sales representative

fleet manager

truck driver

technician

diesel mechanic

TMC Transportation

First of all over the road truck driving is not for everyone, some people just cannot cope with being away from their home and love ones.  A typical day involves delivering your load; upon safely delivering your load you should inspect your load for its condition, as you are unloaded and are empty you inform your driver manager, who then places you on the board to get your next load.  When you receive your next load information you need to determine the route to the shipper, and get there on time for your load appointment.  Upon being loaded you should inspect your load for damage, if there is damage notify the shipper immediately for the shipper to replace the items with good items.  Receive your Bill of Lading check the load according to what is on the BOL and count your bundles, units, etc… being sure that you have what is on the BOL, if everything is correct; Now you secure your load from forward and backward movements, and side to side movements.  If tarping is required tarp the load so that no moister can get the load wet.   Upon completion set you’re routing up for the day, stops for rest, shower, meals, and place to safely park for the night.  After you have determined your plans now it is time to execute and have a safe day.
I went to a CDL school Sellersburg IN to learn how to drive a big semi-truck, during orientation for the company TMC they taught us their way of safely securing loads, and how to better drive the semi-truck.  When I got with my trainer he taught me hands on how the loads are to be secured, and how to do the work safely and effetely, this includes the paper work involved for the BOL and out of the pocket expenses.  Once I got my own truck, I used the technics that I was trained in, I then learned ways to do the job quicker while still keeping the standard of safety in high regards.  
Management I do not have much to say I do not talk to management very much.
Usually meet co-workers on the job or in a terminal during service to the vehicle.  Some are in good spirits and some are in low spirits likes, and dislikes.  
DOT hours of service, while waiting to get loaded at a shipper, is sometimes “time” consuming this puts a crinkle in the amount of time you have to drive during the day for hours are being spent by waiting to get loaded.  This is a wearing down at times, especially if you are there for hours, upon hours waiting.  In some cases you will not be able to deliver your load in time because of the time spent getting loaded. 
Is having a good paying week and getting home on Friday, not Saturday, or Sunday.


So, if you want to drive a halfway pretty truck, sure run for TMC. Pretty on the outside, but no real driver comfort features on the inside. No APU's, no fridge, no microwaves, nothing but an inverter that relies on the truck batteries.

Ultimately what I have seen is TMC cares more about their brand than they ever will about you the driver. Bottom line: You're just a number at this company.

Some people rave about their load securement training. It's marginal at best. If you're a new driver you learn how to secure their standard loads in a standard configuration. That is NOT what you'll see in real application. The real world of TMC is bottom of the barrel shippers cramming as much of their material on the bed as they can and you have to figure out how to keep it there. You know why TMC wants everything tarped?...because it hides the rolling pile of scrap that's underneath.

You'll swap trailers and equipment constantly and you are not paid for all that time. If you legitimately clocked all of your on-duty hours with these guys you'd be out of hours by Weds / Thurs each week. The only way to get through a full week and get home with these guys and make any money is to clock onto sleeper birth the second you get to a shipper. You'll spend 3 - 5 hours waiting to load, get secured, toss tarps, swap trailers and equipment, etc. All in all you'll be working close to 100 hr weeks and MAYBE making $15 - $16 / hr when all is said and done.

Forget their ESOP program sales pitch. You're bot even eligible the first year and if the timing of your hire isn't just before the end of the year, it's really more like 2 years before you're eligible. You're not even partially vested until 3 years and fully vested at 6 years.....you might want to check the average driver tenure at TMC to see if you'll ever get that. Just another gimmick to pay you less.

Their extra pays are a joke. $30-$40 for tarping and nearly everything is tarped. Think about that in those northern winters and southern summers. You're gonna be nasty EVERY DAY.

Don't be fooled by a pretty truck in a sales pitch. These guys are a branding company and you're just a number. You're easily replaced and the loads and their CSA score mean more to them than you do.

This was my first trucking company. My orientation class had over 60 people in it for that week which should have rang a bell. TMC has very good recruiting. Those nice Petes are also seductive to a newbie. They convince you that they are the best of the best in trucking and that you are lucky to be there. They tell you how percentage pay is the best way to be paid and they convince you of it. They teach you flatbedding and do a pretty good job at it. After you complete your 4-5 weeks with a trainer (if your new) you get your own truck and then you really start to learn about trucking. It didn't take me long to figure out that TMC is really just a starter company. The pay is truly mid to low compared to other flatbed carriers, and hometime and family is not a priority at all. In my 6 months there I only got hung out on the weekend a few times, but I was almost always getting home on Saturday or leaving out really early on Sunday. That's not a weekend to me. I was at 28% of the load on pay, and many of my loads were paying $400-$500 to the truck and going 400-500 miles. Do the math. I'm sure they use percentage to cut drivers because you will never see for yourself how much a load is paying. Its just what they tell you. Many of the TMC trucks you see rolling down the road at a slow 62 mph will have two people in it. Those ain't teams. Its a trainer and trainee. Probably the highest turnover of any major flatbed company. TMC has to keep the flow of recent grads coming in like a blood transfusion. I think its baked into their business model. Seems like TMC drivers stay for about 5-12 months then leave once they learn how poor TMC is and they start learning about other companies. Their drivers, through no fault of their own, generally don't get much respect from drivers of other companies and even shippers. Generally the TMC driver is very new and it shows. But of course there are some good experienced drivers their too. My experience was similar to the ones I stayed in contact with from orientation. We all left TMC. All I can say is that TMC is the "Swift" of flatbed trucking. Its a place to start but not much of a place to stay. Good luck.

