ATS Lease Program?

**notarps4me** · 05.02.2009

Originally Posted by podunkpunk

My husband was there 5 years with no complaints against him, and has a clear driving record, but was fired this week for running a red light. This was by camera and is considered a civil matter in the state of texas, but ATS saw it as a safety issue and made an example out of him. Never mind it was raining and his load was 185 feet long, and his escort led him through it!.

Running the light is on the driver. Never a good idea to run a light; especially if you are a 185 feet long...

**mustang970** · 05.02.2009

Raining, 185 feet long, and followed the pilot through the red light? Going to fast for conditions? If the pilot car drove off the road, would you follow it? Good thing somebody else wasn't crossing the intersection.

**TripleSix** · 05.02.2009

I believe theres more to this story than "the pilot car led me through the redlight!"

**teampitts3** · 05.02.2009

Agreed! Seems like something else is missing. Then again if my memory serves me correctly if you get a moving violation under permit, you can have your permit revoked. That in and of itself may have been the driving factor with the termination.

**Sinister** · 05.02.2009

Often you will lose your permit. A trooper or DOT might just tear it up on the spot, park you then tell you to get another, which may take days.

Another thing to consider is that sometimes, when you're that long (and I've hauled the longest blades there are right now, and I'm "only" 175') when you start through a light that just turned yellow, and you're just putting through a town, you might not be all the way through it by the time it turns red.

I don't know of anyone ever being ticketed for such a thing, and I hope to never tell the story from my own experience, but I can imagine it happening with a cop in a bad mood.

**terrylamar** · 05.02.2009

Originally Posted by Sinister

I haul blades also, but not for ATS.

As I said, I have a good amount of experience hauling blades for Clipper, LM, and Suzlon.

One question though, what class do you guys think they will hire me as? I don't expect to go in as the top dog, but I'm not really interested in starting out at the bottom either, and with my experience, don't think I should have to. Sorry to sound stuck up, but I've watched many ATS guys screw up on wind stuff, and kind of think I'm better than most of them.

I think I'll call them Monday.

It all depends on how much experience you have that is verifiable. There is one driver in my orientation class that stayed behind and took a test for Class One. Yes, there is a test and you have to pass it.

**Sinister** · 05.03.2009

Thankya big time!

My biggest challenge will be learning the blade trailers they use. The company I'm at now uses steerable stretch flats, and we can get three guys ready to go in 30 minutes, whereas I've had to wait HOURS behind ATS guys while they figure out their Trail Kings.

Thanks for the quick answer!

**boone315** · 05.03.2009

Originally Posted by Sinister

I haul blades also, but not for ATS.

Many escorts are little more than goofballs who couldn't drive oversized loads themselves.

The driver of the truck is responsible for all that happens with the truck. Blaming escorts for drivers mistakes is all too common, and an unacceptable excuse. You're not supposed to follow a lead escort through every foolish move he or she makes.

I'm sorry your husband got fired, and I think running one red light is a thin excuse to do so, even with a blade on, but blaming the escort? No. Sorry. That wouldn't fly with me either.

Also, thanks for everyone who put decent info about ATS' Lease program into the thread. I've been considering going to them, and pacing around the house for weeks now.

As I said, I have a good amount of experience hauling blades for Clipper, LM, and Suzlon.

One question though, what class do you guys think they will hire me as? I don't expect to go in as the top dog, but I'm not really interested in starting out at the bottom either, and with my experience, don't think I should have to. Sorry to sound stuck up, but I've watched many ATS guys screw up on wind stuff, and kind of think I'm better than most of them.

I think I'll call them Monday.

I do not know if its changed from when I was there but everybody started at the bottom(unless you were super heavy haul and/or had your own 4 axle , and at that time they only had a handful company two o/o for that division) but if you had experience like when the trism guys came over, you were moved up quickly, also it depended on what trailer you had and what loads were available

**truckdriver214** · 05.03.2009

Ive always wondered what the training was like to haul the big blades(oversized loads in general). is it basically a company course or can you get it at certain schools

**truckinusa** · 05.03.2009

I worked for ATS for 5 years. They just try you out on easier stuff and see if you screw things up. There is no course. It is all common sense. They give you some interviews and tests to see if you are up to the challenge when they move you up to class 1. They have a class system 1-4. 1 being the biggest loads and 1a means you are permanent heavy haul with a 4 axle or a 3 axle with a California type heavy haul trailer.