Re: Finally, start school on Sat.!!!!
 

Good luck!!

Must have been a fart. lol My recruiter Matt at TMC was very upfront with me always and has never lied or misled me. A lot of students hear what they want to hear and not what is said. Most have VERY selective hearing. It is assumed that when a student gets to orientation he is a big boy. This isn't grade school anymore and it's no one's job to hold their hand or make sure everything goes "Johnny's" way. Ask a LOT of questions and PAY ATTENTION. Hear what's being SAID and not what you THINK or WISH was said and chances are you won't miss anything or FEEL misled.
Those students you mentioned wouldn't be driving for TMC or DECIDED NOT to? The only problem with the 500 miles would have been that the trainees refused to stay out some (or all) of the weekends while training. Doesn't matter HOW far your trainer is, when starting orientation, we are all told we MAY have to stay out the 6 weeks STRAIGHT. This rarely happens but can. My trainer was 450 miles away from me because I CHOSE HIM. I was fully prepared to stay out 6 weeks to get my particular trainer but nice guy that he was, he spent 3 of those weekends IN HIS TRUCK in NYC while I enjoyed my home time. The other 3 weekends TMC put me up in a hotel in HIS hometown. His name is Sam Galarza and he was FANTASTIC.
The reason why TMC CAN'T tell who will be training you until the last minute is because of SEVERAL reasons.
1) Depending on the student's "deal" or ability he may be one OR two weeks in orientation.
2)Said student may drop out or fail out DURING orientation.
3)The trainer's CURRENT trainee may graduate to solo sooner or later.
4)The trainer's current student may quit or get tossed.
5)Medical, family and work related emergencies can (and do) intercede both the trainer and trainee's schedules making planning difficult if not impossible.
And lots more but I hope you get the point.

There is absolutely NO way to tell what trainers will be available for what students until VERY near the last day of orientation.
You also say "It didn't happen to YOU" is like saying, "My brother's best friend's girlfriend's aunt on her mother's side's sister in law said"
What I mean is a story gets twisted IMMEDIATLY when it leaves the FIRST story tellers lips or keyboard and get worse and worse the more people it passes through.
My advice? don't get ticked off about what happens to others and worry about what happens to YOU. Read these threads with a grain of salt and don't believe all you hear.
If your first 6 weeks with a company doesn't go exactly your way (oh gee, I gotta be away from mommy for 6 whole weeks) is that a reason to leave a job with fantastic income potential, great home time, good medical coverage and a friendly work atmosphere? Personally I don't think so. If one wants to be a trucker than TRUCK. If one wants to stay home more to watch their kids grow, their wife misses them, or they can't be away from home for long stretches, FIND A DIFFERENT CAREER.

I can only speak about how they treated me. I heard all these horror stories about how orientation was like the military. I guess if all the experience you had was in the Boy Scouts maybe it was. I was in the Marine Corps and later went through OCS. TMC was not like the military. Some discipline, yes, onerous, no. During my physical a Umbilical Hernia was found. The Doctor wrote on the physical that I couldn't lift any more than 25 lbs. I knew right then and there I would be sent home. I told Austin as soon as I got back and he said just wait until the physicals came back and they went through the process. Later, he saw I was worried and took me aside and talked to me. My worry was that I was wasting time, I knew I was going home and wanted to leave earlier than later. Eventually, close to the end of the day, Mike called me into the office and told me what I expected. Then, surprisingly, he ask how I got there, then sent me to finance to get $300.00 in cash. I didn't expect anything since I was being sent home. It was late in the day and I asked if I could remain in my room for the night and get a early start the next morning, he said sure. I didn't take him up on that offer, I decided to leave, the sooner I could get home, the sooner I could get my problem fixed and get back. Admittedly, I was there for only Sunday and most of Monday. At no time did I think anyone was mistreating me. I was made welcome. Of course there are many students going through orientation at once, you are just a number at first. My perception is that TMC is one big family. I am looking forward to getting back at my earliest opportunity.

Hate to hijack slightly but--Semper Fidelis terrylamar, and Happy Belated Birthday....Just got back from attending the Dedication for the National Museum of The Marine Corps in Quantico this past weekend. Very well done and made me wish I was still in!!

USMCTanker,

Semper Fi, and a happy belated birthday to you. I know what you mean about wishing you were still in, I do every day. I say it often and mean it, I would rather be a Sergeant in the Marine Corps than a Captain in the Army. I was both and I know what I prefer.

Terry

Glad to see you made it to your dr. and getting the procedure done. Our dr. here is very good at finding hernias for some reason :) But it is just one of those things and not an issue of us not wanting you here. Glad you didn't take any offense to it. Rebecca says to call her once you know when the surgery is and how long you'll be laid up. She'll get you back in once you're healed up. Hang in there.

Matt

Matt,

Offense?, you very well could have saved me from some very serious complications because I didn't know I had a hernia. Actually, I should be thanking you. Looks like I should be back no later than the first orientation after the New Year. I'm looking forward to it.

Hey Terry, hope you don't mind but I quoted you on my website on the "Contributor's" page. Glad to hear your stay at orientation wasn't the "boot camp" so many THINK it is. Speedy recovery to ya.

No, I don't mind, I'll go check it out.

Hey fred You mean they found a brain in there? Just kidding there buddy!! :lol: