Heading Off To TMC Orientation

Hello everyone. First post here. I spent 19 plus years with a large transportation company working my way up the ladder from a fueler washer to my last positon of Field Maintenance Manager. Due to a large work force reduction that heat seeking bullet finally found me. Wondering what to do and asking myself if I wanted back in a corporate role I found myself wanting to drive (always wanted to do this). I have had plenty of opportunities over the years to get my CDL but never did. Finally in this situation I did it, went to school, took my road test (passed) proud new owner of a NYS CDL A. Along this route I found myself researching many companies and kept circling back to TMC. So now the question anyone out there with any feed back on them.

Welcome Jason and congratulations. Trucking Truth has reviews on all of the major carriers. Here is a link to TMC Transportation Review.

Not sure if there are active drivers on here with TMC, but there are several successful flatbed drivers on the forum. I am sure you will be hearing from them soon.

Also considering you are about to move your career forward these two links might be good information for you:

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)

Thank you G-Town

I went through tmc orientation and cdl school and been with them since. I've only been on my own about 5 weeks now so I'm still pretty new myself but I might can help answer some questions

I went through tmc orientation and cdl school and been with them since. I've only been on my own about 5 weeks now so I'm still pretty new myself but I might can help answer some questions

Chris Thank you for the Response

First off:
How was school
How was your trainer
How do you like them
Are you home every weekend if you want
Only being there 5 weeks are you 1K or are you being averaged up and if so is there the potential to make over 1k per week as a newbie.

As in my original post I kept circling back to them mostly because of the recruiters. Having been around the industry for quite awhile but never as a driver I asked straight up questions expecting to be told what I wanted to hear but instead was told straight up facts which in the end is what sold me on them.

I'm looking at TMC too. Just waiting for the yay or nay for start date. Looking forward to putting in my two weeks if I get the green light.

The recruiter I spoke to, David out of Ankeny/Des Moines, IA was really straight forward with answering all my questions.

This is all I know right now

Training for new drivers is 2-3 weeks of orientation, classroom and driving range and then 1-5 weeks with a trainer. Experienced drivers are 5 day orientation and 1-2 weeks of training.

You have the option of doing CPM or percentage of load. I think he said new drivers start around .32-35 CPM or @ .25%. Not completely sure on that pay is every Friday

The newer trucks have a power inverter in sure of its wattage size. I'd guess around 1500watts, and there's an option to payroll deduct a fridge for 240. Shop will install it for you.

Home every Friday night by 11:59pm unless the unforeseen happens. Which in trucking, probably will. You'll get enough time for a 34 hr reset. Start back out Sunday night or Monday morning depending on your loads schedule

No pets but can have riders after 90 days.

All trucks are double bunk so you'll have the top bunk for extra storage if needed.

Trucks have bunk heaters and no idle AC along with a truck security system similar to OnStar in Chevys

$20 tarp pay, $15/hr for detention pay after 2-3 hrs, $15-25 for break downs longer the. 48hrs

Prepass /ez pass for scales and tolls

That's about all I got from the recruiter.

If you go percentage based pay, you'll make more.

If you start out at 25% and the company charged the customer $2 per mile for a 800mi load you would see $400 off that load. Here's the break down of it

800mi load x (times) $2 per mile = $1600 the company charges for that load. $1600 x (times) .25 percent = 400 for your take home.

800mi load x (times) .35 CPM = $280

400-280=$120 bonus

in a 5 day period you can see around 900-1100 gross.

I used those numbers as that's what the recruited explained it to me. Figured I'd share it.

Good luck

David Let me know if you are going My start date is 4-18-2016

David Let me know if you are going My start date is 4-18-2016

Are you heading to the Ankeny/DSM campus? If I get approved tomorrow, I'll be starting the week after you.. the 25th.. Gotta do the noble thing and give my two weeks to current employer

It is in Des Moines Iowa that's all I know

It is in Des Moines Iowa that's all I know

I drive by their training facility daily. I believe you stay at their hotel which is right nixt door to the Des Moines yard. For training they bus you from Des Moines up to Ankeny (like a 15 min drive I think) and that's where the training yard is. I live 20 mins from the DSM yard and 40 from the Ankeny yard.

Hope to see ya there. You should still be in training when its my time.