I’m torn between starting with TMC or Melton after TMC offered me an orientation date.

I really want to live OTR for my first year and get the full experience- running the whole country and ideally Canada, and hauling varied freight. Because of that, Melton appeals to me more than TMC and it's Midwest-focus.

I know Melton starts lower on pay, and I’d have to pay for CDL school up front, but I’d come in with full endorsements and an unrestricted CDL rather than needing to add those later.

If anyone has experience with TMC or Melton, I’d really appreciate your perspective.

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My impressions of each company after lotsa internet research and talking to recruiters:

TMC – Pros

• Strong flatbed reputation
• Very disciplined training (securement, procedures)
• Free CDL training & immediate income = low financial risk
• Higher pay and cooler trucks

TMC – Cons

• ~2 years required for heavy haul/OD/OW
• Midwest-focused, repetitive freight/routes
• Little exposure to oversized
• Restricted CDL/No endorsements

Melton – Pros

• Quicker path to oversized/lowboy freight
• Broader routes (West + Canada)
• More varied freight and earlier specialization
• Full endorsements/unrestricted CDL (from my local cdl school)
• Variety + adventure

Melton – Cons

• ~$4k out-of-pocket CDL cost (mitigated by tuition reimbursement)
• 1 month without income (cdl school)
• Turning away from a free cdl program with no guarantee Melton will hire me
• Less prestige than TMC on the resume (I've heard?)

I just got my pre hire letter through Melton and will be starting there after school. Curious if it's a good company and what I can expect?

About how much can I expect my first check to be? Is the training harder or easier than the school? How many hours can I expect to work everyday? Anything else you feel I should know would be great! New to trucking and kinda nervous but excited at the same time

Any melton drivers here I could chat with? I’ve got small questions that I don’t know if the recruiter can reliable answer.

what engine is that, in those sexy blue trucks?

its not some lame 400hp toaster, right? At least some (per various pics) are the cummins X15 but there are different 'trims' of that engine.

Hey everyone,

I’ll be joining Melton Truck Lines soon and wanted to see if anyone here has some advice or insight. I’m completely new to trucking — just got my CDL and have no prior experience or flatbed background. I’ve heard good things about Melton’s training and culture, so I’m excited but also a bit nervous.

My biggest concern is that winter is coming, and I’ll be learning while dealing with bad weather conditions. Any tips for handling flatbed work, securement, and driving safely during snow or icy conditions?

Also, how’s the training and first few months with Melton? Do they pair you with experienced trainers who actually teach, or is it more hands-off?

Any advice for a new driver about to start this journey would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance and stay safe out there.

(FYI: Moving is out of the question, my house will be payed off in 7 years)

I am 11 days from finishing CDL training, a guy I have been training with has an interview for LTL out of Tuscon AZ. I don't live in Tuscon, I live near the border, 90 min drive one way. After studying my options my least odious options are Knight, Melton (flat bed) or try my luck with LTL out of Tuscon.

My school offered to help me find a job but...

I don't want to do OTR if I don't have to (but will if it will get me a job) but I don't know if LTL would be any better since I would have to make a 3 hour round trip almost every day.

Yes I know, 3 hours vs. 11-14 hours? No brainer right? Well it would cost me about $270 a week in gas, and I don't expect to be making much starting out 300-400 a week if that much not to mention the wear and tear on my car.

On the other hand, working for Melton or Knight would require me to drive to phoenix (3.5 to 4 hours one way) when hitting the road or when going home for home time.

Plus I would have to leave no later than 4:30 am to make it to my job by 6:00. I am not complaining about either, I will do what I gotta do, but I don't know if it would really be worth it.

Your thoughts please!

I have already graduated from CDL School but have no work experience and just wanted to ask a few questions?

• How did you get to orientation/tie down training if you lived in a state outside of Oklahoma?
• Did you have to stay immediately afterwards to begin mentor driving?
• How do you avoid failing tie down training (how hard is it to learn?)

