Maverick Training and my first flatbed/Glass Struggle

There isn’t much topic in the Maverick side or at least a 2015 version So since i'm here in Little Rock, i might as well chip in just for curious readers. I’m coming in as an experience driver so i’m not sure what the new students are doing. Also i’m going to be going in the glass division side.

A little about me, I left Schneider National to join the flatbed side of trucking. I have nothing bad to say about the big orange. I like it, great company and miss my managers and dispatchers already. But I personally like doing physical work. My first 2 trucking jobs were hauling pop and food, stacking dollies after dollies and 2 wheeling into 3 flight of stairs to a cooler. Back breaking job and respect the local food and pop/beer haulers for doing it. Great money but local work isn’t for everybody


Day 0

After 12 brutal hours riding a greyhound bus, I finally arrived to Little Rock, Arkansas on a Saturday morning. I couldn’t get up faster to leave. My seatmate was ok, but this crazy girl in front kept dancing for 12 hours like she was on speed. Well atleast she had a fun time riding the bus.

Stepping off the bus i already spotted a white van park outside. Took a wild guess and started dragging my bags over. After a nice meet and greet, the driver and me waited till the rest showed up. Eventually they showed up and off we went to the hotel. Inside Maverick property, they have their own hotel for new recruit. Place was extremely clean, in the lobby there’s tv, microwave, vending machines and comfy chairs. There’s a washing machine somewhere i haven’t gone looking for it yet. Rooms for two, big bathroom but no tv.

Class doesn’t start till Sunday morning at 0700. I was given a packet that contain health benefits, homework which isn’t due till monday, and what to expect on the first day. Since i came in the AM i got a head start with the homework. Basically map reading and logs related. Apparently flatbed drivers have to do load check the first 50 miles then every 150 miles, and i wonder why they are complaining with all these extra breaks!? Well i guess i’ll find out in a few weeks. Sitting in the lobby watching college football, enjoying the day until work begins tomorrow.

Day 1

The usually stuff i expected to do, paperwork, watch videos about OnGuard again, watch video how to turn your headlights, do quiz and test, fill out w2, just the usually boring stuff. So not gna bored you on how i fill my w2 and what color pen i use, but i will say they don’t like hat in the classroom. Of course no phones, no headphones either apparently some students just walked in with beats headphones like it was a hipster convention.

We also jump on the simulation machine today. But it wasn’t for simulating a steer blowout or hitting black ice, we had to keep our miles per gallon up. The minimum is 6.7 mpg. Fully loaded flatbed and a 5 miles run. If you fail, you have to redo it until your mpg is greater than 6.7. Average speed needs to be 60-65 mph, and we’re coming off a dead start so watch your foot when starting off.

Other than that it was the same old thing. Watch more videos about texting and driving, drinking...those stuff…. also a weird video on sleep apnea and how it made this guy life and family life better. Also just found out everybody have to be screen for sleep apnea. Not sure if that’s a good or bad thing. I don’t think I have sleep apnea.... but i guess i would find out tomorrow. The instructor told the class “if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea and planning on leaving right then and there, tell me now so we don’t have to waste our time.” Nobody rose their hand. Tomorrow we do the screening, get our med cards done, and do physical lifting, exercise stuff. After that, not really sure i think a road test which i can’t wait to finally get back in a truck, even though it will be for a few minutes. Gotta have passiation to be a truck driver. Met some people during break, there’s a lot of students and a very few experience here. About 30 students and lets say 5 experience. Most of them remind me of me lol, when i first started. Happy, cheerful, thinking this would be easy and not stressful lol. I didn’t say anything, just mind my own business.

Day 2

The medical took all day to do. Can’t count how many different types of movement, bending, sitting things I did but it took all day. Piss test, hair test, sleep apnea screening, blood pressure, etc etc. They check how flexible you are, measure your spine, check your spine, check your joints, step test, lifting properly and going to the barn to jump on the trailer and boxes. More testing than any other companies i been too. Hell i was afraid they might find something i don’t even know. It was a long day but it was a blur. Go to this station, go here, touch your toes, go here, sign here, drop it and cough, the whole thing.

Day 3

Back to the boring stuff. But today we sit and have safety and other top important people giving speeches. I came in thinking another basic safety speech but it was interesting. Learn a lot and Maverick seem to got things in order. Near the end, they show everybody the average their division is doing. From TCD (reefers) to flatbed to glass. How many miles they are averaging to how many times they are home. At the end of the day, a few students left after receiving this information. They didn’t like the hometime. TCD average .9 times a month home time. It’s based off a 34 hours. For an example 34 hours during home = 1. Glass is about 1.9 and the rest average 1.5-2.4 home times. Of course i knew this going in. But apparently some students don’t understand that. Remember guys this is trucking. You could be doing a regional monday thru friday job, hit heavy traffic or weather on friday, and have to get home saturday morning or evening, and come back monday for work. You will not see your family everyday. Don’t expect to see them for months, don’t expect to get home when you feel like it. 90% of students will quit before their year because of lifestyle. You gotta have passivation, you gotta love trucking to do it.

