TMC Transportation, Inc. - Des Moines, Ia.

You will be okay. TMC takes good care of families that ride together, i've talked to alot of the husband and wife "Teams" and they're all very happy. Yes, they guarantee to get you home on the weekends, HONESTLY though that doesn't mean you'll always be home early on friday.. sometimes late friday night, early saturday morning but you WILL be home every weekend..

Don't go into it with unrealistic expectations and you'll be fine, no matter who you drive for you're still going to be working in the same industry, and trucking doesn't always give you your way, it's just a fact.

I have never been lied to by anyone at TMC. Even if i was getting screwed they would tell me they were going to screw me, lol. It's kind of sick but i appreciated that. I'd rather drive for a company that told me they were going to screw me over than blowing smoke up my butt..

I think that you will enjoy it, my wife went with me a few times and loved it. although we have a 4yo daughter so it couldn't happen as often as we wanted it too, it was fun. I told my Fleet manager where she wanted to go and he sent me there, we got to see the desert, L.A, etc. It was a good time, and they took good care of us.

Please understand that alot of these posts are false, or overly exaggerated, and alot of the people that had problems at TMC caused them for themselves, as long as your husband pays attention during training, he will be 100% fine. Tell him not to be afraid to speak up, because, with any company you will eventually need to do so. There are methods of getting things straightened out, if his fleet manager pushes him to "Bend" the rules, tell him to call the safety dept. and it will never happen again, and if he's worried about his fleet manager "screwing him" for not doing what he asks, then theres a team leader that he can speak to, and he can even get a new fleet manager ANY TIME HE WANTS TO CHANGE. He can also change trainers any time he wants, so tell him to keep those things in mind.. I'm not saying things will go that way, but i've heard stories.. Just warning you.. Don't let other peoples "opinions" keep you from doing what you want to do. I almost did, and i chose to ignore this stuff and drive for them anyway, and i couldn't have been happier. I have since quit driving all together because if im not driving for TMC, i don't want to drive.

I hope this helps, good luck to you and your husband, i wish you both the best in all that you do, with or without TMC.

 

eckz,
I'm waiting on a call tommorrow from Tammy field recuiter and currently i'm waiting on Maverick to call me back (they are waiting on my old company to respond back)...

Whcih company of the 2 would you prefer?
I wanted to PM you but don't have the posts for it...(don't know why thats there) I have a few more questions on ...Orientation (where you stay etc) Time with trainer/runs/miles/pay weekly

 

Do you have yahoo messenger? Add x_pl0it_x and i'll tell you whatever you want to know on there.

But to get to some of the answers.. let me compare the two companies.. Personally i still prefer TMC, and this is why.

I am a home every weekend kinda guy, so being paid a percentage of the load you can make more that way, TMC allows you to be paid this way, and Maveric is only mileage.

TMC Has better equipment, the super 13 trans is alot nicer for hills, top of the line interior model, they give you a CB, CD player with 12" subs in the bunk, serius satellite is pre-installed, and the petes ride alot nicer than those freightshakers do.

I am not saying Maveric is a bad company, they pickup and deliver to alot of the same places that TMC does, and i've talked to alot of their drivers that seem to be pretty happy, so other than the difference in the equipment (And some silly rules TMC has, that really arent a problem unless your really lazy) i'd say they are about the same as far as driver satisfaction and such goes. It's mostly just personal prefrence.

Also, i don't think that Mav does Canada, and TMC does. TMC Also does not reimburse for 80/90 through Ohio, and Indiana because there are other ways to go across. It's kinda stupid, and no they really aren't saving any money that way, but it never really bothered me enough to quit.

Tell Tammy that Randy Myers said hello She's pretty cool, i've done school visits with her, and she actually recruited me out of Detroit.

Orientation you will stay at their terminal in des moines, which has a baymont in and suites that is owned by TMC. You will likely have to share a room with another driver / person for orientation because they're usually pretty crowded (Being an airport center and all) but it's not too shabby, it's free. For your first week they will provide you with lunch (out of the black and chrome cafe, which they also own) DONT step on the grass. The getting fired thing is a rumor, but it definitely will not make you look good if you do so and they've asked you not to. Don't litter, don't spit, and try not to hit on the cute girls that work in the office, they're picky about that, too.

Time with trainer is 6 weeks, you will be paid 350 per week salary during that time (I know, it's not alot but when you get your truck you'll be glad you waited. ) If you plan to be regional, tell them you preffer a regional trainer, longhaul tell them you prefer a longhaul trainer. The reason is, that if you go regional you will be doing alot more tarping / securing, and you will get more experience doing that with a regional driver. Long haul is 2-3 day runs, so that means they will only tarp / secure 2-3 loads per week, where a regional driver will tarp / secure up to 5 loads per week.

