May Trucking
 

I haven't seen a thread for May Trucking as of yet, so I figured I'd open one. I'm to start orientation with them on 7/24. I'll will keep everybody posted on the process. I encourage anybody chime in concerning this company and related topics. Hopefully I can relay some helpful info. to anybody that's interested.

I see you did not decide on Watkins Shepard. :wink:

I understand May is a good company. I believe they are strict on logs like Gordon.

It will be interesting to hear of your experience

Yeah, there was a lot of factors that went into my decision to go with May and I felt they were the best option for me at this time. So we'll see. I've found it interesting reading all the different threads about all the different trucking companies out there. There is a lot of good info. out there if someone is willing to take the time to look. Hopefully, I will be able to give some insights of May (good or bad) as there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of info. about them out there. The adventure starts Monday. :D

Here's a couple PM's I sent to peopla with questions about May:

They have a lot of leg room. I'm 6'5" and it was fine. The issue for me was overall space. The seats are too close together. There's not enough room behind either seat to place a 40 quart cooler. Overall, not enough room for everything I wanted to bring. I drove a 2005 379 for another company and the air conditioning could not keep up in desert California in August. Might have just been their truck. Pretty smooth ride. I had never driven one and the first load having to back into a dock from a street was quite a shock. I could not see beyond the smokestack when jacking the tractor to put the trailer in the dock. It took some getting used to, but a couple more docks and I was mostly okay with it.

The May Trucking advance/reimbursement thing is as such:

All company money you ask for is seen as an advance. This is sort of to your advantage as anything left over after company purchases is a cash advance for no fee. I believe a normal cash advance has a company fee.

So, you're on a load from Salem to Long Island. You know that you need $250+ for tolls across IN, OH, and through NYC. In and out. You know that a lumper is required at the receiver, but the amount is unknown. Your delivery is for Friday and you ask for the money Wednesday when getting fuel in Gary, IN. I believe the pay periods were like "Trip envelopes dropped Saturday through Wednesday pay Friday and trip envelopes dropped Thursday through Monday pay Wednesday." Something like that.

Refer above to the day you're asking for toll advances. Since you're asking for money during the pay period in which the load will not deliver, the advances will come off of the pay period you're in. When you turn in the trip envelope with all toll receipts, the pay period in which you are dropping the envelope is where you will see the reimbursements. This is okay if from week to week if the amounts are equal. But this doesn't always happen. You will find that one check is smaller than it should be (advances asked for; miles for your trips minus advances) and the next check is enormous (miles for your trips and all the reimbursements given back).

I stopped the up and down thing by holding back about $150 per week on my Comdata card (instead of transferring to my checking account) until I had about $400-500 in there. That way I could get toll money and write lumper checks at will as a cash advance with fuel, then ask for toll and lumper advances right before I dropped the trip envelope. That is the way to match up advances with reimbursements.

I would also hold back trip envelopes so one check did not have 5800 miles on it and the next had 1800 miles on it. Even drops of the envelopes made for even paychecks.

I have a few simple Word files that I used to keep track of all the info.

www.goatbased.com/hours_sheet.doc

www.goatbased.com/reimbursement_sheet.doc

www.goatbased.com/trip_sheet.doc

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask.

**********************

I did work for May based out of Oregon last year. April until October. 6 months was all I wanted to work OTR.

I was in the 48 state temp controlled division dispatched from Payette, ID.

Good points -

Nice trucks, I had a 2004 Volvo 770. 150k with cd player and 8 speakers plus subwoofer. Smooth riding truck and good power on the hills.

Nice runs back east with temp controlled loads. Dry division I didn't do.

Easy delivery times to make. Even for 2500+ mile runs.

Dispatching was pretty good on weekdays. Weekend not so good. I was asked to train a new dispatcher at one point. That was okay. She didn't make too many mistakes. I didn't need that much help, though.

Lumpers all were paid for via the normal method of finding out the amount and getting a Comchek approved. I avoided this by having extra funds in my Comchek account to cover these lumpers. Then I would ask for the money later when it was the best time to ask. More on that later.

Bad points -

Pay was a little low. I had 8+ years and I was only offered $.30 cpm. Good miles = good checks, but they could have been so much better. I think the pay is higher now.

Trucks were governed at 68 mph. No problem for WA, OR, CA, etc, but the fast states were tough to be going that slow.

