TMC from the inside

You have to live in the area first

 

He's exactly right. Honestly i hadn't realized the sleepers were bigger. Its only the hood. And as i said before, the long hood is a big pain in the ### in tight spots.

 

Thanks for the quick replies. Would you say TMC is a company worth moving for? If I do make it on, what kind of freight could I expect in that area? Any local positions I may be able to work into over time?

 

Tmc is hard to get on with. I would not move just for that.

 

Settle down there Riverrat, just asking some questions; which is the point of this forum, right?

1. I think I will enjoy trucking. My wife and I have been thinking about this for well over a year and I have been reading a lot about the industry as well as talking with family and friends who know more about it than I do. We understand that we'll have to adjust to a different lifestyle, but between our current work schedules, we really don't see each other much during the week as it is.

2. Where did I say I wanted a local job right off the bat? I asked if there were any local positions I MAY be able to get into OVER TIME with TMC, as I have read are available in other cities. I know I have to put in my time OTR before looking local.

3. Where did I say I was going to be untruthful about where I lived? I was just curious if I could apply for a position in another state before actually moving there, as is possible with a lot of other jobs. I know TMC is very selective, which is one of the reasons I want to work for them.

 

Riverrat143 has some good points. Trucking is a lifestyle not a job, its hard to say if you can handle it until your actually in it. It can and does get tough. You say you barely see the wife now but usually someone is always home then to handle any of life's problems when they come up. You will be far away from home for a week sometimes two weeks in a row and believe me its hard to handle problems when on the road, not to mention stressful to work through. If you have kids then its even more hard. Be prepared, while TMC does get you home most weekends realize a weekend can be Saturday afternoon/night to Sunday afternoon/night. Usually you come home loaded and mostly leave out Sunday afternoon/night depending on where your Monday delivery is. Best weekend I got was Friday afternoon till Sunday night, but those were far a few between.

Also make sure you have a decent safe secure place to park the truck. If its in a a neighborhood that TMC deems a high crime one then you will have to find a fenced in secured lot usually if its not parked next to your house. When I worked there I had difficultly finding decent parking, twice my fuel tanks were sucked dry. For secured fenced parking I would have to pay to park the truck. YMMV.

TMC orientation is a two week job interview. Many go in but not all make it through. I was part of a large group 30+ at the end only like 15 of us made it. Some washed out in the first day(make sure your paperwork and medical/health stuff is in order) some during the last week ( keep showing improvement). If you can drive a truck, do well on some written and computer simulation tests and don't get rattled easy (they will press your buttons to get a reaction) and act like a professional then you should do fine. You'd be surprised at how some "adults" act when away from home for the first time. My class had a lot of guys goofing off at the hotel and the training grounds, they all were gone quickly.

Personally I wouldn't move for a job that I don't already have locked up. You could move out there and not get hired on by TMC for whatever reason. If I were you I'd make sure there were other options/opportunities out there, something to fall back on. TMC does have dedicated accounts and I think some are in Texas and it is possible after a year to get into one of them (if there is an opening) that will get you home maybe once during the week.

FYI I don't work for TMC anymore, I had some problems at home with being away all the time, parking truck over the weekend. Plus I was only bringing in $400-$500 a week. Granted it was winter and slower but I sat a lot. My deliveries were on time and I was a good driver but I don't know. If you read through this forum you'll find lots of good information from drivers. Some do great some don't. Some through no fault of their own some its their own fault. I will say when I turned in my truck the lot was packed and I was one of many that quit that week. Turnover was high back in 2009, not sure if it is the same now. Getting a good fleet manager is paramount though.

Anyhow I will say TMC is a decent company to work for. Better than most out there really. They have nice trucks and keep up with technology. I got a local flatbed gig now but have been contacted by TMC recruiters before to see if I was interested in coming back. And to be honest I gave it some serious thought as my home life is better situated now.

Good luck to whatever you chose.

 

Is there anybody on here that Lives or drives in the Northeast? Mainly around Delaware, New Jersey, or PA? If so, how are the loads from TMC in this area and is it really worth going to work for them living in this area?

 

Had a similar conversation with a former TMC driver and he said some of the things you say about TMC, such as the company and managers/supervisors "pushing your buttons to get a reaction." As far as I am concerned there is no excuse for this behavior among adults. It is nothing but head games. There are better ways to weed out employees than intentionally trying to piss someone off just too see what kind of reaction one can get. It's childish and any company that engages in this garbage is no "decent company." I understand how some people act and those who act out should most certainly be sent packing BUT when an employer reduces themselves to the same level it is something most professionals will not tolerate or condone under any circumstance. Most of us have no time or desire to engage in such BS.

TMC also is infamous for a reputation of playing that military boot camp mentality with their new recruits (at times) and perhaps this is why the company loves ex-military men. Same thing here, any company that condones and/or permits their managers/trainers to scream or yell at/belittle those in the learning process needs to take a look at their policies.

Finally, the driver I spoke with (who eventually became a very good friend) left for partially the same reason you did. He wasn't making the cash because he wasn't getting the miles he was promised. He never had a late load or refused a load, stayed out weeks at a time and was commended by the company several times. He just wasn't making the miles he said they promised when he took the job.

I'm positive there is a segment of drivers who can deal with their head games and let other grown men yell at them or talk to them like dirt in front of other employees because they don't think you're learning fast enough or because you didn't catch on to a tarping procedure the way they expect the very first time you attempt it, and I'm sure there is a segment of drivers who never experience anything like this with TMC but the company doesn't pay enough for most experienced drivers to sign on and take a chance of playing games with them.

 

Well said. Very well said.