TT: Hello, Marcus and Joel. We want to congratulate you both on being TOTAL’s Team of the Year!
Marcus: Man, we really appreciate that.
Joel: We always try to get it done, any way possible
TT: Where are you both from?
Marcus: I’m from Scott County near Lake Mississippi.
Joel: I’m from Newton, Mississippi.
TT: Marcus, how long have you been driving trucks?
Marcus: May will make my second year since I started at TOTAL.
TT: It’s great you’ve been with us from your start. What did you do before you came here?
Marcus: Yeah. I’ve been here for all of it. Before that. I was in the oil and gas field. I was a pipeline foreman. I was running around laying gas lines.
TT: What made you think you’d enjoy driving trucks for a living?
Marcus: For one, I was trying to be home more. In that oil field life, you don’t really get to come home on your own time. You come home on their time. My uncles all drove trucks, and I’ve got a lot of other family members in trucking. I just felt like I could handle it.
TT: What appealed about driving trucks versus other opportunities?
Marcus: Growing up I pulled horse trailers and gooseneck trailers. It all came naturally because I was around it a lot. I wanted to accomplish something and get my CDL and become a truck driver. I felt a lot of people didn’t get that opportunity and it was something I always wanted to do. It was just something on my agenda, on my bucket list. So, I just took the time out to go get my CDL and did it.
TT: Ok Joel, how long have you been driving trucks?
Joel: I’ve been going for five years; July will be my sixth.
TT: Have you always driven for us as well?
Joel: Yep, I’ve been at TOTAL the whole time.
TT: Fantastic. What did you do before you started at TOTAL?
Joel: I worked in the oil fields too. Then I worked at Walmart for a little bit, and then I went to trucking school. When I finished, I came straight over to TOTAL.
TT: What appealed to you about trucking?
Joel: That coin, and I knew I could do it. I’d seen men, women, young and old out here. You know what I’m saying? I just knew that if all those people could, then so could I.
TT: Did you have family in trucking like Marcus?
Joel: My father-in-law. He’s been driving for a long time, like 40 years. I also got a lot of homeboys that drive stuff. I’d never rode with them or nothin’. I just sat back and watch them drive. My first time in a truck was at the East Central Mississippi Trucking School.
TT: When you two went to Trucking School and were looking at different companies, what appealed to y’all about TOTAL?
Marcus: I went to school at Jones Junior College in Evansville, Mississippi. I’ve got a friend that’s been driving for TOTAL for almost 20 years. He had nothing but good things to say about it here. We were one of the companies they recommended, and TOTAL takes you right out of school. All that made my decision easy for me. It was obvious that this was where I needed to be to get my experience, so it was the first company I applied to. I was right in the door.
Joel: A recruiter came to visit my school. There was him and a guy from some gas company. But TOTAL’s recruiter talked to us, and a couple guys decided to come here. He said, Come to TOTAL. You’ll learn everything you need to know. It’s your best option. So, I gave him that call, and I’ve been here ever since.
TT: It’s great that you both went through our OTR training program. How did you feel about that experience?
Marcus: The OTR Training program wasn’t a hassle for me. Some folks I talked to had stuff they didn’t like, or they didn’t get along with their Trainer. A couple even swapped out trainers. I didn’t have that problem. My trainer was fair. There wasn’t as much that he had to show me ‘cause I kinda’ knew what to do. But my mindset going into training was just get to through it. So, it really didn’t matter what happened in that truck or what kind of trainer I had. My main goal was to get into my own truck as soon as possible. I was gonna’ do whatever necessary to make that happen.
Joel: I’m gonna’ tell y’all something: That’s a good thing y’all got going here. Because it really does help get you ready to go on your own. I loved it. It was fun and I had a wonderful trainer, I don’t think he’s still with the company though. That fella taught me everything I needed to know. I ain’t even playing, and we didn’t even go to the West Coast. He even taught us about sliding tandems. I noticed some trainers don’t do that. A lot of drivers come through and they don’t know anything about having to be at 40 in California, you know?
TT: We’re certainly glad that you found it beneficial. What do you think sets TOTAL apart from other trucking companies?
Joel: TOTAL’s been good to us. That’s why I’m still here. I listen to other drivers… I hear stories about the stuff they go through at other companies. I’ve never experienced most of those things. Because every time I hit that line somebody answers. Sometimes it may take a little at night, but I’ll call a different terminal. Heck, I’ll call the driving range if I have to, but if you keep trying, somebody is gonna’ answer. We’re the biggest player based in Mississippi, and we’ve got that power bonus! That sets us apart. But mostly, TOTAL is a good company. I’ve referred plenty of people here. I don’t know if y’all still doing that bonus referral, but I’ve been referring people.
Marcus: I don’t know much about other companies, but from what I hear there’s a difference in fleet managers. I’ve had Evette out of Olive Branch, Jonah from Jackson, and Jim out of Pensacola, and they’ve all been real good. It’s one thing to come to work, but coming to work with people that understand the mindset and are real good people, that makes a difference. You can be in the worst conditions, but if you come to work and talk to the same person every day and they meet you on a level playing field, it gets you through the day. TOTAL’s, been good to me, even though I’ve only been here a short time. I really can’t complain, and I refer them to anybody that’s starting out or looking for a new job.
