My Experience with Lone Star Transportation

I dont want to, but compared to all the other flatbed companies that will train you to flatbed they are allot better, and at. 42cpm i'll live with it. Its not like january first theyre going in every truck lol





American Trucker

 

first let me update about yesterday:

Got to Charlotte International Airport at 12:30pm, flight left at 2:30pm. Landed in Charleston, SC at 3:20pm. Next flight was SUPOSED to leave at 6pm, the plane shows up around 6:40pm Then after we load up we sit at the gate 15 minutes until they say "uhhh....a breaker in the gally keeps tripping so we have to have it checked...." 30 minutes later we're good to go (or so we thought) they pushed us back like we were going to take off and NOPE! they kept pushing us all the way to the fence were the pilot sets the brakes and spools up the engines and we sit there like 15 minutes before he says "uh..........we're to heavy to take off because we put too much fuel in so we have to sit here and idle some fuel off" WTF!


I was suposed to land at 8:36 TX Time and didnt land till 10pm! By the time i made it too the hotel, ate, and got to sleep it was midnight and i had to be up at 6! lol

Today:

Got up, got to the terminal on time (barely thanks to my "ride"). There is 6 of us in the class, 1 is a rehire, and 4 are exp FB's with Heavy Haul Exp, and then me

Started out with a BUNCH of paper work and stuff, then a drug test. Then the Dreaded Work Well exam..... 98% of it is the same as the one at W/S, with less stupid stuff. There was a torque wrench hooked to a rachet strap and a rachet binder, both of which i did just fine. Then the hard part and the only part i was worried about. They had a 97lb tarp rolled up and bungied to stay rolled up, and you have to lift it up and put it on a shelf which for me is at eye level! Took 3 tries and everything i had but i got that beach up there. If you cant do it you go home. For those that dont know I weigh 120lbs....tarp weighs 97lbs

Then after that they took us out to lunch (they pay for ALL MEALS while here) Breakfest is free at the hotel, They take us too lunch and pay for it, no cheapo fast food either real food, had some great BBQ for Lunch. And they set us up with free dinner at a real resteraunt every night. I was given the keys to the "company car" Minivan . So we all went out to dinner, roughly $18 a piece GREAT food! Chicken Fried Ribeye, mashed potatos and green beens! Waitress came over and told us about it so we were all like sure lets do that .

Then we came back and did our study group thing to figure out the home work.

Tomorrow: we have to do our DOT physicals and more movies and paper work.


Orientation is going to be all week, thurday 3 of us have to go to OK City to get our TWIC cards, then friday we have to go to houston for something....Then i guess i have the weekend off, and have FB Training All next week in Houston, TX.


So far they seem like a great company, very stirct on Logging Legal and Safety. They said DO NOT cross a state scale till you CAT scale it PERIOD even if you have to drive 30 miles the wrong way. They also said if a strap is ripped (even if still legal) replace it imediatly, which they pay for. They have 24/7/365 dispatch. ALSO my Fav part They have a Safety Lane like swift has, EVERYTHING that pulls into the terminal has to go through the shop and get a full inspection before you can park/leave/whatever. Also instead of doing just the DOT anual inspection they do them every 6 months . The guy that runs orientation said this is a company where you can make money while still logging 100% legal. ( I like that)

They explained the pay scale (it starts at .40cpm and goes to .50cpm). And its not based on Time, it goes by your "grade" which determins how Tall/Wide/Long/Heavy of loads you can pull, the bigger stuff your "rated" for the more you make, so if you are the highest level (5) and your pulling a legal load you still make .50 cpm. They pay for Loaded and MT miles all the same, pay Practical miles, AND you can fuel ANYWHERE you want Comdata. Paid Twice a month 10th and 25th of every month.


We also got, Hardhats, Work Gloves, Duffle Bags, Tape Measures, Rulers, Pens, Hats, Safety Glasses all with the company name/logo on it. They have literally anything and everything with the name/logo on it, very nice jackets too.

The guy that picked me up that went threw orientation last week got a nice 379. You otta see the trucks! OMG! Their newest ones are 386 petes all new trucks will have Tri-pacs. So many nice 389s




Anyway, more tomorrow. So far so good!






American Trucker

 

Oh I ALMOST forgot, i woke up this morning....and EVERYTHING was covered in SNOW! and it was still coming down hard! Keep in mind im in Gainsville, TX.....




American Trucker

 

Snow on the Lone Star 389 parked in front of my room this morning here in Gainsville, TX










American Trucker

 

65mph



American Trucker