Day 4

More and more videos and paperwork. Atleast log practice and map reading is done, i hate doing those. We also did a driving test which is no big deal. Basically drive out the yard, get on i40 east, exit the first exit and turn around. For students, i heard you guys have to go thru whining roads and curves to see if you’re paying attention to the curve speed. Flatbed handles differently than a van so you can’t just go flying in a curve. We also did our benefits today. It wasn’t that bad, but for 401k, Maverick doesn’t chip in. I haven’t even started on my 401k….keep thinking im too young but as im getting older it starts to get a hold on me. Compare to Schneider plans, i think Schneider wins, a little bit cheaper, and also contribute to the 401k.

Tomorrow we get our job offers, or a ticket to greyhound. It’s also the last day of orientation. I hope i made the list -_- Don’t think I got anything to worry about, they supply me with hardhat, gloves, vest and all those stuff today sooooooo that’s a good thing?

After that it’s securement training!! Finally, couldn’t get here sooner. I’m actually excited, never had any training but it’s a different world and im excited to see how it’s done here. They gave us a little bit of homework about it. Took some pictures from the book to save later on like how to secure coils, how much WLL a chain, 4 inch strap or 2 is...stuff like that. Kinda read ahead to see what else i can learn. I believed securement training is 7 days and glass training is 4….according to a few trainers I talk too. Also i’m hearing since i live in Chicago, they might fly me back to Gary to pick up my truck there instead of getting one here
-_- if i knew that i would had drove that 8 hours instead of taking a #### greyhound.

Day 5

Today is the day I get my job offer! Meet new people from the hq building, my recruiter, higher part of management, important people i should say. I don’t remember much, but i do know we went right into securement training. First thing we learn, coils. shotgun, suicide, skidded, pallet coils everything about steel coils. Part classroom, part hands on. On the first day of securement, i seem to understand the whole securement process. It is basically common sense but broken down in math and length.

Securement week

Securement last 7 days, with the last day tarping. So to break down how securement went, pretty fast. I got the basic down, i would probably have to refer to my notes and google to remember how to set up coils rack and timbers. But for securing with straps or chain, i pretty much got that down. Tarping….well….. it was only 1 day and a half, but got the basic, pinch the ends, and make it tight and neat.

Glass Training

As securement comes to an end, a lot of the people i met along the way is now leaving to go with their trainer or getting their truck. Kinda feel left out and wonder if i should had just started out on flatbed. Compare to my class and the new students class...there was only 5-7 people in glass training. Hmm why so little? Money is better than flatbed, there’s less hometime but knew that…and there’s Canada runs. Maybe Canada scare people off? I actually never gone to Canada with a cmv. i talked to a few new guys, and they mostly said they are not really to haul glass and scare to jump to glass without flatbed experience.

Glass training…..was...pretty easy… there’s a lot more work. All loads is tarp and I would need a crane or forklift guy to help me tarp the load. Lots of climbing up and down, having to pad the glass to prevent it from ripping the tarp. I learn alot from training but it went by so fast.

Day X

Now, for students, they leave with their trainer after securement training for atleast 21 days. I had an option to go with a trainer. I refused, so did the rest of my class with experience. I know how to drive, and going with a trainer will be mostly driving with probably 3 or 4 loads a week. It might of help, but i know i can’t learn everything in a week or 3 weeks. With the help of this site, youtube, google, my notes and other fellow flatbedders, i know i can do it. It’s going to be a slow start for me, i know tarping is going to kill my time. It’s an artwork, so ill eventually get it.

Today is the day i’m release from training and turn over to my fleet manager. ^_^!!!! After talking to my wonderful manager, i’m picking up a truck at a different yard, and might go home but she wasn’t sure yet. I’m willing to grab a load but i kinda want to grab the rest of my gears and tool bags.

Overall, Maverick’s training was great, they have a great program and treat everybody with respect. They will offer extra training if you need it. Their HQ is stunning, but it might be for show lol. They stage trucks near the entrance and made it flawless. I can’t wait to start my new career in flatbed. A new world for me, right now I can’t image going back to van. I came here to better myself and start doing more physical work. Shouldn't be that hard, right? Guess it's time to see what's all the yapping about here.

 

Oh I'm sorry, looks like I forgot to add the sarcasm tag, my bad

 

They still would hire u, but you would need to pay for the machine. I guess people think if they got sleep apnea they might lose their cdl.