Back from TMC orientation in south carolina

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by bangngears, Dec 6, 2008.

  1. Drive-a-Mack

    Drive-a-Mack Light Load Member

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    Aug 13, 2007
    Eugene, OR via Lincoln, NE
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    ..Clutch you might want to look into driving for CRETE if u don't get a pre-hire from TMC, they are probably one of the better companies u can hire on with right now, & they are debt free so no problems worring about slow freight or going out of business anytime soon.. u might also want to check out EVERTRUCKERR's thread CRETE-A YEAR IN REVIEW if u have time to get an idea of what it's like driving week to week for them & what the other drivers who work there say about them, they also have a few women who drive for them post there too.. if u already have the 1 yr driving OTR requirement for employment u might want to give them a look..
     
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  3. MarineVet32935

    MarineVet32935 Light Load Member

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    Jan 9, 2009
    Travelers Rest, SC
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    Climbing a ladder with tarps? Yes, there will be occasion when you will have to. If you get a load of all 8' lumber, it will completely cover your 48' trailer and the only way up is from a ladder on the ground. It could be as high as 13'. I always carried a good 16' extension ladder, strapped under the side of the trailer.

    Something to keep in mind with TMC. They have top of the line equipment. I'm not just talking the tractor and trailer, though. Everything else too. Straps, binders, chains and yes, tarps. Their tarps are thicker than most companies and therefore heavier. A single tarp probably weighs close to 80-100 lbs. I never weighed one, but it was all I could do to lift it from the ground to my shoulder and I'm no slouch. Want to know if you're capable? Go down to your local Lowe's and find an 80 lb bag of mulch or concrete. From the ground (which is where your tarp will be, once you fold it), try to get it to your shoulder. If you can only get it up to your chest, how are you going to put it on the trailer? There won't always be someone around to help.

    TMC is a real stickler for putting all equipment in the three door headache rack. It will fit and they give you a diagram on how to do it, but it will take practice. The tarps have to be folded precisely and very, very tight. You'll have two lumber tarps, two steel tarps and two tarp pads (old ripped up tarps) and they all gotta go in the headache rack, along with all chains, binders coil racks, coil pads, corner protectors, everything.
     
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  4. newtrucker77

    newtrucker77 Bobtail Member

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    Jan 15, 2009
    Mooreville MS
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    ok i have a question, i have a pre hire from TMC as well as arrow, i told tmc that i wanted to go with them for orintation and he said call back in a week, i did and he had trouble verifying 3 of my employers, 2 of which is no problem to get them to varify, 1 they were waiting on a fax and the second didnt answer the phone that week but that was just because of the holiday week, now the third is Pepsi and i didnt leave there in good tearms which i dont care about but when jason (the tmc recruter) called the number i gave them they didnt give him an answer just an 800 number that wants him to pay $15 dollars to varify and tmc wont so i said screw it ill go to arrow, but really still want tmc and my other question is i dont have horrible blood preasure but it was 142 over 80 which only gave me a 1 year dot card and if it was 140 over 80 they would give me a 2 year and sence i found that out i have been working on it. Other than that im in good shape, im 6' tall and very muscular except for the little tummy i have ant that the only fat part on me, i know i can lift 80 + pounds over my head and climb ladders with it cause my old job required it. Any insight would be appreciated cause if i end up going there i dont want to be sent home on my first day?
     
  5. kindsoul

    kindsoul Light Load Member

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    Nov 24, 2008
    columbus, OH
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    Everytime I have loaded a full trailer of lumber, the person who loaded it puts my tarp on top of the load with a fork lift. If he doesn't offer then ask, they usually understand.

    Actually the lumber tarp weighs 120 lbs dry. I say dry because sometimes you have to fold your tarp and a lot of snow might be on it or water. Then the thing weighs about 140lbs. It is a bear and their is no way around it. Best way to lift it is bearhug it and lift with your knees. When standing, throw it on shoulder. This is a lot easier then trying to put it on your shoulder while your knees are bent.