I was a temp for the tarpers position in Bloomfield Ct i advise anyone who is applying look for something else especially if your a temp worker , management treats there workers bad, we work 10 to 12 hrs a day and get one 30min break they dont have a refrigerator so you can put your lunch away instead you have to put your lunches in a storage container outside so when you go to eat lunch your food is hot and melted and your drinks are hot . they will under pay the temp and have them do work that the temp arent certified for , for example they would have us up on there trains doing engineer work when none of the temps arent engineers . i was operating a forklift without a certification. They had us working in poor weather conditions we would work outside during a snow or thunder storm operating a forklift during a thunder storm and if the thunder storm got bad they would make us wait out the thunder storm in a metal storage container they wouldnt even let us go inside the warehouse during the storms. I was fired because one of the managers from iowa said i smelled like weed so i took a drug test and passed and was still let go anyways they didnt even bother testing the other workers there, what crazy is they had a weed problem there way before i started working there. This job will drain you everyday management will make feel bad like your not a hard worker when your out in 80 to 100 degree weather or -0 doing about close to 50 trucks a day they dont appreciate there workers there they say one week they gonna feed us for are hard work then the day the food comes they'll tell us the food isnt for us its for the company or we dont deserve to eat cuz are work isnt good. The temps there have to deal with stuff like this monday thru friday to get over worked to get 12.50 and hr and to take stuff from management who sit in a office all day long.

This was my first company after getting my CDL. At the start I was very motivated to learn all I could. The training that TMC gives its drivers is very good so much that when I got into my own truck I did feel safe to operate and secure the loads I was given. TMC is a flat bed company with that being said you will have to strap, chain and tarp your loads. This requires you to be out of the truck and hands on with the loads. Remember it does rain sleet and snow in the USA. I was told home weekends and that did happen often but often I did have to stay out and run another week. TMC pays by the load% pay is nice when you STAY OUT and drive! I was given a sign on bonus and noticed that once my bonus was paid my pay increased to cover the bonus I was receiving (my option it’s not really a bonus)You will be given a fleet manager who communicates with you often, ...... this one off and you will be shun. If you can’t get along with him or her ask for another. I went through 4 through out my career. Favoritism does happen at this company. So set yourself above everyone else. No matter what driving job you chose you will always have to compete with others. TMC has very nice trucks on the outside they are the nicest trucks on the road but inside they are plain standard trucks. NO APU’s means no a/c when your parked. Idol to much you will get a call. It gets very hot in a black truck. You must buy your own fridge, microwave which since there’s no APU means it runs on battery and drains it in around 3-4 hours. I was NEVER pressured to drive beyond my drive clock. And safety is at the top of the list at TMC. The trucks are governor at 62mph which is good for that driver fresh out of school. All in all you get out what you put in with this company. It’s a good flatbed company to start out with.

In my experience of 5 years at TMC, I've already quit twice first time too just enjoy my summer the second was to work for an O/O with unfortunally did not work out. My problem with TMC they just don't have the run's like they use too @ the frieght is just so cheap I can make $180 per day at home doing local for all the waiting around it's just not worth it too me. Along with going 62mph that's a JOKE especiall when they are going to E-Logs. Maybe the saftey department should look at quality drivers @ try holding on too them
Instead of puttting new guys inn the trucks at a high rate, then we here complaints on the trucks being damaged/rolled over. I'm not the only driver who believes this there are many that say the same thing.

TMC does have nice trucks and are currently putting new one's in the fleet but inn the end people want to get paid over having a brand new truck to drive. The few things I enjoy would be home time they are very good with this regardless of your FM sometimes you got ta make them just understand by talking out your needs. The hotel in Des Moines is also very nice @ most of the staff is friendly. I just feel like it's more babysitting then letting me do my job!! They are great to start with if you can make it long enough here, most companies respect you working for TMC if you decide to leave, flatbedding is semi-hard work and not for everybody. Average salary here starts around 35k-50k and up too 60k+ if you like to train. I have to say thought they maintain there trucks better then most, I don't mind washing the truck unlike companies that never do. All @ all your gonna have to shovel some bullsh!t just like anywhere else.

