Who is better?

[BIGDave]

Does any one know who is better Maverick or TMC?

[TankerYanker]

Do a search on this forum and you should get all of the information you need. Flatbed Fred is with TMC, a recruiter I think. He'll answer all your questions about TMC. He seems to be and honest and straight forward guy. Good Luck

[USMC Vet]

Flatbed Fred will not steer you wrong.He will tell you the truth about everything.He will not just tell you what you want to hear to get you in.He is from New York and has no problem with being a straight shooter and is very personable.He also has a CDL and some experience.Which says quite a bit for a recruiter.

[Astoria]

BigDave, go to flatbedfred.com if you have not already... I learned alot about TMC from his site.

[nrvsreck]

I like old Flatbed Fred, but he is extremely biased toward TMC. I do believe he's getting a little $$ from referrals. Nothing wrong with that, but... Surprising USMC Vet actually said something positive about him/TMC. I love TMC, but Maverick is also a great company. I'd suggest doing a bunch of time reading these forums. Do a search for "TMC" and "Maverick". Read everything you can. I think, just on the surface, Maverick pays a little better, but TMC has shinier trucks. I don't know. I'm torn between the two. I'd like to go back to TMC, but I always wanted to give Maverick a shot too.

[BIGDave]

Yeah, both seem like pretty good companies from what I have read. My biggest problem is that right now I have a job driving local(home every nite and weekend) and trying to decide if its a good idea to give it up to go OTR. OTR is something that I've always wanted to do and if I'll ever be happy untill I do. I love driving so much and figure now would be the time while I was young and single. But if I give up my current job I want to be with a good company.

[Skullitor]

TMC has better trucks, Mostly Pete 387 hi rise condo's! Mav uses mid roof or flat top small sleepers.Also Mav has a strength test.YOU MUST BE ABLE TO LIFT 150 pounds up onto a flat bed trailer I read. :shock:

[terrylamar]

TMC has better trucks, Mostly Pete 387 hi rise condo's! Mav uses mid roof or flat top small sleepers.Also Mav has a strength test.YOU MUST BE ABLE TO LIFT 150 pounds up onto a flat bed trailer I read. :shock:

With TMC you have to throw a 120 lbs. tarp across your shoulder and climb a 13' ladder.

[BIGDave]

150 pounds should'nt be no problem but seems like an awful lot to lift 3ft off the ground.

[SMB]

I hear alot of good stuff about both company's, Im a newbie and I decided to go with maverick and I beleive they(maverick) has regional jobs also! You probably can't go wrong with either, Good Luck with your choice.

[BIGDave]

Seems like I can't go wrong with either.

[redsfan]

TMC has better trucks, Mostly Pete 387 hi rise condo's! Mav uses mid roof or flat top small sleepers.Also Mav has a strength test.YOU MUST BE ABLE TO LIFT 150 pounds up onto a flat bed trailer I read. :shock:

Saying that TMC has better trucks is a farce. This is all just an opinion. If you like Petes, then maybe they do have better trucks. IMO, you can't beat a Freightliner Columbia for driver comfort. I drive a Peterbilt 379 and a Kenworth T800 now and believe me I miss the hell out of my old Freightliner. Also, there is actually more room in the Columbia than the Petes. They have a 70" mid-roof sleeper (the flat tops went out a long time ago) and I'm not sure how tall they are, but I am 5'10" and I never came close to hitting my head. I spoke to several TMC drivers who loved their trucks, but I also spoke to many that hated them and complained that they were crammed in there. I know I feel that way in the KW & Pete that I drive now, not to mention a Pete rides like a dump truck.

The reason why Maverick uses the Columbias without all the glitz and "glamour" of the Petes is that their claim is that they can haul 50,000 pounds of freight anytime, anywhere on any truck. My truck and trailer with me, a fridge, TV, all of my gear and full of fuel weighed in at about 27,500 when empty.

The 150# tarp is an exaggeration also, it's much closer to 120-130. Their strength tests may be a little tougher than others, don't really know if the are or aren't, haven't experienced a lot of others. I do know one thing, they are not that big of a deal and anyone who could not pass all of them fairly easily really has no business there in the first place.

I'm not with Maverick now, but I used to be. I left there a couple of months ago for the dream local job that is turning out to be not so dreamy. Believe me, I get nothing if you go there, but I would be glad to answer any questions you may have and give you an unbiased opinion of them. Kinda feel like it's my civic duty to help out in return for all of the drivers who helped me with advice.

Maverick is a very good company, although I know several people who drive for TMC and I believe that they are very good also. Really, I don't think you can go wrong with either one if you are willing to do the work that is associated with flatbed. I know that Maverick will definitely give you the opportunity to earn a grand a week, and that's just starting out. My understanding is that a new TMC driver can accomplish this also. They have a lot of the same customers and both seem to have an excellent training program. Once you get out there and run with either one, you will soon see that most people recognize them as the 2 best flatbed outfits in the country. Actually they're in a class by themselves.

