TMC Transportation, Inc. - Des Moines, Ia.

If TMC is training us to put chains on, I must have fell asleep during that part of orientation. I dont even have tire chains anywhere on my truck.

That said, I like working for TMC.

 

You will have them soon. You only need them for certain months.

 

If anyone here ever needs to, "Z" a bungee through the chain, it'll keep it tight. I've used this method and couldn't even hear the chains rattling.

 

Some people may think that when you're shown how to do something, that is "being trained." No way is being shown something the same as being trained. One must practice doing it himself if he is to really learn a skill. However, as I said in a previous post--when a company merely 'shows' drivers how to chain, this will probably be considered training and allows the company to sluff off any fines or service costs involving chaining, getting stuck, and being towed onto its drivers.

If your company is merely showing you how to chain up, you need to practice it yourself when you are issued your links. Practicing may save you a big fine and service call later.

 

Thank you Mr. Grasp every little word and manipulate it to somehow give yourself a point. I know how to chain, i've done it several hundred times, so i'm not really sure why you're referring that to me, if you are.

Thanks for your concern, though.

Sorry, i guess i should've used the word "Trained".

 

We have another winner here: a new member has joined the ranks of the enlightened.....no, "show" isn't the same as "train". Haleluja. I wish this were true, though. I could get one of those Tiger Woods golf clinic DVDs, watch it a time or two, and go on a PGA winning streak. Or maybe I could become a brain surgeon just by watching a video of a brain surgery. Maybe I could even learn to drive a truck just by watching Movin' On with Will and Sonny, two guys of a special breed.

 

Thanks, new to this site... after reading all the previous (yes, been reading from the beginning....hours worth) this was a breath of fresh air. I've been avoiding becoming a trainer for a couple of years now, but the posts I have read here is making me reconsider if we're training these new drivers so poorly....probably the only way we can we can turn this around (the safety #'s) is for some of us that do it right to get off our butts... Poor trainee has to smoke and not want to get home often if he/she rides with me tho....
In the 4 yrs I have driven for TMC I have never made less than $65K/yr. My first yr stub was used for recruitment as a matter of fact.. tho in all honesty..I stay on the road more than most.. trk #91216

 

Eckz thanks for setting thr record straight, I am considering throwing an app to TMC but almost blew it off after reading all the posts. i should have skipped to last. Other thing I need to consider is most around here seem to be pretty new to the industry in general. Trucking in its own right takes alot of adjustment of mind and body, especially in the flatbed bussiness which I have been involved in for the past 15 years.. Here in mass, it's real tough, we did tons of shingles out of norwood so I saw alot of TMC and everyone seemed ok and in good SOM. Our bussiness fell apart so I am looking to go reg, OTR. I don't think I'll have a problem my record is crystal and my experience vast, and yeah when unloading brick on comm ave in boston with teledyne I would have to move to other side of street to reach other half of load, yep it meant moving a half loaded FB with no straps and never did a brick sucome to gravity. I brought every brick they used in the new dorms for North eastern. And yes it meant a U turn also on comm ave to set it up for my piggy fork.If I didnt the job super would have booted me and got another carrier to do it. I hear alot of whinning about manuvers and skills, and it scares the hell out of me.. I guess in this area of the great U.S. we do things a little differently because we have to, but I think it makes for a certain type of driver, I have always gotten the job done, and no one has ever gotten hurt, or nothing wrecked on my watch, it may look scary but it's the way it has to be.. I am sure the dispatchers must melt because some green kid is 40 miles south of his destination because he missed it and wont make a calculated, safe, and easy u turn to correct his error, bad enough most flat loads pay bunk.. I think alot of it has to do with the licence is so hard to get now, theese schools teach how to obtain a licence and not to drive a truck,, I am so glad I got trained the old school way, yeah it was wrong and mean and tough but it taught me well, so i know what to expect, I really feel bad for new people just getting satrted, especially with the way traffic is now especially up here.. Green guys and girls dont stand a chance. Put em on 128 at 0700 with an active breakdown lane and it's lights out.. Add a little white stuff and every 4 wheeler with a driver who is the most important person attitude and it's over.. Now I am not saying at all that I am not humbled from time to time because i am and often. There is always somewhere that I thought I could hit it with this set up but end up pulling 6 pull ups to get it right.. I still sweat.. I love it though I like the weird ones like pallet racking, or empty paint totes doubled and wobbling on corners even with 2 straps. I have gotten to see and do alot of real cool stuff, i hauled the robot that found the titanic what is it called "Hercules I think" for Ballards crew. Took 4 of us to haul all the equipt for it out of woods hole. I got to do all the brick for the state house in R.I. and had the privilage of backing up the long front walkway from the street right to the steps of the capitol and run my teledyne on it.. There are pics of me and my ch613 backing up it , on the wall as we speak,, (cool stuff) " I think"... And never mind the recent deliveries of 50 ft long 4ft dia plastic pipe I brought to the base down the cape right b4 we folded, I was instructed by security to proceed down a dirt road that was 4 miles long and every 5 min or so an FA18 or A10 would blow right over me sometimes even kicking up dirt in front of me.. Phew ok now I really need to find work I miss it and delivering produce for a very large chain is'nt cutting it.. Any one hiring????? LOL'''
Stick with it new people thats all i can say. Unless it is really a violation against You or You are putting lives at risk then just give it time,, you will get use to it.. The companies are all different Yes,, But the work and the job is always the same. it is hard, it's not BJ McCay or smokey and the bandit.. It can bring you to tears in frustration but also give You a feeling of content that not too many others can.
Good luck to all. God Bless

