McElroy Truck Lines

Thank you guys. RedBeard, I can not tell a lie....It was Squid that spilled the beans on you. I got a couple guys I know from here in TX that volunteered to run a few weeks out of Wheatland?? I think...Do you run anywhere up there? I don't remember.

Just joining in—great conversation. I finished school last week and I'm looking at McElroy too, your posts have been really helpful. If I decide to get on broad, orientation will be at Pleasant Hill, NC. I'm in Maryland and considering the dedicated route (Lowe's). Concerned about the pay though—not sure I can make ends meet. Love being home every night—at least to start. Reformed Squid that's how you started—right?

Just wanted to say hello and thank you guys for talking it up. You are answering many of my questions. By the way my shifting needs a ton of work—probably will be my Achilles heal in the road test.

This is a great thread and I have enjoyed what I have read. I am currently in CDL school and will be finished about the 3rd week of September. I have been researching McElroy, as well as other trucking companies, and I really like what I have read. Another driver for McElroy has answered many of the questions that I had regarding the company, but if you guys don't mind, I have a few more to ask if you are willing to answer them. It will be greatly appreciated! I am overweight and I have been working everyday and have changed the way I eat and have been exercising in order to bring my weight down. I mention that because I know that McElroy is all about tarping. How difficult is tarping and do you guys think that a 350 pound 5' 8" man should be climbing up on top of a load to tarp it?? I'm being honest because trucking is going to be my livelihood and I gotta know what are my limits. I am a very active person, I work and I take walks. In CDL school, I do everything else the other guys do on the truck. I just wanna know what you guys think. ultimately, I will make my own decision on where I will work, but I will definitely be a truck driver!

This is a great thread and I have enjoyed what I have read. I am currently in CDL school and will be finished about the 3rd week of September. I have been researching McElroy, as well as other trucking companies, and I really like what I have read. Another driver for McElroy has answered many of the questions that I had regarding the company, but if you guys don't mind, I have a few more to ask if you are willing to answer them. It will be greatly appreciated! I am overweight and I have been working everyday and have changed the way I eat and have been exercising in order to bring my weight down. I mention that because I know that McElroy is all about tarping. How difficult is tarping and do you guys think that a 350 pound 5' 8" man should be climbing up on top of a load to tarp it?? I'm being honest because trucking is going to be my livelihood and I gotta know what are my limits. I am a very active person, I work and I take walks. In CDL school, I do everything else the other guys do on the truck. I just wanna know what you guys think. ultimately, I will make my own decision on where I will work, but I will definitely be a truck driver!

It is very rare that I have to get on top of my load, as a matter of fact, it is frowned on by our safety department. Most of our loads are pre-tarped or the shipper has a tarping machine.

Hey Luther I started as a regular ole Texas driver, then I was running 90% out of Nashville Ar. Just recently I was made a driver mentor been doing that almost a month now. I recommend running your area and getting experience on the road before running dedicated local. You have potential to make good money either way, but learn your truck and trailer along with its capabilities and limitations. When you run local you are exposed to much more traffic and tight turns, don't set yourself up for failure. Samdaman there are some pretty big corn fed fellers out here, like Samuel said we hardly ever get on the load. This is some hard work and you will lose weight doing this, but ultimately this decision is based on your will and determination if you want it bad enough you will make it happen.

Hey Luther I started as a regular ole Texas driver, then I was running 90% out of Nashville Ar. Just recently I was made a driver mentor been doing that almost a month now. I recommend running your area and getting experience on the road before running dedicated local. You have potential to make good money either way, but learn your truck and trailer along with its capabilities and limitations. When you run local you are exposed to much more traffic and tight turns, don't set yourself up for failure. Samdaman there are some pretty big corn fed fellers out here, like Samuel said we hardly ever get on the load. This is some hard work and you will lose weight doing this, but ultimately this decision is based on your will and determination if you want it bad enough you will make it happen.

You guys are awesome. Thank you....And yes. I want to both lose weight and be a great truck driver. My dad drove big rigs for 35 years and he didn't really want me to get into it for many reasons which I heard about and seen on youtube and other forums. But this is good money I like driving. The hardest part is leaving my wife and kids for an extended period of time, but my wife is on board with this transition...I email Anita, a recruiter and she forward my email to another recruiter named Cindy....I hope to join you guys real soon. Thanks again!

Hey Luther I started as a regular ole Texas driver, then I was running 90% out of Nashville Ar. Just recently I was made a driver mentor been doing that almost a month now. I recommend running your area and getting experience on the road before running dedicated local. You have potential to make good money either way, but learn your truck and trailer along with its capabilities and limitations. When you run local you are exposed to much more traffic and tight turns, don't set yourself up for failure. Samdaman there are some pretty big corn fed fellers out here, like Samuel said we hardly ever get on the load. This is some hard work and you will lose weight doing this, but ultimately this decision is based on your will and determination if you want it bad enough you will make it happen.

Thanks for the good advice, Reformed Squid. You probably saved a lot of small town curbs and my sore shoulders (constant tight turns), not to mention my left knee—LOL. Yea I'd much rather drive the road—stretch out and learn the equipment. At least the first year. It may take some getting used to being home on weekends only, but it sounds like the sacrifice will pay off moving forward.

Samdaman—go for it.

Have a great weekend!

Hey Folks, I've appreciated the stories from McElroy here. I heard other positive comments out there too. Sounds like a good company—honest, keeps their promise of home time (Friday afternoon to Sunday eve.—I'm good with that), hard working/friendly folks and professional. I'm coming down the home stretch in deciding for them.

A couple hold backs but the big question is about pay/mileage. Can I pay my bills? I've heard first year you can make as much as 45K(?). That'll be ok for to start, but I'll need to get into the 55-60K range to be comfortable. Is that doable in 10 to 16 months? Probably has alot to do with the region I run and how quick I get there, unload and pick up another—space/time management. Does that sound about right?

Again thank you all for your thoughts and comments.

Hey Luther, I think your 1st year numbers are achievable and I would expect them to naturally go up with time and experience. I may be a little biased but I think for a rookie driver just starting out they seem to be a pretty good place. I'm actually headed up to run out of Wheatfield, IN for a few weeks. Hopefully head that way next week.

Luther there are going to be some good weeks and some crappy weeks. A lot does depend on the region you will run also. There are some opportunities to run some dedicated accts for a little while 3-4 weeks and it pays extremely well. Like parrot said I am also going up to wheat field to train a new guy from the area in the next couple weeks. To be honest I am a rookie driver also and my avg gross has been 990. There have been weeks where I barely cleared the min pay of 600 gross and then weeks I have demolished it lol. Speed is the key the less time you are jacking with your load the more money you make plain and simple.