My one day at TMC

Hey Guys, hoping this might be entertaining for some and educational for others. I graduated from trucking school in St. Cloud Minnesota on Nov. 1st. I took the advanced training wich gave me 200 hours and a night drive certificate. I was Pre-hired with Roehl, TMC, Werner, and Magnum. I really liked Roehl but they were really dragging their feet opprove my hearing test. This is after I paid to have a Dr. of Audiology do a DOT hearing test on a DOT approved machine. The DOT regs say "hearing loss must not be more than 40 dbs at 500, 1000, 2000 khts averaged" Mine is 23 db. well under the DOT limits. So I was just a little peeved that Roehls doctor wanted more info before he approved me.

That got me thinking more about TMC. I like their trucks, little to no docking, better vision, little to no side wind drag, no messing with slidding tandems. Downsides, tarping and strapping in all weather. Loads shifting.

So off I go to TMC orientation/training. Their safety people accepted my hearing test results no questions asked. I drove down to Des Moines from Litchfield (60 miles west of Minneapolis) 5 hours later I was at their hotel. Started classroom session monday morning, they collected our licenses, birth certificates, ss cards etc. Right away the instructor says where is your big yellow Minnesota sheet? Oh oh. He said he would talk to someone about it. We then took a General knowlege test, I got a B. Started the math test when we got called out for the physical and drug test.

We were warned, if we didnt think we would pass to tell the instructor to avoid embarrassment. Pass the physical and drug test. Then we were called out to do the physical test. We had to shoulder a 125lb. tarp from the floor, walk to the middle of a flatbed trailer, hoist it onto the trailer and climb up on the trailer, shoulder the tarp, lift it up onto a 6 1/2 foot tall steel coil and walk around to the other side, lower the tarp, set in on the deck, walk to the rear of trailer, get down, walk back up to the tarp, shoulder it, walk back to the rear of trailer and throw the tarp on the ground.

Back to classroom, more math test, Lunch. Lunch was great, chicken fried steak, mash potatos, green beans. They have two older ladies that do all the cooking. Back to classroom for Wells Fargo giving a talk about their debit card. I get tapped on the shoulder. (by this time two others have been sent home) I was told my license status is class D until I process my passing road test paper at the DMV. I explained that DMV told me to wait until my hazmat was completly done (finger prints and back ground check). Sorry you have to leave. What? Now I am the number 4 loser of the class? Got a ride back to the hotel. Packed up and drove back home.

Did the paperwork this morning, emailed the recruiter a copy and he told me I can start again next monday. I will have to do the physical and stuff again. No big deal as I passed once and am a non-drinker non-drug user.

Now I am worried about failing again some other way. TMCs training is also 2 weeks in Des Moines, and 5 weeks out with a trainer. 2 weeks at $300 a week and $350 a week for the 5 weeks with a trainer. Not sure if I want to go back to TMC or not. g

 

I passed the class A test. Didnt process the paperwork because of the GUY at DMV.

 

Yes, I wear hearing aids. The DOT reg says "With or without hearing aids" and you have to carry an "aternate power source" Spare batteries.