TMC CDL (in-house) Training Day 1

That's not enough sleep. You are on your way to an accident or worse.

While I don't disagree w/ you, I did fail to mention that my trainer snores like a beast. I've been wearing earplugs AND my BOSE noise canceling headphones, and those 2 haven't been enough, so I've had to play ambient sound via my phone into my headphones to try and cut out as much of his snoring as possible, but nothing keeps my bunk from vibrating.

Once I'm in my own truck, my sleep will improve immediately.

Just 1.5 weeks to go. Just have to suck it up.

A couple of things that became apparent this week is that you are driving your face off each day/night to try and keep a 5 load per week and home on Friday schedule. With these trucks running 62mph and the amount of time needed to secure/break-down a load + loading/unloading time, I'm looking forward to talking with linehaul drivers and see if it's actually possible. Running team essentially, we're rolling into our consignee's between 10pm-2am and back up and running by 7 am.

I guess I had visions of running long loads that take 2 days to arrive, etc and didn't really think that you'll pick up Friday PM for a Monday am delivery, then Monday pm p/u for a tue 7 am delivery and so on and so forth and at 62mph and 6.0-6.4 mpg, man does it take a while to cover 400 and more miles.

This is something that you will get accustomed to doing, and you can make some great money, but brother we earn it! Right now you're still learning and it seems impossible to keep that pace. As a solo driver you'll learn to manage your clock so that you can maximize your available hours for the best efficiency. There's not a week that goes by when I'm not doing a little work during the time I'm logged off duty. You'll get your own groove and settle into it. It won't happen overnight. It's all part of that first year learning curve we talk about. Hang in there! There's a future flatbedder coming out of your efforts.

Solo, I'll be sixty years old on my next birthday. I'm still running flatbed and turning 3,000+ mile weeks consistently. Just today my dispatcher called me because he was in a bind on a 1,500 mile (JIT) load he had committed to, but he had no drivers with enough hours to handle it, He wanted to know if there was any way I could do it. With the nature of this dedicated account I already knew that load was coming up and I had been working my recap hours with the intention of being available for that particular load. He said he wasn't surprised, but he sure seemed relieved to have someone who could do it.

You'll get better at managing your time as you gain experience. Trust me, everyday is a learning experience. Even after years of doing this, I still get a kick out of beating these younger guys at this game. This business is very complex and competitive. The folks who keep on learning and figuring out how to make it work are continually rewarded with the kind of loads that will maximize their earnings.

Keep up the good work! You're gonna get better and better at it.

He has been showing me how to maximize my clock by sleeping at the consignee and not starting my clock until we're 1/2 way unloaded and other tips/tricks like that.

Another thread prompted me to post this here.

As of 1/17/19, this is the video (there's also a printed script they hand out at orientation) they give TMC CDL students to study for pre-trip. There have been a few changes that they tell you in person during the 1 morning they go over pre-trip, but if you watch this video enough, you'll know 99.9% more than those arriving and never having known this video existed until after they arrived.

TMC Pre-Trip video

With these trucks running 62mph and the amount of time needed to secure/break-down a load + loading/unloading time, I'm looking forward to talking with linehaul drivers and see if it's actually possible. Running team essentially, we're rolling into our consignee's between 10pm-2am and back up and running by 7 am.

I guess I had visions of running long loads that take 2 days to arrive, etc and didn't really think that you'll pick up Friday PM for a Monday am delivery, then Monday pm p/u for a tue 7 am delivery and so on and so forth and at 62mph and 6.0-6.4 mpg, man does it take a while to cover 400 and more miles.

I see you’ve mentioned being governed at 62 mph twice here. Believe it or not, that’s not a handicap, I choose to drive 62. Last week did seven loads and 3000+ miles. What will get you ahead in flatbed is learning to be efficient when it comes to strapping and tarping. When you can do a load in forty-five minutes that used to take you two hours, the speed you drive is irrelevant. Plus on days where you are driving all day, notice how often those pete’s that are doing eighty pass you, they’re not getting much further down the road than you.

On a side note, I can’t believe that’s the fuel mileage you guys get!! All that chrome must be heavy. 😁

That's not enough sleep. You are on your way to an accident or worse.

While I don't disagree w/ you, I did fail to mention that my trainer snores like a beast. I've been wearing earplugs AND my BOSE noise canceling headphones, and those 2 haven't been enough, so I've had to play ambient sound via my phone into my headphones to try and cut out as much of his snoring as possible, but nothing keeps my bunk from vibrating.

Once I'm in my own truck, my sleep will improve immediately.

Just 1.5 weeks to go. Just have to suck it up.

Too bad it's not warmer weather. You could string a hammock beneath the trailer.

Week 4 (of 5) now in the books.

Losing steam guys. Haven't slept more than a couple of hours each night in a month, but hanging in there. I'll be dropped off this coming week to test out and hopefully upgrade to my own truck where I then FULLY expect to finally get some sleep.

Between getting 1 shower/week so far, running 600 mi/day and working 14s each day, you'd think I could get some good sleep, but alas snoring is my kryptonite.

That being said, I'm VERY excited about upgrading and giving this a go on my own.

I'll update once I'm upgraded and describe that process as well as recap the 3 weeks orientation + 5 weeks of OTR training, so future members can be directed to one post for a high-level overview of their entire program.

Hang in there Solo, you're almost there. Upgrading will be like a brand new day.

Keep Going buddy, you're at the finish line now. I've been following this blog since probably day 8 I think. Its been a great factor for me choosing TMC. I Got my CDL last week through a program with the Army. and got called by TMC and Approved to attend orientation. and your blogs have been a HUGE view through the looking glass into TMC and what to expect. I look forward to joining you guys here in the next couple months. Lean forward and Drive on to the finish buddy

I’m upgraded as of yesterday and sitting at my first shipper as a rookie solo right now.

Was issued a brandnew 2019 579 automatic, just as I requested.

Such a pleasure to drive, turn, and make exits with.

So happy. Got a fair nights sleep, which is far better than my 5 previous weeks of trying to sleep above someone who snores.

More to come.

Congratulations on the exciting news!!!