Loggin on "Line 3" for TMC

i put in my app tuesday and wendsday i got a call from a recruiter, friday he calles and says he needs to call one more ref and we are all good so im stoked i hope he calles me monday and says when can you be in IA?

 

I love to hear about the structure tmc has my dad was in the army and he pounded that #### in to me so i cant stand workin some were without structure

 

i would go have a heart to heart (face to face) with my fm on monday if your still there.

 

I just need to let gus know when I want to start orientation. I finish school on Friday the 13th, and could start Monday the 16th. I just wanted to research some other companies to make sure TMC was the right choice. I've wanted to drive for them forever, so I guess I should just make the commitment. I'm trying not to let the horror stories scare me off. Im probably going to call him mon, or tues. Oh I know how the wife thing goes blind from the first time I drove otr.

 

I have heard from drivers working for both TMC and my company about things being done by both companies that make a driver want to burn the place down. But, I have also heard things from TMC and my company, and others as well....that make someone want to tell drivers from all other companies to quit and switch to their company. It's the trucking business, you will always get bad and good. Sometimes the bad outweighs the good, but if you just stick it out, the good will overtake the bad, if even for just a few weeks..or even just a few loads. I have only been driving a truck OTR for 3.5 years now, but I have learned some tricks that help out with your clock if you are having to push it. Some might not always be "legal"...but I guarantee you if your log book LOOKS NICE and is easily legible ie:no scribble, white out, illegible town names, etc...most DOT officers are going to over look a few HOS violations. If they look at a log sheet, its clearly printed, legible, and the start/end times seem legit with the distance traveled, 9 times out of 10 they will just go on to the next page. If they have to work to be able to read what your writing says, or if the lines look like they were drawn out in a hurry, they will most likely check to see if everything lines up. I'm not saying I do it all the time, because you will eventually get an officer that has a little bit of time on his hands to scrutinize every aspect of your log book.. One thing my company told me when I was in orientation about logging my load/unload was to log "a reasonable amount of time" to tarp/secure the load. You don't necessarily have to log all 5 hours it might take you to secure/tarp a load, but you dont want to log only 30 minutes if you have to tarp a huge, wonky looking load.

You will get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people on here, some you agree with, some you may not. But, in the end, the only thing you can do is what YOU feel is right, or necessary, for you to live your life. If that means quitting TMC and looking for another company because you aren't making enough money, or they keep screwing you over on your load pickup/delivery times, no one here is going to think any less of you, and will probably still try to help out in anyway they can. But only you can decide what course you want to take. but know that whatever course you do decide, you will most likely encounter some of the same difficulties and bonuses at pretty much any other company.

I wrote this kinda tired/dehydrated after leaving the Reds/Twins ball game, so it may not make much sense. lol....but I hope it helps out anyone, even if just a little.

 

Who do you drive for?

 

I don't like to come into other companies forum threads saying my company name...don't think that's right..

I'll just say I work for "The Runnin' Rabbit"...some of you will know who they are.