Looking For Information On Martin Trucking Gastonia, NC

Received job offer from this company, but sounds to good to be true. Looking for recent information. Have been driving for only 4 months, keep getting job offers.

Have been driving for only 4 months, keep getting job offers.

Hello James, and welcome aboard!

James, one thing that we strongly emphasize here is to stick with your first trucking job for one full year. None of us are surprised that you're getting job offers, but let's be honest... you are looking around for other opportunities.

As a rookie driver, you are still into a very steep learning curve. It will benefit your career greatly to prove to yourself you can "hang tough" somewhere during this intense time of learning. We've seen it a thousand times. A new driver doesn't really understand how this whole career works and they get frustrated with their job. They don't realize the frustration is due to the fact that they just haven't gotten to the point of excelling at this yet, so they convince themselves that their company isn't a good place to be working. Then they start poking around online and start getting job offers. The next thing they know they have a new job, but are still dealing with the same problems they were having before.

Let's have an honest conversation. Why are you looking around for a new job after only four months? I'm pretty sure there's somebody here who has worked through these issues before. We always try to help, and most of us have been extremely frustrated at some point in our early trucking careers. Tell us what's going on.

Just feel like I'm being use at .38 a mile. lot of waiting for loads.

Have been driving for only 4 months, keep getting job offers.

Hello James, and welcome aboard!

James, one thing that we strongly emphasize here is to stick with your first trucking job for one full year. None of us are surprised that you're getting job offers, but let's be honest... you are looking around for other opportunities.

As a rookie driver, you are still into a very steep learning curve. It will benefit your career greatly to prove to yourself you can "hang tough" somewhere during this intense time of learning. We've seen it a thousand times. A new driver doesn't really understand how this whole career works and they get frustrated with their job. They don't realize the frustration is due to the fact that they just haven't gotten to the point of excelling at this yet, so they convince themselves that their company isn't a good place to be working. Then they start poking around online and start getting job offers. The next thing they know they have a new job, but are still dealing with the same problems they were having before.

Let's have an honest conversation. Why are you looking around for a new job after only four months? I'm pretty sure there's somebody here who has worked through these issues before. We always try to help, and most of us have been extremely frustrated at some point in our early trucking careers. Tell us what's going on.

James, how did you obtain your CDL?

What company are you with?

Are you aware that you have a lot to do with how much you have to sit and wait for loads?

I want you to read something for me. It's an article called Show Me The Money! One of the biggest misconceptions in trucking is that your total pay at the end of the year will be determined by your pay rate - your CPM. Actually it will be determined by your productivity. At 38 CPM , you are earning eleven cents per mile more than I started with about six years ago. You are not being used, but you haven't yet figured out how to keep yourself moving and productive. That is your responsibility, not your dispatcher's.

I have fellow drivers on a dedicated account I serve who make the same CPM as I do, yet they're getting paid half my annual salary, and we all have the same dispatcher. How do you think that could be? This whole business is very competitive. Have you ever even thought about the fact that you are competing with other drivers for loads? Most rookies have no concept of that reality.

James, I think you could do very well right where you are. Don't you think they have drivers who are enjoying success? What is different for those drivers? Think about it. How could your company get to the size they are if every driver felt he was being used? They would never grow because everyone would be doing what you are doing - looking for "greener pastures." Here's another article that may help you understand this whole concept of competition among drivers.

Can You Hang With The Big Dogs?

That’s a telling statement...”telling” in that you may have read Old School’s response but clearly haven’t taken the time to fully understand it.

How then are you being used? 38cpm is a solid rate for an entry level OTR driver.

There are many, many things you can do to improve your standing as a driver; change your focus and realize that you are competing with other drivers. Are you doing everything you can to become a top performing driver? How are you separating yourself from the chafe?

Why Some Drivers Are Treated Better Than Others

Read the above link and I also suggest perusing the Trucking Truth blog section, in particular performance based articles; Old School, Rainy and Brett have all written great content on this subject.

Good luck.

Hi James and welcome to TT.

Do you realize the starting cpm and wait time is different for every division? That can make a difference.

38cpm isnt bad. My friend left Prime after a 1.5 years reefer at 46cpm and went to dry van at Celadon making 40cpm. he felt used too until he realized dry van often starts at like 35cpm.

How are you utilizing your downtime? In reefer I often use my load/unload time as my 10 hour break or create an 8/2 split so overall my break time is no more than necessary. I park at customers as often as possible to assure this.

Have you asked your FM for preplans? I told my FM in the beginning that i cant sleep without a load. I was afraid I wouldnt hear it and not wake up to roll if i still had hours. Now i am always preplanned and always know where i can park because of it.

What about your bonuses? My company's safety and service bonuses kick in at the 6 month mark, another company i know gives productivity bonuses at the end of every year.

are you missing out on something if you leave?

Welcome James. I'm new to the trucking scene and will be the first to admit I don't know a lot yet. But as I reading your post I thought of something. I know you said you feel used at .38cpm. But on the other hand you might look at it this way, your company or any company for that matter that takes on a student or a rookie is taking all the risk. You must have an impressive school or learning background because your company thought enough of you to put you in charge of their valuable truck and cargo. You might feel that you're not making enough money, but in a way you are. Because you are being paid in another way you might not have thought of. You have been granted an opportunity to get through the steep learning curve. That kind of an opportunity is worth a lot. Just because it's not money in our pocket doesn't make it any less valuable to you. The experience you get on this job will pay huge dividends towards your professional career in the future. My hat is off to you making it as far as you have. A lot of folks don't make it that far. I also salute your company for seeing your potential, and investing in you both as a person and a driver.

To answer your question about Marten, i do have a friend that ran a FL to GA dedicated route with them and loved it. She got great pay, and home every 2 weeks. She did not start as a newbie though, she went there with 2 years experience. She loved the company.

When she moved to PA they did not have the same type of position available for her at the time and said she would need to go OTR until one opened.

Be wary of thw "avg cpm" statements on websites. That means some drivers will be paid low and others high. One site stated average, but they included the team truck pay...which is quite deceiving.

When you talk to recruiters ask them specifically what YOUR starting cpm would be.

All good advice I’ll quit whining and take it

All good advice I’ll quit whining and take it

Great to hear. At 4 months you are just getting started. 38 CPM is a great starting rate. In this industry it is up to us, the drivers, to prove ourselves. As you hone your skills and prove to be a reliable safe driver, things will get better. Right now you are still learning and everything takes longer. For example, a new driver might take 30 minutes backing to a dock, while someone with some experience takes 5 minutes backing into the same dock. Can you see how improving backing can add to more money. Learning to manage your clock will allow you to run more efficiently and be less tired. Learning how your company works makes a difference too. There is so much to learn and you are just starting. Good luck to you. I see success in your future.