Well when other trainees ask me I tell them not to use my problems to decide on TMC.I know what I am dealing with cant be the norm.I only tell
here what I have seen and been thru so I have no fear of TMC reading any thing.If I could talk to big shots at TMC these are the same things I would say to them.

I'm thinking of giving Flatbed a try , So I might have to Give both TMC and Arrow a call monday ...I also need to find out just what flatbed companies are out there that hire out of Colorado , As I don't want to limit myself to just 2 companies , But I do want to have the ability to earn a steady 50k per year at a perspective employer .

If you've never done flatbed before and also want to earn a steady $50,000/year. You pretty much SHOULD limit yourself to two companies. TMC or Maverick. Both will let you achieve your financial goal and both have flatbed training programs that are top notch. This spring I hope to own my own truck and hire on back with TMC.
One major reason people try, then quit, running flatbed is that they feel it is too much work. TMC and Maverick will show you how to work smarter, not harder. When I drove flats for TMC, I can't tell you how many guys I saw STRUGGLING to get a load secured and tarped simply because they had no clue how to do it properly.
There MAY be some other small outfits out there who are great too, but if choosing from the larger carriers then IMHO TMC and Maverick are the only two I would consider. After checking both out very carefully, I found the only differences are as follows:
Hiring On:
Maverick - will put you on a waiting list for a few weeks to a few months.
TMC - hires immediately if you are qualified
Equipment:
Maverick - Late Model Maroon Freightliner Automatics :dung: :cry:
TMC - Late Model Decked out Black Peterbilts with 13 speed transmissions :party: :D
Training Pay (When I started over a year ago):
Maverick: $500.00
TMC: $350.00

Best of Luck to you and keep us posted!

Hi Fred,
I have been lurking here for about a year and have corresponded with you a couple of times via email about a year ago. And I think you are dead on with your assessment of flatbed companies.
There are a couple of other differences in the two companies that are worth mentioning. For instance if you have been out of Truck driving school more than ninety days TMC will require you to take a refresher course and Maverick will not. Maverick will put you with a trainer and when and if he feels you are ready they will put you in your own truck. Also mavericks tarp pay is $20.00 compared to TMC's $10.00.
But still I think they are both excellent companies to work for and if a guy is looking to get into trucking either would be a good place to start.

1st. This is the first company that I've been with that has driver issues meetings. Good thing for you that your trainer was there to raise hell about your issues.
2nd. Doesn't TMC have a $600/week guaranteed minmum for noobs? or am i dreaming that? I know it's not available for Texas Dedicated noobs.
3rd. I do know that breakdown pay can be more than the minimum if your FM puts in for it. Genereally it's $50 for the first 2 days and then your daily avg after that.
4th. I do know that TMC pays for motel rooms. I got one 3 weeks ago when Pete held my truck overnight. All I had to do was call break down and talk to Matt or Kevin after 9pm. Once they got the confirmation from Pete then they gave me comcheck number to pay for the room. The motel in Ft. Worth picked me and another TMC driver up.
5th. Next time you get to DSM go have a calm rational chat with Harold. My trainer says that he regularly sits down in Harold's office for a nice freindly chat.

Fred this is one area where we disagree. I am not a contortionist and I hate having to sqeeze in between the seats in this Pete, and I'm not a big guy. I would never live in a Pete. I'm glad that I only have to deal with this truck 5 days a week. :cry:
My wife and I ran team a few years ago with USX and I loved that Freightliner automatic. Not having to shift was awesome. :party:
1 thing that i do like in the Petes is that they are very stable and solid on and off of the road. Off road stability is very important to me since paved roads are a luxury some days. The Petes beat a Freightshaker hands down off road.

True.

I DISLIKE the seat squeeze but I can live with it. The 379 handled so much better than the 387 IMO so it was a tradeoff I liked. As far as shifting, I didn't mind at all and spent a lot of time in NJ and NY traffic. Then again I never drove an automatic so I have nothing to compare it to. :lol:

The 387 is like driving a one bedroom apt down the road.Its also too heavy and has over 13K on the steers empty.But it has tons of room inside and plenty of places to stash your stuff.The view out the windshield is good and you dont have the stacks blocking your view of the rear.

The shortnose is much smaller inside but I like it.It almost feels like its not a large truck plus I think the seats are better.Its a to each his own thing I guess.


Its monday morn and so far TMC has no plan of what I am to do for this week.I am loosing hope that TMC wants me as a driver.I would like to go to DM and get a truck so that I can spend some time in the office as well as meet my FM face to face but I just dont think that will happen.

13k on the steers sounds like someone ran with the fifth wheel all the way up .