Hey TMC drivers. I just graduated school last week. Of course while in school, recruiters came in and gave their spill on how and why they have the best trucking company on the planet. Well TMC was one company that caught my attention. But I'm curious on how the deliveries work. The field representative said TMC reduces the delivery wait time by 2/3 than that of a van driver by setting up an appointment for delivery. Can you TMC drivers paint the delivery picture for me?
Usually you do have an appt. time, but, many places are first come first serve. Everyone has the same appointment time. Not sure how setting any appointment time reduces the unload time. Every company does it. Word of advice, don't believe everything the recruiter tells you.
Here's what they want to see you do: walk up the side of the trailer (it's about 4½' tall) & get up on the deck. They allowed us to jump, and it didn't have to be pretty, LOL. I'm a fattie (250+lbs), and I got up there. It wasn't pretty or graceful, but it was not a problem. I saw guys fatter than me & shorter than me do it too. Walk up to the trailer, place both hands flat on the deck, step back one step, step forward/jump & throw one foot/leg up on the deck, pull/raise the rest of your mass up, then slide/crawl/waddle/shimmy, etc the rest of yourself up on deck, and there you are. This is not (exactly) something you will do a lot of out in the real world tho, however there are places where you may have to get up on top of a 4'- 8' load to spread out your tarp. Most places these days have steps/ladders/safety harnesses, etc. A few places will not even allow you to tarp on the their property (due to liability if you fall), but the load must be tarped anyway. During orientation you will also be expected to climb a ladder up onto the top of a 13'6" container, walk over to the edge of it, place the tips of your shoes over the edge and look down. This got more people than getting onto a trailer during my orientation. Good luck.
Thanks that clears it up. I didn't know if I was going to have to be a gymnist or something to get up the side of the trailer. I was reading on the TMC site that they have CAT motors in their trucks. What does TMC use since CAT got out of the OTR engine manufacturing sector?
The majority of the trucks are 07 so they still have Cats in them. The newer ones from 08 and 09 are Cat also. They have not gotten any new trucks that I am aware of but we were told that they would be going with Cummins most likely.
I am applying for TMC real soon. All great reads, from what I read and seen from a visit from a Driver, The company has integrity, and class. It stands out! I like that, low profile but high standards. This seems like a company I can work for. I am changing careers so Trucking is a totally new career I have to start somewhere. I look at the benefits of working for them as a flat bedder as a assets to my health. I get paid to work out tarping, I am not paying a gym! Hope to see some of you soon!
Let me throw 2 cents worth of change in here..... I didn't have to put my toes on the edge of that 13'6" load. I haven't talked to anybody else that's had to do it either. Not calling you a liar. Just haven't heard about it. All we did was climb up, turn around, and come back down. Easy peasy. As far as engines go, EVERY TMC truck (including daycabs) is equipped the same. Caterpillar C15, 475hp/1200ft-lbs, Fuller 13spd. There aren't any talks of changing motors. No need to. The newest trucks in the fleet are '08s, and CAT has gotten back in the industrial engine game since they tweaked the smog equipment to get better emissions. If and when TMC buys new tractors, rest assured that they'll be equipped with CAT motors.
