DRIVER AWARDS, TMC NEWS & BLACK AND CHROME SALUTES!
DRIVER AWARDS 5 YEARS SAFE DRIVING
15 YEARS SAFE DRIVING
ALEXANDER, GREGORY DONEL GAINEY, JOSEPH RUSSELL HAMILTON, BRADLEY JAMES B HANNAH, JEFFREY F HARTLEY, LACHELLE RAE HUTCHINS, JAY C INMAN, STEPHEN THOMAS LINDSEY, TRAVIS D MARTINEZ SANDOVAL, NICOLA MONTALVO TORRES, OMAR PAYNE, COREY LEE PURSLEY, DONALD RAY CARTWRIGHT, KENNETH J CLIFTON, RANDOLPH SCOTT LEJEUNE, BRYCE DAMON MORGAN, IAN FRANKLIN ROBERSON IV, AUBREY SCOTT BOZEMAN, JEREMY LEVI DAVIS, DANTE AKEEM GOINS, JOSEPH RYAN HIGHSMITH, ERIC DAVID LALONDRIZ, JUSTIN JC MEEK, DAMON WAYNE ONOFRE, ROY LOVELACE
CLARK II, JERRY L HORSMAN, MICHAEL VAN JOHNSON, STEVEN C SMITHERS IV, WILLIAM H MALENA, ROBERT A MICHAEL, RICHARD LEE WYNN, CLARENCE B
10 YEARS SAFE DRIVING COLON JR, ANTHONY L LOUIS, JOHN MICHAEL BROWN, MELVIN C CHERNEV, IVAN CHONEV CROSBY III, LAWRENCE B SEFFELS, KYLE ANDREW BISHOP, BRANDON S RAMBO, MICHAEL DEWAYNE RODEN, JUSTIN ALLEN SCHRIVER, JAMES RICHARD SEELEY, NICHOLAS CHRISTOP
20 YEARS SAFE DRIVING GAYLE, CHARLES HUGH GREENE, CHRISTOPHER T GRAHAM, JOHN M LEECH, ANTHONY B RICHARDS, KINSEY RALPH
25 YEARS SAFE DRIVING RANDOLPH, CHESTER L SCOTT, RONALD LEROY UNDERWOOD, JAMES LESLIE
1 MILLION SAFE MILES BOYETT, MICHAEL JAMES RICHTER, ANDREW A JUSTICE, HARVEY SHAWN ARCHIE, MICHAEL ANTHONY WEBSTER, ANTHONY LEE MASON, MICHAEL DAVID
2 MILLION SAFE MILES COFFMAN, FRANK R KELLNER, PAUL TIMOTHY HALL, KENT
TMC ANNOUNCES NEW DRIVER PAY INITIATIVES
Earlier this summer, TMC was proud to introduce three new driver pay initiatives: increased holiday pay, increased tarp pay, and the return of the continuous run program. As of Memorial Day, TMC has increased its holiday pay. All company drivers will now receive $125 per day for six holidays each year: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. With this increase, TMC now has some of the highest holiday pay for drivers in the trucking industry. “Our drivers work hard to maximize their paychecks,” says TMC President Travis Johnson. “As a company, we wanted to do our part to make holiday weeks a little easier for them.” In addition, TMC has made another change that will affect many drivers’ paychecks: raising tarp pay. Drivers will now earn $40 for smoke and steel tarping and $50 for lumber tarping, an increase of more than 20% from previous rates. TMC has also brought back its continuous run program, which enables drivers to increase their earnings by staying on the road longer. Though TMC is known for its commitment to getting drivers home weekly, the company also recognizes that some drivers might prefer to take longer hauls and earn more. The continuous run program allows them to do just that.
