Single now here i come TMC i think

[Mackman]

Well i just went through a bad brake up. :sad: But i kinda knew it was coming. So if there is a time for me to try OTR it is now. The ? i have is. I will be 23 nov. 9th. That is TMC min. age. Can i start there training early so by the time am 23 i am good to go. Or do i have to wait till am 23 to do anything. That's if TMC would even take me which i don't see why not. But you never know. :?: :?:

[Rawlco]

Well it could take a week to process your application and verify your employment history. The hiring committee may turn you down due to your age, in which case you re-apply next week and get a different person to approve you. Once you are approved give your current employer two weeks notice and you are already at november first or so.

Start the process. Worst case you would have to take the november 13 orientation. If you can get in November 6th I'll be there as well (in Des Moines.) Good luck.

[Mackman]

well i just got off the phone with TMC am not going there. They don't count my local exp. The only way i could go to work for them is if i go under there training program. Like i never had my class a. So it would be like am getting it twice. Which am not doing that. So it looks like if i want to go OTR i am going to go with this local food grade outfit. With like 30 trucks down the street from me. www.pekramme.com. I went there like a year ago and had the job but turn it down for reason of my GF and what not but that ain't the case no more. Well it was worth a shot i guess.

[nrvsreck]

Yeah, it's a stupid deal. Probably insurance I guess. I did OTR for a year and a half, then drove local class-8 straight trucks for two years. OTR companies don't count my local experience though, even though I was doing exactly the same thing. Fortunately for me, my OTR was less than three years ago so I won't have to start from scratch, though I'll probably still have to do a couple weeks of training.

[Mackman]

yeah he said it was for insurance reasons. I knew they where not go to take my local exp. But for me to go get my class a and to go to school is just crazy. Even if i wanted to i cant afford the down time. But hey they have there polices i just look as it as the missed out on a good driver. Maybe when i get some OTR exp. i will think about them again. I mean i can drive the truck all they would have to do is teach me the paperwork end of OTR driving like log books and etc. But owell what ya goin do.

[Rawlco]

Are you saying that you need to go back to CDL school? or just the orientation and training. If you have a CDL and can pass the road test all you need is to take the two week load securement orientation and then spend 4 to 6 weeks with a finisher. Probably 6 in your case with no OTR experience, same as me. This is more to learn how to properly secure loads than anything else.

Call Matt in recruiting if you didn't talk to him before. Call the student recruiting number and press 3 (instead of 1 or 2) Good luck and I hope you try again.

[Mackman]

i did talk to matt him seemed like a real nice guy. HGe said i would have to go back to CDL school. Am going to look into this better but thats what he said. I dont mine takeing the load securement orientation i knew i would have to take that. Well i also email fred so maybe he can help but i will see what i can do. But rules are rules. I did call the student number and i geuss what they mean by student is some one who never been in a cab of a truck before.

[Rawlco]

Did you go to CDL school at some point? Or are you one of these magic people who took the tests and borrowed a truck to get your CDL? There is a lot of book learning about laws and stuff that you would learn in CDL school.

[Mackman]

Or are you one of these magic people who took the tests and borrowed a truck to get your CDL?

I guess you chould say that. I got my CDL when i was 18 been driving ever since. My dad is a O/O so i used his truck when he had a T/T now he has a tri axle dump. My uncle is a O/O am the 4th gen trucker in my family i know alot about trucks for my age more then any CDL mill could teach you in 6 or 8 weeks. I have driven alot of type of trucks from dump trucks to non-hazmat tankers to lowboys. But they all want you to come form a cdl school or have exp. All for them damn insurance company's. It seems like its just OTR company's i know local dump trucks and stuff like they could care less about there insurance never had a problem. But hey i got my CDL for nothing i think it beats paying a couple grand like some people. But am paying for it now i guess. But if i sit down with the owner of small family company's and tell them my story the like it and allways hire me. But with big outfits that's not a choice.

[Rawlco]

Yeah - inflexible rules suck. If you really wanted to go with TMC you might see if you could take the classroom portion of a CDL class cheaply and only get a few hours on the truck. Sort of a refresher course type deal.

I say that you should get a job with whoever will hire you with the least hassle. If a smaller company will give you a job then you will probably be better off if the pay is decent. Good luck.

