How Much $?

First off, with all companies on here, pissed of drivers are more likly to complain then happy drivers. There could be hundreds who were treated right and all you see here is the one that wasn't. As far as I know, a fleet manager would be fired for yelling at a driver. A trainer would be fired as a trainer if reported and just be a driver.

That being said there are bad peopel in any company. TMC respects y0u running legal and even respects you saying your to tired to take a load. They wont be happy about it, but they respect you as the driver and wont ask you to do something you shouldnt.

 

... not to sidetrack the sidetrack regarding TMC and all, but I'd like to confirm two things:

1. Showers are free for truckers. Every fuel purchase of 50 gallons or more earns a free shower credit, and that means for the codriver/trainee as well. Try to have a shower as often as possible to make the confined space in the truck more inhabitable for both parties.

2. The biggest expense on the road as a trainee is food. Don't buy fast food or buy food at the truck stops. My first couple of weeks on the road that was my plan, and I spent about $200 per week. I smartened up fast and stock up on food before hitting the road. Now I spend about $40-50 per week.

- Get a thermos bottle. Hot water is free at the truck stops, right where the coffee dispensers are.
- Make your own coffee (Tasters Choice is not a bad brand for instant)
- Get a tupperware bowl, a spoon, a fork, and a can opener.
- Get zip lock bags in sandwich, quart, and gallon size.
- Before getting on the road buy bulk dried fruit, nuts, rolled oats, granola
- Oatmeal can be made easily in the tupperware bowl with hot water from the thermos
- Canned tuna, chicken, or ham is great for sandwiches
- Potato bread lasts a long time
- Dollar stores have some great values in food
- Walmart superstores are great sources of groceries on the road. I'd be surprised if your trainer doesn't stop about once a week at a WM.

If you want to treat yourself to a restaurant hamburger or breakfast once a week.

Good luck with Navajo Express.

 

Good advice about the food. Get yourself to Wal Mart and stock up on the can goods. You would be surprised at what kind of food you can get in a can. Spam, chicken, tuna, potted meat, ham, and my personal favorite, hot tamales in a can. Once you find things you like, get a bottle of hot sauce to spice things up a bit.

Once you start getting used to eating in the truck, get yourself a lunchbox oven and I'll teach you some recipes. Once you get that down pat, go on YouTube and search for "trucker warren". That cat is like the Emeril Lagasse of truck driver chefs. Watch him, and he'll teach you how to cook some serious gourmet style meals in the truck.

 

How do you spend $200/week buying fast food? I usually spent about $70/week buying fast food only when I was OTR. It wasn't healthy for sure, but it wasn't $200 either.

 

Yep, drivers, like consumers, are more apt to post poor experiences with companies than positive ones. That being said however, there is an old rule of thumb that also holds true. If one person says something about a company or entity it may or may not be true. If two people say something about, the probability of truth increases. If three or more agree then there is probably a kernel of truth in that somewhere.

Like I illustrated before, I know a driver who worked for TMC and he was a role model there even being recognized for his years of excellence. He confirmed (and he has no reason to lie, no animosity toward the company, etc.) what was said on some of these pages. One glaring issue that stood out is the company's -preference- for hiring RECENT ex-military vets over others. Now, I understand where some may say the work ethic may be stronger than SOME non-military personnel but one also can't ignore the fact that many ex-military are also more apt to take abuse from their supervisors simply because that's the way they are conditioned.

Granted, it was long ago and some of the posts, not unlike yours, are now portraying things differently so things may have changed for the better. Of course I hope that's true. My friend left TMC not because of abuse or shoddy treatment but because he simply wasn't getting the miles he was promised and his miles had steadily decreased over the years. Fighting for 2000 miles or more per week is no deal.

 

I can tell you treatment like that( yelling belittling ) doesn't happen at tmc, not anymore anyway. All fleet managers are overseen by an area manager in a large room where every phone and Qualcomm conversation can be seen and heard. They get fired for less infractions. We the driver make them the money not the fleet manager and the way turnover is in our industry retention is key. The only time I've ever heard a fleet manager loose his cool his driver didn't secure a load before pulling away from a loading area to finish and flopped a 50000 lb coil in the dirt.
Now on that count their training is second to none(which this guy apparently didn't use) if you don't know how to secure something after it you didn't pay any attention and slipped through somehow. If you work hard you can make good money (50-60k/year),be home most wkends and drive nice equipment. TMC would be my choice hands down.