Why Im leaving TMC...

[Ian Williams]

IMHO TMC is shooting themselves in the foot mileage wise with their aero-brick 389 Petes turned up to 70pmh.

All else being equal (loads, trailers, terrain, drivetrains) they could do significantly better with a more aerodynamic Paccar product like the 387, 386 or KW T660.

A better "carrot" based strategy would let drivers get a significant fuel bonus for exceeding the target. Having some clerk call to nag drivers off a phone script just annoys and insults them.

For any solo OTR driver you can make a sound business case for putting an APU on the truck.

[ohiomohawk]

[/quote]


Now for the other problems that were mentioned... ie MPG, idle time. I don't care who you work for you will find that this is common practice. How would you feel if you were paying the bills in a tight market and your employees were just wasting your money? You're just 1 driver out of 4000. Multiply what you waste in idling by 4000 and you will see a huge figure that the company would like to save.
[/quote]


Wasting the companys money????

Idling to keep warm,or to keep cool should not be held against you. In addition I sleep with a CPAP so I Idle during the most of my 10 hour break. Sometimes to run a computer or other devices you have to Idle your truck. Some companys often consider that a waste but when you are in a cab for 22-24 hours a day it is like a home and we shouldnt have to live like animals in a cage.

Wasting the companys money????

Idling to keep warm,or to keep cool should not be held against you. In addition I sleep with a CPAP so I Idle during the most of my 10 hour break. Sometimes to run a computer or other devices you have to Idle your truck. Some companys often consider that a waste but when you are in a cab for 22-24 hours a day it is like a home and we shouldnt have to live like animals in a cage.

Forget it, man...they'll never get it.

[century451]

Are we talking paid miles here or actual miles driven? I work partime and go out 2 weeks. Its usually 7700 miles or more from start to finish.

[ben45750]

There is a part of me that kinda thinks CFM would actually put up $10,000 for this bet. He's right though, 16,000 miles in 30 days just isn't very likely. You might do 4,000 miles in a 7 day period but 16,000 miles in 30 days just isn't going to happen. Your talking a big game Dollarshort, but i'm thinking your the one thats full of BS.

Once again, for those of you who don't actually read the thread, the numbers refer to REVENUE TO THE TRUCK not mileage.

I was simply making a comment about Dollarshort calling out CFM. I think it was pretty obvious it was revenue generated and not miles. But I also thought it was pretty obvious what I was posting since I quoted the threads.

[rank]

Companies everywhere do this and not just trucking companies either. When they need to cut heads, they start a crackdown. Trouble is they lose the best...not that they care.

Couple of observations.
-I drive 60-63....because I buy the fuel. It costs me about an hour every 10 and it saves me $50 in the same amount of time.
-Your electric blanket isn't cutting it LOL. With all the money TMC spends on trucks, they can't afford a freaking bunk heater? Isn't asking you to shut the truck off without a means of heat unreasonable? What if they shut off the heat to an employee's office and he was forced to quit? Seems to me you could claim constructive dismissal? See a lawyer.

[csramsey640]

no no they wont forced you to shut your truck off. This gentleman just "strongly" advised against idling since we have those "bunk warmers"

I understand thats a lot of wasted $$, however I felt they were trying to save money, rather than save $$ and keep a driver comfortable.

I told him the same as driver training. Any savings will not be funneled into my pocket, so your asking me to take steps that will hurt my productivity, but help yours, without seeing some of the benefit myself.

Like the idle guy, who told me how much $$ I was burning in idle fuel. I said if I fut idle time in 1/2, would I then be "rewarded" even 1/2 of the additional savings? TMC would still make out $$ ahead, he said no.

[thejunkman]

I heard that there was a shake up with the Upper management, and that the acting chief is no longer in tribe, now Grand chief is back in controll of tribe

[Ian Williams]

no no they wont forced you to shut your truck off. This gentleman just "strongly" advised against idling since we have those "bunk warmers"

I understand thats a lot of wasted $$, however I felt they were trying to save money, rather than save $$ and keep a driver comfortable.

