You won't do better, in my opinion, at least not starting out. Get a year in and then decide what you want to do... You could still do much worse, most training companies are going through the same issues that TMC has, so it's not going to be much better anywhere else however you look at it. My Dad always told me that the only difference between some companies is the name on the door.. If you've already had your heart set on TMC you might as well just go for it and get your year experience and then decide after that what you want to do.
That's what i was just telling my wife. Plus with the G.I. Bill I will get through them I will automatically get 990.75 for the first 6 months and 775.00 for the remaining part of that year. I know I could do worse, I could want to drive for Werner. I am applying to TMC here in the next couple of weeks. Keeping my fingers crossed hoping all goes well while I am there.
Eckz is right , you could really do worse without a doubt...If you need a company to start with then TMC would not be a bad choice given the top notch equipment and pretty good training as far as securement goes. (nice shiny Petes might spoil you abit if you do decide to work elsewhere later on though) I would hate to start with one of these driver mills just to get the experience and drive crap on wheels for a year, that would really suck.
Well guys I've never worked for TMC but it's a real shame to see another trucking company giving their drivers a pay cut. But I'm bothered by a couple of things that they did... 1. no more prepass/ezpass? This makes absolutely NO SENSE. So what now? Don't you guys go out east a lot? Are they gonna make you drive around the toll roads now? I don't see how getting rid of ezpass is a benefit 2. cutting the trucks back to 62. Well why not just have you guys go in reverse? You know I'm not knocking the 379's but they ain't exactly the most fuel efficient trucks around. Instead of turning them down... should have started bringing in cascadias and prostars. High fuel efficiency and keep the trucks at 65... problem solved. 3. explain the point thing to me? how does that benefit you guys? I honestly don't know. 4. No bonuses for trainers? So why would anyone want to train now? Where's the incentive? One thing guys, be glad you only have to be at 70 percent or higher for your fuel solution/stops. Our president wants 100 percent compliance and if you don't, first time a write up, second time a final warning, thrid time... termination.
not defending TMC but I applied at Tennant in Orion, IL... they have nice Prostars and haul mostly farm equipment and whatnot, they would pay me $0.36/mile and $0.05 extra for oversize... right now I am getting $0.385 and $0.10 extra for oversize with TMC, I have a 950 mile oversize John Deere run for tomorrow that would pay me $100 less with Tennant. I agree the changes suck, driving home from Des Moines at 62 was unbearable... believe me I have looked at other flatbed companies and I am making more here than I would anywhere else I have looked at. open to suggestions...
also fuel stops are a joke... on a run from IA to NY, I had to fuel at the terminal in Des Moines, no problem there, then I had to stop 300 miles later with 5/8 of a tank of fuel and top off in Minooka, IL. like there are not at least 8 more logical fuel stops along that route. I have been routed home twice for the weekend when I stayed out, on a run from TX to KS they wanted me to fuel in OH. I did not comply. because I was never in OH.
I was told you don't necessarily have to hit all stops if you have a long run with multiple fuel stops listed and you really don't need fuel at the time.. as far as me running the northeast they always route me around the toll roads whenever possible which usually puts me on hilly backroad type local highways, 2 laners through small towns which doesnt help the MPG or appointment times. If thats the case then I just tell them the way I'm going and why...usually shorter my way also to help keep the oor down. Its fine if they don't want to pay the tolls but they don't want to adjust my MPG or OOR for going their way so screw it I take my way on the big road and 9 times out of 10 is faster...which usually means getting the load off or on faster which usually means more money by the end of the week or better load selection when empty.
