Root, I won't quote you on your lengthy, profound , thought provoking post. A post that would have taken me 10 or 15 minutes to type :lol: ! Suffice it to say , "WELL SAID" and AMEN.

 

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A couple of people quit a training company and now TMC is "going down hill big time."

I can use your same statistical model with examples like: terrylamar, Rawlco, Countryhorseman, ShadowsKnight and benson to to prove the TMC is thriving.

People come and go with any company in any industry. With TMC being a training company, turnover is bound to be higher. As far as training companies go TMC's turnover rate is lower than most. Only companies that that only drivers with two years experience will claim a lower rate and they let the training companies do all their dirty work by weeding out the would be drivers that couldn't hang.

If the work is too hard, work interfers with the family or for whatever reason, that is not TMC's fault. They tell you up front what the job is, if you can't get with the program don't blame TMC, blame yourself, your work ethic, or your family circumstances.

 

Root,

You must have been in my head the last couple of days, on my route from Kansas to Comanche to Sweetwater then on down to San Antonio. I was running many of the roads that I had routed on a major trailride from Bandera, TX to Dodge City, KS - that as close as possible followed the old Western Trail. Unfortunately the ride went on without me, I was on the road making a living. The last couple of days I had been paralleling the simularites of trucking to the old wagon trains carrying freight across the country.

Your message is well taken and well spoken in those terms. And as you stated, trucking today is no different than in the wagon frieght train days. The ones that stick it out and make the situation work are the ones that are rewarded in the long run.

I really enjoyed reading your post. And Thank You for the compliment.

Louis
Country Horseman

 

Terry,

My FM is going to try and get me to DM next Saturday 8/11) for TQM! You gonna try to get in on that one?

My average up until now will get me in the 30% range at my first snap-shot. Even though this old trailer I am pulling has been killing my fuel average. The TQM and Road Scholar points sure will help keep up my point average.

Louis

 

I agree on most of your post Terry. Disgruntled people leave TMC because they are disgruntled people. They will always be disgruntled.

Other people leave for other reasons. In reality the work is damn hard, the hours suck, and the lifestyle is poor. That is the reality of trucking in general. People go with TMC and often leave for another company when the problem isn't TMC, it is trucking itself. They wander off to another company and dis TMC. In time they either return to TMC or get out of trucking. They may stay in the business or not.

The things that frustrate me are: shippers, consignees, freight availability, traffic, accidents, construction, 4 wheelers, and a lack of parking. Last time I looked, TMC had no control over those things.

If I leave OTR trucking it will not be because of TMC. They have been good to me and have earned my respect. They pi$$ me off sometimes but what employer doesn't.

Keep the faith, roll with the punches, or get the hell out. Those are the choices.

 

I need more time at home to work on a tax problem I have and to take care of my dogs. Seems I can't rely on my niece. I made the switch this week from Long Haul to Line Haul. I should be home most weekends and even during the week on occasion.

This means I have a new FM I have to break in. 8) My trainer was Line Haul so I have done this job before. I've had Line Haul runs as filler while Long Haul, I even had one week of nothing but Line Haul runs. Other than being able to take care of my problems, I don't think I am going to like this very much. There are still many parts of the country I haven't seen. When the load screen comes up and the load pay $800.00 I start freaking out, I'm used to $3,000.00 runs. I'm going to have to get use to less paying, but more runs.

It will be good to be home more often, but as soon as I can I'll be going back to Long Haul.

 

Louis,

My old FM offered it to me. I was scheduled to go last month and they couldn't find a load going in that direction. I have to take care of some problems at home so I need the home time. I've decided to make 32% without the extra points. I won't this snapshot. I'm sure I will drop points. All my bad luck started on July, 13th, a friday if I recall. Line haul runs, routes where I couldn't turn in my trippak, cheap freight, heavy loads, sitting in truck stops over the weekend, long waits, you name it. It was like a conspiracy. My 13 week average dropped from a hair short of $900.00 to $820.00 something.

 

I started as a flatbedder myself so I used to follow TMC's thread but I dont read it much anymore. If I may be allowed to butt in here I want to say you pretty much summed it up. I did my year and it was OK but not what I wanted for the rest of my life. You guys who have done your time might want to consider applying at LTL companies. It's so nice to be home everyday and paid for all your time. The trucks are crappy and theres more rules but its like any other job and I like being home, staying clean, eating better etc. Its so funny watching the gung ho newbies post how great TMC is and then 3 mos later they have nothing good to say. And you're right its not TMC but rather the industry. TMC is a great place to get started in trucking comparitively. Anyway, I'm not trying to start anything just a suggestion, LTL suits me better and BOL whatever path you all choose.

 

Well, like he said, they are going to try and get me to DM. Like anything else it may not work out, but I hope it does, want to get that out of the way. Had planned to stay out an extra week (my B-day is the 10th and my step-daughters is the 11th), instead of being home this weekend, but the wife needed the riding mower fixed and a fence repaired (all the rain has loosened the corner post) so I decided to come home this weekend. This was decided before my FM confirmed the TQM date.
I had what I would consider a bad week, 3 weeks ago, took a load into South Florida that paid well, but lost coming back out. Like you said, mostly linehaul type runs with low rates. But my FM was on vacation that week also.

Hope you get you home issues worked out! We will cross paths somewhere again, catch ya later.

Louis

 

I ran an overweight load for the first time. Going by the gages in my cab and on the trailer I suspected it was overweight, I knew it was the heaviest load I have had so far. I loaded late at night and needed my 10 hour break before I could scale. Yep, it was exactly 80,000 lbs., but was overweight on my drives, by 940 lbs., to much to move my 5th wheel to correct the problem. I called safety, and they said they would cover it. So I ran. I had to cross Alabama. They were supposed to be checking every truck that ran through, I didn't have to cross a single scale, nor did I see any DOT Officers and I ran diagonally, the entire state. Made it to Louisianna, crossed a Weigh in Motion and got pulled in. It was going to be a $20.00 ticket, but he offered me the chance to move the 5th wheel, I did, still a no go. Tried again and got it lowered to 300 lbs. Maybe it was within their tolerance or he could see that I would try all day long, but he said to move on out. Didn't get stopped anywhere else and made delivery on time.