Starting at Millis 11/16/09

received my e-mail tonite telling me WELCOME to MILLIS. Suppose to call about the next date that is open.

 

anyone else just recently received any info about next dates???

 

MTI dates will be plentiful in 2010. After I spoke with Mike Millis they are starting schools up monthly.
He didn't mention any 2009 dates. I believe the next WI class in Jan 2010...

Ok here is the deal:

$2500 for MTI school. (your out of pocket cost)
($100 down...$400 on day 1 and they will finance the $2000)

..each week they deduct out of your pay, for the 1st year until the $2000 is paid off.

Now, school "technically" costs $5000 - but Millis 'forgives' the 2nd half
as long as you stay the full 2nd year.

If you leave after 1yr = you will still owe $2500 of the $5000
If you leave after 2yr = you owe $0

See?

..that's a bit messed up and you won't find that on the NET. Need to look at the 'promisary' note they make you sign. It didn't used to be that way but I guess people were leaving (driver turnover...Really?!) and Millis figured out yet another way to 'retain' a driver.

All of these OTR company schools SUCK. I don't like the idea of not being able to walk away, much less walk away in debt up to my eyeballs.




Mceheel:

..I am undecided on Millis. They hired me 10/5 pending a class in WI (2010 start dates). I'm not sure about the realistic home time and I really dont want to be 'stuck' with a company for 2yrs..thats not to say I might not WANT to stay but I don't relish the idea of being FORCED to stay...and
likely seeing home 1x every 3 weeks...thats less than 2 times a month to see the wife and dog. (mainly the dog of course)



..at this point, I am looking at a private Illinois state certified school for 4 weeks of training - then picking a company for orientation (like Roehl).

Roehl is fussy on who they hire but they have some awesome hometime fleets with many options for balancing home time and OTR time.

I already have my CDL and all my endorsements, but haven't driven since 1993..so in all practical purposes I need to 'start' over. The only difference is I won't need a DOT road test at the end..

-H

 

Brother in law's friend worked at Millis for years and lived near Appleton Wi. He didn't have any trouble getting home whenever he wanted. He left because he had a problem getting a safety bonus they promised. I guess they used a different method to calculate miles than he did and he got #### and left.

roehl, I've heard is a good company if you live near a terminal. I was told I couldn't bring the truck home and the nearest yard was 4 hours away.

 

Roehl did get back to me. The drop yard is 2miles away from my home. The home team is 7-4/3 out of Milwaukee and only flatbed right now. TWIC is also a requirement. I got that already but it can be an expense for those that don't have it.

My friend who drives for Roehl on the 7-4/3 team has to drive 80miles each way to get his truck as his home is not close by to a yard.
Roehl only does per diem now for new hires. No more CPM - it's grandfathered but not for newbees.

2 people are starting Millis this week or next and it will be interesting to track their experience from MTI to OTR training to hometime to pay amounts...

I still don't like that 2yr committment with Millis...

-H
...

 

I don't like the two yr. commitment either and I also don't like the idea of owing my employer. I've been lurking here for a couple of years and I have researched many companies. I went to work for the railroad but was laid off in January. So now I'm back here looking again.

You will be hard pressed to find a company that will start you out at the same cpm Millis does and has good home time to boot. I have boiled it down to two companies. One is Millis the other is Watkins Shepherd, unfortunately they both cost around $5000.00 which is kind of steep for someone who already has a CDL.

I was notified yesterday that W/S has a hiring freeze in my area. I am still waiting to hear from Millis.

 

How long ago did you apply ?
Thanks

 

I agree, but to make a bit less...be less in debt means something to me.
$5k is a lot of money. Even the private state-certified school is only $4k and lasts 4 full weeks instead of 3 with MTI.
Honestly, you really need more than 4 weeks of training....the vocational schools here are 1/2 the cost but 10weeks
in length and thats too hard to take that time off when I am already working...

Home time with Millis? - I know they want you to RUN...but until I talk to a few drivers I'm not sure. I do know they DO NOT PROMISE any home time while out with a trainer (5-8 weeks!) - although most people do get home, it is not carved in stone at all. No promises. Knowing my luck, I would not see home for the majority of time out.

Roehl does get you home during the EVO 1/2/3 stages of OTR training at least. Every 8-11 days. I can live with that for sure.

Like you, I am down to about 3 companies. W/S one one of them but I didnt investigate them enough to see if they even hire out of WI.



-H

 

The way I understand it, at Millis is that while in training you will only get home time if your trainer takes some time off. Now if he doesn't by chance live near you it could be a real problem. I don't think you get the training pay unless the truck is moving. So in other words you would be sitting where ever your trainer parked the truck and you wouldn't be getting paid to sit there. Which would really suck big time.

Maybe someone could verify this but I am pretty sure I read it somewhere before.

 

Training pay is weekly though. Not per mile. It goes up every few weeks while your out training.

But what you said is EXACTLY what Mike Millis told me. Unless the trainer lives near you, you don't see home. He told me they 'try' to always match a driver up with a trainer from their home area...but my luck, my trainer would live in TN and I would sit in a truck stop while he has a nice dinner w/family.



..even with this in mind I still think Millis is a great company. Perhaps for a guy/gal that has no wife/husband/kids/dog/life/etc....

-H