Driver at TMC Transportation
Army vet loves freedom of new career as long-haul truck driver.
by Warren Duffie

It’s a high-speed battle of wills. You merge your 30-ton 18-wheeler onto a busy highway. You shift gears, speed up, and watch for those smaller vehicles swarming around you like angry bees.

The process is enough to frazzle anyone’s nerves. But for Mike Arrington, who drove and fueled trucks on the battlefields of Iraq, it’s just another day’s work.

“Luckily, I’m a very cautious driver,” said Arrington, 33. “This type of work requires a lot of patience because people don’t understand that with our weight, it’s not easy to stop or slow down a truck. So it’s safety first with me all the time.”

On The Job
Arrington, a former Army staff sergeant, is a driver with TMC Transportation, one of America’s premier flatbed carriers. He hauls and delivers construction parts – lumber, ladders, pipes, drywall, etc. – to Home Depots and various building sites nationwide.

Based in Jacksonville, Fla., Arrington and his Peterbilt 387 rig rumble across all 50 states: “My favorite states for driving are Illinois, Georgia, Florida and Alabama. I’ve hauled a lot of interesting loads. The most challenging was a bunch of special foam used in ceiling work. I had to stop every half hour to make sure it was secure and hadn’t fallen off my rig.”

Arrington usually works Monday through Friday. Each Friday night he picks up his first load for the following week. Early Monday morning he hits the road. Each time Arrington makes a delivery, he contacts TMC and is told where to pick up the next load. This heavy-duty process continues all week.

“In a way, I’m like my own boss in the truck,” he said. “I’m responsible for picking up and delivering my loads. I also have to take care of my truck. Each time I head out, I check the fluids, make sure the windows are clean, and see that the tires have proper air in them.”

The Company
TMC Transportation was founded in 1972. With thousands of tractor-trailers running coast to coast, it’s one of North America’s largest flat-bed carriers. Based in Des Moines, Iowa, the privately held company is located on a scenic, 50-acre campus that boasts state-of-the-art training and maintenance facilities and an upscale Baymont Inn and Suites – the industry’s first driver hospitality center.

TMC has one of the industry’s top driver pay programs. Drivers can choose either a performance- or mileage-based compensation program. Employee benefits include health insurance, 401(k), free life insurance, paid vacation, profit sharing, training and education, and a wellness program.

The company offers a driver training and apprenticeship program approved by the U.S. Department of Labor. Those who complete the program successfully receive a Certificate of Completion of Apprenticeship from the Labor Department. Military veterans can use their GI Bill benefits for up to two years in this apprentice program. For more information, visit www.tmctrainingcenters.com.

But TMC also needs other employees besides drivers. Job opportunities include fleet operators and managers, mechanics, accounting, human resources and public relations.
“One of the things I like about TMC is the equipment,” Arrington said. “The trucks are among the nicest and best-maintained in the industry. Once a truck hits a certain mileage, you’re given a new one while it receives maintenance work.”

In Uniform
A Philadelphia native, Arrington enlisted in the Army in 1995 to see the world. After boot camp at Fort Sill, Okla., he attended air defense training at Fort Bliss, Texas. After nine years of driving Humvees and other heavy vehicles, Arrington became a fueler. During his military career, he served in New York, Kansas, Kosovo, and twice in Iraq.

The Transition
Arrington left the military in 2008 to provide a more stable life for his family and get an early start on his civilian career. He attended ACAP classes and did a lot of research and job seeking.

“One day I was talking to someone about trucking school, and he mentioned a school down in Florida,” Arrington said, “so I went down there to check it out. TMC had sent a representative to the school, and I really liked what he had to say. TMC also has a reputation as one of the best trucking companies out there. I decided I wanted to work there.”

After attending TMC’s driver training school, Arrington drove with a trainer for five additional weeks, underwent several exams, and was cleared to work on his own: “I was nervous my first day by myself, but I saw the job as a mission. I was determined to do it right.”

Arrington’s Advice
Take advantage of all of your military benefits. “Take as many college classes as you can while you’re still in. Get a degree or certification. Use your GI Bill benefits. Don’t pass up these valuable benefits. You’ve earned them.”

Have a plan. “You might not get a job right when you get out. That’s why you need to network in advance. Get your name out there before you separate from the military.”

Save your money. “Civilian life is more expensive. You need to be prepared to absorb the cost.”