If I can answer any questions, just ask. I'll be glad to answer and I'll do it for free... :wink:

[BIGDave]

How many miles do you run a week with Maverick? It would be nice to earn a grand a week but I would like to get home sometime too. Also how is their home time policy? Do they get you home every weekend and how long do you get to be at home?

[redsfan]

How many miles do you run a week with Maverick? It would be nice to earn a grand a week but I would like to get home sometime too. Also how is their home time policy? Do they get you home every weekend and how long do you get to be at home?

Depending upon your division you will run in the neighborhood of 2400-2800. I think that I averaged right at or near 2700. They will tell you that thay get 98% of their drivers home every weekend and amazingly they do. The normal weekend is to get home sometime on Friday and either leave out Sunday evening or early Monday morning. It will vary, but most weekends I was home by 4 or 5 in the afternoon on Friday and I would usually leave out about the same time on Sunday. It all depends upon how far you live from the consignee. A few times I even got home on Thursday and left out on Sunday. Your miles will suffer somewhat, (one time that I remember getting home on Thursday I had 2200 miles in) but it's also nice to get that 3 day weekend in from time to time also...

You can pretty much plan on being home every weekend. I was hung out once with them and that was only because I had a trailer malfunction and that put everything behind on Friday, of all days. I actually could have went home for 5 or 6 hours, but I chose to stay out since I wouldn't get my restart anyway and really didn't see a point in coming home, getting my kids all worked up and then walking right back out the door. As a way of making it up to me, they got me home the following Thursday and gave me an afternoon delivery appointment for Monday. Of course the kids went to school and the wife went to work at 7 AM on Monday and I didn't see a reason to stick around, so I left out and delivered about 4 hours early so I could get a jump start on the week.

They honestly do try to get you home every weekend and it is a strike against the Fleet Manager anytime one of their drivers gets hung out. Of course, this is trucking and you may still get hung out once every couple of years...

[stevedb28]

If you dont get home on the weekend they pay you for 800 miles if you get 800 or not. Even if you are doing a reset, you get that pay. Also while you are out for your 6 wks with a trainer, and they cant get you home because the trainer lives too far, they pay for your motel, and if I remember right, they give you an exra 200.00 dollars. If you look up for posts by pronghornracer, she has very in depth info on what the lifting and climbing tests involve. She couldnt lift the weight required and got sent home. I get to find out first hand next week and since I weigh 135lbs itll be interesting. Mind over matter, if you dont mind it dont matter huah!!

[redsfan]

If you dont get home on the weekend they pay you for 800 miles if you get 800 or not. Even if you are doing a reset, you get that pay. Also while you are out for your 6 wks with a trainer, and they cant get you home because the trainer lives too far, they pay for your motel, and if I remember right, they give you an exra 200.00 dollars. If you look up for posts by pronghornracer, she has very in depth info on what the lifting and climbing tests involve. She couldnt lift the weight required and got sent home. I get to find out first hand next week and since I weigh 135lbs itll be interesting. Mind over matter, if you dont mind it dont matter huah!!

Yep, the 800 mile part is true and that's a nice perk, but you will pretty much always have an 800 mile run (or better) on your weekend run so I don't think that they have to worry about paying this out too much. I can't remember a single load that I took home with me for the weekend that was less than 800 miles. Getting hung out while with your trainer used to net you an extra $100, but it could be 200 now, not sure.

As for pronghorn, she exaggerated quite a bit on her description of the physical tests. I wouldn't put much stock in that. You'll be fine.

[stevedb28]

hey redsfan, what weight do they really have to lift then out of curiousity

[redsfan]

hey redsfan, what weight do they really have to lift then out of curiousity

It's more like 120#. The crate that they add weights to is especially no big deal. Don't sweat so much over that, you'll be fine. Plus if you're too worried over the tarp weight it will shoot your BP up and the Dr. will disqualify you before you even get a chance to try the tarp...

[stevedb28]

Im not worried at all about bp. I can drink 2 cups of coffee before and ill still have good bp. Im not so worried about getting the tarp up onto the truck. I can figure out a smart way to get it up there. If you arent big and strong, then you use your head to get it up there. I really want this so Ill pick up the tractor if they want me to

[BIGDave]

Sounds like you have to be in tip top shape to even begin to be a flatbed driver. Guess thats why you don't see many overweight flatbed drivers. Don't think the strength test should be no problem though as I am 24, about 185pbs and worked on a farm pretty much my whole life so heavy lifting is no new thing. So far Maverick to be pretty entising. Wonder if TMC's test are as strenious?