CDL Student Looking For Advice

Hello all, I've recently retired from the Navy after 20 years (December 2014) and I'm currently attending National Training Inc in Jacksonville, Florida. I'll be honest and say that I never considered driving commercially before, but with the lack of jobs in the area especially within the specialized field that I was apart of in the military, I've decided becoming a truck driver would be interesting. It would allow me to travel as I'm used to yet see my family more than the long deployments. I'm starting my second week and I'm thinking of going into the flatbed area of trucking. I've narrowed by decision to either Cypress or TMC. I'm really leaning heavily towards TMC Dor several factors but I'd like to know if:

1. TMC is a reputable company to start my career? I've read many of the post here on TT about staying in your first company for at least a year.

2. They pay their drivers by percentage of the load. Starting at 26% and increasing 1% with each positive monthly review. Can some explain to me if that's a good pay plan? If I'm thinking of it correctly it allows a newbie like myself to dictate my own pay increases based on performance. What's an average weekly pay check though?

Thank you all in advanced and thank you for such a positive forum for us newbies to learn and understand from. Ican't tell you how many posts I've read in the short time I've been a member, but I can say I can't seem to stop reading.

Regards Jose

Hey Jose, I use to work for tmc years ago. They treated me pretty well, I got home at noon most Fridays and left out Sunday nights/ Monday mornings most weeks.

My fleet manager was pretty good to me. I live in New Jersey and it was almost like clockwork every Wednesday night to be heading to Massachusetts area to deliver Thursday. That was usually followed by a drop and hook pre loaded trailer at a Lowes distribution in Westfield, Massachusetts to be delivered Friday morning in a Northeastern new Jersey Lowes store. Lowes unloaded us between 6 and 7 am and always got a load of shingles out of Owens Corning in Kearny, nj and was home by noon because i only live an hour away from kearny. That was followed by a Monday delivery anytime before 330, 4pm usually only 4 to seven hours away, so i left Sunday nights, Monday mornings depending on how far it was. This was a number of years ago, so I don't know if they still have those accounts.

I was all over the place east of Mississippi river every week. The only times I was west of the Mississippi river was when I told my fleet manager to keep me out longer because I didn't want to go home.

I made about 700 to 1200 weekly. I think they paid ten dollars to tarp back then. I made about 27,28 percent most of the time ( I liked to idle while not driving when it was hot outside) .

Truck went 65mph Peterbilt 379 13 speed Eaton.

This is all older information, maybe some one that's worked there more recently can help you better.

Any other questions feel free to ask

Hey Jose, I use to work for tmc years ago. They treated me pretty well, I got home at noon most Fridays and left out Sunday nights/ Monday mornings most weeks.

My fleet manager was pretty good to me. I live in New Jersey and it was almost like clockwork every Wednesday night to be heading to Massachusetts area to deliver Thursday. That was usually followed by a drop and hook pre loaded trailer at a Lowes distribution in Westfield, Massachusetts to be delivered Friday morning in a Northeastern new Jersey Lowes store. Lowes unloaded us between 6 and 7 am and always got a load of shingles out of Owens Corning in Kearny, nj and was home by noon because i only live an hour away from kearny. That was followed by a Monday delivery anytime before 330, 4pm usually only 4 to seven hours away, so i left Sunday nights, Monday mornings depending on how far it was. This was a number of years ago, so I don't know if they still have those accounts.

I was all over the place east of Mississippi river every week. The only times I was west of the Mississippi river was when I told my fleet manager to keep me out longer because I didn't want to go home.

I made about 700 to 1200 weekly. I think they paid ten dollars to tarp back then. I made about 27,28 percent most of the time ( I liked to idle while not driving when it was hot outside) .

Truck went 65mph Peterbilt 379 13 speed Eaton.

This is all older information, maybe some one that's worked there more recently can help you better.

Any other questions feel free to ask

Thanks for the quick response Hard W. They meet most of my major needs and from everything I've read about trucking companies, it's best to find one that suits you the best.

Reading through your experience, it sounds like TMC and I would make a good fit for each other. As a newbie I wasn't familiar with the percentage pay since all the recruiters that visit my school talk about CPM. thanks for putting such personal info in your response. That's goes to show the true character of the personnel on this forum. It helps in explaining all of this to my wife. Stay safe and prosper.

Jose, first off, from one vet to another, thank you.

You'll find an answer to any question you can possibly think of on here. The people are outstanding and very straightforward in responses. Sometimes it isn't the answer you want to hear but at least it's honest and most of those are coming from true veterans of trucking who want to see people succeed in this lifestyle. Rather than people posting their ***** gripes and complaints like other sites, the name of this one hold true as the trucking truth.

Welcome, good luck and hopefully will see you out in the road sometime.

Jose, first off, from one vet to another, thank you.

You'll find an answer to any question you can possibly think of on here. The people are outstanding and very straightforward in responses. Sometimes it isn't the answer you want to hear but at least it's honest and most of those are coming from true veterans of trucking who want to see people succeed in this lifestyle. Rather than people posting their ***** gripes and complaints like other sites, the name of this one hold true as the trucking truth.

Welcome, good luck and hopefully will see you out in the road sometime.

Robert,

Thank you for your service and for the advice on the quality of the forum. Since it was brought to my attention about a month ago, I can't keep from finding more and more information. The members are truly top notch professionals who want to see future truckers like myself succeed. I vow to keep the integrity of this forum intact by keeping a positive attitude and at least with tact when I need you all to vent to or get a different perspective.

My school hosted a Job Fair this past weekend and to be frank, I never gave flatbeds a thought until I heard the recruiter talking to it. He really had me thinking about it and I think it's for me. Besides the money, they pay me to work out like the military did. What an added benefit. TMC wasn't the company representing flatbeds but as I read through the how to chose a trucking company, I was able to reduce the companies that fit my situation at the time. I read a lot of Old Timers posts also. I value his opinions so I try my best to learn as much as possible. Hope to meet you out there. Thanks again for the quick response.

I meant Old School not Old Timer. My apologies.

Some more stuff I remember after looking at my pay papers. Breakdown pay was 100 dollars and nyc borough pay was 20 dollars when you went into Manhattan, Brooklyn, bronx, queens, Staten Island (I squeezed 20 out of them for long island a few times Iol). They also have stop pay which was I believe 20 dollars per stop if more than one. I have nothing bad to say about that company, they always treated me right and Im probably gonna go back to them one day.

We ran paper logs back then and I always tried to sleep at my consignee , so I had maximum hours the next day to go again. Be prepared to tarp almost everyday, and deliver & pick up everyday on the line haul division.

When you're done with your trainer, contact me and I'll tell you how to set up the fancy 3 door cabinets on the back of the tractor the best way ever (With your flatbedding equipment [chains, coil racks, coil mats, steel/lumber/padding/smoke tarps, straps, edge protectors, bungees, etc] I even carried a small generator in there).

I'll also tell you the best way to raise and haul around a bad tire (you'll have to carry them around with you for awhile until you can get rid of it at an authorized place).

If I remember more stuff I'll let you know.