Ask A TMC Driver

They refigure your points every month, true enough. But the revenue average is figured on a 13 week average. At least, that's the way they did it when I was there.

 

Porting my reply from your other thread over here a/ in case you missed it & b/ in case anyone else is curiou...

Now, as for your other two questions...

Boats. Provided nothing has changed, they run out of two places: Lebanon MO (which is somewhat near your region) and Ft Wayne IN. Those spots fill up quick...but like everything else (this goes for specialized too) it has its ups and downs. And when it's their slow season, many of those drivers jump back on line haul. In either case, expect to be out up to three weeks at a time. I think they want a full year of service before requesting boats or specialized--but rules have been bent before, so there's that. Of boats...if you get your pass card and are willing to go into Canada, they'll love you--the winter season is their busy season. Aside from boats, I don't know how much other freight besides drywall TMC runs up there--I never been nor desired to.

One other thing: in regards to trainers...they try to match trainees up with trainers within 80 miles of home as best they can, but can and will stretch it if need be. So with you being that close to KC, I have to think there's at least a small handful of trainers inside a 200-mile radius of you.

 

This is VERY true.

One other thing to keep in mind is there's a trade-off between take-home pay and time out on the road. I say that for this reason: the opportunity to run the better- or best-paying fright lanes if you don't live in or near one. My best check from staying out over the road--and included in this was a near 1900-mile trip from Spokane WA to Ft Worth TX--was about 1300-something $. Because my daughter lives up in Pittsburgh, I regularly ran the northeast (just to spend some time with her. One week I dropped 8 loads (one of them being a re-power), without going more than 300 miles from New York City in any direction--or per trip, as best I can recall--and ended up making about the same $ on that paycheck.

And actually, the northeast overall may be the best-paying region to run...IF YOU CAN DEAL WITH ALL THE CHAOS. (Not to mention the winter weather when that time comes, the relative dearth of available overnight parking, and the constant wonder of whether or not your truck will fit thru--and/or UNDER--some of those streets...lol). I found my gross totals to the truck were typically higher per load, the lengths of haul shorter--about 300 or so as compared to 400. (I experienced that same kind of uptick with NC and VA as well, for some reason.)

So there's that, too.

 

I am preparing to get my CDL in Lexington, South Carolina. I have heard that TMC has a training facility in Gaston, SC. Previously, TMC was not very high on my list, but if I can train in Gaston, that would move TMC to one of my top choices. Does anyone have any information about the freight lanes down here? Thanks for any information provided.

Stay safe

 

I've heard that TMC now does orientation and training at their Gaston SC training center--if so that's news to me. Best way to know for sure is to call TMC directly and ask for someone in the training department (last I knew, Mike Eddy was head of the Curriculum Department)--unless another TMC guy comes through and confirms that one way or another.

I really don't know too much about SC freight lanes--but I gather they can't be too bad if TMC put a terminal there. The majority of my SC running was up closer to Greenville/Spartanburg area, though I did run quite a but of aluminum from Southern KY down to the Charleston ports. The only other two places I can remember picking up down there was some place down by Orangeburg that ships something that looks like giant crayons that's used in steel mills, the other place somewhere in the vicinity of Florence, but much further south deep off in the palmettos (ha!) that ships coiled rod. That said, being that close to all those shingle and lumber places across the state border in NC can only help. (Not to mention the kajillion or so lumber yards in northern GA.)

 

Thanks Buc,

I am only recently moved here, because my wife wanted to be closer to her family.I currently reside in West Columbia, and Gaston is about a 15 to 20 minute drive, if I remember correctly. Flatbed is my first choice, and TMC for a long time has been a company that I thought would be great to drive for. When we moved from SW Iowa, to here, I sort of put it out of my mind, and focused on other companies, that may fit what I am looking for. But now that TMC is once again a really good possibility, I am excited. I know that there is no such thing as the perfect company, but I think that TMC would be a really good fit for me.

Stay safe

 

Unless they stopped for awhile, they have done orientation and training in Gaston for quite some time. I was a trainer for awhile at TMC and had several trainees who went to orientation in Gaston.

 

How is the training with the "road trainer"? The company in with now I was with a local guy so we worked for 7 hours and he went home and I went to a company paid hotel... I'd be going to TMC as an "experienced" driver. I am wanting to go to flats because it harder work than what I'm doing now... And the petes... The recruiter said on the phone today that I could be home almost every weekend, if not it'd be every other weekend at minimum for where I live (north vernon, IN) I'm out 2-6 weeks at a time with my current company and only go home for drills.. (National guard) but I'm starting to see a lady friend now and more home time would be nice, with out having to give up exploring the country.

 

For experienced drivers road training is 2 weeks, 5 weeks for new drivers. Training pay is a flat $500 per week. Days will be long. Trainers are all individuals with different personalities. Most trainees report a positive experience but once in a while there is a personality conflict. Some trainers such as myself, try to go home every weekend. Others like to run. It's luck of the draw as to who you get.

 

Can I req a trainer that is non smoking? If not that's almos a sure fire deal breaker