Payroll was funky. Advances for tolls or scales were deducted the week you asked for them, regardless if you had turned in the corresponding trip envelope or not. Conceivably, you could have $300 or more in deductions, in a week where the receipts from those purchases were not turned in. So your check would be very small for that week. The receipts had to be turned in to offset the deductions. I learned a way around this problem. Ask me if you do start with them and I explain it. They also were very untrustworthy when it came to amounts on receipts. I kept very accurate records of receipts turned in and spent a good amount of time going over the pay stub sheet comparing deductions and reimbursements. Very good advice anywhere, actually. They fixed anything that I had proof that their people had made a mistake.

Ask any questions you have. I'm glad to answer.

advances for tolls??
 

i'd NEVER work for a company that forced me to play with my paycheck to get tolls paid.. haven't they heard of transponders like ezpass? or giving each driver a petty cash envelope upon hiring, like 200 bucks, then you submit 100 in toll receipts, they add 100 bucks to your kitty next fuel stop.. use their money, not yours!!!

Re: advances for tolls??
 

You may have misunderstood my experience.

I CHOSE to do it the way I did. As a May driver, you are welcome to get cash advances to pay for tolls.

Of course they have heard of EZPass. Was that rhetorical?

All companies to my knowledge deduct cash advances the week they are taken out. How the heck do they know what you are going to use them for? And I can never understand people worrying about uneven paychecks. What possible sense can there be in holding back a trip
envelope just so that you don't get a small paycheck the next week?!?!
Take the money when it is due you and move on, sheesh.

I found that an $1800-2000 gross pay check was taxed at a much different rate than a $900-1000 gross pay check. :P And it was not just double from the smaller amount.

Was I really a $100,000 a year gross wage person? No I wasn't. Why should I be taxed like it?

You get it all back at the end of the year so whats the difference? We're not talking thousands of dollars here.

Colin,

Good stuff, thanks for the info. I can already see keeping good records is a must. I start my orientation on Monday, so I already have number of questions to ask and see what type of response I get. Once I get started I'll PM you and we can talk about some of the details. Thanks again!

I was scheduled for the 17th, but i had to reschedule my orientation. Im going for the 11 western to try and stay close to home. Starting pay is .32 a mile and .36 after 1 year. Colin do you know anything about the dry division, like miles and where they mostly run?

Well, I'm off today to take that wonderful all day Greyhound "Express" bus ride down to Brooks, OR. lol. I start orientation tomorrow. I checked out the hotel online that they have me staying at and it an above average hotel, along the lines of a Red Roof Inn, Marriott, etc. The rooms have a frig., microwave and the hotel has a pool, workout room and serves continental breakfast in the mornings. While you are in orientation (which lasts three days) May takes care of breakfast and lunch and you furnish dinner for yourself. They also furnish a shuttle to and from the hotel. So, all in all, a nice start with a company. Tomorrow is where the rubber starts meeting the road. I'm sure the first day is going to consist of mostly paperwork. I do know that I have to take another DOT physical and some sort of a driving skills test, no big whoop! I'll post again when I have more info.

Good Luck! let me know how it goes, ill probly schedule for next monday and take a plane instead of a 22 hr bus ride. Are you goin with the Temp. division or Dry division?

And so my husband journey begins. The wonderful Greyhound bus ride became extra special for him as they passed Kennewick Washington it was 108 out yesterday. And shortly after leaving Kennewick the air conditioning broke down. When they got to the Dalles they were given a choice to wait for three hours for another bus with air conditioning or continue riding in the sweat box in the sweltering heat. They decided to ride it out. To make things even more special there was an accident on the I-84 that stopped traffic for about an hour.

My husband called and asked me to call the hotel and let them know that he would arrive late. The recruiter had not made the reservation but the hotel said it was not a problem and booked him a room and put it on the May Trucking account.

When they arrived into Portland Oregon they were transferred to an air conditioned bus for the rest of the journey.

Once they arrived to the destination in Salem Oregon there was a yellow cab at the bus stop. This is the company that May Trucking had an account with. My husband an another person that went to the same school took the cab together to the hotel.

The room is very nice. It has a nice kitchenette and my husband has his own room. The hotel also has a pool, jacuzzi and a gym open twenty four hours.

Last night after the bus ride my husband just wanted to make some dinner and go to bed.

Today he will begin his three day orientation. I will be updating the progress and how things will be going for my husband on this board.

Goin Fer It's Wife

My husband is going with the Dry division 11 western states. Husbands bus ride was supposed to be only 10 hours but it ended up to be 11 hours. Not fun at all! If we would have been in a different financial position we would have purchased a plane ticket also.

Goin Fer It's Wife

Day One of the Oreintation: The contintiental breakfast at the hotel was very good. Waffles, scrambled eggs and other things.

