TMC Transportation, Inc. - Des Moines, Ia.

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I think you are confusing me with what you see in the mirror mr 9 posts. Of course you are not a newbie by your attitude. I believe I know you as Snakeyes and Dollarshort, and your posts are the same stuff different day.

I find it interesting that you present information like this in an argumentative way, as if I am already doing it wrong when I have made no statement about how I log these activities.

Again you show that you have not read ANY of my posts. You really should brush up on your argumentative skills. The first step is to know what you are talking about. First I will point out the date of the post in question, July 4th. Perhaps you have forgotten it since you apparently don't get national holidays off at your current job.

Ah, a work at home job, So you are driving your truck from the computer as you type I presume.

And you would lose that bet.

I always love when someone posts like a 5 year old with a hissy fit. "I'm gonna do it, but only because I wanna, not because I have to." So you are going to keep your truck clean anyway, but because TMC requires it you feel the need to complain.

Your company is of course free to set whatever average they wish, but DOT only requires the average speed to be at or below the speed limit of that state and/or the governed speed of the truck. In the states mentioned that was 65 mph for my truck.

So we interpret the rules differently. You are not incorrect to do another pre-trip if you wish. My logbook page only has ONE inspection report on it, so I only use it once.

Exactly. If you choose to work less hard, you make less money. You are free to do exactly what you wish with your life, but please don't complain and blame me for your choices. You are not entitled to anything. TMC is what it is, and if you don't like it then you have the right to work elsewhere, but you are not right to tell me that I should not work there as well.

Last year with TMC I made about double what I could have possibly made at a local daycab position. I believe that in some locations that may not be the case. Driving a truck is about what works for each individual driver, and each individual driver has their own needs, wants, desires, requirements, likes, and dislikes. You seem to have the attitude that you know it all and that I am dumb, so please forgive me for my opinion of you. Tim if you really want to win arguments I suggest you learn more about it. When you approach with the attitude "I am right and everyone else is wrong" then you will meet a lot of resistance. Notice that by attacking the hornets nest directly you stirred up a lot of hornets. If you wish to state your opinions make sure they are framed as opionions, because calling an opinion a fact will net a lot of opposition. Have a good weekend living in your little world, and better luck trashing TMC with your next identity.

 

BTW, there is NO company out there that will let you drive without a CDL license. You MUST have a license to drive in any state, not just a permit. ANYBODY can get a license or a permit, but no company anywhere is gonna let you leave the yard without a actual CDL license, and no school will let you leave the yard without a permit. Most of the bigger companies have done away with their schools, and want to hire people out of schools that have already prepared them at least with the CDL license.
I have been OTR and Local--obviouslly you have read none of my posts or you would know this. Also, I have never badmouthed TMC in particular, then again if you read the posts you would know this. My problem with these big companies is that they tell you all this stuff about how they are so great and then you get there and it is way different.
Trucking is NOT a lifestyle--if you are getting into the industry and thinking that it will be, then you are getting in for all the wrong reasons.
Trucking is a JOB--If you are planning on living to drive, then have fun because you WILL fail.
If you are planning on "living" in your truck, you are going to fail also.Find a company who will get you home and not treat you like crap--they are out there. The companies that cant get you home do so because they can. It is not that they wont get you home, it is that they dont want to.
BTW, my record since I have been driving speaks for itself and will continue to do so.

 

Hi Guys, First I would like to thank Rawlco and Mack for the posts. I will be starting school at the end of the month at a local college. I have a pre-hire with Tmc. I will never understand the bad mouthing about their trucks being so clean. I think it is called pride. It also seems to me that it would make a good impression on shippers and receivers rather than a dirty truck. Just my opinion. Well stay safe and see ya on the road.

 

You know, Timmy, I sure hope that whatever profession you enter or return to, has some program you can enter so you can secretly get 'anger management' classes. From the tone of your posts (all 10 of them) are based off anger. Get a dog....or wait...DONT get a dog cause then the dog would just end up abused.

