I know you know. :wink: I was just putting that "out there" for others that may be reading. Also, I didn't mean to imply that breaks and hometime are "bad". Your hubby SHOULD take as many breaks as he needs and he shouldn't give up his home time. Taking breaks will keep him well rested and more productive and that, combined with proper home time, will foster good mental healh and a positive work attitude.
Good mental health combined with a positive work attitude will work wonders for his productivity and thus his paycheck. It may SEEM that taking time off in the form of proper rest and relaxation is counter productive but in the long run doing so is VERY productive.
He will become safe, efficient, productive and successful while remaining HAPPY with his job. So far your husband seems to have the right ideas and attitude to be a successful driver.
For others reading this thread or just lurking in the shadows I can't seem to say the following remark enough:
BEFORE MAKING ANY JUDGEMENTS OR COMMENTS ON ANY COMPANY YOU WORK FOR YOU MUST WORK THERE AT LEAST 6 MONTHS OR EVEN BETTER, ONE YEAR.
This may sound CRAZY (I know) but it IS true. Using mrGrim as an EXTREME example of a driver having really bad luck, I believe even HE would like his job. I dare to say that if he did stick around for a year (which I doubt he will and I don't blame him for quitting if all what he says is in fact true) but if he did stick it out and were able to "look back" a year from now, he would find that "hey, this wasn't so bad." and I bet he would have made over $45,000.
TMC does NOT keep drivers employed that they "do not like" or "have it in for". Trust me if TMC doesn't like you, they will throw you out on your a$$. They don't make it difficult on purpose hoping that you'll quit.

 

I have to ask this..... If my husband reads this he might just kill me but, How In the heck do you get through that first 6 months to a year? I am ok but then again I am an outsider and can see in rather clearly. This is also for the other lurkers, like me, who may be getting frustrated and ready to quit because of a bad week or month.... I guess I should add that I don't feel that this has anything to do with TMC I still think they are a good company to work for if this is what you want to do.

 

You hit the nail on the head! If this is what YOU WANT TO DO! You really have to LIKE the strange lifestyle of being a trucker to be happy and successful. I got through the first 6 months by continuing to treat it as training and not work..... YET. That made me happy because I figured, "WOW.... Oh BOY! This is WAAAY COOL getting PAID for learning???!!! What a great opportunity! Even better they're not going to fire me EITHER for not 'producing' or pulling my own weight... YET."
If your hubby can manage THAT attitude, he WILL do well. When I began I NEVER looked at or compared myself to other new drivers because we ALL sucked whether we wanted to believe it or not. I had to put my ego and know it all attitude aside and just march on forward. Day to day, week to week, month to month...... Learning and absorbing all the blows the trucking industry could throw at me. I looked toward VETERAN TMC drivers and saw what THEY were earning and knew that "hell if THEY can do it, so can I."
Your hubby has it ESPECIALLY tough now due to slow freight season, bad weather and TMC having growing pains in the form of new electronics being phased into use in their fleet, Peterbilt dropping truck models from production and selling new, untested ones, the shuffling around of personell in their terminal's training center and the DOT coming down hard on every trucking company and driver.
In your heart I see you have the right "feeling" about TMC and that will get you both through the tough times and this learning curve. If you or hubby ever want to talk or ask any questions, feel free to call anytime. My number is on my website listed below. This goes for anyone reading.

 

I said I was not going to post but......


I in no way think TMC has it in for me or is looking to make me quit.What I do think is that they have some issues.Being left standing on a sidewalk with no way to get to a rental car or hotel is just too bad to overlook.When I have to get a friend to drive 5 hours to get me at 2am some thing is very wrong.I did every thing asked of me and told them many times I will do what ever you need just tell me.I did my best to help the situation in every way I could.
My problem is with the office not the job.I like the job and its a shame it has gone this way but what can I do?I guess I could go buy a ticket and fly To DM and talk to the man himself and then I may get a truck that runs.I said it many times,Its not TMCs fault the trucks broke down.Its drivers that dont care and dont take care of the trucks and trailers.It is TMCs fault that I was left standing 5 hours from home at 2am sat morn.Its also TMCs fault that I dont have a working truck after 2 weeks.They at any point can say heres a rental car come to the terminal and lets solve this once and for all.Or catch a ride with these new guys testing out at the terminal.
I dont think TMC cares about the guy in the truck.Could it be my FM was the whole problem?No as the team leader was working the phone the nite I was left standing.Could it be just bad luck?Yes it could be but come on
how much is too much for any one.Would I like to work for TMC?Yes if I could get a new FM and team leader as well as a solid truck I would be all set.Will this ever happen?I dont think so at this point I have been cast aside.




People tend to talk about the good but never the bad.Every company has bad no matter who they are.I should not have to wait a year to see if the company is good or not.They should show me that they give a crap from day one.If they treat me poor now what makes any one think it will get better?You cant just talk about the good and not look at the bad.I hope my case is far from the norm but it still went on.

 

Mr.Grim, whatever you do, do not just up and quit. If you ever want to have another decent driving job that is OTR, go thru the proper steps to leaving to avoid getting a bad DAC report. Here is what I would do first, call up TMC on your phone to the regular number, not recruiting or customer service and ask to speak with Harold. If he isn't in, leave a message for him to call you back. If it seems that your FM is dropping the ball or someone else is, go to the top and have a calm discussion with him about it. Face to face would be better but in your case, over the phone will have to suffice. If things still don't work out then move on but again, do it the right way by informing the proper people and jumping thru the hoops they want you to jump thru.

