TMC's % rate pay and general questions

As for the percentage I believe u can make 32% based on performance. Like idol time fuel braking load delivery and things of that nature.

 

As far as I remember TMC frowns on "Hang out the window" when backing. They like you to use just the mirrors. They are particular about their trucks and them being clean inside and out. When I was there they wanted you to run legal and never asked me or implied anything to the contrary. I am sure its the same today.

In regards to the pay, yes you start out at 23% and theres lots of factors that make it go up. On time delivery, low idle time, low out of route miles etc. I have heard most never make it to 32% though as its very hard. Most I would say are around 28%. Pay will also vary depending how good you FM is . Also, weekends can mean anything really. I've been home as early as Friday afternoon and then left out early Monday morning, to coming home Saturday night and having to leave Sunday afternoon. It all depends. Sometimes you might not make it home at all or figure its better to stay out. The map you see is their hiring area not their area of service. They run the lower 48 and Canada but usually try to track you closer to home at the end of the week. Unless you request you want to stay out 2 weeks or more then they (depending on your FM) will send you out far. Or maybe not, depends on how and where the freight is running.

TMC is a decent company. You could do worse thats for sure. Flat bedding is great too in my opinion, more interesting and keeps you moving doing other things than just driving, bumping docks and getting fat,,lol. I am considering coming back if they will have me as they got EZ pass again and now inverters too. Just waiting to see how a few job opportunities pan out here.

Good luck to ya

 

Yes I talked to a recruiter last week in my cdl class and they expect you to take the trailer and truck home. Just look for a walmart or something of that nature to park at. Make sure it is cool with your FM to leave it there as long as they say ok your covered no matter what happens.

 

With TMC you will always take home the trailer , you can't separate the tractor from the trailer unless you get special permission and the trailer would have to be in a totally secured spot (locked fenced in area) if you got it. Most of the time you will have a full load on it as well for delivery early Monday morning.

Its one of the reasons I quit there, I had trouble locating decent parking. I parked it Home Depot/shopping center parking lot a few miles from my home for awhile. Twice my tanks were sucked dry of fuel, so I moved it to a Lowe's I used to work at but it was only a temporary deal. I couldn't park it at my house as I live in a dense residential area (no trucks). I looked at local trucking companies and most wanted $150-$200 a month to park it, even though its only there on weekends. Also if you happen to live in a "bad area" (as deemed by TMC) you need to have secure parking as most of you loads will be valuable and easily accessed.

 

You misunderstood me. You only need a fenced in secure area for the trailer if you were to separate them and take the tractor home. As for leaving the truck at a local truck stop you have to clear it with TMC first and then I would see if its ok to leave it there with the owner of the place. I am not sure as I never left my truck at a truck stop.

Sometimes you will haul a "High value" loads, aluminum ingots and such and from what I remember they are more anal about that too.

More here might be able to provide more insight to it as well.

 

The 379 they use is a short hood and really does not turn much different then say a FL century or columbia. Also with the logs I for one can tell you that "fudging" is not tolerated really anywhere anymore because of the CSA2010. Your logs will be matched with your qualcom. Now there is ways with tarping to put the companies minimum of 30 minutes and thats it and get away with it to give you more drive time. Just stay in the sleeper birth or on off duty till 30 minutes before you start driving and then go to line 4 for your tarping.

 

As for the pay the average is 27% right now. You are at 23% for the first 30 days in your own truck then after that it can go up to whatever you allow it to get up to. Fuel mileage(not idle), being on time, no write ups on damaging loads, pretty much just being efficient and reliable and you could be making 25-27% your second month in a truck. Think of this to the difference between 25 and 27% if roughly 75 bucks a load and at an average of 5 a week that 375 bucks is a lot of extra money every week. The whole driving thing here is not bad. Its pretty easy to back up one of these spreads in a short hood especially because all of there trucks have a dump switch for the rear trailer axle on the dash so that makes it super easy to turn and to back up.