I told him the same as driver training. Any savings will not be funneled into my pocket, so your asking me to take steps that will hurt my productivity, but help yours, without seeing some of the benefit myself.

Like the idle guy, who told me how much $$ I was burning in idle fuel. I said if I fut idle time in 1/2, would I then be "rewarded" even 1/2 of the additional savings? TMC would still make out $$ ahead, he said no.

You hit the nail on the head here.

They are asking you to sacrifice your comfort without compensation. Screw them.

Now if they want to offer an attainable fuel bonus it would be another story. Say keep your mileage above "X" and you will get an extra 1% of the load or something similar. A good pay plan aligns the goals of the driver with the carrier. As an O/O Rank is happy to go slow boat style as its money in HIS pocket at the end of the day.

When I was paid by the mile as a line driver I would always push the equipment as fast as possible, forget mileage. Now when you are paying me by the hour you get to have it your way; I'll drive any speed you want me to as long as I feel it is safe.

[ogre999]

I'm just wondering if the drop in rates is an industry wide problem?

The drop in rates is industry wide. Monday I picked up a load(tanker load) in Sauget IL, to deliver in Beaumont TX, which 2 months ago paid $1389 + FSC to the truck, on 733 HHG miles. The load I picked up Monday paid $729.41 + fsc on the same 733 miles.

The only reason I pulled the load, is because it brought me home. I needed to get work done on the truck, and prefer sitting at the house over a motel room. Even still...I had words with management over the rate cut...I asked if there was any possibilty of the oil companies dropping the pump price of diesel fuel, to match their rate cuts to the truck. :?

Hey ...now you are an O/O right ...sorry just trna figure something out i didnt quite get ...as a "company Driver ...you dont get to refuse loads nor worry about the ammount per run right ?

Dont mean to be ignernt ...jes cant hep it

[ogre999]

Ok some things need cleared up here. I averaged about 4-4500 in rev each week.


Shadowsknight, your the only one I will respond to This is not a downturn in winter freight, ive been through that before. Again, you must read, and understand before firing back that im wasting $$.

I run a dedicated customer account, which is night and day from a regional dedicated, line or long haul. We do not have a certification, and are just paid a flat rate 25,26,27% depending on years in the truck, with 27% being the cap. Unfortunetly, I am trying to get back to one specific area, so I dont/didnt have the option of turning down a load, nor does my fm, have the option to send me to an area with better $$.

All has been well on the account, because what some of the lousy line haul loads paid coming back, was made up for in dedicated runs going out. Now its a mix between the lower rates, and higher fuel surcharge, and a pi$$ing match with another major player going to the same places.

I am not saying TMC across the board is a horrible company, is out to screw you, etc,etc. You guys read into something its not. Im in a different division,have no cpm option, and operate different equipment.


Im saying that this downturn is one of our biggest yet, and on the dedicated side its harder. I havent abandoned the truck, screwed them over, etc,etc. They HAVE NOT screwed me over. Its just that they are cracking down and working to save $$, Im just not willing to give them $$ back out of my check to do so. I earned a 70mph truck, and im gonna run it...lol.

I should have never wrote a word, I just wanted potential new drivers to know that they must run by a strict set of rules, that are being more and more cracked down on. I still have made no enemies at TMC, and are not wishng to do so. They have been good to me, and by working out a proper notice, Im returning the favor.

BTW, wasting thier $$ ShadowsKnight, ck the top 5 drivers by Fleetmanager, youll find my name consistantly in the top 3-4 since going dedicated, and the list of top 50 TMC as well. Wasting $$ is washing a truck every week in the Northern winter, only to slam salt all over it 100 miles up the road, or 1 day later. Wasting $$ is being in Joplin to have 24 broken things fixed with your truck. IM on my 3rd truck and have never had such "problems"

Excuse me for butting in ...Im trying to figure out earning potential here so I apologize for being nosey ....