[Mackman]

well that pe kramme pays .39 loaded and 35 empty. And like 15.40 hr for waiting getting loaded and unloaded. i really don't know if that's a good rate or not i guess for a newbie going OTR it ain't to bad. Full paid by the company family med. benefits. So i think i may go with them for alittle bit like i said i got the green light as long as i pass the road test which shouldn't be a problem.

[NascarFan]

If you don't mind me asking Mackman what are you earning now?

[Mackman]

18.74 an hr. O/T over 8 hrs. Work around 50-55hrs a week. More O/T if i want. The job i have now is a good job i hate like hell to leave but i want to drive OTR really bad. But if i leave and want to come back they will not take me back they will some one esle in that truck in no time.

[NascarFan]

18.74 an hr. O/T over 8 hrs. Work around 50-55hrs a week. More O/T if i want. The job i have now is a good job i hate like hell to leave but i want to drive OTR really bad. But if i leave and want to come back they will not take me back they will some one esle in that truck in no time.

I don't know if you could make much more than that or not going OTR or not plus you are never really home. I don't know what I would do if I were in your shoes if TMC would take you then I would go if not then I don't know.

[GoldiesPlating]

If I understand correctly, you've had no "formal" training for your CDL and thus would require a "refresher" course from a certified CDL school. Not saying that YOU are one, but I know several very experienced drivers who would fail a road test if it were given to them tomorrow. TMC has very specific requirements to obtain a job with them which is why they are considered the best of the best. Sometimes it may seem like overkill but as they say "thems tha rules". Their insurance requires a certain number of hours of formal training and if you are experienced but lack formal training, a refresher course is still needed. I understand you may not be in the position to loose the revenue time with attending school and that's ok. If you change your mind, I'm still here to answer your questions as best I can. Good Luck.

[saddlebum]

Fact is they underwrite themselves,so they make their own insurance rules.

Go the route your going,you know how to drive a truck,so take what you can and drive it then hit the big time's later(if you still want.)

I've been driving a long time under diffrent conditions,just never did it "otr" Im doing fine now though and I bet you do too.

Flatbedfred is a great source for tmc info....but he works for'em. He's a success story from a complete rookie viewpoint.

Truth is after he has time on the road he'll have a hard time with some tests too as they are practical exams...not reality exams.....!!!!!!!!!!

[Mackman]

Go the route your going,you know how to drive a truck,so take what you can and drive it then hit the big time's later(if you still want.)

Yea that's what am going to do. I just look at as if TMC wants to have there rules that's fine. But am sure they loose out on alot of good drivers. I think TMC is a good company but i wouldn't call them the best of the best. They do take newbies from driving schools.

[saddlebum]

Exactly hand... If they take newbs, then why is there a problem for others who can drive without a school?

By the way I have not applied nor been turned downed by TMC, i just did my research on them.

[GoldiesPlating]

Fact is they underwrite themselves,so they make their own insurance rules.

Go the route your going,you know how to drive a truck,so take what you can and drive it then hit the big time's later(if you still want.)

I've been driving a long time under diffrent conditions,just never did it "otr" Im doing fine now though and I bet you do too.

Flatbedfred is a great source for tmc info....but he works for'em. He's a success story from a complete rookie viewpoint.

Truth is after he has time on the road he'll have a hard time with some tests too as they are practical exams...not reality exams.....!!!!!!!!!!

True, they DO underwrite themselves, but the department that handles the insurance, sets the rules that the recruiters and others must follow, just as if an outside company were their insurers. Yep, I am a "rookie" albeit a talented one. (tooting my own horn). Careful what "reality exams" you get used to as those are the ones that will eventually get you hurt or killed. When people say "reality", as in the "reality of the business", often times they mean cutting corners or doing something unsafe in the way of securement or driving. Do NOT get so comfortable as to short change your safety or the safety of those around you.

[GoldiesPlating]

Exactly hand... If they take newbs, then why is there a problem for others who can drive without a school?

By the way I have not applied nor been turned downed by TMC, i just did my research on them.

Not saying that school is needed by EVERYONE. But it doesn't hurt if done at a GOOD school. I know a few drivers who "think they can drive without a school" and they can. They can start the truck, go forward and slam perfectly well into the car in front of them, all without EVER having gone to school.