How stupid do you really think that i am?? To tell me that 'no trucking company will let you drive without a CDL'. Honestly, you really think i am that dumb?? Even if they DID (and i know they wont) the DOT would have a hayday with me. I KNOW you cannot get an OTR job without a CDL. WOW....better tell me to watch both ways when crossing the street, too.

People aren't "wrong" because they disagree with or dont like your opinion. The great thing about this country, is that everybody has the freedom of speech. (some shouldn't). But do yourself a favor, unless you have something POSITIVE to say, or some HELPFUL insight, then just dont say it. Crying is alot like sitting in a rocking chair. You can do it all day long, but it doesnt get you anywhere.

Don't presume you know me, and assume what i will like and not like. You like pineapple on your pizza? I don't. I am not going to make a post about how "wong" you are. You drive for a living and you are happy, that is great.....boy i sure hope you are happy. (I'd feel sorry for anybody that lives with you if you wernt) If someone wants to sell off all their stuff, because it is their boyhood dream of being an OTR trucker, REGARDLESS if they know what they are getting themselves into, then fine. What right is it of yours to tell them "you wont like it". You really need to just quit talking.

 

oh..one more thing. You dont know the situation everybody is in. Some might have plenty of money, and not have to worry about 'where they are going'. Some might not have a dime to their name. Some have to 'just get by' where others can afford to have their food made for them.

Regardless how or why someone is wanting to be an OTR driver, it is none of your business. If they fail, they fail. If they succeed they succeed. But if someone just jumps into something they are ignorant about without LEARNING all they can about it, they dont have a chance. Is that your fault or theirs??

 

Yeah, some on here might not understand the word 'pride'. I am sure they will end up looking it up on Webster.

Now I dont know if there is a rule (co. or DOT) that says 'when cleaning your truck, you are on duty'. I would think it depends on WHY you are cleaning it. If you are cleaning it because it is dirty, and because the company says so, then you are on duty. If you are cleaning it beacuse of pride, or because you just want to drive a clean looking truck, you're not on duty. Think it depends on how that driver wants to log it.

Maybe this is more geared for Mythbusters, but a clean truck might have less resistance than a filthy dirty truck, yeah? Thus improving performace....al biet totally unnoticeable.

 

Once again, you fail to read the posts--if you are "sold" on OTR then thats fine, I am just saying that you should watch yourself--if this was such a great company then there would be no board bashing them--I have had first hand experience with TMC's supposed "pre-hiring", first of all they dont do that unless that is something new in the last year or so.It used to be that you had to be in your last week of your driving school before they would "pre-hire" you, it actaully is not a "pre-hire", but a "pre-offer" of employment. If you call there hiring numbers and you do not have a CDL, they will hook you up with one of the driving schools that they recommend. ALso make sure you get a 97% in your driving school, because your "pre-hire" is based on that fact. I had a 95%(which BTW was 2 points higher than the very next person behind me) and TMC would not hire me, even though I had a pre-hire and was even scheduled for orientation and they even had a rental car(they used to rent you a car, now I think they make you ride the bus) reserved for me to drive to Des Moines.But 6 hours before I was to leave they called and let me know this--that was the only reason. I had the highest average in my class from driving school and they would not hire me, although I could get hired by them now if I wanted, in fact THEY came looking for me about 2 years ago--but I was not interested at the time.
Yes, you can make good money in OTR, but you will be doing all kinds of extra stuff like tarping, chaining and waiting in order to get it. If their average driver made the kind of money that they say you can, then there would be little to next to no turnover.

I'm not sure where you are getting your "facts" from about me being angry and looking for another job and so forth, because that is just not true. If you want no life except driving, then by all means knock yourself out and do so--I have a life outside driving and I like to live it also. No one says that you are wrong, but the facts are that a recruiter is a paid liar, you need to research the "facts" and not just take the first thing that comes your way--I didnt, when I graduated from driving school, I waited almost 4 months before I settled on a carrier that was small enough to know me on a first name basis, but had an excellent training program.

