JB Hunt, TMC Transportation

Got a call from JB Hunt and TMC Transportation for a job. Any experience with these companies or any advice about these two?

BJ, both companies are good solid companies to work for. I'm not sure what type of freight you want to get into, but TMC is a flat-bed fleet. J.B. Hunt has all kinds of different freight with a lot of different possibilities in differing regional and dedicated accounts. You could earn a good solid paycheck at either place. I would assume that with you coming from the oil field work that you might be happier as a flat-bed driver, but of course I really don't even know you.

I think you are doing the right thing by looking into some over the road stuff for right now, that oil field work will come back, but for now it's gonna be a little sketchy - even if you do find a job in that field it's not likely that it will hold up for very long.

Hey Old School, I listen to your advice and insight everytime we chat. It's not a lot and it's been a while but I pay attention when you've got something to say. I know how to drive, that is no problem, what I don't know is the trucking industry and the ins and outs. I just talked to TMC TRANS and here's a run down of what they said: The schedule would vary week to week. They said they are very busy. I would get an assigned truck that I would take home when I do go home. Every weekend off. Mostly. Pay- 42cents per mile or 27% of revenue of the load

Are these normal? Are they good ? Bad?

BJ, that all sounds good to me. I have never known which way to go on the whole cpm vs percentage of load thing. Here's what I would do in your situation: Start out working for the .42 cpm and see how it is working out for you after you've kind of settled into a groove at the job. During the meantime speak to some of the other drivers that you come across and see what they think about the percentage of the load pay. I would try and seek out drivers who have been with the company for two or three years at a minimum. If they think you can do better by going with the percentage pay then give it a try. That way you have your own record of cpm pay that you can compare it to.

I looked pretty hard at TMC before going to Prime -- TMC wasn't hiring out of my state, which was the kicker. I've talked to five or six TMC drivers about the pay plan and every one of them took the percentage plan. Somewhere on TMC's website it says most (I want to say 85% but my memory isn't always accurate) of their drivers opt for percentage pay.

And I've never met an unhappy TMC driver. I'm sure they exist, but haven't met one yet.

BJ,

In addition to what everyone else said, TMC has a youtube page with a video explaining mileage pay vs. percentage pay.

BJ,

I presently drive for JB Hunt. I am on a dedicated account for them, out 7 - 9 days, home for 34 hr reset or sometimes 2 - 3 days depending on what is going on.

On the account I am on (Georgia Pacific) I get paid 37 cpm and a bonus if I make 8K miles or more in a 4 week period.

So it looks like TMC as far as pay per mile is a better fit. The next thing you need to decide is what type of freight do you want to haul? That will be a very big deciding factor in itself.

Any questions about JB Hunt, let me know. Will do my best to help. Also Prime has a flatbed division, so I can give you info on that if you are interested.

Ernie

Awesome, thanks for the info:)