Thanks alot TMC

BIGBOITRUCKIN' · Dec 13, 2008

Yea i agree times are slow, and with me just getting into flat recently i still can c the up's and down. And with my company already being under the radar along with National News, and losing customer due to out of service driver's we 're really struggling to get a preplan these days... But i'm staying put for now.
I read in Trucker News Magazine if am not mistaken;that this year (2008) companies that are still rolling and in business have seen a lower turnover rate year to date... "Turnovers are down,a driver now a days is not jumping company to company right now because of the sluggish Econmy" so satying put might be helpfull...

eckz · Dec 14, 2008

I am not blaming you. Rough times are upon us, it's going to get worse before it gets better. I doubt you'll do better anywhere else at this point, EVERYONE is slow.

GATROR06 · Dec 20, 2008

Wildhorse07 said: ↑

I started with Tmc 2007. Right out of trucking school I went through there 2 week training and 5 week otr with trainer. The 5 weeks with trainer was the worst part of it all. Once I recieved my truck life at Tmc was great. I never thought I could make $900 to 1150.00 week. When I started getting these checks I volunteered to stay out every other week. I knew I had to prove myself to the company and never turned down a load or complained(ever).

After 8 months I noticed no matter how hard you worked they would always prevent you from earning over $1350 in a week. Then gas prices went up and revenue dropped. I was on percentage pay. Slowly I went from $1000 a week to $900 and finally struggling to make $700.
My out of route was 4.8%, fuel milage was at 32 points, but no matter what percentage rate your at they use 23% of your earnings to calculate your revenue. I seemed to be stuck at 28% even driving 55 when I could to earn extra points.

The hometime became a big issue. I live 18 miles from Kansas city. I would drop a load off at 7am on friday only 2 hours from home. They would wait until 3pm and dispatch a load 350 miles away from home. I would drive half of Saturday to get home and then have a load that needs delivered Monday 8am. Always tired on weekeneds and hard to get anything done not alone enjoy the family time.
I only loaded twice out of Kansas city the entire time with Tmc. They easily could send me home on Fridays to load Monday am, Never. No matter how hard you work they do take it for granted. Trying to talk to my Fleet manager was pointless. I never was late for pickup or delivery, no violations, no accidents, and no out of route fuel.

Here is where Tmc lost my respect for a company I thought really had pride in saftey. In late 2008 loads became hard to get. Dont ever go to Tulsa, Ok or Dallas, Tx it screws you everytime. No matter what the load pays going there. You would usually deliver a hardware store load at 7am and send your empty in. At 430 pm they would dispatch a load right at rush hour and want it delivered at 7am the next day. The night before you get your 10 hour break in, how can you sleep another 9 hours.

Then to get load you must log 7am to 430pm on sleeper berth or offduty, drive 11 hours hoping the shipper can load you in time. Most time it was a steel load Union(prepare to wait 3 to 4 hours) or lumber. Sometimes its ok but every week it gets old. Then you say anything and fleet manager says Oh you cant take this load, out of hours, I will give it to someone else. Its Run it or make no money. It was the first time I actually started having issues of staying awake and dealing with high levels of stress or bull#$%^ I should say. Good luck getting tarps with no holes and getting them inside headache rack. After kicking and ramming it for 20 minutes they will go. Trailer swaps are a nightmare. The 4 inch straps are usually always damaged and trailer inspection sticker expired or close to it. Then you have to wait to get them inspected.

Now they are doing away with trailer boxes. Have fun with the tmc black/maroon tarp and the orange TDT tarp, the truck looks like a circus going down the road. My biggest complaint, you can have up to 13,000 lbs. on front axle. Tmc puts tires that only can hold around 12,300lbs. Texas will eat you alive on this. Most shippers would argue with me because I wanted load more towards rear to help reduce weight on front steers. Heading through Des moines they make you stop to get fuel at terminal even if line is backed up 3 hours. Its a headache but in time you get used to it.The final weeks with them I waited most days in truck stops for 3 to 9 hours for loads to be dispatched. I went to sleep in Joplin, Mo truckstop full house, woke up with Tmc trucks empty everywhere and most other trucks gone.

I went to Joplin terminal and said I need a load or let me go for lack of work. My revenue average was around 500. After a good long debate Tmc agreed they had 17 trucks in Jolpin alone with no loads. I told them I would come back when things picked up. They signed a paper showing lack of work and the Jolpin office signed off on it.

Checked truck in and wife came and got me. I'm currently trying to find a good solid company to work for. I dont want to jump into a bad company because the DaC report will show any job I have been at. I filed unemployment while waiting. I went this week to get my first payment from mailbox. Tmc decided to dispute they laid me off. Lack of work is laid off to me. Now before Christmas I have no income coming in and appeals process takes 2-3 weeks to settle with unemployment. I even have paper Tmc signed(notice of seperation lack of work). I worked hard for this company and never did anything wrong. I even moved from a home on 20 acres to a duplex until things picked up trying to stay with TMC.
I wanted to thank Tmc for playing games with my family before the Holidays. I will win in the end but its truley ashame to see a company act like this. I would have gone back when things picked up. Enjoy your Holidays TMC, we will do just fine without you. If they stopped hiring so many new drivers the current drivers will have loads. Its a lesson learned the hard way. No matter how hard you work and follow rules the good guy gets screwed in the end. Forgot to mention they back dated my last day by a week to cancel health insurance early. For legal reasons this is my personnal experience and opinions.
Click to expand...

Let me just say this with all the respect in the world! Dont walk back to TMC RUN Back!!! This coming year is gonna be tough and I dont care what you are pulling! 500 a week is better then sitting at home! We are all gonna sit more then we are used to. We are all gonna make less money! if you can get 500 a week you can survive! I made close to 70k last year but am looking for a job today because we slowed to the point that most of us in our comapny are lucky to work 3 days aweek! I can take a layoff but then i will be getting about 250per week. Im used to being home every weekend and most times a night through the week. This year Im looking at staying out two weeks at a time just in hopes of makeing 500 to 600 per week. We all hope it gets better and we all want to make the money we are used to but this year I dont see it happening!
If TMC will take you back, again I would run! They are a solid company and if anyone can survive this economy they will. this is just my opinion my friend!!

Good luck
Gator

Wildhorse07 · Dec 20, 2008

If a employee's revenue has dropped close to 50% and there is no work they can layoff a number of people to legally collect unemployment until things pick back up. Its a pride issue with them of looking bad. Let new recruits run loads with low pay while learning to drive. Let the guys that have busted there ### get a break until the industry pick's back up. The lesson I'm starting to learn is truck drivers have learned to accept getting screwed all the time. We are not property, we are Americans and deserve some respect. Everytime a wreck is on the road and a tractor trailer is involved its the drivers fault until proven otherwise. To get hired its like applying for the F.B.I. This industry needs some major overhaul or its going to lose alot of good hard working drivers. I was off now for around 3 weeks and scored a local driving job that guarantee's $800 week. I'm not lazy wanting to sit on my butt milking the system but it is what it is. Give drivers the chance to find better work to support there families during these hard times. If a company is suffering its not are fault. New drivers be prepared, you are always to blame.

sewerman · Dec 20, 2008

I hope your local job don't dry up. it's 1981 1982 all over

I AM A FLATBEDDER, I TRAVEL WITH ALL EQUIPMENT NECCESSARY. CHAINS (FOR THE UNRULEY ONES), STRAPS (FOR THE SEMI-UNRULEY ONES), AND TARPS (FOR THE ONES NOT TO BE SEEN WITH YOU)!

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Thanks alot TMC

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