TT: What attracted you to teaming versus solo?
Marcus: That coin. (laughs)
Joel: Yeah, that’s where it is. It’s all about that coin, man.
TT: How did you find each other to team with?
Marcus: We actually live within walking distance. We knew each other before we started driving trucks. I know his kids; he knows my kids. We’re kind of like family now. I didn’t even know he was working here until we ran into each other in the Jackson terminal one day. We’ve been teaming ever since.
TT: What are the most important skills to have as a truck driver?
Marcus: Knowing about safety and understanding what the truck can do. Understanding your limits, knowing the speed limit coming into towns, and paying attention to the laws of each state. You’ve got to be aware of everything going on around you, anything can happen at any second. If you take your eye off the ball or ain’t paying attention, well… So just be cautious of what you’re doing at all times. Get out and look. Make sure you ain’t backing into nothing, nobody is walking in front of or behind the truck when you’re getting ready to leave and just do your day-to-day. Plan your trip and everything that comes with it.
Joel: The most important skill is knowing how to drive safely. Don’t be speeding! Another key component out here is knowing how to back up. If you know how to back up, you can usually get out of most situations. You can get yourself into a pickle fast if you ain’t paying attention.
TT: What kind of truck are y’all driving, and how do you feel about our equipment?
Marcus: We’re in a 2024 Freightliner. I like it. Like I said, I learned in a 13-speed Peterbilt. I know everybody talks about those being the Cadillac of trucks, but I like the Freightliner. I really can’t complain about it being automatic because everybody’s going to automatic now. Once you get a certain amount of mileage, or they feel like you need a new truck, they’ll get you a new one. And you just keep rolling.
TT: If your wheels aren’t turning nobody’s making money. How do you balance your work and home life?
Marcus: Oh, man, that’s the question. I only get a weekend out of the month at home. Sometimes, that really ain’t a lot of time to get things done. Stuff piles up. Things need fixing, kids and wife want to spend time with and you’ve only got a little time to do that. Sometimes that’s a strain, but they got to understand that. This is what you’ve got to do for now.
Joel: I take one day at a time. There really ain’t no way to balance it. Sometimes it gets hard. I try to stay ahead of the game, but you know, just take it one day at a time and as it comes.
TT: Do you feel supported by your Fleet Manager?
Joel: For the most part. You have some guys that’s just throwing loads and are too busy or stressed to have a conversation. They get you on the phone and tell you where and when. But we’ve got people like Evette and Jim that really try to accommodate us. If we need to be home at a certain time, they gonna’ do that. They’ll sit there and figure out we have X number of hours and are gonna get this much back at a certain time. We need to be there at this time so they make sure we don’t go too far tonight so we can get there on time. Those Daytime sleep managers are good to go, but sometimes the night is a hassle because they don’t know as much. Our main fleet managers Jim, Evette, and Jonah have been as good as gold.
TT: FMs at night do the best they can but there are fewer of them covering more drivers. Do you have any tips so drivers can have a stronger relationship with their Fleet Manager?
Marcus: Just communicate. Like they say, communication rules the nation. Your fleet manager ain’t gonna know you don’t like driving in the snow or the East Coast if you don’t tell them about it. And if you feel that FM ain’t listening enough you can request for a different one that could be more accommodating. At the end of the day, the driver’s the one out here away from their family doing all this work. Communication is number one, understanding who you’re working with and how you want to be working. Just try to get some common ground with your Fleet Manager
TT: Do you have any suggestions for new drivers for a productive and satisfying career in trucking?
Joel: Pay attention to your trainer. Listen to them and do the best you can to follow their rules and lead. Once you do that, practice on your backing, get out and pay attention to what’s going on out here, you’ll be alright.
Marcus: Yeah. Just be cautious of what you’re doing, pay attention to signs, pay attention to the weather, and plan your trips. Listen to your FM and pay attention to your trainer. Those few days in training count, they matter. Be the kind of truck driver that you want everybody else to be.
TT: Would you like to give a shout-out to your families?
Marcus: I want to shout out my family in Lake Mississippi. There’s only one set of us, appreciate them.
Joel: Yeah, I want to give a shout out to the Renderman family down in Newton, Mississippi. Thank you to all of you.
TT: Is there anything you’d like to say to drivers in the industry at large?
Joel: Everybody gonna do their own thing. I’ve only been in the game for a little bit. Longer than some, but many have been in this way longer than me. There’s a key to success and longevity. You treat people how you want to be treated, trucker to trucker. Do that and you’ll make it a long way. I think that’s what everybody should do.
Marcus: Man, just be safe, and let’s get this money! That’s all I can tell you.
TT: We certainly appreciate y’all. And again, congratulations, and stay safe.
Marcus: We will
Joel: Thanks