[motozeke]

Originally Posted by Darin Younce

Moto, you do not have the job until thursday when they do the job offer.
On monday you have to pass the physical and a series of ability test.
Vision, blood pressure and something to do with knees was the main culpret of those asked to leave. Also there will be an interview that is very important. They asked one guy what he expected tp be doing in 5 years and he said " i want to own my own race track" or something like that and he was dismissed . Several guys left after their interview.On the next week they will set up cones to see if you can can make a righthand turn ( pretty tight) a 90 degree dock
a 45 degree dock and a paralel ( spel) . The trailers are spread axels
and turn quite a bit different from a sliding tandem . Two guys did bad
and decided maverick was not for them . There will be tons of videos and
safety classes . I decided flatbedding was not what I wanted to do so I
came home. They seem to be a good company ( very safety oriented)
and have a great facility there. Do not wear your hat in the class,do not have your phone on , do not talk in Eds class or any other for that matter
but Ed dont put up with anything. Btw, some things I was told by recruiters was a bit different when I got there..

thanx for the info
if you dont mind me askin what was it that turned you off from flat bedding I know that its a lot of securement and tarp work but they pay you dont they? Im just curious because I know a guy that was in my class and he got hired in the specialized division and said that he loved it

[Darin Younce]

Well it was really more than one thing . I am used to very hard labor so the securement and tarping didnt really bother me except for the fact that you only get 10 bucks for steel tarps ( smaller
) and 20 for lumber tarps(larger) I did all the securement really good and the instructor told me several times that I was going to be good at this job but the more we got into it the more we learned how much was going to be involved in getting set up for loads , eye to the side , eye to the front, eye to the sky on coils, master coils, shiney bar, gray bar, slinkys,
sheet or flat steel and so and so . I just figured that with all this and having to double tarp ( canvas oveer the steel before the actual tarp that the 35 cent per mile was not much better than the 32 cent per mile at some of the van companies I had checked out. I was pretty fast for a beginner
and suspect I would have gotten faster but even soI figured up the difference and came to the conclusion that flatbedding was not was I wanted to do. The thing that drew me to maverick in the first place was home time . They say 97 percent but that is not exactly the way it works.
I assumed it ment home every weekend but we were told that would do
the best they could to get us home but it may be for a few hours but not
more than a 34 hour restart in most cases. Also the spread axle trailers
are a bit different to back or manuever and we were told that several of the steel mills we were going to be driving through ( yes through) were very tight with sometimes inches to spare . I just figured that with all that I would be better off doing something else. Having said all that Maverick is a class act . They are very safety oriented and I doubt that you could do much better than them . Most of the drivers I spoke to were very helpful and most were pleased with their job . I actually was torn between staying or leaving and spoke to Curt , the training manager who is a really great guy whom you will meet and he said he did not blame me one bit for my decision. He even said if I ever needed anything
not to hesitate to call him . Anyway I believe that all trucking companies should give more details on what the job entails because there were a lot of deer in the headlight looks coming from prospective drivers. Over all it was a great experience and if you asked me should you go or not go I wouild say yes go , give it a shot you may love it .

[motozeke]

