Question:
I have been driving for almost six years now and have done local, regional and long haul work. I have been off the road for about 2.5 years now and have a union grocery hauling job that pays well but I have missed the road since I left it. I was wondering if any of you have or are now driving for Marten? I would like some input as I can't go back to Gordon Trucking like I would love to because I've been there twice and they don't like a high turnover so Marten is my second choice, I live in Spokane, WA and would just like some input before I leave the union (which isn't all it's cracked up to be) and get back out there.
Thanks,
Dan

Answer:

Don't say that too loudly, you're bound to get some people's panties in an uproar!
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you have a job that pays well.
why leave it for a job that pays meager wages.

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To some folks quality of life is worth more then good pay.
My self I miss the road as well. Very much.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

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Living proof that the delusional find happiness
driving as a vocation.
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I think that the last reply is absolutely correct, I feel that if I hate my job I need to move on because I'm not doing the company any favors by being angry all the time and I'm sick and tired of people getting fired for being idiots and then getting there jobs back because the union cries well on there behalf. I want to go back on the road to enjoy my work again, the pay will come as long as my fleet manager and I can get along and work with one another and not against each other. Anyway, do any of you work for Marten? I realize that alot of OTR truckers complain about never being home and I know that life out there is different but it's what I really want to do and besides it all goes back to the first part, if you hate your job move on you are not helping anyone, including yourself. You only live once, why not be happy

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I did just that, left a 20$hr union job to go back otr cuz I missed it so bad.. Loved it for about 3 monthes...lasted for 6 and now I came back, lost all my senority and had to find another job. There was more in it, like custody of my son, but I would have come back anyway. I had been local for 4 years, and Its still the same.Live in St. Louis? Looking for concrete truck drivers....great pay and benifits...pm for details

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you have a job that pays well.
why leave it for a job that pays meager wages
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He's leaving before he goes out and buys a 50 caliber machine gun and takes it to work.......LOL

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You can read this about Marten.
http://roundtable.truck.net/viiewt.php?t=44199&highlight=marten

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[quote="daytrader"]To some folks quality of life is worth more then good pay.
That's why i sold my truck and retired, so i could enjoy a little quality.
Big

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dak1, You don't get it. Some folks really enjoy OTR driving.
To some it may be like going fishing or going to a Nascar race. They enjoy it. They relax doing it.
I am one of the type that would go back to OTR if I won the lottery.
I wouldn't go buy my own truck or anything like that. I would go back to JB Hunt as a casual driver.
This being home everyday kinda sucks big time. Its not worth the hassle, the bad home time or the money.,
I had better home time when I was OTR and gone 4-6 weeks at a time. I may be home everyday. Just to sleep 4-6 hours then back to work. 1 hr home, 1 hr to work. 1 hour eatting and taking a show and the rest of the time to normal crap you have to deal with when you are home.
Its not worth it at all.
I also kept more of my pay check while on the road. Now that I am home. We blow money on the weekends.
It used to be reall easy to put 40-50% of my check in to stocks for invesments every week OTR. Now, we will blow 400-800 every weekend just to relax.
We are easily blowing 20k a year being home. Out on the road it was hard to even think of blowing that kinda cash.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!

Answer:
I feel the same way, I loved my time OTR. I really do sleep better in a truck then at my home or at a hotel. I never felt like I was working while on the road, every day started new in a new place and ended in a new place. I had a great fleet manager that got me home every two weeks and kept me rolling. I especially liked leaving Washington in the wintertime and heading for southern California or any where that it was warm. I like change and I absolutely like driving trucks. I do enjoy it and I want to live that way again, Marten has a fair pay schedule and I think that I will be able to get the miles that I want and need and at the same time always wake up and be happy about what I'm doing, not dreading going to work like I do now. Life on the road presents new and unique challenges and I really like it, being able to get back out there is worth more to me than going insane with the routine of a local job, I can't wait.

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dak1, You don't get it. Some folks really enjoy OTR driving.
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Daytrader, go back a read the post from the beginning.

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Sorry, I skipped over that it was a quote from Rusty.202 N Main Street
Summerfield Il 62289
TRUCK PARKING AVAILABLE!