My TMC Transport Orientation And Training

Congrats man! I hope you get a friendly trainer. But if not, don't let it stress ya. It's only temporary. Approach it like you would the military - you do whatever it takes to get through it and come out successful in the end. You may not like it at the time, but it's worth it in the end.

Luckily my trainer is a really nice guy!

10/14/13-10/18/13

First week on the road has been great. I was in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. We hauled freight of all kinds for menards, greasy bars, sheet steel, and griffin pipe. I'm learning a lot about actually doing the job instead of just how to drive a truck like before, and I couldn't be having more fun with it. My trainer likes to go home every weekend, so as a consequence I will likely be home every weekend during training. Once I get my own truck I plan on staying out longer. Some of the places flatbeds are expected to back into are ridiculous.

Steve,

Thank you for all of the detailed posts you have made. You have given a clear, concise view of what to expect with TMC. After being through four, yes, four, layoffs this year, I am considering getting my CDL-A and driving. TMC has been one of the companies I have been looking at and you have really made a positive influence on where I who I would like to drive for.

Steve,

Thank you for all of the detailed posts you have made. You have given a clear, concise view of what to expect with TMC. After being through four, yes, four, layoffs this year, I am considering getting my CDL-A and driving. TMC has been one of the companies I have been looking at and you have really made a positive influence on where I who I would like to drive for.

I'm glad I was able to help! OTR Training Week 10/20/2013-10/26-2013 We packed out Sunday for a small town in Virginia to make our delivery first thing Monday morning. Those mountain roads in small town Virginia are something else. We pulled off on the shoulder of VA-80 and I snapped a picture. Rest of the week went well. I logged a lot of miles and we went from Michigan to Virginia to deliver, to west virginia to pick up the next load, to Pennsylvania to deliver, to New York (upstate) to pick up the next load, to Alabama to deliver, picked up another load in Alabama, then shot up to Nebraska to deliver it, finally we picked up a load in western Iowa that delivers Monday morning (we'll head out tomorrow for it). In the mix we also had truck service in the quad cities Friday night. What a week, so far I still love the OTR lifestyle and still get along well with my trainer. Three more weeks then I get my own truck.

Way to go sounds like your staying pretty busy and learning a lot!!!! Thanks for keeping us updated. I hope to following your footsteps here in a few weeks...

Hey Steve,

Are you still driving hard out there with TMC?

Steve,

Thanks very much for putting the time in to create these detailed posts. SO appreciated.

I wanted to comment on the vids they made you watch.

Once upon a time, I worked for the MSP Intl Airport. That's in the Twin Cities. I got a job as a fueler and to make damn sure we got the point about safety, we were required to view photos of a man who was sucked through a 737's engine. BRUTAL! Some of these places are relentless when it comes to safety, but I take your position in viewing it as a positive thing.

Hope things are going splendid with TMC! They're on of my top choices along with Roehl and Crete.

Will be going to TMC may 5th. was wondering if you do all the driving during your 5 weeks or do yall trade off?

Steve,

Great set of posts/updates and photos. One really does get a truer sense of how thing's will go.

I start training for my CDL-A on April 7th, don't complete the course until June 13th, and my first choice has been and still is TMC. It sounds like there is a whole lot of training that will need to be accomplished at TMC without real pay for a good long time. I am a little worried about that, I have been unemployed and collecting since January 6th, 26 weeks will end the week of July 4th. It appears there will be quite a few weeks of bringing $400 to $450 home. That may not work for me right out of the gate. I'm going to have to discuss that with the wife, I may have to put my favorite company on hold until I am much more seasoned and have a bit more cash in the bank.

Love your posts all the same, you have given great insight and much needed information!!

Peace and happy trucking!