    It really is not that hard to fit in your headache rack. I even fit it with 20 lbs of snow in it, which made it much bigger. Put your lumber tarps in your side trailer box and your steel tarps in your headache rack with your padding tarp on top of your steel tarp. real easy.
     
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  6. STICK HAULER

    STICK HAULER Light Load Member

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    Dec 11, 2008
    HICKORY,NC
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    I HAVE NOT WORKED FOR TMC OR ARROW, BUT DID CHECK INTO TMC SEVERAL YEARS AGO, IF I WERE GOING TO TO THE FLATBED THING I WOULD GO WITH TMC EQUIPMENT A WHOLE LOT BETTER, AND NICER LOOKING,,, PAY THE 15.00 YOURSELF AND GET THE RIGHT JOB FIRST SO IT DOSENT SHOW UP ON UR DAC LATER AFTER YOU FIND OUT YOU MADE A MISTAKE, AS FAR AS THE BLOOD PRESSURE GOES UNLESS TMC REQUIRES A 2 YEAR DOT MEDICAL CARD I WOULDNT WORRY ABOUT IT IF YOU GO ON BLOOD PRESSURE PILLS YOU WILL PROBABLY BE STUCK WITH THAT I AM AND HAVE BEEN ON THEM FOR 10 YEARS HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS GETTING CARRIERS TO ACCEPT A ONE YEAR PHYSICAL, A 3 MONTH CARD MAKES THEM REAL NERVIOUS,, HOPE THIS HELPS,,,,:biggrin_25518:
     
  7. Clutch13

    Clutch13 Bobtail Member

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    Jan 10, 2009
    Panama City, Florida
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    LOL....I don't think I will now either! :biggrin_25526:
     
  8. trucking?

    trucking? Light Load Member

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    Oct 3, 2008
    charlotte,nc
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    For those who know about Mcelroy, how do they stack up against TMC? I was looking into Mcelroy because they have a recruiter coming to our class. We have a guy saying he is going to TMC so I was trying to compare the two.
     
  9. Rawlco

    Rawlco Medium Load Member

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    Aug 13, 2006
    Central Maine
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    I know that TMC does not like the 6 month medical card. I am not sure about the one year. In any case TMC will have their own doctor issue a medical card, so your's doesn't count really.
     
  10. bangngears

    bangngears Medium Load Member

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    Oct 30, 2008
    metamora, Ohio
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    OK i live in a cold weather state but OMG i was in iowa picking up my truck and the wind chill was -45. This was so cold, alaska was warmer then des moines that 2 days. I have a nice 387 sitting in my driveway and just dropped a load of steel up in detroit. I was delayed leaving because the detail guy shut off my truck and it was a frozen popsicle. Took the guys a while to get it going. Setting everything up was not very fun in neg temps, thanks alot to the carhart people they make a great product LOL. I was glad to get on the road and got to sneak in to the house for a night or two, then its back out on the road to make money.. :yes2557:
     
  11. MarineVet32935

    MarineVet32935 Light Load Member

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    Jan 9, 2009
    Travelers Rest, SC
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    Then you've obviously never did a drop and hook, with no forklift around. There will come a time, when you have to hand carry your tarps to the top of the load, with no way to get there, except a ladder. Before I got my extension ladder, I used two straps. Hooked them to one side, threw them over, ran them under the rolled up tarp and threw them back over the load. Then just pulled both straps at the same time and it lifted the tarps to the top. You need some long straps to do this with, or something to set the tarp on, high off the ground.

    Again, I'm talking about TMC, not all the other flatbed companies. They are very strict on equipment placement. ALL equipment goes in the headache rack. Nothing goes into the trailer side boxes. As I said, they even have a diagram of where and how to stow all the equipment. They don't want you to stray from that diagram. Sure, you can do anything you want, once you leave the terminal, but don't pull into a terminal with your equipment in the side boxes, or God forbid, the tarps strapped to the trailer.
     
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