Today my husband filled out applications and various paper work. Then he took a pelimanary driving test. He tested in a Freightliner my husband said that the shifting is much tighter than in the school truck but he picked up on it quickly. The guy that gave him the test said he did just as well on the test as guys that he had tested before that have been driving for 15 years. He said he did very well and felt he was a fast learner.

Lunch was at a buffet. Good food!

After the driving test they went to pick up a van and allowed my husband and another newbie to take the van to the office for their DOT physical and for the urine test. They told them to just bring the van back in the morning.

So around 4:00 p.m. his day had ended. Now back at the hotel he is going to work out. Make dinner and chill and get ready for day 2 of his oreintation!

Goin Fer It's Wife

Good info Thanks, i go for orentation on 8-13 keep us posted.

Thank you for letting me know that someone is reading my updates on my husbands progress with the company. I will continue them! And best wishes to you on 8th! What office are you going out of? :)

Goin Fer It's Wife

Orientation
Day 2: Today there were only three people in orientation. One girl left this morning my husband does not know why. One guy is from Gorden and the other one is from my husbands school.

Today they went over Qualcom and reviewed some hazemat and safety procedures. They filled out more employment forms. They also covered log book procedures and they are very strict about log books. They reviewed the log books after they have been turned in at the end of the month. They are very big on running legal and keeping safe.

My husband got an official May Trucking hat and T-shirt today! :)

They have some homework tonight from the Federal Regulation book.

My husband was asked today why he did not want to go into the refer division. He told them for one thing he did not have hazemat and also he was interested in doing the 11 western states. He told them that he did pass his hazemat test but has not gotten finger printed and all. He was asked if he could have it in 90 days. He was told that the company would reimburse him.

They said for now they would run him on the dry van division. I am hoping that dry van division is busy and does not slow down in the winter months.

So far the drivers he spoke with average anywhere from 2600-3000 miles a week.

He was told today that the training will depend on how fast he picks things up. He may only have to train for two weeks. Standard training time is 28 days on average. He will get $500.00 a week while he is training and then he will start at .32 cpm. In six months this will go up to 34cpm and at nine months 35 cpm and in a year 36 cpm.

He will get $100.00 a month in tuition reimbursement. They will not lower his cpm for tuition reimbursement as some other companies do.

They took him to lunch today at a Chinese Buffet again he said the food was very good.

Back to the hotel and making his own dinner as they do not cover dinner.
Will cover last day of orientation tomorrow.

Goin Fer It's Wife

We could not find any July or August trucking companies so we wnt with May!
:wink:

Goin Fer It's Wife

I like your post, im gona call my recruiter tomorrow to schedule for monday. I too have my hazmat permit but need the fingerprints done. Im going into the 11 western also to stay closer to home, plus i see more of there dry vans down here than thier refer units. I dot know what terminal ill be out of, but i know they have a drop yard 25 min. away at the England terminal over here in Mira Loma, CA or riveside. Hope all goes well with your husband, keep up the posts.

I wish you luck! Let me know how it goes. They did tell my husband that they like their drivers to run 2 to 3 weeks out but we are hoping that staying in the 11 western states he may come through this way more often. If you stay in the 11 western dry van you will not need the hazmat.

Take Care,
Goin Fer It's Wife

Cool.

Lets keep the updates going. I really liked working for May. Even though I was in the reefer division and have no idea how the dry side was run (reefer dispatch fro west coast drivers is in Payette, ID; all dry is run from Brooks), I can still give general advice.

I live in Sacramento so i will be out of Salem OR.

Day 3 Orientation:
Today they went over the Com Data Card and payroll stuff. They completed the manual on company policy and filled out paper work for health insurance that will not begin until 90 days.

For lunch they were taken to a Mongolian Barbecue place with great food. My husband loved it.

He was asked what type of truck he would prefer if it was available a Volvo, Classliner or Peterbilt. He said he would prefer a Peterbilt. He liked the way the dash is set up.

He was scheduled to go out tomorrow sometime with a trainer. The other guy from school was scheduled to go out tonight but his employment was not verified so my husband is going with trainer that came in tonight.

He was so excited, he went back to the hotel and checked out and waited for a couple hours in the drivers lounge at the yard. Then the trainer finally came in. But they will not leave until tomorrow morning around 7:30 in the morning. They have a load to pick up in Salem Oregon. The trainer he got is from the refer division but my husband will still be put on the dry van division running the 11 western states once his training is done.

We look at this as good experience to learn refers and to see a part of the country that he will not see on the 11 western as his first load he will be going to Ohio.

