Hello All, it has been awhile since I have posted in here! I am not currently in a TMC truck, but planning on returning possibly in the spring! A drove for TMC right at 6 months in the Long Haul Division! Had a fantastic fleet manager! Could not have had better support! I insisted on being home every other weekend, and without fail, I was home, either loaded for Monday local delivery or delivered Friday and reloaded to leave out Monday for the long run. I did not want to run California, the farthest west I went was Phoenix. Spent most of my running in the same lanes/area as the line hual guys, just much longer runs.

Over 27 weeks, my gross average was $925, had a couple of weeks that were low, one I was home for 5 days, and another, was in Des Moines for 4 days for TQM (just how the load schedule worked out). I had switched to mileage a month before leaving, do to the southwestern frieght not averaging as high as the rest of the country, and my preferred areas were southwest (except Cali), across to Florida. Usually the farthest Northeast I went was Davenport, IA, although I made one run into Brooklyn, NY (it paid to well to pass up) and had a sweet run to Miami lined up from there.

Truck issues, none, I had a 379 short hood with 275,000 miles on it. They replace 2 drive tires in DM, even though the ones on it still had plenty of life. Did not even know they did it until doing the PTI getting ready to roll out Monday AM.

Equipment: It is up to you to take care of your equipment, truck, trailers, tarps and securement. If any of that need work, send in a QC message and they will, note WILL, get you to a facility to get it fixed. It is not Dispatch, FM's, Planners, or Safety's fault, that your equipment is messed up, and you do not report it.

I left for issues that needed to be taken care of at home, and may just return if things work out the way I want them. TMC (my Fleet Manager) took care of me, and I took care of him. Communication is the key to success in any driving career, with any company. If he had a run, and I could do it within my comfort level, it was put on me, and my FM did not have to worry about it getting done. Taking care of business, is what creates success. The TMC Philosophy can and will create a win-win situation for all involved, IF, you apply yourself and choose to be successful.

If you have issues with your FM, and the two of you cannot work it out, talk to his boss, or even his boss! They have an open door structure! Request a different FM or change fleets from Linehaul to LongHaul, or vice versa!

Another thing, Do not go in there thinking you are going to get the King of the Road Trucks - the long nose Pete 379. Those were mostly reserved for the Specialized Fleet and Senior Drivers. They do not make that truck anymore. You will get a Short Hood 379 or what ever unit they are replacing them with, I think the 386 (not for sure).

If you live in the Southern most states, the frieght rates coming out of those states stinks, for the most part. There are some good paying loads, but few and far between. So if you live in Mississippi, and want to be home every week, guess what, you will be dealing with rates of the South. Note: This is just not TMC, if is every frieght company out there. If you live up North, North Central, the typical rates up there are great, but you will have a run heading south, and will have a run going back north. Guess what! The runs average out to a pretty good week! If you have a couple of years prior experience, and want to run long hual, Look real hard at the mileage pay, especially during the fall and winter months. You will make some great paychecks, when the linehaul guys are having to average good loads with the bad.

Anyway, have much more that I could tell ya, but it is time to head to bed.

Any direct questions, feel free to e-mail me anytime. BTW - Goldies is great, he helped me allot when I went in, and so glad to see him back on this forum.

Good night,

The Horseman

 

Thanks Horseman and WELCOME BACK! I too may be returning to TMC if/when my girlfriend's divorce goes through and we can get married and thus run Long Haul together.
Nice to see you here too and now I too should really get some rest!

 

I keep ya in my thoughts, and hope all works out for you and your girlfriend! Later

 

MrGrim, you may be new to TMC, but Im willing to bet this is not your first job, or your first complaint.

You said, and I quote "I leaned on my trainer for help and guidance and he made calls and sent sat msgs to the big people at TMC to no avail"

So, why keep depending on others? Why did he have to make the calls for you? Do you not have TMC's phone number, Surely when you went through orientation, they gave you some information on company contacts. Im not saying all of your truck issues are your fault, only how you deal with them, is what you can control. Obviously your not putting your foot down hard enough, or with the wrong people. Or, there is another side to the story. I have never had a concern that wasnt promptly taken care of.

Creek, its not in any hard to do that many miles, true it wont happen day in and day out, but I have had many weeks where it happens.

