Gotta get out of the habit of saying trainer lol, it's all I heard for 4 months before I joined Maverick, kinda sticks in your brain after awhile.

If Maverick does offer instructor positions after one year, my 1 year anniversary would be April 20, unless they wait until 1 year after you go solo, which would be June 20. Either way, Im not sure what my answer would be yet, living in the truck with someone else can be very stressful and hectic.

i know if I ever want to come off the road, I would really consider a training position at the NLR terminal. I enjoy teaching a lot, and giving my knowledge to others.

 

Either way, you would be great! You and CaptainX3, however there are some that we be great too! There are so many great and helpful drivers at Maverick!!!

 

Weekend pay does not apply to TCD drivers. For regular flatbed drivers who deliver on time on Monday they offer the 800 mile guarantee. This is because one of the major benefits touted by Maverick is that they will get you through the house most weekends. For TCD they don't have any particular home time guidelines other than you must stay out for a minimum of two weeks.

The employment verification isn't about talking with past employers to get a review of your performance it's about accounting for what you were doing for the past ten years. They need to make sure you weren't in jail or something like that. If you were unemployed just get someone who knows you were unemployed to write up a letter with the dates you were out of work and get it notarized.

TCD guys have to do the same physical as everyone else. It's really not hard at all. As far as sending you home to wait for a trainer it just depends on how long they think it's going to be. I am not 100% on this but I heard tell of some TCD trainees going out with flatbed trainers so that may be an option.

Honestly, if you can get on with Maverick that is the way to go. If you have been researching other companies you already know this though.

 

Yes, TCD recruits are going out with Flatbed Drving Instructors now due to the shortage of TCD Instructors. The TCD Recruits are not asked to participate in any of the loading/tarping/unloading of the flatbed freight though. Keep in mind that the spread-axle flatbed trailers do not turn nearly as well as your tandem axle tailers tho! As Sarge says, "Freightboxes turn on a dime, we (flatbeds) need a $1.25." A good friend and Maverick Flatbed Trainer has a TCD Recruit in his truck right now as a matter of fact. Be careful tho! You might just end up really liking that skateboard behind you, and you may decide that you want to pull one instead of those big loud things LOL.

 

The above responses are mostly correct, with one correction: TCD drivers do get guaranteed weekend pay, I've gotten it many times. That pay applies to all Maverick trucks regardless of division. If you're available to run freight on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on any given weekend, you are guaranteed at least 800 paid miles for that weekend as long as your delivery occurs on or before 10:00am CST Monday morning. And, although it doesn't happen very often, Maverick drivers are guaranteed a minimum paycheck of at least $400 as long as you're available to run freight all week, there was no home time, and there were no holidays. I've gotten some of the minimum pay twice since I've been here.

As for waiting for a TCD trainer, it does depend on what they want to do. I was originally hired in for glass but switched to TCD. Because I did this, I had to wait about 3 weeks before getting assigned to a trainer, because I wasn't scheduled ahead of time like most students are.

In my case, I stayed at the Galloway hotel up the street from the terminal for those 3 weeks. I attended some basic trip planning classes, and got to do a few special projects for the company while I was waiting. I probably could've asked for home time, but I was having a good time learning and meeting people and stuff. I even got to go with another waiting TCD student on a special run, driving the shuttle vans to Nashville to pick up 15 new drivers and bring them back to NLR for orientation. During this entire time I was paid the same $550 per week as you get for all training.

They did insist on sending me home for 4 days before I met up with my trainer, since I had been away for 6 weeks, even though it wasn't necessary, they insisted so I didn't get burned out.

And if you do go with a flatbed trainer because TCD isn't available, I will say this... If you can figure out how to back up that #### flatbed into a parking spot from an angle, you'll do just fine wi the van trailer. I honestly don't know how the flatbed guys do that, I'd go crazy.

With the severe shortage of TCD trainers, i just might consider becoming one myself if and when they ask me. Haven't decided yet, its a big change to be sure.

As before, keep the questions coming!

 

Ha! Driving while posting on here would not be a good idea, not that I even could! I am at home right watching basketball and pawn stars with laptop sitting in front of me.... just relaxin'.... And no, that wasn't me you saw. But what you said about him doesn't surprise me.

 

Driving while posting on here?? Good God, that would be a horrible idea lol... Not to mention I'm not even sure that would be possible to do for more than 30 seconds before you ended up in a ditch, median, or someone else's backseat.

I type almost all my posts from my iPad, and 90% of the time I'm at a customer waiting to be loaded or unloaded, or I'm stopped on my break. Right now I'm in Anna, IL at a rest stop, watching it start to rain and the temp drop due to the oncoming winter storm.

Dont worry, I would never post something or text while driving. It's stupid, dangerous, and irresponsible. A few months back I saw a driver with a TV mounted on his dashboard probably a 19" or so... WTF?!?!? How the hell does he get by a weigh station or DOT inspection with something like that???