peanut happend to run accross 2 TMC drivers today, both very happy with their jobs and paychecks. i guess some do good, some do not. he wont know till he does it for himself.

 

Ok, stupid question here. Is ther a web site that shows how to strap and tarp diffrent load types?? I tried to search but I am an Idiot when it comes to computers!

 

tcurr is doing dedicated somewhere in Ohio that I know of. His trainer, Joker, is not training. Chatted with them a while back.

 

If the shoe fits, Sir, then wear it! I do not believe I directed or quoted any particular poster in my response. It just seems funny, that out of the 30 + drivers I have spoken with both on and off this list, drivers that have no clue who I am, or what my intentions are, seem to have a completely different line of thought than the minority on this list and others in CAD.

The other big training fleet (Stevens Transport) I have had the pleasure of working at, had the same types of people, that were discontent with being on the road, could not get along with anyone, much less the fleet managers and planners, and could find nothing better to do but whine, oh me! Stevens had excellent equipment, great safety philosphy and record, and one of the best schools in the country. Yup, between school, orientation and OTR Training, you spent about 13 weeks. There were about 75% that could not hang during that period, since after the first two weeks, boy, they knew everything to know about trucking. But don't ask them to back into a tight offset alley. There were several drivers in my orientation class alone, that had withdrawals if they could not get back to the motel fast enough to sit like vegatables in front of their playstations and x-boxes, one even had a PS2 that he would veg out at any break, the instructors finally had to draw the line and forbid him to bring it after catching him playing it on the practice course, while behind the wheel. Needless to say, this guy had a bad accident 2 months into his career. The cause on record, lack of sleep, despite the fact he had logged over 16 hours sleeper berth. OH, he was also behind on delivering his load, and took a corner way to fast.

There have been several on this string post, bad mouthing TMC, that have never put in an application, much less, work for them. You can search the other strings on CAD, and find them doing the same BS on other companies. If you have experience with TMC, fine, tell the facts and not interject speculation and ideals that have nothing to do with the actual job.

As for Fred, I have read his reasoning for leaving TMC, and commend him for wanting a home life. My situation changed with Stevens, and even though I was mostly happy with them, dispatch need some improvement, I left them to work local and handle family needs. My first year with Stevens was almost completely on their Alliance Fleet (lease) and I did very well, and have the tax return to prove it. If they could guarantee me better home time, I would go back in a heart beat. But since that is not the case, I have researched many companies, narrowed the list down to a couple and did more research. ALL of them had issues of one form or another, there is not one fleet out there with more than 50 trucks that has the perfect situation, NONE, including TMC. If you look at the Safe-Stat scores for TMC, the smart thing to do would be to run, but if you look (analyze) at where the issues are, the score is not so bad. TMC is not perfect, and I have read yours and many others comments on the good and the bad, filtered out the obvious BS, and made my decisoin on that. Used the same process with 10 other top companies on my list, only 2 were flatbed oriented (no, Maverick did not make the top 10)

Snake_Ize, I do not know what your situation or reasons for leaving TMC where, but I have read many of your post - and it seems your position and ideals waver on the subject. And between you and a couple of others on this string, corrections from those with the actual knowledge, have been posted against your facts. It also seems, that everyone someone post their positive results and experience with TMC, there is someone there, saying "same old broken record", like they are lying and posting from a script. If someone is having a good time and making money, then why are those few, that always have to challenge the fact by calling them lyars, not in so many words.

Something else , look back to your beginnings in trucking, I believe from what I have read, TMC was your first trucking job. Would you be in the cush, home by 5 job, you have now, if it were not for your experience with TMC? Just a question, not an attack!

TMC is a training fleet, they take on the newbies, and the risk associated with that. There is no doubt and no disagreement there. But in my experiences throughout life, those that apply themselves to the task at hand become successful, those that do not fail for multiple reasons. TMC may be a perfect match for my work ethic, it may not, only the next few months will tell that.

Do they have stricter than average policies and procedures? It appears that way. Does that make them a bad company? No Will those that adhear to their policies, procedures and ethics succeed in the future, whether that be as a TMC Driver, Company Driver elsewhere, or a Owner Operator? Most likely, yes. Do they try to give you the best tools possible to succeed? Sure looks like it, really nice and safe equipment.

As far as an incentive to train ... well, if your only incentive is based on the dollar, then you are in it for the wrong reasons. Good, successful and ethical trainers do it, to share their knowledge and good work ethic with the trainee, years back this was known as an apprenticeship. Unfortunately our society has done away with apprenticeship style training, and believes in me, my and I. I enjoy teaching those that want to learn and apply, the skills that I have acquired over the years. Not just in trucking, but other areas - motorsports is one of them (oh know, not the racecar). Hmm, what does racecar spell backward? Should there be some monetary incentive to share your knowledge, sure, but it should never be the driving force behind teaching. Heck, if it was, there would be and even greater shortage of teachers in public schools, then there is today. Teachers have to love what they do!

Only time will tell for me and the other 2 on this list that will start orientation the 11th. I started a blog today, to post the experience that I have. It will be honest, with the good, bad and the ugly - will more than likely be some fun stuff in there also.

As I started this post, on either side of the line, successfull or failure, "If the shoe fits, then wear it", be happy and enjoy the life path you have chosen.

Sorry all, did not mean for this to be so long. Have a good one! Off to bed I go, for a 0200 run, oh did I mention that this is a local run! Hmm.

Louis

 

anyone have info on TMC's rider program and how it works?

 

The TMC Policy as posted is:

Immediate Family members 5 years or older
No Girlfriends of Fiance's - must be married.

If I remember reading correctly, a driver is qualified to have a rider approved once they are issues their truck. Although I have not read this part exactly, I am sure the driver would need to submit a rider request through the Fleet Manager and/or safety department.

 

a recruiter come to our class we were told Immediate family, 90 days after being assigned your own truck! At least that is the policy for newb's straight out of school

 

Looks like Reb is correct, forgot the difference in Experienced and Students. May TMC will check in and clear this up!

 

Correct. The rider policy is 90 days and 5 years old and up. Immediate family only. (Children and/or spouses). Not sure what the wait (if any) there is for experienced drivers.
TMC offered me 3 options and all were good, just not for me at this time with a new "family".

Since I've recently fallen in love with a woman and her two year old boy, I chose to decline all three.
I still feel TMC is one of the best companies for both new and experienced drivers alike it's just that I need more home time than even a job in New Jersey can give me right now.
With my business Goldies Plating still doing well, I can afford to make that choice and not get hurt financially. If and when a "perfect" trucking job comes along, I'll jump on it. Including a local run again with TMC closer to home. I am welcome back there any time.
Right now I'll take a few weeks off, get my ducks in a row and eventually make a decision.
Best of luck to all current and future TMC-ers.

 

Good luck Fred. may you have fair winds and following seas