..don't forget the slippers, leave those dirty boots in the chain locker!

thanks for the info bangngears and congrats. so what area will you be driving out of? and how was the freight movement while with your trainer

I live in nw ohio and i am not going to mislead anyone the freight was very slow. I was training over the holidays so that played a big factor in it. By the end of the month it will be picking up so i am expecting smaller paychecks till spring but that is the life of a flatbedder.

well i'm in sw ohio and will be going to iowa week after next,i'm fresh out of cdl school and hoping i can cut the mustard for tmc. so what was the training like with the trainer, did you drive like a team or alot of bettering your driving skills

Oh yes! I'm one of those goofs that wear Crocs. But never to load with. My slip on cowboy boots sit on the passenger mat. And there is one of those multi fabric blankets between the seats going to the sleeper.

Yes we drove as a team but i was an experianced driver you will be in training for 5 weeks and you will not go on team status for a week or 2. Your trainer will see how you handle the truck and if you do good you will go team sooner. TMC has rel nice trucks and they are real easy to drive just have to get use to the transmission and the shifting. Watch your RPM'S and she floats right into gear. The spread will take some getting used to but after a week or two you will get the hang of it. Pay attention in class and listen to the trainers, i know the school told certain things but TMC wants you to do it TMC'S way so just listen and adapt and you should be fine. good luck out in iowa and dress warm, its chilly this time of year.

I was hoping to gain a little insite in the difficulty of driving flatbed as a female. I'm in good shape, but the 120lb tarp intimidates me a bit. I have heard nothing but good things from drivers of TMC and I truly appreciate the respect they have for there trucks, as well as the company. I don't want to end up at orientation just to realize that I made the trip for nothing. Can anyone give me a run down of what's really expected?
~Thanks

well there is alot expected of you. You must be proffesional, nice, respectful to the customers and the people in the office. All this should be no problem for someone who takes the job serious. As far as the physical labor part and the fact you are a female you just need to have the strengh to close snap binders and be able to climb up on loads carry chains around and tarp loads. The steel tarps are about 80lbs and not too bad to handle. The lumber tarps are 120lbs and a bit harder to deal with. You will probably never have to carry a lumber tarp up on a 13'6 load almost all the people that load you will place the tarps up there. You still have to be able to move them around and be able to pull and adjust them. If i was you and your not afraid of work i would give TMC a try, you have nothing to loose they pay for you to get there and put you up in a motel and pay you per day while there. As long as you can pick up 120lbs from the floor and sit it on the trailer i think you will be fine. give them a call and good luck to you.

If you are in good shape you will be far ahead of half the applicants.

A 120 pound tarp is about 14 inches in diameter and about 30 inches long when rolled up. You stand the tarp up on end, squat down and tip the tarp up onto your shoulder, then stand up. It is not like picking a 120 pound barbell up over your head.

__________________
The Road goes ever on and on
Down from the door where it began.
Now far ahead the Road has gone,
And I must follow, if I can,
Pursuing it with eager feet,
Until it joins some larger way
Where many paths and errands meet.
And whither then? I cannot say.

-- J R R Tolkien

I'm thinking about going with TMC,I have some questions if someone could answer. Can anyone tell me how the freight would be for me living near Baton Rouge, la. Also when you are doing your 2 week training, do you room with someone at the hotel? Also how does tmc feel about sleep apnea machines.