1) 4-4500 a week ? now what is that figure exactly ...is that what your truck earns ?

If so how much of it actually gets into your hands ? ball park man is all I'm askin ... cause 4-4500 a week kinda makemakes me warm and fuzzy ....but realize there is probably something I am missing here

2) and I understand a "dedicated" route ...but is this YOUR truck ? like O/O ....


again I apologize for my ignorance on the matter ....just tryna get my head straight ...so if you have a crayon ? can you draw me a pic ?

[ogre999]

no no they wont forced you to shut your truck off. This gentleman just "strongly" advised against idling since we have those "bunk warmers"

I understand thats a lot of wasted $$, however I felt they were trying to save money, rather than save $$ and keep a driver comfortable.

I told him the same as driver training. Any savings will not be funneled into my pocket, so your asking me to take steps that will hurt my productivity, but help yours, without seeing some of the benefit myself.

Like the idle guy, who told me how much $$ I was burning in idle fuel. I said if I fut idle time in 1/2, would I then be "rewarded" even 1/2 of the additional savings? TMC would still make out $$ ahead, he said no.

Again ...I ask you excuse my ignorance ...but heres what I get

Freight rate sucks ...its like a recession now or something ...so were all feeling the bite ...as an unemployed wanna be trucker ...Im not buying squat .... ( course i am metaphoring myself as "the consumer" )

so in return your loads are lighter / fewer / cheaper cause the economy is slowing ... Yes?

now the company retains the same costs of operation ...on fuel , equip ,drivers ....yes?

And they like us are getting hit by higher fuel costs ( course who really knows why ) yes ?

They are leaning on drivers to cut Idle time to conserve fuel costs ...to offer your time, effort, and comfort levels for a time to cut their costs cause they are getting pinched ? yes ?


and you feel that it is unfair for many valid reasons I am sure ...yes?

But if you do that and they put that $$ back in your pocket ....what have they done for themselves ....

Now at first it seems unfair ...but really if they dont do something then thay backslide just as far ....yes ?

Now if they do that ...and what are the ramifications ... release drivers ? close down operations ... ?


It just seems to me that what they offer for your efforts is continued employment ...they keep the ability to sign that check for you ...

I mean Im NOT trying to be an @ss here ...but there are basic economic principles here .... and you yourself said they "trated you well "

I think when someone inconvienences us ...we tend ( as a nation really ) to have a knee jerk " you aint takin Mine !" reaction and I'm not sure that thats really fair ...

Now mind you I do not yet have the privledge of curlin up in a sleeper bunk yet ...but ...I have slept in mud and puddles for uncle sams benifit ...and well we all hated him at the time ... but it seems to me some underarmor or maybe one of those solar window fan things ...might somehow help .... LOL can you put screendoors on sleepers ????

I dont know man ...and im not bustin your balls ... Its just look man I cant find work here ... and I have developed this dream see and so I am here among you guys ...tryna get things straight ....

I just want to offer to you the thought ...that I would take your spot in a second right now ... maybe its just a matter of perspective but i bet youd rather not be me at the moment


Just a thought

[Mr.Crash]

[quote="Orangetxguy"]

I'm just wondering if the drop in rates is an industry wide problem?

The drop in rates is industry wide. Monday I picked up a load(tanker load) in Sauget IL, to deliver in Beaumont TX, which 2 months ago paid $1389 + FSC to the truck, on 733 HHG miles. The load I picked up Monday paid $729.41 + fsc on the same 733 miles.

you must drive for Miller

[rank]

no no they wont forced you to shut your truck off. This gentleman just "strongly" advised against idling since we have those "bunk warmers"

I understand thats a lot of wasted $$, however I felt they were trying to save money, rather than save $$ and keep a driver comfortable.