I am a recent CDL graduate, trying to get hired on with TMC. I was just wondering if they do a urinalysis sample at orientation, because I have small non obstructing kidney stones and the recruiter is giving me a story about if they find more than 1+ of blood in my urine they will send me home.. Now with that said, ive always wanted to drive for this company, but now theyre kinda shooting my hopes down because of this issue I cant control, even though I was cleared through the DOT physical. I am in excellent shape and have no pain or visible blood in my urine. I just wanna know if they do a urinalysis( with the drug screen) for my own sanity.

Was the drug test for TMC a hair follicle or UA..? As I don't have any hair to give.... -Thanks

thought I'd start this thread up for anyone recent CDL graduates thinking about TMC.

9/29/2013 This was the travel day. Most people had to take the bus, but a few of us were lucky to ride out in rental cars with TMC employees who just finished their time with a trainer and were heading back to Iowa to test out and get their own trucks. I got some good information about what to expect, and it was a lot more fun than taking the bus. I met the other two at i-94 near ann arbor, michigan at a pilot station and we were off at about 2 AM. Des Moines bound. We arrived in Des Moines a little after 10, got ourselves some breakfast, then hit the hotel. The hotel staff were very nice and got me my room key as well as an orientation packet. I took a nap then went for a jog on the country roads through the cornfields. It is beautiful out here. I came back exhausted, ate a quick dinner, and got to sleep for the first actual day of orientation.

9/30/2013 The shuttle from the hotel was to leave at 6:45AM. The packet instructed us to eat a light breakfast avoiding caffeine and sweets. I had some unsalted almonds and a bottle of water and was on my way. We arrived at the training center around 7:30 and were split up by new drivers and experienced drivers and sent into separate rooms. The room for new drivers was basically a big computer lab. Our names were already on pieces of paper at the top of each monitor so we knew where to sit. Our classroom instructor, George, is rude, crude, funny, and most importantly honest. He is telling us the truth of what it is going to be like out there, both good and bad. We started doing some computer learning modules and shortly after we were sent for a physical. The physical itself was very laid back (compared to the one I experienced in my very brief time at prime). All the nurses and doctors were very nice and got us through quickly without rushing us though. It was typical physical stuff including blood pressure check, drug test, eyesight test, hernia check, reflex check, and some other moving bending. After this we went back to the classroom for a very short time before being sent out to a garage on the yard for part two of our physical. This was the hard part, we met with a physical therapist who showed up proper lifting techniques. Then we had to lift the 120 pound lumber tarp up onto our shoulder, walk about thirty feet, and place it on the trailer. After that we had to climb the side of the trailer (jump to put our belly on it, then swing ourselves over), and lift the tarp onto a coil. We then, using three contact points, walked around the coil and took the tarp down on the other side. Next we safely climbed down the back of the trailer, walked back to where we set the tarp, picked it up, and carried to back 20 feet to where we started. Then we had to properly crawl under the trailer without straining our backs. Finally we had to climb a ladder to the top of a 13'6" load and stand with our toes off the edge before climbing back down. We lost one person from the orientation because he couldn't climb the side of the trailer, he was sent home. Then back to the building for lunch. They feed you like kings at TMC. After that back to the classroom for more testing as well as filling out some general forms (tax forms etc.). It really wasn't too long of a day, they sent us back on the bus around 5.

10/1/2013 Today started the same with the shuttle heading to the training center at 6:45. We got there and went straight to our classrooms. Today we spent a little time on our computer tests, but far more we were being instructed about load planning, qualcomm , company policies, and more. I'm pretty tired so I don't think I will touch on all of it today, but most of the day was spent in the classroom. After 5 half the group went home and the other half stayed for more time on tests, 13 speed shifting practice on the simulators, and straight backing in the yard. The 13 speed (on the simulator at least) really wasn't hard to shift, pretty fun really. In the yard they had us run up to fourth gear while going forward, then downshift to 3rd, then stop and back up in idle through about 100 feet of cones. These peterbilts are NICE trucks.

This is all for now, leave any questions you have for me here and I'll get back to you.