The program builds on TMC’s performance-based percentage pay system. TMC drivers earn a percentage of each load they haul, determined by their efficiency, safety and other metrics. Drivers who choose to stay out for more than one week at a time will earn an increased percentage of their loads: one extra percent after staying out one weekend, and two extra percent after staying out two weekends, up to a maximum of three percent after three or more weekends on the road. Drivers will keep that additional percentage until they go home again. “We work with our drivers to help them find the right balance of pay and home time,” Johnson says. “The continuous run program is a great option for drivers who want to make the most money they can. We make it worth our drivers’ time to stay on the road longer.” These initiatives mean that TMC now offers an even more competitive compensation package for drivers. Across the fleet, the average percentage earned is 30 to 31% of each load, with new hires starting as high as 30% in key markets. With smart driving, that percentage can increase to an industry-best 37%. Under TMC’s percentage pay system, drivers don’t even have to wait for company policy changes to see their paychecks increase. As freight rates reach near-record highs, TMC drivers are already seeing the difference every week. Average weekly driver gross pay has increased 8% year-over-year, putting TMC drivers on track for average yearly earnings of almost $87,000. In fact, many high-performing drivers can expect to earn more than $100,000 this year. “Our percentage pay system automatically passes along rate increases to our drivers,” says Johnson. “As freight rates have risen, so have our drivers’ paychecks—immediately.” Founded in 1972, TMC has long been committed to industry-leading driver compensation. The performance-based percentage pay system was developed in the 1990s based on input from drivers to allow them to increase their pay through smart driving practices. “We’re proud to provide our drivers with pay and benefits that truly reflect their hard work and dedication,” says Johnson. “We want to be a destination for the industry's best drivers.”
DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK 2026 CHAMPIONS OF THE ROAD
Every sport chooses a championship team every year. In the Super Bowl, the World Series, or the Stanley Cup, there’s one team that rises above the rest. When it comes to flatbed transportation, TMC drivers are always the champions. We’re known throughout our industry for our all-star customer service and our incredible 99.7% claim-free delivery rate. For Driver Appreciation Week, we celebrated TMC’s champions of the road.
HOW WE HIT A HOMERUN FOR DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK For Driver Appreciation Week 2026, we focused on making sure that every TMC driver felt how much we appreciate them, even if they couldn’t make it to a terminal during the week. We didn’t just hold barbecues at our offices—we decided to go for the gold medal and send a gift box to every driver. Each box included some real heavy-hitting items, like a t-shirt, safety vest, TMC hat, flashlight, tire pressure gauge, and tread depth gauge.
Plus, we ran games and giveaways on our driver app and social media pages throughout the week, giving drivers even more chances to win great prizes. And now for the grand slam: we gave away $10,000 to our drivers! We selected 10 drivers to win $1000 added to their paycheck. Five winners were chosen from drivers who had clean DOT inspections during Driver Appreciation Week, and five were chosen from drivers who made it through the week without an accident or incident.
DRIVER APPRECIATION WEEK IS ALWAYS A TEAM EFFORT Teamwork makes the dream work, especially when it comes to Driver Appreciation Week! Thank you so much to all of our sponsors who teamed up with us this year to celebrate our incredible drivers.
TMC NEWS DRIVER OF THE FIRST QUARTER: BRETT NIEBUHR Brett Niebuhr has a deep connection to trucking—and to TMC. He was introduced to trucking at a young age, and he’s spent much of his working life behind the wheel, including the last 12 years driving for TMC’s Dedicated Division. Brett has shown himself to be an outstanding driver who truly understands how to do the job right and be part of a team. As his fleet manager, Garrett Tigges, says. “Brett brings a positive presence to the team and represents the values we strive for every day.” We’re proud to recognize Brett as Driver of the Quarter for Q1. READ MORE ON OUR BLOG!
ROOKIE OF THE FIRST QUARTER: JUSTIN DONNELSON Justin Donnelson’s life has changed drastically in the last five years. He and his family moved to Texas from Washington state, and he decided to start a new career as a flatbed driver. As his family has built a new life in Texas, Justin has also put in the hard work and dedication to make a great start in his new career. That’s why we’re proud to recognize Justin as the Rookie of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2026. Congrats to Justin! READ MORE ON OUR BLOG!
MEET THE ROOKIE OF THE SECOND QUARTER: TAVARUS “T” HORNE ON THE BLACK AND CHROME SHOW! T has been driving for TMC since October 2025. After working in law enforcement, T decided to get his CDL and try a new career path. And since he was interested in flatbedding, he wanted to drive for TMC. “I heard it was a great company to learn flatbedding and securement,” he says. T was eager to learn—both from our training program and his over-the-road trainer—and he has shown that he has what it takes to succeed at TMC. T chatted with EVP Jeff Wisgerhof on The Black and Chrome Show, TMC's podcast for drivers. WATCH THE EPISODE!
