TMC CDL (in-house) Training Day 1

As somebody who currently runs 4+ miles every morning and goes to the gym every day, Flatbed was my only option/hope to be able to maintain any type of activity level.

Have you been able to keep up a fitness routine while OTR?

Not even once.

I ran all through orientation, but the moment I was issued my truck, that was the last time.

Put on 25lbs this year in the truck, and I can count on one hand how many times I ate at a truck stop.

That changes ~Feb 6th once I start my new local milk hauling gig. Can't wait.

Well, you didn't get the exercise in but you sure pulled the cash in....congrats on that! Hopefully you will be able to change things up a bit with the new gig.

It did change thankfully once I went local. I have a local gym membership via my employer which is pretty awesome + I built a home gym via the bonus room in the house I purchased, so back in pre-OTR shape luckily.

Thanks gang. Hopefully, this thread will serve as some value to prospective new drivers.

Still hauling, Solo?

Just going through old(er) threads, and wondering what becometh~!!

Stay & be safe; update would be awesome, if you have the time!!

Hey there! Yes, I've been hauling milk locally for ~1.5 years since leaving TMC. While I do not make TMC money, there's no way I'd go back to OTR driving unless I literally had no other choice. I'm spoiled and lazy now, haha. Being paid hourly is where it's at for me, even if it means making less.

So dang glad you 'finally' stopped back!!

I hear ya, man. I get ya. Everyone finds their 'niche' ... per se!!

Glad you got yours! Don't be a stranger, eh?

~ Anne ~

Hey Solo,

Besides these different ways you listed to increase snapshot points: Revenue to Truck, MPG, out of route%, park up, and TWIC passport hazmat are there any other ways to increase percentage pay?

Thanks

Drew

So my official hire date is 1/25, so I'm already a couple of months into my 12-month contractual agreement with TMC. That being said, this time next month it goes from a 4k balances to a 3k balance, and then another 3 months down to 2k, then 1k at 9 months of service.

That being said, I just wrapped up my first-month solo driving and wanted to share some numbers. If there are any others you'd be interested to know, let me know, and I'll try to get them.

Gross Pay: $5666.85 (this does not include any bounce/DH miles or Tarp pay) (If I were to have selected to be paid by CPM instead of %: $4446.80) (My current trend is that I'll will go from 26% of Rev To the Truck to 33% by my first snapshot if that were the case, that would increase my gross too: $7193 for the same month)

So the incentive is strong here to keep doing what I'm doing for that extra ~$1500/month for the same effort

Miles: 11,048

Avg Pay Per Load: $354.18 (@26% pay)

Weekly Truck Revenue Avg: $5082 (this gives me max points towards my snapshot

Current mpgs: 7.07 (this gives me max points towards my snapshot

Current Out of Route: %4.4 (this gives me max points towards my % snapshot)

Having Passport, TWIC, and HM endorsements gives me max endorsement points towards my snapshot

Getting parked at my consignee each Sunday evening by 9pm local has also given me max points towards my snapshot

That is all, for now, I'll be back with another update in a few more months, or as anything helpful to new CDL students arises.

Hey Solo,

Besides these different ways you listed to increase snapshot points: Revenue to Truck, MPG, out of route%, park up, and TWIC passport hazmat are there any other ways to increase percentage pay?

Thanks

Drew

So my official hire date is 1/25, so I'm already a couple of months into my 12-month contractual agreement with TMC. That being said, this time next month it goes from a 4k balances to a 3k balance, and then another 3 months down to 2k, then 1k at 9 months of service.

That being said, I just wrapped up my first-month solo driving and wanted to share some numbers. If there are any others you'd be interested to know, let me know, and I'll try to get them.

Gross Pay: $5666.85 (this does not include any bounce/DH miles or Tarp pay) (If I were to have selected to be paid by CPM instead of %: $4446.80) (My current trend is that I'll will go from 26% of Rev To the Truck to 33% by my first snapshot if that were the case, that would increase my gross too: $7193 for the same month)

So the incentive is strong here to keep doing what I'm doing for that extra ~$1500/month for the same effort

Miles: 11,048

Avg Pay Per Load: $354.18 (@26% pay)

Weekly Truck Revenue Avg: $5082 (this gives me max points towards my snapshot

Current mpgs: 7.07 (this gives me max points towards my snapshot

Current Out of Route: %4.4 (this gives me max points towards my % snapshot)

Having Passport, TWIC, and HM endorsements gives me max endorsement points towards my snapshot

Getting parked at my consignee each Sunday evening by 9pm local has also given me max points towards my snapshot

That is all, for now, I'll be back with another update in a few more months, or as anything helpful to new CDL students arises.

A lot could have changed since I left TMC, but if nothing has changed...then no, there wouldn't be anyway to increase your % until you hit year 5 where you were able to go from 34% to 35% (which again, at the time I was w/ TMC....34% was the highest you could attain until you had been with them for 5 years, then you could get a bump to 35% if everything was maxed).

I also look forward to following your journey. I'll tell ya things are going to get even more real soon! They're being nice to you and taking you in the back country roads first. We've had a couple other guys do a diary about their school and they'd mentioned they went onto Ankeny Blvd (which I'm sure eventually you'll see) their first day of driving. It isn't a terrible road by any means just alot of stop lights and in my experience they tend to drive like A**hats even more up there. Just curious are they training you guys with sticks or autos? Eventually they'll be taking you downtown Des Moines, it's easy to feel overwhelmed but remember they wouldn't take you there if they didnt feel you can handle it. I see tmc students every day and those I've talked to talk about how great it is.

Turtle says :

It isn't nearly as physical as I'd hoped however.

Plenty of jobs in food service.......

Looks like I missed a LOT of replies while I was typing up this dairy.

Everyone had to learn/drive Manuals, but it was my understanding that they would (I do not know if they have or not) be moving to an all auto-fleet due to not getting a lot of new hire apps as most new drivers do not want to drive a manual.

I know I was very nervous throughout my entire in-house training as well as BOTH (TMC made us do 2 DOT check rides (one before 5 weeks OTR training and one after before issuing us our truck)) and while I was in my 5 week OTR training section. BUT, by the end of the training I really didn't care if they issued me a manual or auto (though I did ask if they weren't going to issue me a manual, to please issue me a 12-spd auto)....and they did just that. I was issued a brand new #12986 579 Auto and boy did I enjoy that in traffic.

Now I don't know what Blackhawk issues, but I would take a manual over a 9-spd auto every day of the week. Once I learned to float up/down, driving became a much better experience, IMHO.

Now I can barely drive a passenger manual. I try to float and double-clutch...it's a mess. Thankfully my car is a self-driving EV and does the heavy lifting.