Yet more changes!! PART 2

Wow. Those copays and deductibles are actually some of the BETTER ones on the market. Dont believe me? Go to http://www.ehealth.com and run a quote for yourself. You are going UP to a $1k deductible? MOST health plans are around $1500 or more. What you dont realize is how much of your premium that TMC is paying. You'd be surprised, trust me. I'm a Health Ins broker now and I do what I can to get good rates for folks, but I cant get them placed anywhere NEAR as cheap as it used to be. $1000 deductible is going to be expensive.

 

I've never worked a job that had a deductible. Unless there are different types and only need to be met for larger procedures? Not sure, don't know much about insurance.. You'll be the guy I talk to if/when i buy my truck.

Never had to pay out of pocket for Dr visits, etc.

 

Actually I always thought TMC insurance was expensive,, most companies I worked for they only took out $15-$18 a week for single and then like $30-$50 a week for married and depending on how many kids. I think TMC was like $28-$30 a week for single. Also deductibles was cheaper at my other jobs, like $500. I honestly thought it was a mid-west kinda thing if Iowa is, maybe its cheaper on the east coast as wages are usually higher too.

 

Never thought it was just trucking companies doing cuts either. But whenever a company hits hard times they always go after the driver first. A lot of times, companies won't look internally at any "waste" However there is the example of United Airlines in 2003 losing 2 billion dollars for the fiscal year, getting the employees to make pay and benefit concessions, and then rewarding the CEO if nearly a 4 million dollar bonus. I would say that is "lining the pockets."

 

Hell my insurance at West Side Transport is 43 a week for a single, non smoker. And that's with a 1000 dollar deductible and that's considered the "premium" plan.

 

I applied to TMC back in December 09 they rejected me due to the NORTHEAST hiring ..........are they back to hiring drivers from this area I see alot of there trucks here in VT

 

according to the website, that state is closed to hiring, along with many others.

 

I worked for a company that didn't have a copay and had a $2000 deductible per year. No prescription plan. Had to pay for office visits out-of-pocket unitl you hit the $2000. The insurance didn't cost me anything, but never used it

TMC's insurance isn't the greatest, but it is nice to have if you have to go to the hospital for something major or in an emergency. Been to the hospital and didn't have insurance. Took 2 years to pay off bill. Just wish the Vision Ins was a little better. Its kinda of a joke.

If you think it's bad at TMC, go check out other companies. I've been doing it and the grass isn't always greener on the other side. It's bad everywhere and not getting better yet. There is a company that pulls out of the Lowe's DC that I do and I checked them out when I started. They paid .40 per mile loaded and .35 empty. Talked to one of their drivers last week, they now make .25 per mile, loaded or empty. Companies are cutting everywhere.

 

Man, that's for sure. ive been checking around myself lately. you're right that some otehr companies are cutting their pay as well. guess it's a sign of the times for now. far as the insurance thing....my wife works in the medical field so i had her bring home her plan and we went over it on the phone the other day. they just raised not only their deductibles and copays but even the monthly premium to boot! guess i'll just grin and bear it and hope that the economy rebounds at some point. at least i haven't been laying over much lately so eitehr i've been pretty lucky or freight with tmc is starting to slowly pick up. the other weird thing (don't hate me for saying this ) is that this 62 mph has one benefit i didn't think of. i can set my cruise and pretty much kick back. not much need to worry about weaving in and out of traffic. i'm getting used to it pretty quick. hey, maybe when schneider and others go back to the old 55 mph i'll be able to blow their doors off at 62!

 

My last company had Blue Cross PPO also.
Was 15.00 copays, and 750.00 deductable.
Company paid the premiums on all drivers and there familys 100%. Nice little company that one. Hopefully next year freight can turn around and I can go back with them.
Hauling flatbed for a good company again, with good well maintained equipment, home every weekend and free insurance.
I would not want to be running for them the way rates are right now anyway. Accept on our best acct the rates are so low I could not make enought to stay out.
They only paid 20% of the load.
But I was bringing home good money. And when I got multi drops and Oversize it was even better. None of our runs were ever less than 2.00 a mile to the truck. So .40 cpm to the driver, and many were higher. One run I would go every other week or so was almost 4.00 a mile to the truck 1200 miles or so. Gee thats 1200 bucks for 2 days work. Then a 2.00 a mile load back out of there.

TMC, if they can get thru this time may be able to be a company like my last one eventually.
They have decent equipment.
And I believe some of the higher ups want there drivers to make money.
When the economy changes, the ones left standing without insane debt will be able to rock the trucking world.