McElroy Truck Lines

Hey Alan I can honestly tell you that I've had a really good time so far. I've been with the company since June 24th I've been on my own since the first week of August. I'm a local day cab driver out of Hagerstown doing the dedicated runs for Lowe's. My sleep schedule of course had to change due to the fact that I need to be at the yard anywhere between midnight and 3 in the morning in order to be at the store I need to go to at a certain delivery time usually between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. . I can honestly say that I am getting more home time with my wife and son then when I did a nine-to-five job. I would only be home and awake from 6 to 10 every night. That's only 4 hours two if you count my son goes to sleep at 8 o'clock. Now I'm usually home anywhere between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. I get to pick up my son off the bus and actually hang out with everybody until about 6 o'clock at the latest. Tonight I'm going to be real lucky I get to stay up a little bit later until about 7:30 because I have such a short run tomorrow. Now as far as everything is been going for work I've been browsing around 900 week and about 1200 to 1500 miles. Again I'm very new to this and I'm also a day cab driver home every night so this will differ for guys and girls that are over the road. I've been through a lot of training through many different companies and two stints in the military and this is by far one of the best. They're not just training and number they're actually training you as a person. The entire time we did all these tests whether they were on paper or practical in a truck they wanted to make sure that we didn't do the proper thing but that we understood it and knew why we needed to do this something. Is most of the training stuff is still fresh in my memory if anybody wants to hit me up please feel free to private message me or just write on here.

As of right now I am going to Pleasant Hill, NC on August 1st to start my orientation with McElroy. I might graduate sooner from trucking school and if I do then I might try to move it up to July 25th. Super excited but nervous as hell at the same time.

Do you have an update on how things are at McElroy?

Hey guys my names josh I'm in middle of CDL training . I've had CDL for year but never driven big rigs just straight work trucks with bumper pull trailers. So I'm making the switch to big rigs . I trying to make my mind up on company to try to go to work for after. I'm looking into Mcelrory as I'm located in dierks Arkansas just hour north of Texarkana . And also considering Maverick . I live by A Weyerhaeuser lumber mill have you heard of they haul any lumber for them. I'm looking for dedicated and local routes . And infonyou can give id welcomed I'm a big guy 6-1 300 lbs with a cpap. Thanks in advanever guys

We haul all the time out of Dierks and Nashville. We don't have drivers dedicated to Dierks but my guess is that living there you'd probably make quite a few runs from there.

Hey guys my names josh I'm in middle of CDL training . I've had CDL for year but never driven big rigs just straight work trucks with bumper pull trailers. So I'm making the switch to big rigs . I trying to make my mind up on company to try to go to work for after. I'm looking into Mcelrory as I'm located in dierks Arkansas just hour north of Texarkana . And also considering Maverick . I live by A Weyerhaeuser lumber mill have you heard of they haul any lumber for them. I'm looking for dedicated and local routes . And infonyou can give id welcomed I'm a big guy 6-1 300 lbs with a cpap. Thanks in advanever guys

I know we haul out of that area, just as parrothead stated, you may inquire if they have a dedicated out of the certainteed plant in Nashville

Hi everyone, looks like it's been a few months since anyone posted under this McElroy thread. After much deliberation during school, I decided on McElroy and I'm headed to Pleasant Hills NC to start orientation this coming Monday the 27th. Very excited and anxious. Any advice from anyone on the current training/etc at McElroy? Got my CDL yesterday. After 22 years in a corporate office staring at a computer, I took a voluntary early retirement offer at 51 yrs old, to pursue truck driving. I always dreamed of it and always thought I might like it, so I took the chance while the opportunity arose, rather than always regretting not. I can say that I was looking forward to Monday mornings all through school, couldn't wait to get back behind the wheel, I absolutely love driving the big rig. I hope that does not change when it's a "job". Whereas at my office job I was dreading Mondays for years...... Thanks for any advice and updates on their program/etc. I live near Reading PA so I imagine I'll be picking up loads for Lowes at Hagerstown MD alot.

Hey Greg, hope to be down there in a few weeks, just wanted to hear how you felt about the orientation and training you are getting.

McElroy? At the age of 49, my previous career came to an end. From home up near Fort Worth, TX, I took the 7 week PTDI CDL course down at Houston Community College/ NE Campus, (Highly Recommended.. by myself and others.) The McElroy recruiter came by class, as do a number of trucking companies, to present their case to prospective drivers. For all the dog-and-pony shows put on by the likes of Werner, Swift, Prime, et al, the simple down to earth presentation by a most humble, but most Honest, older fellow from Alabama caught my attention and held it through those miserable days of Truck Job Hunting that followed graduation. (Note: this was back in '05.. no PowerPoint, no brochures, no Nothin'..) Long story short: McElroy took me on, over 90 days past my graduation date.. Back then, the 2 week Orientation was in Cuba, AL. I was lucky enough to get a Texas trainer for the 4 weeks on the road. And then, as now, the Final Week was in Cuba. Coming 12 years later, and near 1 million and a half miles behind me I'm still with McElroy. If I had to do this all over again I wouldn't change a Thing. As others have, and will, point out - flatbedding in general, and this company in particular, is not for everyone. What some consider to be "hard work" is not necessarily so to all.. Compared to a life mostly in cattle ranching with a lil farming on the side, this is the easiest job I've ever had. But in my case, your case, and just about every other situation in life, "Attitude Is Everything". I do definitely recommend McElroy as a flatbed operation. But be honest with Yourself first and foremost, and then be honest about what Works for you and what does Not.. It's my responsibility to myself and family to keep up with Other Trucking Jobs out there. As a driver, you'll be in constant contact with other drivers - there are forums such as these - there are numerous Truck Stop Publications for driver jobs... Lots to see and hear. But to this day, I'll drive for no other company out there.

Good luck, and God bless...

Greg, any updates?? I just spent 15-20 minutes on the phone with a couple different folks at McElroy and I am much more optimistic about the prospect of me getting to not this career. The guarantee of home Friday night and leave out Sunday or Monday is what I need to make this endeavor work. At least at the beginning.

I would love to hear more from you and your experiences in training.

Best of luck,

Deke

Any more updates? I just received my invitation to orientation with McElroy. I'm pretty excited but a bit nervous. The physical agility test worries me a bit.

Deke, what concerns do you have about the agility test? It's really not that bad...some of it is balance oriented...walking along a 2x4 on the ground, standing on one leg...proper techniques for lifting...use legs not your back, lift the tarps to a shelf...you don't have to lift and carry them....couple other things to get your heart rate up, just remember to slow down and breath to help control your heart rate. I'll be glad to help with any questions that I can. Where do you live? Do you know what terminal you would be working out of?

Any more updates? I just received my invitation to orientation with McElroy. I'm pretty excited but a bit nervous. The physical agility test worries me a bit.