Depending on your trainer, you should still get home every weekend, make sure you tell them this is your intention so they can pick someone that suits you the best in this aspect.

Any other questions that i missed here, go ahead and post them up, or get with me on yahoo. I would give you my phone number but that's not too safe on here.

 

I know this thread is for TMC, but a lot of drivers are interested in Maverick as well. I'm interested in both companies, and have been frustrated in my attempts to secure training with either one.

Allow me to vent about Maverick for a bit......

After filling out my application, and calling the recruiter's line, (which is almost always busy- a good sign, I suppose) I was told that there was a five month backlog for training. I thought, wow, seems to me that people are fighting to get into their school. This, combined with all the good things I heard about Maverick within these forums, narrowed my student choices down to TMC and Maverick.

I have posted about my frustration with TMC previously in this thread; I won't go into it again.

Due to the five month wait, I thought an opportunity with Maverick would be lost too......so imagine my surprise when a recruiter from Maverick left a voice mail stating "Your application looks great; I can get you into school in two or three weeks. My private number is ###-###-####, please call me back as soon as you can."

Man, I was so happy I was flying! I had just come home from the gym and was soaked with sweat, but you can be sure I placed that call before I jumped in the shower.

Now......here's where I fell into the sea emotionally. When the recruiter asked me about my last job, I knew something about the dates were off. Turns out my application had me employed at my last job until the middle of this year.......I said no, that's a mistake......it should read until 2003, and I have been retired since then- but I'd like to get back in the job market, and need training to get my CDL.

Even over the phone, I could feel the chill.....you would think I told him I had Leprosy.

He asked me to hold on.....I ended up on hold for a long five minutes....For a minute, I thought he wouldn't come back.

Finally, he came back on to state "I can't do anything for you." I said "Why?" He mentioned something about employment instability. I said, "Why, because I'm retired and I want to get back in the job market?" I never saw someone go from hot to cold so quickly, and I let him know it.

Honest mistake.....if it was my fault for an error on the application, fine.

But it goes to show you how Maverick feels about any "gaps" in employment, whether they are legitimate or not. I'm sure Maverick is a good company, but I'm ticked off at the way they handled this.

Between my frustration with Maverick and TMC, I'm at a loss at what to do now.

Thanks for allowing me to vent.....

 

Now that you mention it, the gap in employment could've been why TMC wouldn't take you. They are awefully strict about that as well. I diddn't think about that before.

Keep trying bud, you'll find something. Like i said, go to school on your own, you'll find someone to pick-up the bill. You don't have to go "Through" a company to get into school.

Good luck on your quest, i wish you the best -- keep us updated!

 

I put in red what caught my eye and i just thought i would let you know. My husband is going for free. Its a driving school branched off from a college in Memphis. they got a grant for 150 students. So everything is free except your food. you go for 1 1/2 weeks, Mon thru sat from 7am till 6 pm for class room, then the next 1 1/2 weeks is driving the trucks and training in Memphis.You get your permit after the first week and half. I have really checked into it to make sure its not a scam. they are as legal as can be. If you don't live close so you can drive they will put you up in a hotel (red roof inn) for free. if you don't have a car/truck with you then the hotel will take you over there, its actually in walking distance but you would not want to be out in west Memphis walking that early or that late walkingThe first day you fill out all kinds of applications to different trucking companies, this is to satisfy a provision in the grant. you are not obligated to anyone, once you graduate in a 3 week period then is when you choose who you want to go with. you then go and do a few weeks training with the company you chose, it varies from company to company how long. So you start getting paid after 3 weeks. the only thing the school ask is that you keep in touch with them and let them know if you change companies. they also said they would stay with you for life in finding a company that suits you if you quit a company. this grant was for Katrina victims but they could not find any that had relocated in that area so they had to extend it out to others. I'm not sure just exactly all the rules on how to qualify, i just know that if you are an Arkansas resident you go for free and its a $6000 course, that includes everything except your final license.(There are other ways to get in besides living in arkansas) they pay for permit, housing, and what ever those other fees are you have to pay out if you are not in a free school. you also get 3 college credit hours, lol.

there is a drug test and physical right up front, so if you are not clean don't waste their time. if you fail the drug test then you have to pay them the cost, $70. pass and you owe nothing. also if you can't get it in 3 weeks as people learn differently you stay till you get it. its a wonderful program and i feel like it was God sent to us. the only part i don't like is my husband being away for 3 weeks. now if you have money to rent your own room then your wife can go, and i believe they will give you what they would have paid at the red roof to help your cost if you choose that way. now I'm not sure on that one, but believe it is right. i don't know if i can post the name of the school here or not, so if you want more information then email me at [REMOVED](no emails allowed, so read between the lines)and i can give you more information. my husband is leaving on Monday to start so the rest of the week i will be getting him ready to go. so if you email me and i don't get right back its just because I've not had time. but i will try to check my mail each night.