I enjoy driving, and I do it everyday--but then again when I started, I was not 21 years old either, I was 37 and I had already been in the workforce for many years and I decided after about 2 years or so that I would drive. This was not a decision that I based on a 2 day thought--this was something that I researched thouroughly before I did so. Also if you are new at drivng--you had better buffer yourself with some cash(that is why I waited 2 years) since most companies pay you very, very sparsely for the 6-8 weeks you are with a trainer driver and then they pay you a little better(but not much) for a few months while you get into it. Also, you may want to take a look at whether the company re-emburses you for your schooling. Usually the company will pay you about a dime less on the mile if they do so, but will only pay back less than $200 a month toward your school, which comes out to next to nothing on the mile. The first company I drove for did not pay for your school at all, but they also started us at $.30 a mile, where most of the companies that were paying were starting around $.24 a mile. You will find out that a penny in this industry is worth approx $25 to $27 a week depending on the miles you run. I would much rather take the higher mileage pay and pay for my own school, than take the lower and have them pay for it, you actually come out ahead this way. If you guys would read the posts from us drivers who have been through the big companies, we are just trying to keep you all from making the same mistakes that we made.

Yes, TMC trucks are the cleanest and nicest(maybe) on the road, but so what--a clean and nice truck does not make you money. One that is rolling does. The advertisements always spout off about their trucks, but never about the volume of freight that they have. I drove for 2.5 years OTR with the last company I was with (before I found the daily drivng job I have now)and our trucks were in great shape, the average tractor was less than 2 years old, all our trailers were new and if I told you the name of that company, you would know exactly who they are and you would agree. But they never advertise that fact, they advertise that If you want to run and you want to get home and you want to make money, then they want you. Personally I've known several TMC drivers in the past and none were very happy about the amount of freight or the length of hauls that they had--but all commented about how nice the equipment was, but like the one guy told me, "A Nice truck doesnt pay the bills, but a Nice Bunch of freight does and they didnt have it."

BTW, if you are gonna comment on my posts, please read them first and comment. I dont have a problem with that. But when you "read between the lines" or half-heartedly read them and blindly comment, then I do. Facts of the matter are that I am not angry and I am a safety award winning driver in case you are wondering and even if you arent wondering that doesnt change the fact that I am extremly satisfied drivng a truck at least for the most part.

 

How else is one to read your posts saying "you will be unhappy" "you wont like it" "you will be miserable" "you will fail"...as not being angry.

Thank you for your well wishes. I do fully read every post I quote. And most of them sound very similiar. I am 34. I am not tied down, have no kids, and thus there will be no 'away from home'. OTR is a hard job. I can udnerstand that, and i have a good idea what comes along with it. But it is also a job. If doing a little bit extra work like tarping or chaining, who cares, that is all part of the job.

 

This is an interesting argument.
What does the phrase, "Trucking is not just a job, its a lifestyle." mean?

Well, to me, a "lifestyler" is one of the type of drivers that think that they are:

1) A cowboy, complete with the hat, pointy boots, and dinner plate sized belt buckle.

2) A biker. Leather chaps are optional, but Harley brand T-shirt and Doo-Rag are required!

3) An indian (Native American type) These individuals almost always have those spider web looking spirit catcher things dangeling about the windshield.

4) A bum. This class of driver will always be clothed in sweat pants, sandals, and either a T-shirt with the sleeves cut off, or one that is dirty with at least 3 meals worth of foodstuffs. In either case, he (or sometimes she) should have a "Poison Gas" placard on the front and rear of said shirt.

Sometimes there are hybrids of the 3 types, for example, a type 1 driver with a chain-drive wallet. Since these type of wallets are usually type 2 paraphernalia, this individual is difficult to accurately catagorize.

There may be other types... Perhaps other members can report their own sightings and classifications.

I wrote this mostly tongue in cheek, but anyone who has driven for practically any length of time will know what I mean...

My point is, one can have a job that requires living in a truck for what to most seems like an extended period, but there is no need to look and act as some of these guys do.

 

Well I was really planning, once I had my own truck, to wear a Harley t-shirt, with sweat pants and cowboy boots and having a dreamcatcher (those spider-web looking things) hanging from my rear-view. And I would make it a requirement that I dont shower but twice a week.