Walmart here I come!

Watch out for replies from Matt and Tom just for starters, they just haven't seen your question yet.

 

Hey guys. I have been getting the new posts. Just haven't been able to reply to some as I was busy working.

Woodenleg, I can tell you from experience you will get the best prices on rooms in Sealy through priceline.com. Their Express Deals are 18% cheaper then if you book directly with the hotel. A little secret that can help get an even better price is that the Holiday Inn Express in Sealy is the only 2.5 star hotel in town, so if you were to choose the "Name your own price" option and search only in Sealy and only select a 2.5 star hotel, the Holiday Inn Express is the hotel you will get. Doing this can often get you 40% off the going rate. I have done this numerous times! The other 2 hotels in town, Super 8 and Countryside Inn are below average to me. I would rather sleep in my truck then stay at either of them! The Holiday Inn Express is a good hotel. When you come to orientation, this is where any driver who lives more than 50 miles from Sealy will stay at Walmart's expense.

Jim, I have been on a 5/2 5/3 program for the past month. I love it too! Me and the other 2 drivers stay in contact with each other about any issues that may arise with the 2 trucks. For anyone wanting to see some weekend days who is locked into days off during the week due to being low on the seniority list, a program like the 5/2 5/3 is a real good option. A few things I like about this program is you have the same truck for each 5 days you are out, you will not be subject to mandatory work week extensions during peak times of the year, can run your 14 hours each day and not run out of hours, the extra day off every other week keeps you more rested, you will get one and/or both weekend days off 7 out of every 14 weeks with 3 of those weeks being both weekend days off, you get to meet more of your co-workers as you see different people on your start and go home dates since those dates change every week. I actually like being on this program more than having the same truck and start dates each week. Until I am higher up the seniority list where getting every weekend off is an option, I will likely stick to the 5/2 5/3 program. I know you have to take your stuff out of the truck each week on this program, but I would do that even with a permanently assigned truck as some items I have are high dollar electronic devices I would not leave in the truck.

Getting on the program can vary from DC to DC depending on the number of openings. Some places you can get on one quickly, where other places take months or even years. Sometimes being in the right place at the right time helps too! You can still make great money even on the extra board when you start, though the slip seating that may occur 1 or more times a week can be a pain. Just travel light and switching trucks will be quicker.

 

I had that issue a couple times before when it seemed like I disappeared and just thought the thread died. I'm getting them now but though I like the LOOK of the updated forum, I don't like the changes. Guess that's life.

 

I was on the 5/2 5/3 program for almost a year. To be honest I didn't really care for it. Getting the weekends off every once in awhile was nice, but the bad outweighed the good for me. My ADP went down more than I thought it would. Still slip seating, although not as bad as extra board. Hardly ever got any long runs anymore causing my mileage to suffer. Activity pay made up for the miles, but I can only take so much of the short rat race metro runs and the winding two lane runs. If you want to extend, you need to slip into another truck because the other driver is coming in and needs the truck. If the truck needed repairs or a service, it was a really short turn around for the shop and sometimes you were waiting on your go out day for them to finish the truck. Got into my own truck a little over a month ago and this works much better for me. I have everything I need in here and only have to bring a few bags with me each week. Everything else stays in the truck. It is set up the way I want it and is comfortable. I can extend any time I want to and not worry about having to jump trucks. Different programs work for different people, and this works best for me.

 

Your ADP went down compared to what program? A standard 5/2?

 

Extra board. I knew it would go down because you are working 2 less days per month. I just didn't think it would go down as much as it did. Went down almost $50.

 

jfred74 (and others others on the 5/2 5/3 program), were you aware of a glitch within Quintiq that still effects the 5/2 5/3 program even today? It results in Quintiq changing a driver's due home date almost every day, thus keeping the driver closer to their home DC, resulting in loads that are much shorter, because the 5/2 5/3 schedule is confusing Quintiq. I check with my coordinator several times a week to be sure my due home date is correct if I receive a trip going back towards my home DC. This is a software problem with Quintiq, not Walmart. It does not currently effect other programs such as the 6/3, but has in the past. Until this is resolved within Quintiq, I will just keep on top of my due home date being correct. The past few weeks I have been away from my home DC most of the week and ran higher miles. I just thought I would share this current issue with Quintiq and its current effect on the 5/2 5/3 program. It will be fixed by Quintiq......eventually. In the mean, I just work around it and it has been fine.

 

I'm on a 5/2 5/3 and I routinely get 2500 miles a week. My high was 3100. My typical week has me leaving my home DC and not returning until my go home day. Like NYVET said, it's a balance of income vs time off. I don't think I could commit to the 6/3 full time. I run almost all my hours out during the week and if I want, I have the option to extend or not. Thanks Tom for the heads up on Quintiq. Something to keep my eye on. Of course the best option is a full time ride, but that comes with its pitfalls too. We have some full time guys with a Wednesday out. those guys NEVER get a weekend off unless they take time off. No thanks. I guess it's all about personal choice. Be safe guys. Breaks over.