TMC as a whole is a great place to work for; however beware of any company that tells you about all these great benefits. If the benefits and the environment is so great why are they looking to recruit you? Home time will always vary and don't read into the information packed about being home Friday mid day. Thats something thats a rarity. Some loads will bring you into Saturday morning or how about getting a load at 12pm on a Friday afternoon with a 5 hour bounce. I believe you get what I am saying now. 


Loads will vary, why? Do you want to be home for the weekend? If not then you can run 2 weeks out and that's when you see money. You'll get loads leaving all over the place knowing you don't have to be home for the weekend, plus some loads that you'll get will take you cross country. 

Benefits are great for a single individual but for a family you are spending about $450 a month for a family medical. 401k, and additional insurance. ESOP is after 1 year with the company. 

Read all information carefully and leave no stone unturned. You are as responsible for the equipment as much TMC. It's your truck and temporary trailer. 

<WARNING> YOU WILL BE WORKING MORE THAN 70 HOURS A WEEK. Unstrapping, un-tarpig, and getting unloaded including the folding of tarps are all done off the clock (yes you only show 30 minutes to unload on your logs). As an individual doing it alone its a bit time consuming especially in inclement weather and you'll find that by the end of the week you will have worked far more than 70 hours.

PROS:

TMC is a great company to get your feet wet in the flatbed industry. I say this because they excel in their training and helping their drivers out in tough situations. I liked how they tried their best to get you to your desired location on the weekends too. 

CONS: Trucks are governed at 65MPH. Trucks break down often. They are very strict, you will be terminated if you cause any sort of accident that is preventable. They want you to look professional any time you are out of the truck. They want their trucks spotless in and out. You will work insanely hard and long hours especially if you are new to flat bedding. Personally none of this bothers me because that is their company standards although it may bother some.

Pay: They pay their drivers okay. Depending on where you live and your performance you will make anywhere from 26%-30% of the truck revenue to start, up to 34%.  There are plenty of opportunities to make tons of money depending on how long you stay out and how hard you work. My best week was $2,400 to my pocket. Your pay entirely depends on the loads your manager gets which come from a load planner.

Final Thoughts: I think nothing but good things about this company. Yes they aren't perfect and their pay might be low to some, but there is always something to complain about at any job you go to. TMC was my first CDL job and I never realized how good they were when I was running with them. I ran with them for a year, they value safety over loads, and they do their best to cater to their drivers. Give them a shot if you are willing to work hard and travel the lower 48. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
Since the beginning everything that I was told was a lie 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Every time I called in for help as a new driver I was always made to feel demeaning like I was bothering them and that I was a l nuisance I was really let down with this company they advertised a positive environment for new drivers and every time I needed help I was always a bother to them. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
They only care about the money in the end if you have issues at home or if you need to be with your family they will make you feel worthless and always give you attitude when needing help it’s never a positive walk through with any situation 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
I love driving but not with this company I served the military for many years and I know when I’m doing wrong but I’ve realized I will not be treated like I was in the military by a civilian if you want to be treated worthless then and have demeaning support, minimal time in between you pickup and drop off, a pore attitude from your managers, and very little flexibility  then work with this company they also make you put yourself in the sleeper birth while on duty unloading or loading so you can work more then 14 hours in a day. You would be better off going with a different company I’ve talked to many truckers in the company and most are here just for the experience they are all sick of the way they are being treated at TMC go to another company and save yourself the hardship.

For sure one of the best places to start, TMC is very thorough with securement training. Many good trainers out there teaching new guys how to drive. The company has nice trucks and equipment (Pete 579s 2015 & newer I believe). They are going all automatic with new trucks. Unfortunately for as nice trucks as TMC has, you’ll only go 62mph max. It makes a big deal when you need to get around someone on the highway or need to be in the left lane at any point in time. I was paid okay for what I was doing but not great and I was getting good home time for living in the Midwest.  TMC does have an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP) if that works for you but not all drivers want to retire doing this. Benefits seemed lacking & when you have truck problems you will be waiting a lot for little pay and it all just falls apart. I spoke to many other companies and realized the pay and benefits that I was missing out on. I decided that it was time to move on elsewhere. I always worked hard and have been very polite, on time and did many favors. However, my fleet manager was very negative after I mentioned I was ready to move on and showed little respect for me as a person. I will have to say after all that time spent, I am very disappointed how things had to end. I just wanted to do what was best for myself and the rest of my life. I still cleaned my truck and turned it in respectfully when I was finished. Hope the review helps others.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Sales representative 1 salary reported	$55,000 per year
Fleet manager 27 salaries reported	$59,852 per year
Truck driver 4 salaries reported	$55,000 per year
Technician 8 salaries reported	$19.22 per hour
Diesel mechanic 12 salaries reported	$28.93 per hour

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