LOGISTICS EMPLOYEE-OWNER OF Q1: ARMAAN KANG Unflappable. That’s how General Manager Kevin Duff describes Logistics Sales Executive Armaan Kang. “He's as calm as still waters all the time, even when things are really busy,” Kevin says. This calm, unflappable approach has allowed Armaan to handle some pretty big challenges in the time he’s worked at TMC Logistics, all with seeming ease. But underneath that calm surface, is a foundation of hard work and great relationship-building skills. That’s why we’re proud to recognize Armaan as the Logistics Employee-Owner of the Quarter for Q1. READ MORE ON OUR BLOG!
LOGISTICS EMPLOYEE-OWNER OF Q2: BRENT HEISNER When Brent Heisner joined TMC Logistics last September as a logistics sales executive, he brought his natural sales talent and relationship-building skills. Over the last ten months, Brent has gained the industry-specific knowledge he needs to be a true partner to his customers, with great results. For all these reasons, he was chosen as the Employee-Owner of the Quarter for Q2. Congrats to Brent! READ MORE ON OUR BLOG!
BLACK AND CHROME SALUTES
“I watch a lot of trainers interacting with trainees. This trainer took it very seriously, taking the time to work with the trainee. He did a great job instructing and set a great example for the company.” Erickson Dowler (12819) to Justin Lalondriz (13956) “I was at Majestic Steel in Ohio, picking up steel coils. Makya and James stepped up and helped me finish securing and then helped me tarp the load. I have only picked up coils one time before and was struggling with it, and I am very grateful to Makya and James for helping me out.” Matthew Glinski (12895) to Makya McClendon (17275) and his trainee, James Nowak “Johnny was given the wrong trailer number to pick up at Home Depot, which was the trailer I was supposed to take. He had already completely secured the trailer by the time I found out and informed him it was mine. After confirming, Johnny made no fuss about it and moved on to his trailer. We ended up securing his trailer together and had a good conversation while doing so. Johnny had an excellent attitude and showed much TMC team spirit.” Wesley Mosley (13294) to Johnny Atkins (14820) “He showed me how to X-chain on a low sheet steel load, helped me tarp in 20 mph Oklahoma winds, and calmed me down in the hot dustbowl they call the Catoosa port.” Joseph Komanetz (14472) to Jose Mora (17411) “I’ve been solo for one week, and Mr. Miller saw me at a customer struggling with a tarp and came over with no questions asked in the middle of his load to help me. He also helped me make sure my load was correct before going to the drop off location.” Matthew Gutierrez (14365) to Jonathan Miller (17472) “Driver gave out some cold water to all the TMC drivers out here at Sweetwater, Texas. Awesome guy.” Bobby Brackeen (14838) to Hunter Speed (14174)
"I received a call from a driver’s wife about Chad. She stated that on June 12th she and her husband were at Nucor in Norfolk, NE. She stated that her husband noticed another driver struggling with securement on slinky coils. She stated that her husband let her know he was going to help the driver out, but before he could get turned around our diver Chad Cupp was already there. Chad approached the struggling driver perfectly, asked if he could lend a hand, and stated he hauls slinkies a lot. She stated that Chad not only helped the struggling driver, but he took the time to explain how and why the coils needed to be secured the way he was showing him. The lady said that she and her husband have owned their own truck for 20 years, she hadn’t seen anything like what happened that day in a long time. Chad is an example of a true professional and embodies what Destination: Excellence means." To Chad Cupp (14845), received by Safety Manager Rick Malak “Courtney continually guides and mentors new drivers and aspiring driver trainers in their tasks and testing. She comes in early and works late to ensure that those who pass through Brownsburg carry on and embody the standards of TMC.” Aubrey Roberson (17356) to Training Coordinator Courtney Ammons “He was my trainer. After five-plus months of being on my own, I have noticed how above and beyond he has gone to make sure my driving and securement were safe, right, and as simple as possible.” Christian Graves (14751) to David Hagood (14896) “This brother exemplifies kindness and dedication to being a good example of what it means to be a TMC driver. I work Dedicated with him at the Lowes DC in Westfield, MA. He’s always willing to help others, and he always smiles and says hello. Just a good person. He definitely deserves a salute, and may God bless him in all that he does.” Sergey Zaishnikov (13978) to Satish Bacchas (14336)