Weekly Minimums?

I have two job offers currently. Both hit the main thing that matters to me, and that is weekly home time. TMC vs Maverick. This appears to have been a topic of debate for many years, so I will be more deliberate with my question.

Should this weekly minimum of $1100 be a significant determining factor in my choice? I've heard both good and bad about the "gimmicks" of weekly minimums, so I'm not sure what to make of it. A Maverick recruiter told me that all I have to do is be available for a whole 5-day week. That's it. Then you hear about some FMs sending drivers home early if the freight is slow, therefore disqualifying the driver from the minimum.

I imagine that percentage pay with TMC will equate to a higher average paycheck, but will this offset the weekly minimums with Maverick?

According to TMC, I am right in the middle of their "heavy load" zone, so there will be no issue keeping me busy and getting me home on the weekends. Then I heard that TMC and Maverick usually frequent the same places.

I'm not trying to beat a dead horse with these questions, but I would appreciate some current feedback from someone who has experienced both sides of the fence here.

Also... I have the option to get a letter of intent to hire with Landair doing a dedicated, home weekly account. This is one company that I have NOT looked into at all. They are saying $1500 weekly minimum at 51-61cpm + 25cpm for miles with touch freight. This sounds too good.... Opinions?

Hey, try not to analyze this to death. You are obviously gathering information from all sorts of places. I know you want to get this right, but that's where you are going wrong.

If you like the idea of a weekly minimum, then go for it. Stop handicapping yourself with "what ifs." None of these companies wants you earning just that minimum. That means they are leaving money on the table. They only make money when you make money. I've never even considered a minimum amount. I'm focused on the maximum amount. That's where you need to be focused.

Don't fool yourself into thinking percentage pay equals more pay. Plenty of people chase that elusive rabbit. It's just another gimmick.

About the only thing you posted that I can agree with is the fact that TMC and Maverick are fighting for the same freight.

I'm surprised Landair is hiring new drivers on that account. If it's a "dollar store," I'd definitely stay away. I don't know what it is, but the reasons the pay is like it is, are pointing to difficulty. I would want to know more before signing on to that.

You can't go wrong with TMC or Maverick. The problem will be whether you have the gumption to be a flatbedder. Whatever you decide, stick it out for one full year. You owe yourself that commitment. It will make a huge difference in your career.

If you can swing it, my book, Hit The Road, will be a major help to you. It's available on Amazon.

Haha, my wife has me overanalyzing things. She's on my tail about the money aspect of it all. She works in a dentist's office and is being told that they have a lot of truck drivers who are struggling financially. I don't know much more than that, and she doesn't ask questions. I know better than to believe that they are broke because of a bad job... more likely because of bad choices and money management. Nevertheless, she hung on to it. So I have a lot to prove in this first year, not to myself, I know I can do it, but to her.

Anyway. You answered all my questions and believe it or not, set my mind at ease. I will ask Landair more questions. But as far as Maverick and TMC go, I am heavily leaning in the direction of Maverick. In fact, I just got an email today that I am in the processing phase.

I appreciate these forums. My family has been out of trucking for so long, so you all are my only place to get answers. I will update ya'll on my decision and progress in the near future :)

I agree do not over think this. It is pretty basic in reality.

Trucking is probably the most diverse occupation on the planet. Pulling a box is pretty basic.

Flatbed and or specialized is a whole nother world.

Tankers dry or wet is very diverse also.

Food service yet another variable even though its in a box.

LTL a whole different breed.

I think you probably get the point. Truck drivers are a very diverse group and not every aspect is for everyone.

This week so far I have pulled a flatbed, reefer , and 3 axle lowboy and it’s only tuesday.

The reefer was a one off to help out a friend. I’m not even remotely tempted to go back to that. No offense meant to those that do pull them, just not what I want to do.

You need to look at the job duties of the offers and decide which one you find most appealing to you.

The industry has been rough for the past 3 years. Hopefully we are getting light at the end of the tunnel. Only time will tell.

