Moving Forward With Veriha - (pronounced VERY - Ha)

It's just sooo hard for us to get through to you new guys about how you make top money out here. I get frustrated with myself because I start to think I'm not doing a very good job of explaining the concepts. Most everybody has got the false idea that says "time is money." It's understandable, because most people are accustomed to working by the hour. In trucking you'll get paid for your level of productivity, and that has very little to do with how long you can stay at the wheel.

Detention pay should never be something you're looking for. Rather you want to learn how to avoid detention, or when it's inevitable, you take advantage of it by resting and/or utilizing your knowledge of the HOS rules to take advantage of it in a way that permits you to be more productive. Those other things like starting the week on the weekends or making wee hours deliveries are the kinds of practices Top Tier Drivers do so they can be more productive. It's pretty obvious to me that Veriha knows the value of productive drivers - they're trying to give them an incentive to learn to be productive.

Sorry... I think I have learned much of this here... at least I believe it. I really think the the way the pay is structured is more an indication of how they aporoach things and agree it is an incentive to learn to be productive.

We always stress how the name on the truck has nothing to do with success at this. (name omitted), a very large and successful trucking company, has a long list of "Million Miler" drivers, yet newbies who are struggling to just find employment, and even experienced drivers want to act like they are some sort of sub-par company to work for. In fact, many companies bear this unwarranted scrutiny.

I did not mean to imply anything of the sort. They were looking like one of a few companies willing to consider me at this time. That fact is not lost on me. There are many reasons others wouldn't, not all within my control (out of hiring area, need experience, need current training, (90 days or less), don't fit either new or experienced programs, etc.)... My concerns were around several factors. The biggest were experience level of trainers (as little as 6 months) length of team driving and concerns about my ability to sleep in a moving truck. It is possible a comment I made about sleeping in a moving truck was a factor in the other company's Safety Department vetoing my hiring. The (name omitted) CPM was below average and I did not explore insurance and other "benefits" but Veriha's - (pronounced VERY - ah's) are on par with many.

I am WAY PAST chasing money, percs, etc.. I am looking for a chance to get the training I need to see if I can actually do this. I know I have a lot to prove. But I also need to be able to live on what I can earn, afford my meds and medical care, and actually sleep when not driving. These are realities. Even "Truths" (if you will)...

I worked for Western Express and built a solid foundation for my trucking career there. We have several "Swifties" here who are Top Tier Professionals. When anybody starts "naming names" it just screams out, "Hey, I really don't know what I'm talking about, but at least I know how to sound like I do." The very companies that newbies try hard to avoid are the most successful operators and are also the ones willing to take the huge chance of giving total greenhorns a shot at this.

Marc, we're all excited for your opportunity at Veriha - Congratulations! But I've got to tell ya, you are one slow learner. You have yet to instill much confidence in me. I hope you make it. I hope you find success out here. The problem is that I know what it takes. So far you haven't shown a very good understanding of that. We keep trying to help you, but you keep slipping up in your conversations here almost as easily as you slipped and fell off that J.B. Hunt truck. That's indicative of a serious lack of understanding of what this is going to require of you.

C'mon Man, we want to see you join our ranks. We want to see you wildly successful at this! Get in there and make it happen! Stop focusing on things like perks, or any of these external things that you think will give you a boost out here. You're the one at the wheel. You have the sole influence on your success at this.

We're counting on you to get this done. Veriha is counting on you also. Make it happen brother!

Thank you for your guidance and support.

I will try to listen more, speak less, and be more careful in how I share what I do share.

Everything going good Marc? Any updates?

Everything going good Marc? Any updates?

Thanks for asking Rob. I wish I could say yes... Unfortunately I seem to have hit yet another hurdle! Neither medical "professionals" who have signed and can sign my MCSA-5870 form are currently willing to do so. My Primary Care Physician (Dr. of Internal Medicine) is deferring to my Endocrinologist and my (now former) Endocrinologist - after making several promises, demands (which I have met) has essentially resigned before I could fire her!

I now have appointments booked out to January (looking for more, possibly out to February, looking for an earlier cancellation) with Endocrinologists across WI. Even trying the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN!

Asked Recruiter if Safety might accept a new physical exam but NOT require a new Federal Medical Certificate (current is valid, new one requires the form) but that seems unlikely...

So J-Mar may be my "next best" option.

Hoping they will move off 34 CPM and maybe give me more than 2 weeks or so of training.

They operate 60ish tractors but say they are self-insured with about 14 companies in their (insurance) "Captive" (group)...

Parting gift from one of my (now former) Diabetic Educators was an Abbott Laboratories FreeStyle Libre sensor and reader. With their app on my phone I can now check blood "sugars" (via interstitial fluidid) by holding my phone to a 14-day sensor stuck to the back of my arm. Not quite the full real-time Continuously Glucose Monitor (Dexcom G6) but still pretty cool. Helps spot trends (though accuracy drops when readings are changing rapidly (up or down). Will probably cost me about $150 for 28-days of sensors, vs. about $500 for Dexcom.

Still doing finger sticks 3x / day as the form and technology both really make it necessary...

Bottom line is, the best company to work for is the one that will hire you and pay you to drive their trucks. ;)

I like that.

Bottom line is, the best company to work for is the one that will hire you and pay you to drive their trucks. ;)

I like that.

Hoping they will move off 34 CPM

Why would they? What do you have to offer them to incentivize this move?

I am WAY PAST chasing money, percs, etc.

But I also need to be able to live on what I can earn

Marc, can you live on a 45-50 thousand dollar per year job? You should make that much at 34 CPM. If you average just 2,650 miles per week, and take two weeks off, you'd make 45 grand. If you get the hang of this and do better you could top 50 grand. That CPM rate will change as you prove you can handle yourself out here.

Always focus on what you can do to increase your pay. Don't worry so much with what they can do. It's remarkable how your performance will give them an incentive to keep you on board. Once my operations manager told me that the company decided to increase my pay out of fear that I was considering leaving! It wasn't even true, but somehow it triggered the motivation for them to increase my pay rate.

In trucking your performance will dictate so many factors that contribute to your success. Always keep your focus on how well you are getting the job done.

That is really terrible to hear Marc. Hopefully they can get the medical situation straightened out for you, so you can finally get your driving career up and running. Maybe like you said try J-Mar at this point it wouldn't hurt trying. Good luck and keep us updated.

May still have a shot with Veriha.

Sent them my Federal Medical Certificate and long-form exam documents "for approval" by Safety.

If they choose to accept them I may be good to go.

Next class starts Monday.

May need to do sort of (now last minute) physical exam / strength test and drug test. Guessing they have the ability to do this stuff near HQ too. Thinking they could even say "pack and drive here!"

Next class two weeks later...

(I did propose this approach a week or more ago but I do get why it took this long...). Happy to share!

Hope you get it.

Hope you get something soon.