TMC, Roehl Or Keller Trucking

I've got employment offers from TMC,Roehl and keller trucking. Each have there own pros and cons and I'm kind of torn. They all the same kind of home time, roughly same pay and benefits, at this point I'm just looking for some opinions. I trust the opinions of yall more then what I can find anywhere else Thank you.

Chris, TMC is flatbed only, as you probably already know. If you go with Roehl, you could switch to pulling a van if you decided you didn’t like flatbed. Just gives you more than one option. I’m not at all familiar with Keller.

Good luck.

Chris, you really need to decide what you want to start out doing. There's more risk in flatbed than there is in dry-van. There's a steeper learning curve also. You've got to learn safe, proper, and legal freight securement techniques on top of the already unique challenges of learning to handle a big rig.

I'm not trying to discourage you. I started with flatbed and loved every minute of it - I still do! I'm just trying to help you think about your decision in a way that might help.

Roehl has plenty of options. It should be easy to switch from one division to another once you've proven yourself reliable and productive. That may be your best option if you don't have a clue about what type of freight you want to haul.

If you have more specific questions, we will do our best to help.

I like the idea of flatbed just because it helps with the sedentary lifestyle of a trucker. During TMC otr training do they run as a team or do I drive and my trainer is just watching and helping? Would I get home on weekends during training? I don't need to be but I'd like to home

Chris, you really need to decide what you want to start out doing. There's more risk in flatbed than there is in dry-van. There's a steeper learning curve also. You've got to learn safe, proper, and legal freight securement techniques on top of the already unique challenges of learning to handle a big rig.

I'm not trying to discourage you. I started with flatbed and loved every minute of it - I still do! I'm just trying to help you think about your decision in a way that might help.

Roehl has plenty of options. It should be easy to switch from one division to another once you've proven yourself reliable and productive. That may be your best option if you don't have a clue about what type of freight you want to haul.

If you have more specific questions, we will do our best to help.

Home time during training is often at the discretion of the trainer. If your trainer is taking home time, you most likely will be as well. Keep in mind also that most training programs require a certain amount of hours behind the wheel or a certain amount of miles driven. Taking weekends off will drag the process out and you will have to wait longer before going solo and making more money.

During training I went home for a day and a half to get my CDL switched to my home state. When my trainer took home time I stayed at a hotel near his home.

While I was training students, most took home time when I did. On a couple occasions I dropped my students off at home while I stayed out. One of those times was during Christmas. I had no problem with my students going home whenever they needed to. But every trainer is different.

It's best to ask a recruiter if you will be able to get home on a regular basis during training. Even if the company allows it it still might be up to your trainer and their willingness to accommodate you. Taking side trips to drop a student off could interfere with their ability to make money. That's another thing to consider.

Finally, as harsh as it may sound, your employer might see your need to be home frequently during training as a sign that you lack commitment. No matter what the reason for you needing to be home is. That is not my opinion, mind you. I'm just saying what an employer might think about it.

TMC would be a nice gig if you're interested in flatbed. Keep in mind they are fairly strict with their policies. That's not a big deal for some, but it's almost a military type structure.

I would go in with the idea that you won't get home during training. It's possible, but highly unlikely. I agree with RealDiehl's comments. For you to get home, your trainer would need to live near your hometown. Otherwise, you may be put in a hotel while your trainer takes their home time.

Training time is merely a drop in the bucket when compared to your future career. Don't let home time be a distraction or a strong necessity during that time period. Focus on learning how they want things done and being safe. You'll have plenty of opportunities to get home once you're solo.

During TMC otr training do they run as a team or do I drive and my trainer is just watching and helping?

Probably you'll do a little of both, but mostly you'll be doing the biggest part of the driving while the trainer is assisting. Flatbed is not typically done in a team driving situation. My flatbed trainer and I team drove for four straight weeks. That was an anomaly, due to him being desperate for money. Just roll with your trainer's lead.

If at anytime during your training you have concerns, you can always bring them up here with us. We should be able to help you know when to just suck it up, or when to put up some resistance.

Let us know who you end up going with. Please stay in touch. There's a lot of helpful drivers here who can ease some of your anxiety as you get started in this new lifestyle.

Hi Chris. Even though I started with TMC and they let me go, I really don't have anything bad to say about them because I understand why they let me go.

But, if you wanted to go into flatbed you need to understand that it's a pretty physically demanding job. I'm not sure how old you are, but I tried it out and I'm 54 and sat on my butt the last 8 years doing IT work. I found out the hard way that it was waaaaay too much for me. If you're younger and in decent shape, it might be a good fit for you.

Whatever you decide to do I wish you all the luck in the world 🌎!

I've got employment offers from TMC,Roehl and keller trucking. Each have there own pros and cons and I'm kind of torn. They all the same kind of home time, roughly same pay and benefits, at this point I'm just looking for some opinions. I trust the opinions of yall more then what I can find anywhere else Thank you.