Pay is another breed of cat. No two loads pay the same. There are a ton of variables that go into pricing. CPM is a known value. You turn x miles you get paid x. Simple. Percentage isn’t a gimmick, it’s just a variable you cannot control. The better the rate, the more you make. The less the rate, the less you make.

I’ve done it both ways and in the end they both came fairly close to each other. The bigger thing to me is your accepting a percentage of what someone else negoatigated. Big companies are famous for low bidding a new contract to get their foot in the door. That has always bugged me. As a driver you have no control or in most cases knowledge of those things.

Both TMC and Maverick are solid companies.

I agree with your statements on percentage pay. I also appreciate the ease of calculating your paycheck with CPM. Percentage pay mainly scares me due to the current economy, but that risk could be worth it if it heads in a good direction. But with my current financial situation, it's not worth the risk. So I think I will stick to the Maverick side of things personally.

That being said, Roehl just called me and offered me a .60 cpm flatbed job out of a terminal 20 minutes from my house. They said the position was technically already filled, but since we had already discussed it, they would honor the agreement. The problem is... if the spot is filled, is there enough work to warrant a new driver? That and so many people complaining on trucking forums about the lack of miles. Some say they average around 1600 miles a week. I have some uneasy feelings about it. I will keep the options open. I am waiting on Maverick to call me back in a few days (hopefully). I will make a decision based on that call.

Last thing. I know its a "starter company" and I need to "suck it up" and get my experience. But I can not uproot my family's life on a hope and a prayer that the reviews are wrong. I need some level of truth from people that are not just disgruntled prior employees venting. So, I will keep researching, reading, and asking questions to anyone willing to lend an opinion :)

I'm a former Maverick driver who got my start with them and never regretted it. It's been years so my info may be a little out of date, but some thoughts on some things you've said and some thoughts on why I went with Maverick when I was in your position just starting out (had invitations to orientation at both TMC and Maverick.)

TMC's percentage pay-they love to say you'll make more on percentage, but I've talked to dozens of TMC drivers over the years, and at the end of the year, the pay comes out to about the same. Some weeks percentage will do better, other weeks cpm will be better. Personally, while I'm sure TMC is completely above board, I've never liked my pay being based off what the company tells me they got paid for the load-how do I know they are telling me the truth? That being said, Maverick used to pay zip to zip (not sure if they still do.) That can make a lot of drivers angry too, but never really bothered me. The minimum pay was actually started my second year there and by that time was quick enough at the loading aspect of the job, that I don't remember ever getting it. Could be great for a new flatbedder when the tarping jobs are still taking five hours and you're losing mileage pay.

That 60 cent per mile seems low, feel like I was making that and more seven years ago at Maverick.

Tennessee is a great spot for flatbed. Tons of loads in that area and Maverick should have very few problems getting you home every weekend. No need to "uproot" your family or move closer to a terminal. They used to have a terminal in TN if I remember correctly.

The "starter company" and "suck it up" thing. Yeah, they'll hire new drivers, but doesn't mean you've got to suck it up with a horrible outfit. It was a great place to work. They've got hundreds of million mile drivers. There's things I still miss about that outfit and would probably still be with them if I weren't on the very edge of their hiring zone which made getting home hard. I went with their flatbed division because I wanted experience in general flatbed freight instead of just hauling specialized freight, but they actually have a glass division just down the road, and If I wasn't happy with my current gig, would be right back there hauling glass.

Now, the actual reason I went with Maverick instead of TMC (and again, my info may be out of date now days), Maverick's trainers rode in the passenger seat the entire time you trained, at the time, TMC would go to team driving after a couple weeks. Not sure if they still do, but at the time, I felt more comfortable with the trainer always keeping an eye on things.

