Profile For Sasquatch

Where are you picking up your truck? I'll be at the tulsa terminal on the 27th to get my keys.

As for load securement, my trainer told me there is no such thing as an overly secured load. Out of all the shippers we went to, only once were we there alone, and more times than not there were other Melton trucks there. Even if I didn't ask another driver how to secure a certain load, I could atleast look at their trailer and get a good idea. That may not always be the case but if you apply the basics to every load you will do fine I would think.

For example, on the above photo we used 3 straps and 2 chains on each pump head. That is a total of 20k lbs of securement per. Each pump head only weighed 8k lbs. It is what made my trainer and I comfortable running it down the road.

I will pick up my truck in Birmingham on Wednesday, that's where I did my orientation and it's close to the house. And thanks, I plan to over secure for a while. On our day of securement training I was over securing, and while I'm home, I plan to pound the Safe securement book in my head. Hopefully we can run into each other one day.

I definitely will keep y'all updated. Melton has a lot of resources for rookie flatbedders. We have access to Melton securement videos, a mentor, and they have a 24 hour securement team that we can call if we need help. I'm excited and most my first post was just an internal thought, not something I would ever do. I am very excited to be with Melton just nervous as hell.

Keith, you've barely got three months experience! You are as green as they come my friend. I can't believe you want to jump ship again after one week of orientation! How soon after that will it be until you spot another patch of green looking grass? That's a serious question.

You have got to be confused about Melton. They don't send people out without training them on securement practices. In fact they have excellent training on it. They do orientation first, then they put you through their securement training class. If I were you I would ask them to put me with a trainer after the class. You really should spend at least a couple of weeks with a trainer doing hands on securement and tarping.

Come back in here next week and let us know how it goes, but please try to stay put for a minimum of one year. You owe that to yourself - it is the only way you're going to get the hang of this career.

Thanks, Old School, I truly look up to you and heed your advice a lot. I read a lot of your articles and posts even before I got my CDL. I know I am green and very wet behind the ears. I was great in my first 3 months, I stayed at the top of my fleet the whole time. But flatbed is a whole new animal. And I don't want to make a mistake and in flatbed it's a lot of responsibility on me as the driver. I want to be that driver that secures everything right and is known for doing everything safely and gets the job done. I love being a driver they can count on.I really don't want to leave Melton, I am truly happy and excited to have the opportunity to work for such a great company as Melton. I can go with a trainer but it will change everything that I have been given by Melton. I was given enough by Melton in orientation to help me get through the serious learning curve ahead of me. And I only made the change to Melton because of long conversations and serious thought about my first company and my first company wasn't what was best for me or my family. But I am very thankful to them for the time I had. I plan to be with Melton as long as possible, at least a few years till my boys need me home on the weekend more.

Thanks for the replies, I am not wanting to jump ship. I was more or less confused by the nerves. Melton is a great company and a company have wanted to and am excited to work for. They gave us a 4 hour class on the unique securement items, such as suicide coils, shotgun coils, flat steel, slinkys, and stacked loads. I was also given a thorough book on how to secure most freight. I have a mentor to reach our to and a few friends to help me when I need it. And hopefully this site too. I reached out to them and I expressed my concerns. But, in the end I was letting my nerves affect me. I take it serious and don't want to make any mistakes out here on the road. Flatbed is a challenge and one I am excited to face head on.

I just made my first company change and freight change in my young trucking career. I'm going from dry van to flatbed. I'm official with Melton but I'm not getting any real world securement training and it has second guessing myself. I am afraid to make a mistake. Then today the other company I spied with at the same time as Melton, called and gave me the green light for their flatbed division and I get to go with a trainer for real world securement training. But I just finished Melton's orientation and will be assigned my own truck after Christmas, so would I be wrong to jump and go through with the other company?

Today was the day, one of the greatest days I have had in a while. I passed my CDL test, and the feeling was bitter sweet. Now, time to get the wheels moving. Thanks to all the people that post their stories, or their trials and tribulations on Trucking Truth, that made me a 110% sure that this is what I wanted to do.

Today was supposed to be the day to get my hard earned CDL, and then came a little 3 foot box called the bumper box. I aced my pre trip, and proceeded to the backing pad, did my straight line and off-set perfect. 0 points and lining up for the 90, feeling great. Did my maneuvers with a couple extra pull-ups, and one boundary, and I'm perfect in the box. I use my last get out and look to see how far I am to the box. I roll back, and see the examiner start to walk-up. So I think I am getting close to the rear boundary, and I stop and complete the test. I get out and realize that I am a foot in front of the bumper box. My luck,lol. But, tomorrow is a new day, and I will conquer this once and for all.

I have finished my 1st week of CDL training with CFI at Crowder College, now the fun begins. I have been deemed safe enough to be on public streets, so first thing tomorrow I get to start my group on our 1st road trip. So excited yet so nervous. Downshifting and turns still get me, oh and hills lol. Then later I get to test myself and learn parallel parking and eventually the 90. Wish me luck, and any advice is greatly appreciated. 1 week down, 3 to go.

I just got accepted to CFI, what are we responsible for out of pocket up front? I am a little confused because you had to cover your hotel and transportation expenses. And did you have a little cash saved up to help cover those costs?

I haven't received all the information from my recruiter, she is supposed to be sending all my information tomorrow. But, I might try to leave sooner becaus I gave her a date 3 weeks out, but money is getting pretty tight.I am also considering teams to shorten my contractual commitment, so I will have to ask her a few more questions.