TMC Transportation, Inc. - Des Moines, Ia.

I have not found my lower limet yet. It has been as low as 30 degrees and I have not felt a need to idle. I do use a thick comfortor and I wear a t-shirt and sweat pants. It is a little nippy when I wake up in the morning. I run mostly Texas and the surrounding states, so I feel no need to idle for most of the Winter anyway.

My upper limit seems to be about 85 degrees when I go to bed. Any warmer than that is too warm. I have one of those turbo fans which seems to do the trick. I also use Idle Air and crank the AC as low as it will go. During the summer I try to spend some of my time out of state where is might be a little cooler.

During the Summer I try to park away from other trucks that are idling. Not only are parking lots hot and retain the heat, but all those trucks idling raise the temperature another 10-15 degrees.

 

Good tips, Terry!

Um. Well, here it is... I'm supposed to deliver my load in grand rapids at 8am this morning, woke up with a 104 temp and throwing up everywhere, haha.. Not happenin'.

Called dispatch this morning, and told them the deal. Told them safety probably wouldn't like me hanging my head out the window, vomitting on the side of their truck a whole hell of a lot. Needless to say, they agreed.

Back on the road tomorrow, hopefully!

 

good evening all, my husband drives for TMC, and like most here, likes it little and hates it more...lol. His main issues are hometime, he was told he wouldbe home more often by friday afternoons, and not leave again till sunday nights, but he usually doesnt get home till saturday afternoon/evening and leaves sunday afternoons, which sucks. He is retired military, so long hours are not a issue, but he was hopeing for better. Other issues he has is loads, mon-thur, he has next load assigned withen a hour, not always on thursadys thou, but come friday, after he bust butt to drop first thing friday morning so he can get home, his FM has him sitten till about 4-5 pm, gives him a load with about 150 milebounce, meaning saturday night getten home. this has happened every week since he got assigned to her, one week, she took time off, her boss took over, what do ya know, withen 10 min on friday morning, he had a load comen home, this was of course brought up, and no answeres was offered, back to reg FM, and back to sitten all day. otherwise, he would also like tmc to get more on ball about shippers/drops taking forever, he has made plenty of pick-ups.drops, where he sits for hours, watching workers sit around smoken/ect, instead of loaden/unloaden him, TMC claims they get on them, but also claim most are old customers, so dont want to lose them, so drivers get screwed to save a small customer. (by the way, all you dock workers out there, you get your by the hour, working or not, truck drivers that sit, make zero, so take pity on them and earn your money so the drivers can earn theirs!!!) On note of TMC idle issues, its true, they harp on ya, hubby has even had a pay cut by 1 percent(he is on precentage pay) for idle time, which is low, he got his pay cut back in august when he spent 2 weeks in southern TX, it was 104 and he was called andharped on daily to shut truck off and open windows instead!!! now, tell me, does TMC cut their office costs and turn their air off and open windows?? heck no!! but drivers are expected to work in extreme weather/temps with no heat or air, its NUTS!!! he said they can stick it and idles anyways, he eventually got his percent back to, but still gets harped on. as he says.."truck on, idle on".....lol

 

hey again, got to discussen tmc issues, and forgot to ask questions hubby asked me to ask forum...lol. we currently live right by knoxville TN, and most say loads always suck around here, he gets high payen ones now and then, has even had highest earner twice in 6 months, but mainly gets cheap cheap loads along eastern seaboard, and hates the hassel of them, up and down virgina hills, baltamore, jersey, etc. the loads he has had that take him west, mainly MO, OK, TX, NM, AZ, have been good loads and better revenue, and others have told him its better that way, he talked to his FM, who hasnt been so good of one, and asked if this was true, he was told by her that she has some out by Tulsa OK that have high revenue and best home time, average of 2 1/2 days per week. Im from tulsa, so i know the area, and he also has a old AForce buddy that might hav a job for him withen coming year, plus there is alot of local driving jobs that way, hubby would love a home daily route, as long as pay is maken budjet, but wants to hear from other drivers out OK way as far as their loads/revenue/home time to determine if we should move there with TMC. Any good imput will be welcome, just need to know if take home pay and home time is in fact better that way verses here as he is hearing. HOpe all had a good christmas and got some good home time with their families!!!

 

thats really sad that your husband has to be harassed about idling in 100+ temperatures, why dont they skip some of the chrome on their trucks and invest in some apu's.

 

suthernharelyryder,

I read your posts and I just feel disgusted. I have asked this question before many times, "why are drivers not paid for all of their time"? I think that drivers should be compensated for all of there time behind the wheel and at the customer. This is also to include fueling, breakdowns, repairs, tolls, scales etc. I guess I just don't get it. You are correct in stating the comforts that management has as opposed to the drivers out in the elements. If it is hot, idle with the air on. If it is cold, idle with the heat on. If the company punishes the driver by not giving a "bonus" or writing the driver up, I would look to find a better company. One that takes care of their employees. Just my two cents worth. It's not woth it.

Drive safe

 

It sounds to me like your husband needs to request a new fleet manager. I've never had any of the problems that you're talking about here.

My old team leader called me to ask about my idle time once in 2 years. She asked me if i had a bunk warmer, and in reply i asked if she had bought one to save money at her house yet. I never heard another word about it.

 

Also, TMC Never tells anybody when they will be home on the weekend. Only that we will be. If someone told him that he would be home on friday afternoons all the time, they lied to you plain and simple. But i don't think anyone actually told him that.

Trucking is not predictable. Your husband needs a new fleet manager, like i said i've never had any of these problems. Yes, the loads pay best going west, yes i run out that way often.. But being from Michigan, i will stay out for 2-3 weeks at a time running up and down the west coast. And when i'm ready to go home, i get priority because i've been out longer than the other drivers do.

They do not have APU's because at 8k a pop, and selling the trucks after 350k miles. It doesn't save them any money. They would rather us idle, and if someone is harping on him for that, then he needs to talk to someone above them about it. That's the point in having incentives. So that idling becomes the drivers choice, and not the choice of his or her FM.

 

There is more bad than good with TMC and you have hit on several issues. Nothing is going to change unless your husband changes companies. Everything you have pointed out is the norm not the exception for TMC. Right now I am working four weeks on and one week off which works for me. I thought home every weekend was great too until you realize the world and TMC disagree on what a weekend is.

 

I've posted here b4 and none seems to listen but here it goes again. Trucking companys can't completly care about every prop a trucker has
otherwise they would not be a trucking company anymore ,TMC I have
found is not perfect but they strive every day to fixe problems that constenly return. As for getting home on a friday or saturday a least we're
getting home there are some companys out there that can only get drivers home once a month. I say these things about TMC because I
belive in them I have seen a couple of other trucking companys and can compare
(p.s. i'm at 30% and i idle all the time it's only one thing in a chain)