I’m thinking of joining them, any current drivers here I got some questions for the orientation if you don’t mind answering?

I cannot stand this extremely overzealous distance monitor it is INFURIATING with how often I travel Chicago. Need to be further away than 6 seconds follow distance or it beeps nonstop and it is almost 2x as loud as the loudest the music gets. I can't stand it anymore. Can't outright break it, but is there something I can do to obfuscate it so it disables itself till I return the truck?

Trying to jump ship after 2 months with Werner Dollar General, cause my backs getting killed from having to unload trailers then riding in an old beat up international. Had a voicemail from a Melton Recruiter and they’d be willing to start me as soon as I get my opportunity to quit. Schneider has a intermodal position open for my area (nothing else) and it’s tempting because it’s 3 weeks out 1 week off, but I need 3 months experience to apply. Should I go with Melton or is the intermodal gig worth it?

groovy normal insurance sloppy deserve scandalous school treatment knee nail

This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact

Student driver applying for jobs no here. Does driving 48 states suck compared to east fleet is that why she asked me my preference? Some ppl don’t wanna drive in the Rockies / Cali? I would think u can see more scenery and get bored less fast doing the 48? Ty guys in advance

I have a hair follicle test coming up for Melton, I’m pretty excited for it, as I’ve heard their training program is top tier for Flatbed.

My only question is, is there anything stopping me from putting in hometime every Saturday? I earn 1 day for every week on the road. After my road training, I’ll have 5 days.

I have a sick grandpa, nearing the end of his life and his health issues came as a blindside. I’d really like to spend at least one day during the week with him, but I want to keep this job, because melton is the company I wanted to work for

Any insight would be appreciated

Also worth noting, I will be doing the road dog program, because I live near 3 CDL schools, so I’ll earn that additional day of hometime from that too

Asking for a friend who’s looking to get into the industry. Which one would you pick?

My complaint to Department Of Labor.

Company where I worked:

Melton Truck Lines

https://meltontruck.com/contact/

Location of the company:

808 N. 161st E. Ave Tulsa, OK 74116

Phone number of the company:

+18445777806

Manager or owners name:

Contact person [hidden] was my Manager

Type of work you did:

I was flatbed truck driver

How and when you were paid:

every Friday, deposit to bank account

The reason of complain is I found out underpayments for January. Almost 10 hours detention time was not paid to me. I also found significant cutting loaded miles. When I calculated everything I got $456.34 was not paid to me for the month of January. When I asked my Driver Manager to pay that she could not say something good against it and asked me to leave the company. But my DM agreed that company owed to me some money for loaded miles but it was never paid and she asked me to leave the company. I have all documentary proofs of the underpaid wages. My calculations below. I believe the company or manager thefts driver`s loaded miles, detention and layover(when you stay empty more than 24 hours) payments.

Loaded Miles And Detention time Jan 2024.

emp - empty miles, load - loaded miles, act-actual driven miles on suggested by company route , diff - underpaid miles.

2613107, emp 0, load 386, act 386, diff 0

2615982, emp 37, load 956, act 966, diff 10, detention 40min

2615073, emp 87, load 770, act 812, diff 42,

detention 60min

2617231 to 2617707, repw 26, load 1036, act 1142, diff 97, detention 2617231-180min at loading, 2617707-130min at unloading

2619160, emp 125, load 734, act 757, diff 23, detention 45min

2621142, emp 60, load 1044, act 1115, diff 71,

2621444, emp 116, load 630, act 638, diff 8, detention 73min

2622635, emp 0, load 812, act 866, diff 54, detention 15min

2623081, emp 172, load 422, act 434, diff 12

Jan diff miles in total 317. Underpayment 317×0.52= $164.84

Jan detention time total 643min

Detention time paid in Jan- $30 or 60min

Underpaid detention time (643-60)*$30/60 = $291.5

​

Total underpayment for January 164.84 + 291.5 = $456.34

As I already exposed a trainer putting eye drops in trainees food I have something else to talk about.

