After a little over 2 years with Trans Am, my first OTR job, I turned in my truck on Sept.8. Trans Am IMO is one of the better OTR companies for newbies,if I had to go back OTR I would go back to them in an instant. My dispatcher knew my name, what makes me happy, and how I like to run. Granted it wasn't all peaches and cream but what job is? In the 2 years I worked for them I got home the day and time I requested except for twice. The mileage I ran everyweek varied from 2200 to 3200 miles a week. It seemed like after a good week I would have a slow one,mostly from waiting at the meat plant. I really enjoyed the running lanes, Denver is as far west as we would go with the exception of Los Angeles, so no we don't even carry chains on the truck at all! The most important thing to me was when I was in Effingham,IL, I got a call from my father, my mother had collapsed at school (school teacher) and was rushed to the hospital. After the tests came back they informed her she had cancer and needed surgery immediately. It took one phone call to my dispatcher before they had me a plane ticket back to North Carolina, but on top of that, they had a coach/student team bring my truck to me in North Carolina and had flowers in my mom's hospital room before I got there. I can't say what happened to other people at Trans Am but I tend to think they bring alot of it on theirself, and I'm not gonna get in pizzing match with someone who had a bad experience with Trans Am, I can just say what I experienced. They do have things about them I didn't like, as any company does, but the list is short. Night-Weekend dispatch is horrible to deal with, meat plants and grocery warehouses are slow. As far as anything else I absolutley loved working with Trans Am and like I said if I ever had to go back OTR it would be with them.

They do seem to be a great company to work for.They are on my list to look in to.The only few things I don't like is there trucks are automatic,and spending a week in class and in yard seems to be to long.But I have like what I heard about them so far.My question is hows the home time,and if I had some exp do I have to still spend an week in class and the yard?

Hometime is 4 days a month. The week in class/yard is for newbies after they get back from 2-3 weeks with a trainer. If I can ask what is wrong with an automatic?

Well I think it takes the fun out of driving an truck.But thats just me,not realy an big deal.

Going into six months, (I'm still here, h-e-l-l-o!) I can pretty much echo what Lonewolf chronicled. In addition, however, in the matter of payroll - no problems. My credit union gets the money when it's supposed to be there - all of it. I've only had to call on the folk's at Olatha one time due to a misunderstanding on my part, which was quickly resolved.

Miles; someone (another driver) at a truck stop the other evening told me that freight was slow right now, and I responded by asking him to tell my trip planners! I'm presently sitting in Rochelle, Il, staged for a pickup at a meat patch tomorrow. I will be here for about 25-28 hrs. before the load is ready. That is the exception due to my up-coming home time. The trip had to be planned that way. And BTW, I'm tickled. The rest is much needed.

Your comment about having to spend a few days in a classroom bothers me. If you are unwilling to share some time with experienced drivers who have been out on the road, and are in a teaching mode now, I don't want you passing me in the lanes I run. The learning excercise, Sir, takes a lot of misinformation out of operating a truck. Good stuff. My advice; get all the classroom time due you.

Automatics; type back your experience with a standard shift after two months on the road. Fun and games this ain't. Anytime you can be removed from repetitive shifting in traffic, you're a happy trucker. Don't listen to me, though, typed us back after you're into a couple of months of driving.

Back to the thread topic... ...someone said that if you put all the trucking companies in a bag, shake 'em up, pick one to work for, you would be getting the same work experience as any of those remaining in the bag. I concur. TransAm Truck is O.K. No horror stories from me.

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I intend on living forever - so far, so good!

I see your from florida,I called them and they told me that there not hiring in florida.Do know if this is true? Or did I talk to a wrong person.

That's what I heard.

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I intend on living forever - so far, so good!

Hello!! My husband was thinking about going to Trans Am! So i have spent a lot of time looking into them! I have a question... how do they do logs??? Thank you!!

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4 days a month? Is that really good for most of you? It sounds terrible to me. Who wants to live/work like that? You've got to have some type of life outside that truck. For those that have a family, is it fair to them? Is it fair to you?

It's no wonder that this industry is in the shape it is in. Huge turnover, low pay and expensive benefits. I wonder what a weeks net pay is like working for them? It better be real good to only be home 4 days a month. Maybe someone that works for them will let me know.

Shhh just let them have it so we don't have to do it. I agree 4 days off a month. What a dismal pathetic life. You might as well get an extra 2000 miles in those 4 days, if that's your thing.