Well, Wayne is off to Oklahoma this evening! He will be in orientation Monday morning with CRST. It's not TMC, but we gotta start somewhere, don't we? We figure he'll put in his 8 months, get his training & some experience & if he doesn't like the team driving move on to a different company. Thanx everyone for all the info & encouragement it really has been a big help!
About two weeks ago I quit with TMC. I had been wondering if they were cutting freight so I started to keep track of everysingle load that I hauled including dead head and loaded miles. Over three months I did this and noticed that they were. I received a dispatched load to SSAB in Montpelier IA. Always paid "$585" until one day when drivers were quiting left and right. I scrolled down my qualcom and looked at the gross to the truck and it was $725. I had a conversation with my dispatcher then my team leader then some other guy about the price in freight dropping down 20-40% (in some cases) and all that they had to say was the economy was slowing down. But then later recanted on their story saying that historically TMC has a increase in freight come this time of year and through the winter months. When I saw the gross to the truck I was shocked. Naturally any driver would be happy if he was just a "driver" and not treating this like a business because he was comfortable being a company driver his whole life, but not me. I ran my truck like it was my own business. I sent my dispatcher a message letting him know about the magical 24% increase in the total freight gross. He told me to hold on and he would contact the CSR (Customer Service Rep) to find out what it was. Well needless to say their reply was not satisfactory. Basically stated that the CSR didnt know why it increased so much and that "they were going to look into it". I was roughly 30 miles from a terminal and said I would just turn the truck in there. I sent in all my paperwork and bills and cleaned my truck to the point it looked like a brand spanking new truck. Im now a owner operator and I will say that TMC gave me the stepping stones needed to become more informed in the trucking business. But the stones given were jagged red hot stones. My final informative comment would be that this company is great for a follower but if you are a natural born leader and are hungry for more challenges turn away. Home time everyweeked Good Equipment Honestly dont take care of their drivers; example if you get stuck somewhere and the shipper and consignee is "GETTING TO YOU" but you have been there all day too bad so sad. And good luck trying to get any detension pay. If you were a sinking company would you push a major distributor to pay detension. Or would you ask nicely and take what answer they give to you... Have a good one, Semper, and god speed.
Thanks for the information. I'm sure many newbies will appreciate this. No reason for any company to be less-than-truthful and forthright with drivers. If there is a problem simply share it with the drivers instead of the company assuming what the driver's response will be. I can take a lot of guff from a company but once it begins providing half-truths, untruths or outright fallacies, for me, that's the beginning of the end. If a company can't be upfront and truthful it can't and shouldn't be trusted.
I was actually thinking about going to work for TMC. I really like their trucks and the idea of pulling flatbed......but I am not to sure after reading Mexicant's post. Maverick seems like a pretty good company also. So really I have narrowed it down to TMC or Maverick, anyone have any input on this? Who has better hometime? More freight? Better equipment? etc.......
I'm sorry, I just don't buy this. Been a driver for less than a year and now he is an o/o? And do you really think the company is gonna tell you why the freight has increased? Dunno. You have to be careful reading some of these forums. Quiting because the freight increased 24%? That means his take also increased 24% unless he is on mileage. All I can say is "Good Luck" and godspeed.
Thought I'd check back in. There has been some changes for me in the last month or so. Was not doing well on boats after the summer shutdown for new model year changes. I went into linehaul as usual during the shutdown for about 6 days and then back to pulling boats. The Lund plant had issues and I was not getting loads without waiting for days to get one and then they were usually 2 or 3 day runs and then back to Lund to sit and wait for the next one. This went on for over a month. Not sure how its going now. I had been looking for something local for about a year and got a call from a local company 25 miles from me. Home every night and weekend, decent pay and benefits. So I gave TMC my 2 weeks notice and went through the exit interview over the phone. The person I talked to was very decent about the process and asked alot of questions about why I was leaving and asked what TMC could do for me to stay. I replied find me a local position. Anyway, we made plans for me to turn the truck in and they told me they would give me either a rental car to get home from Des Moines or a bus ticket which I did not expect. I had planned on my wife to come and pick me up. So, that was the plan.......until 2 days later I got a call from TMC asking me if I would be interested in a local position 45 miles from me. I would be on the local dedicated account and home nights and weekends. They also have a regional dedicated account out of the same place that pays better, but there are no openings in that right now. So I took the local position with the understanding that when an opening came up in regional, I would get that. Still would be home every weekend but out a couple nights a week. I can live with that for the better pay. Then I was told to head to Des Moines to swap out of the Kenworth I was in. Its a Canada legal truck and they want to keep it in the boat division. So I get to DSM and let the shop know I was there to swap trucks and the shop boss hands me the keys to a brand new Pete 388. Sweet! Now Im home every night and weekend and love it. TMC really stepped up for me and even made the statement "we dont like losing good drivers". Anyone you hear on here or on the road cutting down TMC either quit or was fired from TMC and holds a grudge. I cannot say enough good about them. They came through for me when I didnt expect it and for that, they have my loyalty. Be safe!
So glad to hear things are working out for you Riverrat! It's nice to hear the good a company does for their drivers as well as the bad. My husband is tied into CRST for the next 8 months & as long as he's out there getting some training & experience behind the wheel that's all that is really important to us at this time. He will be applying to TMC again when his 8 months are over. Hopefully by then they will be hiring from our area. We have a 2 year plan, the first year money is not an issue, I'm working so bills are getting paid, but we're hoping by his 2nd year he'll be driving solo with a company that pays well & allows me to ride along.