Andhe78, I feel like you are in my head right now. Everything you said is exactly what I was expecting out of this conversation. 60 CPM is above average for new drivers on flatbed currently. Maverick is at .55 cents (No longer zip to zip afaik) for comparison. But I do feel that I would be happier with Maverick in the long run. I am willing to put in my 16 months or so to complete my contract, and if the going is good, I may stick around and do some Glass or Boats. We will see. My long-term goal is to be a local LTL or run Fuel in 3 years. I want some experience so I have more options when the time comes. "Maverick's trainers rode in the passenger seat the entire time you trained. At the time, TMC would go to team driving after a couple of weeks." This still reigns true. And that is one of the main reasons I marked Maverick down as my 3rd choice. I am sure TMC is a fine company, but the benefits of Maverick are too good for a new dude trying to learn the ropes.

Thank you so much for your input! The more I delve into this on these forums, the more at ease my mind becomes. It's daunting to start over at 40 years old... downright scary. However, I am growing tired of corporate life and working from home. It's messing with my head too much lately. I've got to get out.

I appreciate every one of you men and women on here sharing your knowledge with us rookies and aspiring rookies.

I'd highly recommend obsessing over which company has training practices and schooling that will fit you best and help you develop into a professional driver instead of how much money.

The fact of the matter is that you're going to make about the same money at any of the companies you get into. The reason for this is that your performance dictates your pay. Right now you have neither the skills nor experience to even have performance. Your first year, should you make it through schooling and training, is not something to "suck it up", rather it's where you get the chance to learn while getting paid.

Its far more important to concentrate on getting through the companies hiring process, then schooling, then training and then finally a year solo without hitting anything, without failing loads and building great relationships with your DM. Let alone learning how to balance out your home life with life on the road.

FWIW, a good friend of mine from this forum and I work in completely different sectors of trucking yet our yearly income is within a couple grand of each other. The why, is that we have solid fundamentals and a good foundation as drivers. There is no magic bullet, no magic companies that pay grossly above other ones.

I'd encourage you to devour the CDL diaries section and search for the companies you're looking at on here, stop putting the cart before the horse and concentrate on getting your med card, permit, cdl, schooling and training solid.

I respect you and everything you have said here. However, I am not obsessing over money, I am obsessing over making sure I make enough to stay afloat this first year. The weekly minimum that Maverick offers is exactly what I am looking for. Stability while I learn. Something will inevitably go wrong.

I have researched a LOT of the training that these schools provide. I already have my Permit and Med Card, and my family has owned a trucking company for 40+ years (Sold in 2015). So I understand the basics of what I am getting into.

In fact in my last post I mentioned that I prefer having a trainer in seat my full shift instead of teams. Can't really learn when your teacher is in the sleeper.

(edit: i realize I made a large type in that previous post, and said that Maverick is 3rd choice because of this... they are my 1st choice, because of the training and safety).

"stop putting the cart before the horse" I think ahead. I am not a person that can only look at tomorrow. I am looking at myself a year from now, 5 years from now. I understand that it's one step at a time. But I have to truly understand the ins and outs or my brain goes nuts. You should see the journal I am keeping of all the information I have bene gathering from all these different companies and forums on here. I will have a plan for just about anything that could possibly go wrong with this career change before I make that leap. It's just the way my mind works.

Hope I am not coming off as being rude, I am not meaning to sound that way if I am.

I'd highly recommend obsessing over which company has training practices and schooling that will fit you best and help you develop into a professional driver instead of how much money.

The fact of the matter is that you're going to make about the same money at any of the companies you get into. The reason for this is that your performance dictates your pay. Right now you have neither the skills nor experience to even have performance. Your first year, should you make it through schooling and training, is not something to "suck it up", rather it's where you get the chance to learn while getting paid.

Its far more important to concentrate on getting through the companies hiring process, then schooling, then training and then finally a year solo without hitting anything, without failing loads and building great relationships with your DM. Let alone learning how to balance out your home life with life on the road.

FWIW, a good friend of mine from this forum and I work in completely different sectors of trucking yet our yearly income is within a couple grand of each other. The why, is that we have solid fundamentals and a good foundation as drivers. There is no magic bullet, no magic companies that pay grossly above other ones.

I'd encourage you to devour the CDL diaries section and search for the companies you're looking at on here, stop putting the cart before the horse and concentrate on getting your med card, permit, cdl, schooling and training solid.