Headed to Marten

[midnightlighting]

I will be starting with them on july 29th. I can say that i'm very glad they called me, yes they are a coolie carrier but i have not heard anything near as bad as some others coolie carries.

[TK THE TRUCKER]

Welcome aboard, hopefully ! You actually don't get hired until the last day of orientation :wink: With the right attitude and a decent fleet manager you will do fine over here. The fleet manager part is luck of the draw though, most of them are alright. Did they make you aware that if you hire on but leave within 6 months you are responsible for the cost of getting to orientation and lodging ? Sometimes that gets brushed over. Where will you be attending orientation ? Let me know if you need anything. 8) 8)

[midnightlighting]

Yes my she told me about that. And i will be attending orientation in Wilsonville, OR. What are your average miles per week and are you paid on time without hassle? I'm in the northwest so i hope they have good freight up here so hometime is not a issue. Are you allowed to take home your truck or do you have to park it at the local truckstop?

Thanks
Byron

[TK THE TRUCKER]

I usually always average 2800-3200 miles a week. Sometimes more but it just depends on how the trips work out. I've never had an issue with payroll, but I also fill out my paperwork perfectly. Unless you live within about 70 miles of the terminal you can take the truck home. Be sure to let them know if you don't have any room for the trailer so they can figure out where to get rid of it. 8) 8)

[midnightlighting]

Thanks tk, i see you are hauling haz-mat for marten, are there more miles hauling haz-mat than pulling reefer and dry van just aksing cause i dont have my haz-mat.

[WildK9]

midnight...don't worry about the haz-mat. I have been at Marten for almost 2 years now and I still don't have it. :wink:

[midnightlighting]

Thanks wildk9, i do have another question lol, are the 387's 10 speeds or is it something like a 9 speed with a 10 over. I heard something about them being weird but i could be wrong also. Its good to see that you have been there for 2 years and are liking it. I have yet to hear anything really bad about them, looks like i may be headed to a good company after all.

[zipy46]

1-7 are manual .... 8th - 9th are auto shift

sometimes 7-8 and 9 completely vanish if you do it wrong

its odd ...but one gets used to it.



8)

Freight runs West .....good miles...nice view

[zipy46]

How up tight are they about 'routing' is what i like to know,

trying to get as close to HHG as i can and still be efficient but some days

it just don't pan out

....Any one :?: :arrow:

[midnightlighting]

Thats a weird tranny then, all of my ten gears now are manuel. What do you mean by do it wrong?

[zipy46]

Thats a weird tranny then, all of my ten gears now are manuel. What do you mean by do it wrong?

Lo-1-2-3-4

Flip the button

5-6-7 -8 .....goes in and out of 9 automatically.

If you run up on a steep hill and try to drop from top gear to say

7 ....it will completely unhook.....7-8-9 will not be available....she will coast.

You must let off and let it slow to a speed where

it takes itself from top gear(9) back to 8

(this only occurs when the trans decides to drop a gear...could be 40 mph or 60...its random)

...then you can manually

grab 7th and pull the hill.

personally i would like a good old 10 speed like i am so used to 8)

[midnightlighting]

wow, wonder how long it will take to get the hang out that for me anyways

[zipy46]

I had it figured out in about half a day

if i can do it...anyone can :mrgreen:

Truck (387) is huge inside....it rides pretty smooth

also the Air Ride trailers float along real well

They also have Freight shakers....Box nose Petes and a few T600's

[midnightlighting]

Are there any volvo 780's in the fleet at all?

[TK THE TRUCKER]

Are there any volvo 780's in the fleet at all?

No, they had some Volvo 670's but they are pretty much non-existent now. 8) 8)

[Jumbo]

[quote="midnightlighting"]I will be starting with them on july 29th. I can say that i'm very glad they called me, yes they are a coolie carrier but i have not heard anything near as bad as some others coolie carries.[/quote

Why would you consider them a coolie carrier?

[TK THE TRUCKER]

Thats a weird tranny then, all of my ten gears now are manuel. What do you mean by do it wrong?

Lo-1-2-3-4

Flip the button

5-6-7 -8 .....goes in and out of 9 automatically.

If you run up on a steep hill and try to drop from top gear to say

7 ....it will completely unhook.....7-8-9 will not be available....she will coast.

You must let off and let it slow to a speed where

it takes itself from top gear(9) back to 8

(this only occurs when the trans decides to drop a gear...could be 40 mph or 60...its random)

...then you can manually

grab 7th and pull the hill.

personally i would like a good old 10 speed like i am so used to 8)

They have the ECM programmed to not let you downshift too early by giving you no throttle response. It can be kind of random and sometimes you can get by it by putting the pedal to the floor for a second. They have it set up in relation to road speed. Most of the time if you try to shift from 8 to 7 and your going faster than 50 mph you won't get any throttle response until you slow down to 50 or below. If you try and shift from 8 to 7 and your going faster than 45 mph you won't get throttle response until you slow down. Also the 8-9 auto is tied into the cruise control on off switch. The tranny wants to shift between 8-9 at about 60 mph whether your accelerating or slowing down. If your slowing down a little and want it to stay in 9th you have to turn the switch off to lock it in 9th. Same thing if you want to stay in 8th going faster than 60 mph, you have to keep your foot to the floor until you get over 60 mph and then turn the switch off and you can back out of it and it will stay in 8th.

I really hate this transmission setup. I'd rather have a 13 speed, which these 9 speed auto top 2 transmissions kind of are. They can be converted to a 13 speed. I really like the 387 but this transmission make me crazy sometimes. The 387's here are the only ones with 9 speeds. The rest have 10 or 13. 8) 8)

[TK THE TRUCKER]

Also, they have just got in some T-660's within the past couple weeks. I like the Kenworth's too even with the narrower cab. 8) 8)

[Double L]

So let me get this straight, instead of a super 10 you have a super 9? Correct?

[TK THE TRUCKER]

So let me get this straight, instead of a super 10 you have a super 9? Correct?

I couldn't tell you, I've never been stuck with a super 10. If it's anything like this 9 speed I don't want it. I've always had a straight 10, 13 and 18 speed. But it does sound like the super 10 and 9 are similar. Maybe on a super 10 they are counting low as first gear ? 8) 8)