Final Thoughts on TMC

About 2 months ago i was offered a position on a dedicated account with TMC. Beforehand i spent about 2.5 years OTR with them as a trainer. Aside from being hit by a 19 year old kid trying to "race" me to the end of the ramp in Chicago I was a safe driver. Never complaints, never late, never any load claims, kept truck spotless inside and out. My file was full of "Thaddaboys" (And yes, i've seen them).

I was late two times on this dedicated account, and Terminated for it. This was honestly the best reason they can come up with. I have talked to a few "friends" that work in the office and they all admit that there is some weird stuff going on over there. They're "Trimming the fat" out of the office, and getting rid of the Trucks that are leased, or that have money owed on them to avoid more payments each month. This means, a lot of drivers are being terminated for silly reasons (or not so silly, depending on how you look at it). Sitting in the office today i watched as "Termination" emails scrolled across the screen at an alarming rate, hire date and termination dates and other information all shown, most of them hadn't even made it a month yet.

While i understand the importance of being on time, ESPECIALLY on a dedicated account it just doesn't seem like something TMC would do. When i first started they were very understanding about everything, even if something was your fault (Accident, etc.) you almost had to roll a truck to get them to fire you. And now, after almost 3 years i'm fired and the best excuse they can come up is that i was late twice? Come on now. At most they'd put us back OTR. And that was if we REALLY screwed up.

I just don't get it.

I will say this, TMC was always a good company for me. They always took exceptional care of me and my family, and my fleet manager and team leader were ALWAYS there when i needed them for any reason, even if it was just to vent some frustration over the phone. In fact i talked to both of them today. Needless to say, they were shocked.

If i can't drive for TMC then i don't want to drive, and i really don't see myself starting over from square one with no vacation time, or benefits. I'm also losing 650.00 bonuses from 3 trainee's due to this, and a years worth of a school loan that they just abruptly stopped paying on without letting anybody know. I will likely go back to a factory job or supervisory position where i was before i chose this path. A little upset that after all that i've sacrificed to be a good driver and employee that they would let me go like this, over the phone no less. But it happens to the best of us. Just saying, be careful. With the economy the way that it is and so many people on hiring freezes they CAN fire people for stupid reasons, retention means little when people are beating down their doors looking for work. Keep those trucks clean and do what you're supposed to do. Fly under the radar, if you can.

All in all, they're a good company, i just thought i'd express this as both a rant, and possibly a warning. =/

 

Yar. My old FM made some comments. He wouldn't directly say what they were doing but he said they were looking to get rid of trucks, and i could "Gather from that information what i may." He also said I've been there long enough to know how the game was played.

BTW, They didn't"Close" Columbia, they moved it. After all that i've been through to be a good employee and driver for TMC, i'd really much rather feel that they diddn't put me back over the road becuase of the layoffs, and not becuase they wanted to screw me out of the money i was owed.

I will be going to the unemployment office, though. Bet your butt on that one.