OK now I'm confused. Does the truck have a bunk heater (Wabasto, Espar)? If it does and you still idle.....well, I side with TMC.

[terrylamar]

no no they wont forced you to shut your truck off. This gentleman just "strongly" advised against idling since we have those "bunk warmers"

I understand thats a lot of wasted $$, however I felt they were trying to save money, rather than save $$ and keep a driver comfortable.

OK now I'm confused. Does the truck have a bunk heater (Wabasto, Espar)? If it does and you still idle.....well, I side with TMC.

He is talking about a 12 volt heating pad.

[csramsey640]

rank...thats a typical truck driver answer, ask a question...then before gaining a full response, offer your opinion, without knowing any truthfull info.

Since your already siding, ill answer for the others. When I joined on, I was told we MUST purchase a heating pad, 12v, from TMC, cost $35. This heating pad, is meant to be used under your covers, and when working properly, does keep you warm, YOU. It does not warm the sleeper, so one is still breathing chilled air. It is a nice supplement for borderline temps, however mine quit working after a few months.

ogre999...we are both a like. You dont know truck driving, as much as I dont understand the military, as I believe you are refering to??
Although one may sleep in the mud, snow, trenches, etc, you are doing so for the better of a country, and the better needs of those of us civilians who are at home living our normal lives.

However when working with a private company, its a constant struggle between the companies $$ and the employees $$. Trucking companies, in many ways are like used car dealers. Many will tell you what you want to hear, promise the best performance, and then not answer when it comes to service. Its a constant struggle of unreimbursed expenses, pay raises you never see, questions that will never be answered, etc etc

I have declared from the start, TMC was a good company to me. However, in trucking there is no such thing as company loyalty, and that door swings both ways. Since there is so high of a turnover rate, companies adjust(i dont blame them). If you enter any, any trucking company(other than yourself, or family) with the thought that you will retire there, that you will be respected, etc, etc you have a rude awakening. There is always some level within the company that places his/her interests 1st, and will settle for an unhappy driver.

I agree with your thoughts on "continued employment," and ability to "sign my check", I honestly, full heartedly do, but only if someone within TMC was willing to step forward and explain the companies economic outlook(basically how load rates/freight is looking) and let the drivers know that we all need to band together, cut corners, etc etc.

However when you do not get any answers on any level, you tend to wonder what the demenor is. Most of us know, if they told everyone that the company is in a tight situation, many would jump ship, and thus again, there is no loyalty from either the company, or the employee.

[vonSeggern]

I heard that there was a shake up with the Upper management, and that the acting chief is no longer in tribe, now Grand chief is back in controll of tribe

Amazingly enough, that is precisely what I heard some 15 minutes ago from a fellow warrior while camped at Fort Pilot for my 34 hour restart. Also heard some further juicy tidbits which I will not repeat here.

[rank]

rank...thats a typical truck driver answer, ask a question...then before gaining a full response, offer your opinion, without knowing any truthfull info.

Since your already siding, ill answer for the others. When I joined on, I was told we MUST purchase a heating pad, 12v, from TMC, cost $35. This heating pad, is meant to be used under your covers, and when working properly, does keep you warm, YOU. It does not warm the sleeper

Yes. A heating pad. That's what I originally understood, then your reference to a "bunk warmer" in a later post confused me. Excuse me.

[shadowsknight]

When I joined on, I was told we MUST purchase a heating pad, 12v, from TMC, cost $35. This heating pad, is meant to be used under your covers, and when working properly, does keep you warm, YOU.

I would like to know when you started to find out if company policy changed since I started 2 years ago. My orientation class had 5 people opt to get the heating pad. The rest, including myself, opted out.

[csramsey640]

I went through the experiencedorientation class with Randy in Des Moines, class size 10 people, gone after 3 days, with a bunkwarmer.

Believe me, I wouldnt have purchased the bunkwarmer given a chance. It was nice when it worked, some nights sweating you right awake.