He will be doing all the driving when he is with the trainer as they do not train doing team driving.

He was a little bored as he forgot to take a deck of cards or something to occupy his time when sitting around.

Tonight he will sleep in the yard in the truck with the trainer. It is a brand new Peterbilt.

Until tomarrow!
Goin Fer It's Wife

He will be training in the reefer division. We think that should be good experience.

Thanks for reading!

Goin Fer It's Wife

Cool. Keep us posted.

Glady :) As the daily reports come in.

Goin Fer It's Wife

At the Salem pickup waiting to be loaded. This first trip is to Zanesville, Oh from Salem Oregon.
Approximately: 2500 miles the load is due on the 1st of August. My husband is not certain if they can deliver early or not.

Goin Fer It's Wife

It's one day to central ID, another day to Western WY. Next day to Grand Island, NE, 4th day arrive in Gary, IN. Wake on 5th day and deliver. This is actually the 31st in this situation. Another 350 or so to get to Zanesville.

And I drove easy.

This is an easy run and you're getting an idea of how May operates.

520 miles, 475 next day, 600 next day, 600 to Gary, IN. Looks like about 350 to Zanesville from Gary.

Easy money!

Will they be able to unload it on the 31st? If they can will they then get the next load? For his first load the miles are not bad! He said his trainer is nice.

Goin Fer It's Wife

It's possible, but I would look at getting to Gary or Zanesville with enough time for a reset.

I would rather always have a fresh 70 hours to drive, instead of delivering early. Unless both of those could be done on the same trip.

It's highly likely he could get a restart on his first week.

Well I start my orientation on the 2nd and ill be doin the 11 western. Goin Fer Its wife, you said they let you choose what type of rig you want or would want?

Yesterday my husband drove to Baker City Oregon and at that point he was burnt out. His trainer then drove about another four hours to Jerome Idaho.

My husband said he had a good nights sleep last night and headed out about 7:45 am this morning.

He made a big rookie mistake at the fuel stop in Ogden, Utah. He did not want to pull through the pumps so saw an area that he thought he could pull into find a parking space. He ended up going the wrong way OPPPS! He said that he should have gone through the pumps. He was very glad that his trainer was there with him and helped him get out. He will not make that mistake again! He said that his trainer handled it all really well! :)

This morning he left Jerome Idaho and is now in Evanstan, Wyoming so today so far he has driven approximately 260 miles and he said he plans on driving for a full day.

He said so far it has been an adventure and he is enjoying it!

Colin your routing seems to be dead on! I guess they still follow the same route.

I will try and update later tonight when I get the call.

Goin Fer It's Wife

Congratulations! My husband said everyone was really nice and treated him well there.

As far as the truck they asked him what his preference would be of the three trucks. Depending upon availability they will attempt to put him in the truck that he asked for. I thought that was cool and so did he.

Keep us updated! Are you going to go out with a trainer or do you have enough OTR that you will go out on your own?

If you go out with a trainer they ask that people do not bring laptops because of space issues.

Either way please update us whenever you can!

Goin Fer It's Wife

I only have 2 months local exp. which means nothing haha. But im flying up to orientation on tuesday afternoon. I wont be able to update unless my trainer has a laptop, but ill update when i get back from the 2-3 week training.

Yesterday my husband drove from Jerome Idaho to Laramie Wyoming. He did approximately 560 miles on his own.

After that his trainer drove. They stopped at a truck stop in Grand Island Nebraska a stop were the trainer said they had good showers. My husband said it felt great to take a shower.

After the shower my husband went to sleep. The trainer drove until 4 a.m. to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
My husband woke up about 5:30 and pulled out around 6:30. I guess the trainer is doing team driving now. My husband is fine with it at this point.

My husband then drove to a stop near Davenport, Iowa. He said it is the largest truck stop. Three stories high and even has a truck inside on display.
They have an arcade and all types of shops and food places.

They wanted to do an early drop but they were told they cannot do an early drop. The dispatcher is attempting to do a swamp with another driver so for now they are going to stay in Davenport until they find out if they can do a swamp with another driver.

My husband told his trainer he was shooting to train for only two weeks. The trainer told him they usually like the guys to stay in training for at least three weeks. So we will wait and see.

Goin Fer It's Wife

We will be looking forward to the updates whenever you can get them to us :)

Goin Fer It's Wife

Dispatch told them to drive on to Indiana so they are on the road again. Once they reach their destination in Indiana they will find out if another driver is going to meet them there.

Goin Fer It's Wife