 

Hello I'm new to the board. My husband will have a year in with TMC in November. I will tell you the facts of my husband's experience so far. As with any job or career there are ups and downs. First when my husband was in the truck with his trainer he was told you will have to cheat the log to get your loads. This is not a fabrication. Secondly my husband has had bounce miles that were higher than the actual mileage from the pickup point to his destination. He has been bounced over 180 miles to pickup material. He's had same day dropoffs with over 300 miles to his destination. Every weekend, means you get home at Friday around midnight and you leave out Sunday afternoon. Multiple weekends he would not get home until Saturday around noon. I will say that he's met good men who drive for this company that have blessed him with things he can do to make things better. Refusing loads is not an option unless you want to be screwed later in the week. You either bite the bullet and take the sucky load early or get it later. The insurance plan is excellent. I know because I work for their competitor and the benefits stink out loud on my job. They will work to get you home if you bark loud enough. My husband has switched loads several times to his benefit and to the benefit of other drivers who needed to be home. The income is a catrillion times better than his cousin who drove for another company (Roell)and quit within two weeks. I have another cousin who drives for Swift and we havent seen him in two months. The trucks are expected to be washed every week. My husband is now on the dedicated team. He gets home during the week sometimes but will have loads to pickup on Saturdays. It all balances out. Like other jobs there are times you want to say the heck with it and other times where you know its not as bad.........My hubby has a misdemeanor on his record from years ago. He's a good man whose grown alot however when most employers see that they shy away. TMC and TransAM were willing to give him a chance. He chose TMC and they have been a good fit. It takes time to feel out the rough parts in the beginning but this job was well worth it. He had to adjust and has now learned to manage his time better. I will say that on one truck he had the gas gauge didnt work for quite sometime(try having to guess how much fuel you have everyday). They wanted him to drive from NC to IOWA to switch trucks out which was totally ridiculous. Eventually TMC bounced him only an hour away to switch out trucks....Just one occasion that made me ask "why didnt they do that to start with"? All in all I give them an 8 on a scale of 1-10. Its a great company if you have a family with small kids and not many other employment options.

 

I am looking at TMC and I want to thank you for the post. I have a wife and two small children. My wife stays at home and i was looking for a company that will have weekends off. I do understand though that it may not be every weekend. The miles that your husband is bounced do they pay these miles also? Also what are some of the ways he was told to make things better with time? I'm alittle worried about cheating on logs that that is the only thing that is kinda holding me back from TMC. thanks for all the info