[csramsey640]

First of all, this is not a bash of TMC, this is an awareness to potential employees as to what they may, or may not be up against , as many of my circumstances are unique to me. I am a dedicated driver

1. Pay Cuts. Since I pull the same loads every week, I know most of the rates by heart, or so I did. I have seen rates go from 1008.35 to 658.84 on the same load. 1039.44 rates go to 794.54 in a matter of a year. With the exception of a few loads we run, all rates have been cut, and Im not talking about the normal downturn during the winter. I was a consistant 4000 to 4500 a week driver, who ran my butt off, just as many others on the account were/are, many are either running 4 load weeks now, or taking $415 bulls*it loads. I even watched a load loose $10 from a preplan to the actual load screen 12 hours later.

BTW, ITS A SLAP IN THE FACE TO SEE A $400 CUT IN LOAD RATE, AND THEN A MESSAGE ABOUT SUPPORTING THE RACE TEAM!

2. Pay Cuts. I have a 70 mph truck. This week I had to speak to driver training about fuel mileage. My fuel is in the bottom 3% of the fleet, since January. However they are comparing us with 8' tall flat front conestoga's to those of you with flats, and the guy said it shouldnt make a difference. Must have never pulled one, since last week I ran an overloaded flat from the Griffin drop yard to the plant and back again, and it pulled 10x better than my conestoga with a 42xxx load coming the same roads. Apparently wind drag does not account in the fuel mileage equation. I happily agreed to his call, except when I was asked to run at 63mph, and 60 mph on 300-400 mile trips, I then asked why I was even granted a 70 mpg truck. he kept reading from the teleprompter, i lost his call...darn verizon

So it takes longer to go the same distance, therefor I would make less per hour on the same run(yes you can gain time with 70 mph over an 11 hr day.)

3. Idle Time. Over the years I have had calls off and on about high idle time. If its an average night, I wont waste fuel, but I do not believe that a driver should have poor sleep because its cold or hot. The office personel do not cut the temps to save energy, and they do not make $$ for the company. I polietly told the person calling, if I am provided with climate controll of any type, I have no problem shutting the truck off, however when I sit for hours waiting for a reload back towards my dedicated, I will not wait uncomfortably

4. Logs...enough said, 4 calls in the past month all about the same fuel stop that is marked Flatwoods WV in our fuel book, and comes up as Sutton WV from comdata.

5. Respect.... Another year safe driving for TMC, no claims, no BS, etc and nothing from TMC. I am not asking for $$, but a simple Thank you would have been nice. A little appreciation for consistant 4000 weeks, early load/unload times, and gettin 'er done when TMC in a bind. No, just calls from Driver training, calls from Logs, calls from some idle time guy, oh and an express code that I never cashed that they wont refund me...err

Thats about it. I am trying to be professional in this matter, however for those on the fence, its getting stricter and stricter. Many of you reading these boards have never driven for any other companies, and do not see the other picture, if you can follow thier rules, its a great company. However I came from a smaller company before, and its night and day.

Again, Im not trying to get a bunch of people jumping ship. Things are tough across the board, and I only speak from the time I have personally . Its difficult seeing the same load take a drop in rate about every few weeks to a month, and knowing that Im taking a paycut, while so many others in the industry are still making the same average rate

My fleet manager is very good, and is very professional. I also recommend the Lexington SC yard for any truck repairs. They work good, and quick, and its very laid back.

Originally Posted by csramsey640

I was a consistant 4000 to 4500 a week driver.

4,000-4500 mpw...what a load of BS!!! :roll:

Well, I have yet to have any supertruckers take me up on this offer...but here goes: I will put up $10,000 cash and you put up another $10k and we will wire an EOBR in your truck. And if you can average 4000-4500 mpw with the EOBR over a period of one month then you win. If not, then I win.

Care to try your luck?

[terrylamar]

Originally Posted by ColdFrostyMug

4,000-4500 mpw...what a load of BS!!! :roll:

Well, I have yet to have any supertruckers take me up on this offer...but here goes: I will put up $10,000 cash and you put up another $10k and we will wire an EOBR in your truck. And if you can average 4000-4500 mpw with the EOBR over a period of one month then you win. If not, then I win.

Care to try your luck?

Or, maybe, he is talking about revenue to the truck. That would be my bet.

[Snowman7]

Originally Posted by terrylamar

Or, maybe, he is talking about revenue to the truck. That would be my bet.

Ya think? :wink:

[dollarshort]

Originally Posted by ColdFrostyMug

4,000-4500 mpw...what a load of BS!!! :roll:

Well, I have yet to have any supertruckers take me up on this offer...but here goes: I will put up $10,000 cash and you put up another $10k and we will wire an EOBR in your truck. And if you can average 4000-4500 mpw with the EOBR over a period of one month then you win. If not, then I win.

Care to try your luck?

WRONG! You now have someone taking you up on your offer. I am finally gonna shut you fucking smart ass up. Just because you are a disgruntled ex-OTR doesn't mean the job sucks for everyone.

There are plenty of OTR drivers that do quite well in their position.

So come on smartass, lets dance.

Sorry, didn't mean to highjack thread, but I am sick and tired of this asshole and his pessimistic horseshit.

[terrylamar]

Originally Posted by Snowman7

Ya think? :wink:

I was trying to be polite. 8)

[wild bill]

[/quote]Again, Im not trying to get a bunch of people jumping ship. Things are tough across the board, and I only speak from the time I have personally . Its difficult seeing the same load take a drop in rate about every few weeks to a month, and knowing that Im taking a paycut, while so many others in the industry are still making the same average rate

csramsey640

I don't drive for TMC but I am considering them in the near future. I was just wondering which companies are you referring to, when you say others are still paying the same rate?

I have a brother in-law that has been driving for 35 yrs., he has been with the same co. for the past 8 yrs. He is an O/O, and pulls a reefer. His net has dropped from a consistent $2200.00 to around $1500.00 a week. He has also decided to leave his present co. in search for better paying freight, as at least another dozen drivers have that work for the same co. some have been there well over 20 yrs.
Now I should say that his co. did lose a major acct. due to a bankruptcy so that didn't help matters any.

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

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by wild bill

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. :lol: :lol: :lol: :?

[coalregion]

Originally Posted by Orangetxguy

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. :lol: :lol: :lol: :?

As God is my witness, I was thinking the exact same thing as I read through this. How is it that fuel is going up like a dime a day, but rates are dropping? :shock:

[wild bill]

My Brother in-law sat in Jacksonville Fl. for two and a half days waiting for a load. They finally found him one going to the Bronx, NY. It paid $1200.00. He Challenged them to find anyone that would take that load for $1200.00 to the Bronx. Needless to say he turned it down. He told them he would not take it for less than $2200.00 He finally got a load to New Jersey paying $2000.00
So it looks like he can still get a decent paying load but he has to sit and wait a lot longer than normal.