 

Well said and VERY good advice.

 

mrGrim, can you PM me with the name of your fleet manager? Also, has TMC ever tried switching your FM yet?

 

I am sure someone will have an opinion here. Regarding the used fleet trucks on blackandchromesales.com , what's the quality of them? Are they letting them go for a good price? I noticed they had quite a few T800s. Are they not buying those anymore? If not, what would be the reason? Thanks in advance for any answers.

 

NO more KW's on order from what I have heard. I have one, and itll prob see the sales lot soon. I would be willing to guess the reason being is because of Harrold's connection with Allstate Peterbilt. I havent heard any world as to any more KW's on order. The 378 Petes, I heard they are being fazed because of weigh issues.

I have never had TMC skimp on any repairs, they never put junk tires on, if its broken, they want everything checked to insure others are good.

They are maintained as much as possible, and the insides are spec's for the o/op, c15 cats, 13 speeds, all guages, leather, chrome,chicken lights, etc.

My KW has been in the shop much less than my Pete was, and I love the large sleeper, I told them as long as they castrate that sleeper Ill never drive another short nose.

They see close to 375k, and up when sold, but I cant tell you much about price.

 

Actually all people ever talk about is the bad, youll see more rants and raves here than anywhere. Hopefully as for the 800-1000 in a week I can clarify, but you may not like my answer, you too MrGrim.

Why does everyone think that truck driving is simple? That experience doesnt matter, that you dont learn anything. You need to open your eyes. There is a big difference between those who do 500-600 a week, and those who do 1000+ a week. Id be safe to say, those seeing low $$ havent been in a truck too long, matter of fact Ill almost guarantee it. Because those who have, know what to do. That only comes with experience, not driving school. I guess I was lucky, my dad taught me, and he taught me well, now after 5 years flatbed(not a spot on the ass of those like my dad, with 45+years) I see so many who want to whine about low $$, but dont want to do a thing about it, but blame,blame,blame

To bring 600 Gross in a week, with 23% newby pay, would mean you brought 2600 to the truck that week, now divide that by the number of days you should have worked, 5, which means you got roughly 5-500 loads, usually the $500 loads average from 100 miles to 300 miles, give or take. So you have ran roughly 1500-2000 miles in a week, there are drivers running that many in 3 days. If your doing a lot of sitting, I d be doing a lot of talking, demanding better miles, and better $$.



So here is a small list of things that many get some of you started, the rest youll either learn, or give up before you do.

REMEMBER THERE ARE THOSE WHO WANT TO DO THE JOB, AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO DO THE JOB BECAUSE IT PAYS,OR BECAUSE THEY CANT DO ANYTHING ELSE(USUALLY GIVE UP TOO)

1. Plan,Plan,Plan!!! Dont expect TMC to hold that great load for you, because you drag your ass into deliver at 2pm. If you have a 500 mile delivery for monday, and dont drag your butt out early enough on Sunday, youll never get 5 loads that week, and will cry about those $500
paychecks.
80% of the good loads are gone after lunch, better not wait that long(Im talking the 90% of the time that you can control)

2. Remember!!! If the shipper is slow from 10am to 2pm, you better get there before 10am, or show a 2 hr spilt bearth while you wait. AKA dont stop for a sit down meal and a truck wash and screw yourself on the reload. Also freight in some areas pay good, and others are soft. The North east usually pays well in and out, youll get good $$ going to Arizona, but starve coming out. De3pending on weather, it can be better for me to run to Georgia and get garbage coming out, than sit in heavy snow in Michigan...all this comes with experience, that some have, and many dont want to take the time and learn.

3. Give what you expect. Dont milk a run, and fart around-then expect TMC to give you a load that requires you to run. You proove yourself, they will proove themselves. But you have to do so 1st.

Why do so many new drivers feel they know 100% of how to do the job right out of the gun? Ill guarantee it till the end, those small paychecks are due from 4 load weeks, and Im talking 4, 1-day lods, not a 2 day long run in there. What happens on monday, reflects what happens on Friday, or Saturday. Youll work 10x harder to regain good hometime FRiday, if you screw up monday, but some drivers never learn. They want to go through blaming everyone else, and never do an ounce of work to try and get better $$.

I run dedicated, and we all run the same freight, so we should all see the same $$, yet there are those who fart around and bring 2300 a week to the truck, and those who bring 4800 a week to the truck, and are home early on Friday. I dont want to hear it no money. Im only a ## to TMC, but I have never had a bad week since I started, only if it was a holiday.

MRGRim, your problems have only been magnified by your sloppy actions, you claim you should "fly out and see the big guy" yet you are too scared to pick up the phone and call him?

You are either lazy or lost. It doesnt take much for any of us to read your posts and see that you have done nothing but keep trying to call your FM, night dispatch, or road repair. SO why is it not that obvious, if you are not getting answers, why you wouldnt try something else? If all you claim is true, Id be on the phone to the highest person in TMC I could, whether that was Tim Annett, or your Fleet Managers Team Leader, it would be reseolved.

Your doing the same actions and expecting a different result each time.

Now for those of you drivers who like the job, KEEP ON TRUCKING. I have had weeks where I felt like nothing was going right with TMC, youll have that with every company, but I have also had times with TMC where they went over and above my expectations.