By Wright Media staff
 
DES MOINES, Iowa – Bill Crane was in the jewelry business before he signed on to drive with TMC Transportation. Now, he’s a gem of the company's driver trainer program.
 
Driving a truck was never something Crane pictured himself doing, but he reached out to family members already in the industry for advice when the economy turned and they recommended TMC as a “starting point.” He has been with the company since 2012.
 
“I’m still here because it’s the best,” he said.
 
He was just as uncertain about becoming a driver trainer when approached with that opportunity, but he took the leap and earlier this autumn was recognized as TMC Trainer of the Month.
 
“I finally decided to try it and now I love it,” he said.
 
Being a trainer gives him a chance pay the experience he received from the company forward. And, he says, it “breaks up the monotony” of the sense of isolation that can come with life on the road.
 
Driver trainers are vital to the TMC training department and the company recognizes one each month who demonstrates the outstanding qualities it seeks in a trainer. The winner is chosen based on their safety record and the safety performance of their trainers, the number of drivers trained and the retention percentage of those drivers.
 
“Experience is the best teacher so I do my best to have my trainees get their hands in everything,” Crane said. “The lifelong friendships are worth it. It’s also great to see TMC keep growing and knowing that I had a hand in getting others ready for the job.”

Cover photo: Bill Crane (R), TMC's Driver Trainer of the Month for October, is congratulated by training coordinator manager Jeff Geist.