Originally Posted by Darin Younce

Well it was really more than one thing . I am used to very hard labor so the securement and tarping didnt really bother me except for the fact that you only get 10 bucks for steel tarps ( smaller
) and 20 for lumber tarps(larger) I did all the securement really good and the instructor told me several times that I was going to be good at this job but the more we got into it the more we learned how much was going to be involved in getting set up for loads , eye to the side , eye to the front, eye to the sky on coils, master coils, shiney bar, gray bar, slinkys,
sheet or flat steel and so and so . I just figured that with all this and having to double tarp ( canvas oveer the steel before the actual tarp that the 35 cent per mile was not much better than the 32 cent per mile at some of the van companies I had checked out. I was pretty fast for a beginner
and suspect I would have gotten faster but even soI figured up the difference and came to the conclusion that flatbedding was not was I wanted to do. The thing that drew me to maverick in the first place was home time . They say 97 percent but that is not exactly the way it works.
I assumed it ment home every weekend but we were told that would do
the best they could to get us home but it may be for a few hours but not
more than a 34 hour restart in most cases. Also the spread axle trailers
are a bit different to back or manuever and we were told that several of the steel mills we were going to be driving through ( yes through) were very tight with sometimes inches to spare . I just figured that with all that I would be better off doing something else. Having said all that Maverick is a class act . They are very safety oriented and I doubt that you could do much better than them . Most of the drivers I spoke to were very helpful and most were pleased with their job . I actually was torn between staying or leaving and spoke to Curt , the training manager who is a really great guy whom you will meet and he said he did not blame me one bit for my decision. He even said if I ever needed anything
not to hesitate to call him . Anyway I believe that all trucking companies should give more details on what the job entails because there were a lot of deer in the headlight looks coming from prospective drivers. Over all it was a great experience and if you asked me should you go or not go I wouild say yes go , give it a shot you may love it .

Thanx a million youve been real helpful I guess ill wait it out and see if I can make the cut
I hope all goes well with you and yours

[Snowman7]

Originally Posted by motozeke

Thanx a million youve been real helpful I guess ill wait it out and see if I can make the cut
I hope all goes well with you and yours

As a former steelhauler myself with a cousin who is a current steelhauler for Maverick I'd like to say its really not as hard or scarry as this thread makes it sound. Pull thru bays are a dream compared to backing a 53 foot van down an alley and jacking it into a dock. as for tarping, most dedicated steel haulers have covered wagons, which are a breeze. There are pros and cons to both but I'd say that as a new driver you cannot beat the pay and hometime flatbedding offers. After you have experience you can make the same or more and be home in any kind of truck so then do what makes you happy. But Maverick is a great way to get some experience and a free CDL. Its not for everyone and I dont know you but thats my humble opinion. BOL whatever you do.

[Double R]

Pull thru bays are a dream compared to backing a 53 foot van down an alley and jacking it into a dock.

Except if you have to load at USX Irvin works in West Mifflin,PA. Barge dock number 1: 150 FEET BACK TO THE DOCK WITH A CURVE ABOUT HALF WAY. WATCH OUT FOR MILL WORKS IN GOLFCARTS, THEY DON'T STOP FOR NOTHING.
Oh what fun that was. :lol:

[bigpapa7272]

just had an online chat with beth. The waiting list for MD is 6 to 10 months before they could me into school

[Jay B]

Originally Posted by bigpapa7272

just had an online chat with beth. The waiting list for MD is 6 to 10 months before they could me into school

Not sure where in Maryland you are, but look at this:
http://www.mhec.state.md.us/career/W...m.asp?sType=13
If you can swing the time without a job and have the tuition or qualify for WIA this might get you in a lot faster.

[bigpapa7272]

How do you qualify for WIA

[Jay B]

Originally Posted by bigpapa7272

How do you qualify for WIA

I don't know, I just know that I couldn't get it. Call or go by the local employment commision office, they should be able to point you in the right direction. Also apply for financial aid at the school you might get some free money that way too.

[Darin Younce]

Snowman is correct and I hope I was not making it sound scary. Hometime is good compared to most van companies. I just spoke to US
Express and home time for them is 10 days out2 days in ( actually 36- 48
hours I was told) . As far as my discription of driving thru mills I have no experience and was only sharing what the instructor told us. I am sure with experience this will be no problem. Funny thing I went back by the school where I got my CDL and was told that 80 percent of the drivers recently thru the school were going to flatbed and most were going to Maverick. Like I said Maverick is a good company and you will not be making a wrong decision going with them but like myself and pretty much every other newbie you will see a different picture concerning flatbedding
or trucking for that matter when you go thru orientation and training. I have to admit that this whole trucking business is nothing like I pictured it
the day I laid my money down for CDL training. BTW , I am waiting to hear from a local company about a job that will get me home nightly.
Good luck Moto .