A whole new world

Well, as most of you know already, I have had a rather rough time this past couple of weeks. After I lost my job due to my wonderful boss selling my last trailer, and letting me go 2 months short of having a year experience, I started my search using the local paper, the internet, including much appreciated help from here, and friends in the industry.

After two weeks, my number one choice was TMC due the promise of weekends home. And they are the ones that called, so I was off...

Anyway, orientation was an experience to be sure. The first day we filled out so much paperwork that I literally thought that there were mortgage papers slid in there....But I now know my employee number by heart.....
Oh, and we also took our physicals and drug tests then as well....Then came the time for culling the herd. One prospect was let go then due to the fact that he could not read the eye chart, and one sent home to get his doctor to sign off on a 25 year old hernia operation. Two gone, ten left.

We also tested on knowledge, and load securment....Although no one was cut from that, I got the impression that had anyone scored low enough on some of the common sense things they would have......

Second day, and time for more classes and films on the truck, safety, and loads. And the practical driving test. The trucks are pete 379's with CAT C-15s and 13 sp trans. It didn't bother me because I had driven them before, and so I scored a 95 on my test. But there were two that didn't score the required 80 points to continue. So, one was put back in the rookie class, where he will stay one more week there, and 6 weeks with a trainer. and one failed that along with what I can only suspect was his drug test and was cut on the spot. Down to eight.

The third day we spent the entire day talking safety, and viewing some of TMC's more horrific crashes, as well as those which were pure driver error, due to inattention. As well as discussing their support network. TMC is amazing in the amount of support they give the driver. As well as how they take the stance of backing up their drivers. Also, on that day drug tests came back, and one more was gone. Plus one guy was a former TMC driver and left to get his truck in Joplin. Down to six.

Thursday, was the day spent on securing loads , and getting a little practical experience on what I will have to do. which was good. And the instructor we had was very good at showing us how to do it right....If my trainer is as good as him, I should have no problem....

Friday, we were done, finished final paperwork, and waited around to get our rental cars, and pay, and talked to our training drivers, and training fleet mgrs, and we were out of there.....I leave back out tomorrow with my trainer, for IA, and I'll stay out until they get me back for Thanksgiving, off for that holiday, and then out to IA, to get my truck....I am very excited to get started....

From what I see so far, TMC is a very professional outfit, and they seem to care about their drivers welfare straight through.

I plan on doing my best to keep this journal to let everyone know how my experience is with the company, but from what I see so far, it was definitely a good choice. If you all have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them......


j-mac

 

Yep, yep....Me too...LOL....I am a little anxious about doing this right, it's a lot of weight, and responsibility to ensure these loads...But I am just gong to take it slow, and make sure....5 minutes is not worth my life.

Always a little strange starting a new phase of my driving career...But if you all are motoring towards Iowa this Monday, look for a TMC truck and holler for j-mac, it just might be me....

My trainer sounds pretty cool, he was glad that he didn't have to worry too much about my driving, and we could concentrate on load securing....Plus I talked with him today to make sure he knows to pick me up from the air port, and he said that we might take a break for the Steelers game....I said that wouldn't break my heart.....So sounds like we get along fine...


Anyway, going to do some laundry now....Will enter again around Thanksgiving.....Stay safe all!


j-mac

 

I hope ya alls' Thanksgiving went well, and the triptophane did it's intended job.....I got back yesterday morning at around 5 am, I'll tell the story in a minute...

Man, what a great couple of weeks I had on the road with my trainer...We got along great, and he taught me alot about securment of loads. Gave me the confidence to hit the road next week in my own truck....We hit about 18 states in the 10 days out, and had a blast doing it...I am thoroughly impressed with TMC as an operation. He made about $1700.00 the first week as we could drive as a team from the start, we tore up the countryside putting those mile markers in out back pockets. The last three days of this week before TG he didn't fare as well but still made about a thousand going into Wednesday, and had it not been for a monumental screw up by the shipper on Wednesday we would have ended up at home Wednesday around 2 pm Wednesday. As it was I didn't get home to my house until yesterday at around 5 am....

Here is what happened. We picked up a load of Lumber in Texas headed for northern PA. The load was to deliver Wednesday morning, and we were on time. We went to the consignee and the only one there was the Amish owners 17 yr old son, and no phones anywhere. So, he went down to get what seemed like the only person with a bobcat forklift in the area, and an hour and a half later we unloaded the load. We were pulling out and we recieved a message that the load destination had changed. So we had to go back, find the new consignee, and then get the load back from the first place and transfer it to the right destination. Did I mention that it was nothing but dirt mountain roads, and it had rained hard the night before so they were rain soaked and muddy? What a nightmare. It took us 8 hours there to get the load moved 4 miles to the new address, and unload it. Then we had to drive about three hours back to Pittsburgh so I could pick up my rental car and drive another 6 hours home. But I made it....

I head out to Des Moines Sunday night to go to HdQtrs and pick up my truck. Can't wait to start making more than training pay. And to get back on the road. This OTR stuff really gets into your head. I liked it. I hope it goes good for me solo.....I think it will though....

TMC seems to have alot of support for the driver at a phone calls distance, 24/7 so I am not really concerned. I have alot of pics that I will post as soon as I can download them to my comp....

Remember if you see a truck out there (I'll post my number when I get it.) jump on 19 and holler for j-mac, I'll come back to ya.....

j-mac

 

I leave Sunday for Des Moines. So I'll have the truck by Tuesday, and then out on the road....The only bumper sticker I have for it is one that says "Jessie, and Frank James believed in Gun control too...How else would they shoot straight!"


I only had to go out with a trainer for two weeks due to my experience driving, and since my training backed up to TG, we stayed out through the weekend last week and finished it up Wednesday. I am looking forward to making more than $500 a week....


j-mac

 

Yeah, you're probably right....I guess I am still too trusting....


j-mac

 

Yeah, I know the feeling...Some crackhead in Vegas tried to get money off me by posing as a trucker that need money for a phone call....He was clearly no driver.....


j-mac