TMC Transportation, Inc. - Des Moines, Ia.

Hi Gerjamr. My husband had no OTR experience other than his training for TMC. So along the way some of his fellow drivers have shown him the better way to tarp his loads, shorter routes to his destinations, how to communicate with his fleet manager better etc. Others have shown him where the fuel stops are and how to approximate travelling time based on their own experiences. He's not yet met another TMC Trucker who was not helpful or didnt offer their own testimonies about their experiences with TMC. Each said things may be rough in the beginning but it will work itself out. Since he's been to several destinations repeatedly he's better on his logs and taking his breaks. With the trainer they were driving non stop so he had to learn how to balance his time. He has also learned to respect his fleet manager but at the same time say "no" when it is absolutely not plausible for him to take a load he knows cant get there on time. Thats not everytime. No need to make mountains out of molehills.His pay is based on percentage of load which after doing the calculations, means he's better paid than alot of other drivers reimbursed by mileage. As a mother of a two year old its comforting to know he'll be home on the weekends instead of every 3 weeks. The equipment (other than the fuel gauge incident) has been very upto par. I've ridden with him several times after he got the permit and I've enjoyed each time I've ridden. Like I said before the insurance is a plus. Excellent coverage. My stepson who is 10 has Cerebral Palsy and we had no problems with getting him covered(not alot of red tape like other companies)or getting his claims paid.

 

I just left TMC. Not because they're a bad company, but because i'm having some family issues and need to find a local route. TMC has them but the guys on them aren't giving them up any time soon.

I would still recommend them for any new driver that's just starting out, hands down. I had the best possible experienec i could've had during my time with them, and will eventually go back after things at home settle down.

Just to keep the records here straight, i'm still availible to answer any and all of your questions about TMC.. And, since i don't work there anymore you know that im not going to lie to get something out of it.. Hehe, i'll still check back here regularly!!

 

I'm glad to hear that it is a good company. It's a little hard to tell one way or the other on here. Thanks for all the information

 

I used to haul sand and stone about thirty years ago, with an articulated license....I never got my license grandfathered to a CDL. (a big mistake)

I applied to TMC for them to sponsor me for CDL training, but they refused my application, without giving reason. I have no criminal record, no DUI's ever, my 10-year DMV printout is flawless, and am in excellent health, so I'm a little confused. The manager I spoke with did welcome me to apply again if I obtained my CDL on my own.

My questions are:

What is TMC looking for in their applicants?

Is there something they are not telling me?

Any tips if I should re-apply, and if so, how long should I wait?

Should I look at another company, or consider going to a driving school?

Any help would be much appreciated.


After reading all the posts in this TMC thread, I'd still like to give them a shot.

 

Unfortanetly .... TMC doesnt have a school .... I applied there also .... I was accepted but being that I havent been in a semi in years and been running class B tankers .... they want me to do a refresher on my own since they dont have one

Best suggestion .... find a decent driving school in your area .... check with a local community college some of them have it for cheaper than these other ones .... when you get close to graduation resubmit the application stating that you have done the school and almost finished and see what they say

Best way to go about it other than getting in with a company that offers training ... you do it on your own then your not committed to a company

 

They check E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G. And then recheck it. If even a single date is off, as far as they're concerned.. You lied.

Make sure everything is 110% accurate. If what you say is true i have no idea why they wouldn't hire you.. Where do you live if you don't mind my asking? That may be an issue, they don't have their own "School" but when i applied they sent me to one of their partnership schools, and paid it for me... The only commitment i had was 6 months, and that had nothing to do with the schooling.

TMC Has several drivers that are over the age of 50, i doubt that would be an issue, given the "Safety blitz" that they've been on lately, that would sound to me like a plus, as it's proven that the older you get the calmer and less "Super-trucker" you want to be.. So i'm honestly not sure, try to re-apply.. Depending on where you live, there might not be a school that works with them in that area, if that's the case then take the poster aboves advice and seek it on your own, they will still reimburse you when you're hired.

Hope this helps! Keep us up to date.

 

Eckz,

Thanks for your help. I've been retired the last four years, but I need to get back in the workforce.

Will TMC consider me, or will my retirement hurt me? How long do they keep applications that have been denied, or do they just junk them?

 

To my knowledge the retirement shouldn't hurt you, as long as you make whatever changes are appropriate.. I'm 25 so i'm not sure how the whole retirement thing works yet. )

They consider everyone honestly.. They have a pretty high turnover rate.. Some of it is from people who felt they were screwed, some of it is people that were mislead by recruiters, etc. I don't want to scare you out of applying for them because when i drove for them i had a wonderful time, allot of drivers that had problems at TMC I've noticed were self inflicted, so basically if you do what you're there to do, you shouldn't have a problem..

Anyways, I don't know if they junk them or not, i doubt that they do.. but to be safe you might want to try to re-apply.. Just FYI, though, for them to reimburse tuition You don't *Have* to have a pre-hire.. You can just go, and if / when they hire you they will pick up the bill from that point forward.

Did you fill out an application online? If not, i'd try doing so.. Or call recruiting directly - my recruiter was Rebecca Fischer, she's pretty awesome and got me in there even though i had some medical complications about a month before i applied.

All i can really say is keep trying, and if you're serious about getting back on the road, go ahead and go back to school, someone will pick you up it's almost a guarantee.. Most companies will reimburse tuition now, so you won't loose anything even if TMC doesn't take you.

 

Eckz,

Thank you for your detailed reply and candor.

 

My husband is about to start a career in trucking. We have talked a lot about TMC. Since our children are 18 and 20 we want to go on the road during the week but home on the weekends. we were told TMC could do this for us, as well as let me ride along with him. now after reading all these post I'm not sure if TMC would be a good place for a newbie truck driver? we are to talk to TMC this up coming week. can anyone give me some valuable questions to ask? and if they answer them in a "wonderful" way does it mean it will happen? we live in north east Arkansas and he is starting school in Memphis TN on Monday. They said that he had to find an employer the first week because he is going on a grant and that requires it. So we have some fast decisions to make and we can't afford to make a wrong one. Is there anyone who can help?