In writing, with a 65 mph truck, and 11 hours driving, you technically can do 715 in one day, if you averaged 65. I know it wont happen because of hills, fuel, slowing,etc but There surely is no reason why you cant run 500 miles in one day, or 1500 in 3 days, and do so legally.

If you cant, your not getting the equation right, ie delivering late, poor trip planning, not keeping the left door shut, etc etc.

Yes, we all have days where we are 1st at the consignee for a 7am opening, they start dragging around at 740am, you get unloaded at 930am, have to bounce 150 miles, show up at 1pm, sit in line all day long, etc. However, if you keep the equation in balance, you WILL have more 500+mile days, than you will not have. I. e, if your not, keep working on the equation. If it was a simple job, it wouldnt pay a decent wage. If it were an easy job, no one would be hiring.

 

I've asked MrGrim for his name and truck number so I can:

A) Contact TMC and inquire about his situation and figure out if what he says is true and if so, WHY.
B) and if true, help facilitate his getting a new truck and fleet manager

I'm currently waiting for his PM or email response. I will do my best to help him AND find out what's going on and if there are as many problems as he says.

 

Interesting reading!

Sick in DSM. Thank god for the Baymont.


My take and opinion on the recent posts and the trials and tribulations of Mr. Grim.

--An average driver, IMO, should be able to gross $900-1100 per week. Keep in mind that we are on the precipice of a recession and well into a housing and building supply slow down. Freight rates are awful and our salaries will follow those rates as most of us are on percentage. The stuff that I thought was real garbage, paying the truck $1.10 a mile, are now paying in the below $1 per mile. The copper in the west is a good example.

--My income hasn't really suffered. Keep in mind that I am a trainer and can ride out and overcome bad days.

--According to the OOIDA magazine, thankfully, the first sector of trucking to recover will be flatbed.

--Grim's problems are very unusual. I don't know what the hell is going on in this situation. Despite the fact that road repair is not my most favorite part of the company, these problems are not common and most get resolved quickly. Do they go as fast as I want...no. Despite the fact that the per day breakdown is $50, TMC will often subsidize that.

Succeeding at TMC requires:

--Many TMC drivers might agree with this...IMO TMC balances driver pay so that there is relative pay equity. I.E., if you are doing poorly you will get good paying loads - if you are doing great your loads may suffer so that another driver might get a decent paycheck. Although I am basically selfish I can understand this policy based on driver retention.

I have had trainees that have done very well and so-so. Their success was mostly based on them, not TMC. BND, as an example, kicked butt when he got in the truck and went to 30-31% after his first snapshot and 32% on the second. That success was not based on his FM, it was based on BND's hard work.

That's enough babbling, back to the sick bed.

 

VonSeggern
I'm just curious, do drivers that are also trainers tend to get good loads in order to make up for the time it takes to train a new driver? Or does the trainer pay make up for the lost time one might experience with a new driver on board?
Thanks :?:

 

We will sometimes get longer loads that we can run in a day, instead of two. Lately, those haven't even existed and I have been getting loads that are less than 400 miles. Training pay, $75 per week, is nice but not earth shaking.

The time it takes to train is usually offset by the help you get securing and unloading. In the first few weeks I am mostly demonstrating and helping the trainee get the hang of things. Often a load takes longer, from the training process, than I would be able to do on my own.

As I taught on a college level and my previous career was all about constant training; I feel rewarded from sending a guy out with the tools to succeed. As long as they aren't a complete jacka$$ it is usually enjoyable.

 

Oh great, I just got the form that TMC now has a lease purchase program, you can choose either a 387 or KW. I was hoping that they wouldnt. But its a win-win for them, no breakdowns, no truck maintanence, nothing, and best of all you pay them to drive thier truck, since a lease you still dont own it, your just long term renting. Plus, Im willing to bet your not taking that truck with you if you have a falling out.

Its just corporate america's way of suckering more in, and its coming from all angles.

Best of all, they work with Poor Credit!!!! Since part of being in business sucessfully is having good credit, and knowing how to manage that credit, usually those who cant handle thier bills at home, cant handle them with a business either...Yes I know, I have many family members in that same boat, gonna change the world and cant afford to do so.

I am willing to bet if it ever takes off, that the linehaulers may see some changes. Since LP would be like an o/op, they basically have many more options than company. Arrow is having some problems in some areas because the L/P guys want the best freight coming out period, and that leaves garbage for others. Oh well too early to tell, well see how it plays out.

 

Just think, you could get Grim's retired 387.