Does Not Advancing Out Of Orientation Effect Your DAC And Going To Another Companies Orientation.

I recently finished TMC two week orientation. I did not get a 5 week position with a trainer, I had difficulties with the 13 speed shifting. I put way to much pressure on myself and I let myself become frustrated. I progressed some but not enough. I was disappointed that the different instructors for the road portion were not more consistent and helpful. I am not trashing TMC, they have there methods and obviously are very successful. Their operation is very squared away. It's just that I really wanted this and am extremely disappointed. I will make a good employee for another flatbed company so I need to make a decision to move ahead. I am not in Maverick's area for flatbed, only their climate controlled and glass division. So that leaves Melton Roehl and some others. I am considering Maverick with the hope of their flatbed expanding and being able to move over to it from the glass or climate divisions.

Will not being hired by TMC affect my chances with other companies? If any one needs advice on being successful with TMC I would be glad to answer question from my experience. They are strict but fair, but in my opinion do not do enough to help you if your struggling. Basically I think they have the sink or swim attitude with their students. For example before going out on the road, I struggled with the simulator shifting session, surely the instructor realized it but made no effort to straighten me out. Extra time help or attention did not seem available or an option with them. Is this how other companies approach orientation? In the end though I could have done better so have no one to blame but myself and need to move forward. And land a job I've got a mortgage and family!

I know for Schneider training they help you with what you need. My trainer saw me having some issues downshifting and focused on helping me. they also helped me become better at backing.

I asked a question like this in another thread. I was told if I failed an agility test, and couldn't pick the tarps up, it wouldn't go on the DAC. I don't think an honest failure would go on your DAC. Now if you failed because you had alcohol, failed a drug test, refused a drug test, or decided to just leave orientation and go home without telling anyone (very inconsiderate) that would go on your DAC.

Will not being hired by TMC affect my chances with other companies?

No, it won't. You'll be fine. Just apply like crazy to other companies if you haven't already and keep moving forward. Forget about TMC like it never happened - no big deal.

Make sure you list TMC on your applications though. Even though you weren't officially hired on you'll have to include that as part of your history.

But don't sweat it a bit. Everyone hits difficulties getting their career off the ground. Just keep moving forward and remain confident. You'll be out there making a living before you know it.

Hey Glenn, don't let that bother you at all. I got sent home from TMC twice - that's right - I attended two different orientations there and they sent me home both times. It has had no ill effects on my career, in fact it just made me want to excel at this all the more! Nothing went on my DAC report. If you want to do flat-bed work I recommend you try Melton - I think they will be more willing to work with you a little more, and they are a great company to work for also.

Hey Glenn, don't let that bother you at all. I got sent home from TMC twice - that's right - I attended two different orientations there and they sent me home both times. It has had no ill effects on my career, in fact it just made me want to excel at this all the more! Nothing went on my DAC report. If you want to do flat-bed work I recommend you try Melton - I think they will be more willing to work with you a little more, and they are a great company to work for also.

If you get sent home from orientation from being slow at some skills, how long until they will take you back and let you go through it again?

If it's skills related I think the typical response is go work for someone else and then call us after you have three months experience. If you are going to attempt that scenario, my suggestion would be to stick it out wherever you start for a full year and then decide if you want to try TMC again at that point. That year will make a huge difference in not only your skills, but also your perspective.

TMC said I could come back in six months. I am almost certain I will not return, I appreciated the culture there and how on point they are but to be honest, there were way to many instructors there that have forgotten what it is like to be completely new at something. There were also some that were also absolutely outstanding. The older we get the harder it is to learn new tricks, I put a lot of pressure on myself because of my family and finances. I was not able to relax in the truck with their road instructors. One sat in the seat with his arms crossed the whole time like he was being tortured, (maybe he was with my shifting) would it have killed him to appear like he was interested in my success. Would one compliment have helped me relax...maybe. I really wanted to tell one of them where to go but didn't, I remained a good student throughout and came up short at the end. I do see it as their loss because I am determined to succeed. I realize also now I should have went with my first choice and been patient until they were ready to take me. Because I went to TMC and was not hired I lost out on my tuition reimbursement with my next company. Lesson learned be certain with your decision and set yourself up for success and relax. Easier said then done for some of us.

I am set up with Maverick temp control with the understanding that I can transfer to the flatbed division or glass in the future. I hope this is true, the recruiter Marshall was real helpful each time we talked. My heart is set on flatbed for the extra work involved, to break up the driving hopefully over time their flatbed division expands to include my area I am just outside of it now in Allentown PA. I realize there are other flat bed companies but they all have manual transmission and while I'm not scared I may be scarred by the 13 speed experience. I can't afford to screw it up again.

I leave out Friday and start orientation on Sunday morning. Thanks everyone. I hope to keep posting.

Good job Glenn! Glad to hear you got something going at Maverick - you'll do very well over there.

Just keep pressing forward. I hit a lot of snags when I first tried to get started on this as a second career, and it all worked out just fine, but it was frustrating during the time of it all.

BTW, I have a friend who seriously wanted to be a flat-bedder, but he got put with a trainer at Prime who drove a reefer. At the end of his training period he loved pulling the reefer so much he never looked back. He's still pulling a reefer for Prime today, several years later.

Best of luck Glenn. And keep a positive attitude. I'm the type that will believe wholeheartedly til the very end that I have always had complete control over my own destiny. No matter where I'm trying to go I'll get there, or not, because of my performance. In your last statement I could hear you don't really believe it was entirely your fault:

"there were way to many instructors there that have forgotten what it is like to be completely new at something"

" I realize also now I should have went with my first choice and been patient until they were ready to take me"

......and the one I really hate:

"The older we get the harder it is to learn new tricks"

Baloney to all of that I say. Those instructors knew exactly what they were doing and they haven't forgotten anything. And it's not any harder for you to learn how to drive a truck now than it would have been when you were 18.

TMC has a lot of former military personnel in management and they know how to run a tight ship. They don't play around. They put a little pressure on the students because trucking requires people to be able to handle it. It's a thankless job, it's risky, and you're under a lot of pressure all the time in life and death circumstances. And what happened when they put the screws to you a little bit?

I was not able to relax in the truck with their road instructors. One sat in the seat with his arms crossed the whole time like he was being tortured, (maybe he was with my shifting) would it have killed him to appear like he was interested in my success. Would one compliment have helped me relax...maybe. I really wanted to tell one of them where to go but didn't

....you cracked just a little bit. You didn't come unglued, but apparently they didn't feel like you were quite ready for what they wanted to throw at you. No big deal.

So don't give yourself any wiggle room to put the blame anywhere but yourself. Go to the next place fiercely determined to succeed no matter what. You don't need smiling, friendly instructors to learn how to do this. When you get out in the real world people are going to be blowing horns at you, giving you the finger, and screaming out the window while you're trying to back in off a busy street. Trust me, nothing those instructors were doing at TMC even came close to what you're going to experience out on the road. Not even close.

So just focus on learning all you can and performing your best. There's no question you can do this. The only question is whether or not you'll keep at it until you're successful. As long as you don't quit on trucking you'll get there.