Milky Way

[glasman2]

Anyone here ever work for them?
If so, please tell me anything you can, good, bad, ect.

[Twilight Flyer]

I hate Milky Ways. Snickers are much better. 8)

[Orangetxguy]

They used to be union. Don't know if that is still true. Milk haulers.

[Colin]

They run weekends, I know that much. If I'm looking at local, I want it to be as 'regular' as possible.

[Jumbo]

I thought this was a joke till I got to our terminal in Springfield,MO and on the other side of the fence in the tank repair place there was a milk tanker with "Milky Way" right there on the side.

[Orangetxguy]

I thought this was a joke till I got to our terminal in Springfield,MO and on the other side of the fence in the tank repair place there was a milk tanker with "Milky Way" right there on the side.

Jumbo...the Milky Way transport you saw, is a different company than the one Glassman inquired about...even though both carry the same product...Milk.

Glasman asked about Lynden Transport's "Milky-Way". Those drivers...when I lived up in the Seattle area, were in the Teamsters Union, and hauled milk for "Quality Check" milkers association, "DairyGold" milkers association, "Smith Brothers" dairy and "Wilcox Farms"...the largest private dairies in the Northwest.


The company you saw, Jumbo; http://www.milky-waytransport.com/

And the one Glasman asked about; http://www.ltii.lynden.com/ltii/milky_way.html

[CB JR.]

Around here they had an ad in the paper over a year ago advertising for 17-19/hr. They were union then, probably still are now. Nice trucks and you'll be pulling those double tankers onto dairy farms. It can be a messy gig walking all over watery cow crap slurry on the ground every time you get out of the truck.

[Colin]

Around here they had an ad in the paper over a year ago advertising for 17-19/hr. They were union then, probably still are now. Nice trucks and you'll be pulling those double tankers onto dairy farms. It can be a messy gig walking all over watery cow crap slurry on the ground every time you get out of the truck.

I've stepped in worse for less money.
It's a 40 minute commute for me unless they have a yard close by, which I don't believe they do.

[Fredog]

Around here they had an ad in the paper over a year ago advertising for 17-19/hr. They were union then, probably still are now. Nice trucks and you'll be pulling those double tankers onto dairy farms. It can be a messy gig walking all over watery cow crap slurry on the ground every time you get out of the truck.

I've stepped in worse for less money.
It's a 40 minute commute for me unless they have a yard close by, which I don't believe they do.

.

The milky way trucks here in Georgia haul animal fat

[glasman2]

Well guess I'll find out for myself how this co is.
They say you need 2 yrs otr to apply, I have 14 months and got hired .

Talked to a few drivers and all have been happy with them so far.
I turn in my truck to Interstate tomorrow, got pp to Kent , then to Tacoma.

[Colin]

Keep us apprised.

Maybe the weekend shift won't be so bad.

[CB JR.]

Should be a pretty gravy job. I think you'll like it alot more than Interstate. I forgot to mention alot of the guys driving for them have been there quite a few years. You'll be running newer equipment, getting paid to sit in line at the milk plants and home daily. The smell at dairy farms is hard to overcome if you're not use to it, but just dont wear any fancy clothes to work and you should be alright. It's kind of interesting watching all the work they put into those cows just to get a little milk out of them. Keep us posted.

After a few years you could possibly transfer into running some of their sulfer tankers or those transfer dump set ups hauling filter sand.

[glasman2]

pros. Great company, great benies, tons of over time, great money. Home every day, great people.

Cons. Can only think of 1. long drive to and from work. Think the pros out weigh the con. They do have a Pasco yard, hopefully in a year or so a spot opens up there ( only 9 miles from home )

I know I made the right move, and at the right time. They are going to hire 20 or so more drivers at this yard. that will put me up above 20 people to bid on runs/transfers.

[Colin]

pros. Great company, great benies, tons of over time, great money. Home every day, great people.

Cons. Can only think of 1. long drive to and from work. Think the pros out weigh the con. They do have a Pasco yard, hopefully in a year or so a spot opens up there ( only 9 miles from home )

I know I made the right move, and at the right time. They are going to hire 20 or so more drivers at this yard. that will put me up above 20 people to bid on runs/transfers.

What is your shift and are you required to overtime? Basically, are there short shifts?
What run were you given to start on?
Orientation/training schedule?
How are the loading and unloading locations?

[CharlesRosenow]

My cousin works for LTI/Milky Way, I'll get some information from him when I talk to him in the next couple days. He enjoys it. And probably gets 20+hrs of OT a week. I may already have a job with them once I get the money to relocate.

[glasman2]

pros. Great company, great benies, tons of over time, great money. Home every day, great people.

Cons. Can only think of 1. long drive to and from work. Think the pros out weigh the con. They do have a Pasco yard, hopefully in a year or so a spot opens up there ( only 9 miles from home )

I know I made the right move, and at the right time. They are going to hire 20 or so more drivers at this yard. that will put me up above 20 people to bid on runs/transfers.

What is your shift and are you required to overtime? Basically, are there short shifts?
What run were you given to start on?
Orientation/training schedule?
How are the loading and unloading locations?

being the new guy on the block my shift is all over the place, where ever they need me. it's 5 on 3 off. you dont have to work on your day off, but I'm not going to say no. so it would be 5 on , 34 hr rs , 1 on , 34 hr rs, 5 on ect.

They will send you with someone for a couple of days to places to learn a few drops. Orientation is paid by your hourly wage.
"most" loads are loaded and sitting in the yard, hook and run with it, wine loads and juice , you go empty , "they load you" you deliver and "they unload you".

Right now the only thing i worry about is sleep time... meaning Ive been up all day waiting for a call to find out my next load, Get a call at 6 pm to find out I need to be at work by 1 am. Takes 50min to drive to yard.
Now I need to be asleep "RIGHT NOW" so I can get up at 11 pm get ready and drive. and thats not going to happen. I'm not a machine cant just turn off and sleep. I got 4 hours sleep that night.
Hope this changes this month and I have a set time or know what times I need to be at work in advance. cause this isn't going to work if I'm penciled in every day. I just won't be able to get the proper rest needed, and thats unsafe.

If for some reason I'm still penciled in and continue to fight to get proper rest, I'll have to put my foot down "and maybe get fired, or not make probation" or just find another local job with more set hours.

I like the people, like the job, it's a good company. They don't have enough drivers right now to fill all the loads and upcoming loads.
I'm sure it will get better ( rest wise ) but if not.....

[Colin]

That's a bummer. I could never work a job like that. I was thoroughly annoyed when it happened working OTR, but those kinds of things are expected, not so much local. Or so I thought.

[glasman2]

well I'm hoping it was because they had to work me in the month of June.
I should be on a schedule this month, and hopefully not have this happen any more. Today is my 2nd day off and was asked to work. Easy run drop and swap and was given good notice time for a change. Taking a few cat naps will be well rested.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

milky way...isn't she a chubby lot lizard working the t/a west in ontario,ca...

[glasman2]

Things are getting better kinda thought it would.
They hired enough drivers after me that now they call me while in route, and give me a pick of jobs and time slots.
The run I'm doing is at night , less traffic, good hills, gives me more time to learn how to float ( getting pretty darn good at it, really not hard at all )
The loads are heavy ( 100,000 lbs + ) and most are not full. Thus giving me a lot of surge and learning how to deal with it before winter.


Takes me 9 to 11 hrs to do, not a bad days work. So after a 4 day run this week anything I do after that is all over time ( today will be 40 )

other day i waited 1 3/4 hrs for my load to show up, other drivers showed me how to log on while I wait so next time I'll get paid while I wait. Learning as I go. Love being home every day