oh and there is no dead line. they start a new class each Monday. they will do this till they have certified 150 driver's. can't beat that

If there is anyone else out there that, again, can help us with what company is the best then i would appreciate that as well and if you can't post it here then email me as well. everything is going so fast that we don't have much time to decide which company is the best out of the other's. this thread has still got me worried about TMC, but i believe as long as no one else tells me anything else that is just horrible we will go with them. and its mainly because we don't have alot to choose from as all the school does is train you , they are not obligated to get you a job even tho they said they would. they did give me a list of companies, about 20, but I've never heard of most of them, but im a women and don't look at names on big trucks when traveling. and i don't have time to try and find major details on each company.TMC sounded great and i guess that is the reason we want them. also in about 1 to 2 years I'm going to get my cdl's and then we can team drive. We plan on the first 2 years , teaming or not, keeping it on the road as much as possible as we need the money bad. (thats another story in its own, part is on my profile). So if anyone can help i would appreciate it. oh and we are not young. we have had some life experience and understand there is no job that is just gravy and you don't have to do anything but drive. he is 40 and i am 39, 2 children ages 18 and 20. so we have alittle, lol, life lesson's under our belts.

i was also wanting to know if tmc only pays %, seems to me that by the mile would be the way to go???? information on that would be wonderful as well.

Thanks to all and my best wishes to everyone who is having trouble.

readytogo

 

Hehe, please scroll up and read my posts. I cover the pay system and alot of other questions that you were asking. Just making sure you aren't missing them.

 

I am a newby with TMC as of early 2007. It is a pretty rude awakening to the world of trucking, in my opinion. The are bustin' my ### most of the time. They will never tell you to run illegal, but the deliveries they give you and the appoinment times make it impossible not to. I do leave early on Sundays, between noon & 4:00 usually, and don't normally get home until late Friday night. Twice in six months have I been home before 8:00pm. That 's not alot of weekend. My other issue with them is the not getting paid for sitting...waiting to be loaded or unloaded. They say they pay detention after 2 hours, but nobody ever gets it, or even knows what it pays???? Hauling flatbed is hard, dirty work. The tarping is a pain too!! They'll make you tarp the most rediculous things, like shingles...boy, can't let those get wet! lol. Anyway, good luck with your decision. If I knew then what I know now, I would have gone to work pulling a box!!! Just hook up and go. Pays turns out to be about the same, and alot less work!

 

Van is boring, in my opinion. I agree, they do screw around with detention a lot, i went off on the detention lady and told her that i wasn't sending another effin detention macro until i started getting my cut. I waited at Plymouth tube in Michigan about 20 minutes from my house on Friday for 9 hours.. I told them that the load would be delivered on Tuesday because i needed my restart, and i didn't leave until Monday morning, they gave me no flack about it whatsoever.. .When i got there, i refused to sign the load over until i received a qualcomm message that guaranteed my detention pay... bet your ### i got 300 bucks for sitting. Sometimes you gotta be an ###.

Tarping is hard work, and i do agree that they should pay more, i have a problem with the recruiters not telling you guys what you're in for. I apologize for that, but if you stick with it, TRUST ME, it does get easier. You gotta be an a-hole sometimes, that's the harsh reality of it. It is not impossible to run legal.. If they give you an impossible delivery time call them and tell them you're not making it.. They won't give you a problem, please.. PLEASE remember that i said this.. because if you're running illegal it's your butt and nobody else's.. If you cant' do it legally, DON'T DO IT.

FYI, I don't tarp shingles, and i don't tarp rusted steel, period. But i've been at it long enough to know what i can get away with. You'll get to that point eventually... Most of the time you can ask the shipper, or look at the bills, if it's not on there.. Don't do it. TMC will tell you to do it, but I've heard of drivers getting reamed out by shippers for doing what TMC Tells them to do.. So keep an eye on that, too. Pay starting out doesn't work out to be the same.. Pulling a box as a new driver you'd be lucky to get 30cpm, trust me, you're doing good.

Who is your fleet manager?

 

Hey EckZ
I added you to my yahoo messenger..name will be D!ngo
I also will be talking to tammy tommorrow and tell her you said hello...i can understand about the phone number thing we can exchange on yahoo...i'll be on tommorrow trying to find out if i've been cleared to go yet..wish me luck