Sorry to say C-Ya fellas....

Just wanted to pop in and say that I have turned my brand new Pete in at Indianapolis over this weekend. I had signed on with TMC last year in the beginning of November after my last employer went under with no notice, and I wanted to try going regional OTR for a while. In the beginning I experienced kind of a roller coaster concerning pay, but kind of expected that due to the timming in which I started driving for them, getting to learn the system and all.

I lived in Maryland at the time, and was able to move into a fill in at Tamko in Frederick for most of this last summer, which was great! But as circumstance would have it we had to move to Greenville SC, last month so I had to give that up and hit the road under the same team I had at line haul, under a different FM because my original one quit. The new one was kind of a fast talker, with 2 years in a TMC and the team leader assured me that he was a good one, so I stuck with him. I watched my weekly gross struggle to maintain $800. per week gross, and in the last two weeks it dipped to one week at just over $600. and last week $770. I know that the economy is a precarious thing right now, and it is effecting much in our insdustry, but I had talked with many other drivers out there that were not experiencing this related to pay.

I begged for them to find me something dedicated in the Greenville area, due to the fact that in moving to a new state, my family was alone and my teenage son was having a hard time adjusting to the new school and so forth. The answer was that there was nothing there. I then informed them that in light of that I would have to start looking because my family comes first. I was holding out that if the pay started getting better, that I would once again stick it out and continue until I could either find something local, or get a dedicated run. Then this week happened.

I was in Eastern Tenn. on Thursday, and got bounced back to Nashville to get a load for Salyersville KY for crap money. I asked the FM if we were going to have a problem with getting home from there, because it was the wrong direction, and in the middle of nowhere. He responded that "It shouldn't be a problem", also that "they would have hundreds of drivers laid over that day so he thought I was looking pretty good in comparison." IOW, take the load and shut up.

I did, and delivered the next morning at 8:30 EST, and then proceecded to wait for 2 1/2 hours only to get bounced to Silver Grove KY, to pick up a load going to Chicago. For those out there that don't know, that is the opposite way from SC. He said they would do their best to split it off me and get me home, which in my experience means more times than not, you ain't getting home that weekend.

My wife was beside herself, and my family depressed about this, they count on my presence on the weekend. So, after discussing our options all day my wife and I decided that in order to find a job that gets me home, I would have to be here, and I, with heavy heart sent the message to route me to Indy for turn in.

Maybe it could be said that OTR is just not for me, that my famiy demands are too great for this type of life, and I would agree. I only wish that things could have worked out better, I liked working for TMC and will miss them.

j-mac

 

Thanks to you and Brickman for your words of support. I know it stinks looking for a job at this time of year, and frankly have much anxiety about it, but I also know that I have always told myself that if I ever woke up absolutely hating what I did, that it was my responsibility to change that. So, here we are.

If anyone knows of any trucking jobs in the Greenville area that are local, or dedicated accounts that are in need of a driver with my level of experience, please don't feel shy about posting them, and I will follow up.

I plan on visiting Sloan Construction first thing Monday morning to see if there is any openings there, and my wife said there are a few new ads in the Greenville classifieds....I am just happy to be home for today though, and look forward to Baltimore beating Indy.....


j-mac

 

Yeah, I don't believe I left on bad terms...I didn't however give a proper two week notice, due to the home situation. But I did inform my FM weeks earlier that I would be looking, so it's kind of a gray area....I also turned my truck in at a terminal with a load ready to go as they proscribed instead of just telling them to come get their truck. So, although, and unless they straighten out their methods, and get to the bottom of how they view the requests of experienced truck drivers such as myself, they will continue to lose good people in favor of newly trained drivers they can hire at a lower salary, and mold in their shape....maybe this is the plan anyway. I don't know.

What I do know is that probably due to economic factors, and the availability of freight my pay was in serious decline, and the demand to move in the opposite direction professionally that I wanted to go, I couldn't continue to stay on the road, and satisfy my families needs with TMC. It was a sad reality. Largely because I liked the company. Great equipment, support, and for the most part prestige.

Problem IMHO, is the set up that TMC employs as far as planners, not fully working with FM's on loads, and FM's being placed in the middle of drivers, and planners that puts serious stress on both FM's and drivers.

But that is neither here, nor there. I appreciate your kind words, and should TMC review my leaving, and reconsider their absolute unwillingness to accommodate the needs that I expressed, and want me to return to something dedicated, I would accept in a heartbeat.


j-mac

 

Little update for those who responded to this thread. I am working now for Quickway Carriers, out of their terminal in Simsonville SC, and am usually out an overnight, then off a day and back out for another overnight, and home for the weekend. Pay is up there, and so far, except for a little slowness in freight in general, I am happy with the decission.

I miss the big black Pete, but I am home now more than on the road. so it is a good trade to me.


j-mac