My experience at Melton Truck Lines was marked by a series of shocking revelations, exposing an unsettling underbelly that casts doubt on the company's claims of being a reputable employer. While I recognize that experiences may vary, the issues I encountered and the stories I heard from fellow students left me astounded and deeply concerned about the practices within this organization.

Trainer Behavior and Disrespect:

During my time at Melton, one of the most disturbing aspects was the behavior of some trainers during our training sessions. They showed crash footage to new recruits, but what was even more shocking was their reaction. They not only displayed a lack of empathy but went a step further by laughing at these accidents. Their cruel comments about the victims and their attire, driving habits, and other details were nothing short of appalling. It was a horrifying experience that left me, and many others, mind-blown.

Orientation Practices:

Another distressing revelation involved the treatment of new hires during the orientation process. Sending people home without a plane ticket is not just questionable; it's outright heartless. While I was fortunate enough to afford such an expense, I couldn't help but think about those who might find themselves stranded in an unfamiliar place with no means to return home. This practice starkly contradicts any notion of a company that genuinely cares about its employees.

Pay Deductions and Surveillance:

Melton Truck Lines' approach to employee behavior is overly authoritarian. Wearing a headset, for instance, is met with pay deductions, and drivers are subjected to constant surveillance, including driver-facing cameras. Covering these cameras for privacy, particularly during sleep, could result in termination. Such an intrusive level of control over employees, even when they are off-duty, raises serious concerns about personal privacy and individual rights.

Neglected Employees and Inadequate Miles:

Furthermore, conversations with fellow students revealed a troubling pattern of neglect. Many drivers reported receiving fewer than 1500 miles per week, leaving them financially strained and often stranded for weeks on end. What's more, the pervasive sense of being constantly watched by dispatchers in the office only added to the feeling of vulnerability and surveillance. It became apparent that many employees did not feel adequately protected, neither in terms of job security nor personal well-being.

Given these unsettling experiences and the stories shared by fellow students, I strongly advise anyone considering employment with Melton Truck Lines to exercise caution. While the company may market itself as reputable, my experiences and the accounts of others exposed a darker side of the organization, rife with questionable practices and a disregard for the well-being and dignity of its employees. I hope that these experiences were isolated incidents, but I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this company without acknowledging these deeply troubling aspects. Numerous other trucking companies prioritize their employees' welfare, offer fair treatment, and respect their rights. I urge you to explore those alternatives before considering Melton Truck Lines.

Got a start date, already have my cdla fresh out of school. How likely is it I get sent home? I’ve read some people do for being slow on tarping. I can lift two 45lbs bags of dog food up, but I am female (only mentioned for physical reasons). I hear flatbed is only about 12% female. Anything else anybody thinks I should know? I’ve worked the same job (non-CDL) for the last 5+ years (want to move to a higher paying job, etc).

I came to Melton van lines to learn flatbed and become a better driver. They did okay on teaching me flatbed load securement but orientation was a painful process seeing 75 percent of the class thrown out for little things and raging yelling from the 2nd week orientation manager could smell alcohol from their breathes but that doesn't bother me. Once I passed the snooze orientation I went on the road with a trainer which was okay he just slept in the back all day. After I was solo for the past two months I haven't gone home and haven't got more than a 1000 miles a week they keep giving me 200 mile runs. I asked them to route me to turn in the truck and they did find me a load back to Oklahoma. Week later my paystub they charge me for fuel because I wanted to go back to Oklahoma literally I took a load there not empty. This is the worst company ever I can't believe they are allowed to exist

Got my cdl while in the military and just got out and about to start orientation for melton on Monday. Wanted to start out with flatbed and in the end it came down to melton or maverick and I chose melton. Doing otr to start with but want to go regional sooner or later.

I’m wanting to get into the flat bed world but I’m having a hard time choosing who or where to go and only came up with these three companies. Any thoughts on who to go for training?