TMC Transportation Names Trainer of the Month for April 2014

TMC Transportation Names Trainer of the Month for April 2014

DES MOINES, Iowa, July 30, 2014 – TMC Transportation, the largest employee-owned flatbed carrier in the nation, recently named driver Gary Hendrickson as the Trainer of the Month for April 2014.

TMC driver Gary Hendrickson began driving in his early-fifties and was often mistaken as a veteran flatbed driver. A mere five months into his career with TMC, Gary decided to take on the additional role of driver trainer.

“I had that look about me like I had been doing it forever,” he says. “I was always getting questions from fellow rookie drivers who assumed I had the answers, so I figured I might as well try it.”

“I had that look about me like I had been doing it forever,” he says. “I was always getting questions from fellow rookie drivers who assumed I had the answers, so I figured I might as well try it.”

Gary worked in an upper-management corporate setting for nearly 30 years before he decided to make a change. Feeling restless, Gary acquired his CDL, signed on with TMC and took to the road in search of an adventure.

“In the first four months I had been to every state and Canada. I love having the opportunity to travel from coast to coast for a living.”

“In the first four months I had been to every state and Canada. I love having the opportunity to travel from coast to coast for a living.”

Gary acquired a lot of knowledge from his own trainer, but he feels that he really started learning the challenges of flatbed once he went out on his own. Because of this, he believes that training must be a hands on experience.

“I hand them the keys when we first get in the truck,” Gary explains. “They do 90-95 percent of the driving and I’m sure to run their clock out every day. During this time, I’m always testing them. First it is about what they learned in school, during orientation… then on what they’re taking in. For example, a few miles after we pass a mile marker, I ask him what number it was to test his attentiveness. I call it ‘road vision’… you have to take it all in.”

Gary admits that he can be a tough trainer. He sticks to the rules and ensures that safety is the number one priority.

“I tell them there are DOT rules, TMC rules, and then there are Gary’s rules,” he says. “Gary’s rules are so far above everything else when it comes to what’s expected.”

Gary takes pride in knowing that he is putting safe drivers on the road, and even compares the training experience to raising children. He enjoys watching them grow and excel in their careers. He has made great friends along the way and keeps in regular contact with his former trainees.

Gary wants every driver and driver trainer to know, “it’s not about time; it is about doing the right thing.”

Driver trainers are vital to the TMC training department and each month a trainer is chosen who demonstrates the outstanding qualities TMC looks for in a trainer. The trainer of the month recipient is chosen based on their safety record and the safety performance of their trainees, the number of drivers trained and the retention percentage of those drivers.

About TMC

TMC Transportation is the nation’s largest employee-owned flatbed transportation company. TMC provides expert transportation services and supply-chain management solutions throughout the 48 contiguous states. Founded in 1972, TMC is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, and is known for its integrity, innovation, superior safety record and dedication to quality and customer service. The company’s claim-free, on-time delivery record is the best in the business and is consistently recognized by its customers. Visit us at – www.tmctrans.com.