Starting Late in Life

Received my travel itinerary for TMC. Pretty stoked. Yes they failed me and sent me home, but they have also welcomed me back without hesitation, just like they said they would.

Still on the fence about taking my car or one of my bikes to orientation. This time of year is perfect riding weather in the south east.

 

Update 9/16/2025

Passed the physical, drug test and agility/tarp test without any issues. The last two days have been all classroom. I completed all the online stuff with a 97.5% average. This entire weekend is rigging. Not sure what the next two days look like. I know there is a HOS test. The training yard at TMCs Columbia, SC location is impressive. The operational terminal is even more impressive. Two candidates from our group of 26 were sent home today for failing the tarp/agility test. One of the candidates was given a 90-Day health card. I was able to observe another group as they did their agility/tarp test and was surprised at how many really struggled. The cadre was not kind. The math test messed up a bunch of the group. I pulled a 100% but a large number of the group struggled in the low 80s. Really excited to rig some real loads and get behind the wheel.

I still cannot believe they are paying guys to drive these monster rigs.

 

Update 23 Sept 2025:

This is Tuesday night of my second week at TMC Orientation. To bring everyone up to date, last week was admin and some basic skills test (Math, general knowledge, etc), this weekend was load securement and yesterday we got inside the trucks for the first time.

Load securement began last Friday and went through Sunday afternoon. We secured a bunch of coils (suicide, shotgun and tits up), some greasy rods, sheet steel, coiled rod and even a shipping container. We also did some tarping. As an added bonus a couple of drivers that were at the terminal for maintenance came over to the training yard and pitched in. They shared a bunch current, real world insight, showed us how they fold the tarps in various conditions and shared a bunch of driver insight and experiences. They were sort of rough, but very professional and a ton of knowledge.

On Monday were were split into two groups, one group went on the road, the other group did forty five degree alley docks. At one point we had about five trucks in alley dock rotation and were parking between other trucks in the yard. The chaos was very well managed. had between three to four instructors on the yard at any given time. They all thought the maneuver a little different which made for a good time <smirk>. The over the road stuff was also good. Not really testing or even driving training, they were more focused on teaching how to drive a spread axle flatbed and use the dump valve. We rotated at lunch time.

Today we met with our training manager and were informed if they had a trainer for us or not. There were a lot of sad faces after this meeting. None of the candidates from up north had trainers within several states and left the meeting with a 'we will contact you when we have a trainer'. I was one of six from NC. Four of the six did not get a trainer, myself and another guy from NC had trainers contacted for us, but they had not accepted yet. Will know on Friday if the trainer selected for me will accept the invite or not. It is totally up to the trainer to decide if they want to take on a new driver.

We have three more days remaining. On Thursday we have an informal test for over the road and backing. Friday we do some more admin stuff before taking our class picture being sent home.

Forgot to mention that some of the guys here from up north were asked if they were willing to stay at the terminal in Columbia, SC and wait for a trainer to be be routed in. Everyone in my group accepted this offer. Again, a lot of unhappy new drivers today.

The trainer selected for me is based out of Conway, SC. When asked if I was willing to work with him I said absolutely yes. Whoever he is, I hope he is as good as everyone else at TMC seems to be and that he agrees to work with me.

Hopefully my next update will be from somewhere on the road in a TMC Peterbuilt.

-Conman