I've been surfing this site looking for the right company to start with. I now know which company that is. After reading a lot of posts I'll be starting my training with Driver Solutions on Monday 1/7 and will be going with PAM Transport. Wish me luck. I'll (try to) post my progress from day to day, from training to my own truck. See you on the road.

My cousin went through Driver Solutions as did a friend of mine.

My cousin now drives for Decker (a division of PAM) and loves it. He has been there about 8 months and is making pretty good money. He went to the Indianapolis campus and loved it. As of now he's saying he will stay with them after his 1 year contract is up. He doesn't have a wife/kids so home time isn't that important to him, but he does get home every other weekend.

My buddy went through their St. Louis school. He drove for PAM for 16 months (4 months longer than the contract) but now drives for a local company in Illinois. He made more money driving for PAM than he does now but wanted to get home more. The only thing he didn't like about the school in St. Louis was the hotel, but he didn't pay for it so it was no big deal.

PAM is a good entry level company. The pay is good, the benefits are good, and they are a medium sized company (ie. not too big). Just make sure you stick it out a year because if you do you'll look a lot better to potential future employers.

Good luck.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm hoping that I like it as well. I'll be going through Driver Solutions out of St. Louis. I figured that the hotel wasn't going to be to good, but hey I'm there to learn to drive not to sit around a hotel. Either way, hometime won't be much of an issue for me either seeing as though I'm single and childless. Thanks again for the info and I'll keep you as up to date as I can. Wish me luck.

After having to move my date back twice I'm finally starting school tomorrow. I am currently in St Louis waiting to get started so I can get out of this motel as quick as possible. I was told that it would be bad, and boy were you guys right. I keep expecting something to jump out at me. Anyway this is not a hotel review forum. I'll let you guys know how my first day goes tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Best of luck to you and keep us updated

Ya, told you so...I guess they're just trying to save money on the housing. Just stick with the other students and study as much as possible to pass the time.

Hopefully your first day went well. I know a lot goes on the first day, but my cousin said once you pass the physical and drug screen your pretty much golden.

The three weeks might be stressful, but it will all be worth it when your driving back to Chicago with you CDL in your back pocket.

Oh...and I don't know if your recruiter told you(or if you even care,) but all PAM's trucks are automatics. Lots of newbies like that fact.

Anyway, good luck and keep us updated.

Hey guys, I finished my first day. The major parts of the day were the physicals, drug tests, and finally the paperwork. First things first, the drug test went fine. However, if you have a problem going with someone watching, you need not apply. After the drug test you get poked at and groped like some kind of science project. I think that if somebody is going to feel me up the way i was felt up today they should at least buy me dinner and tell me I'm pretty first. LOL. All in all I am in great health. We lost three to the blood pressure test. Finally the paperwork. You'll need goggles and an air tank to swim through all of the paper you have to fill out. If you don't have arthritis before starting the paperwork you'll have it once you're finished. There was some bad news, turns out that a speeding ticket I had will prevent from working for PAM (22mph over), but it won't disqualify me from working for USA. So, hello USA. So regretably I guess I'll have to start a thread on USA's DAC. So if you're still interested mosey on over to the USA page. Catch ya later.

This was one major issue I don't like about the company. I've heard good and bad thing's about the Auto's but more bad than good plus I'm used to a straight 10 anyway because that's all I've ever driven. Another thing I'm wondering about is what kind of engines they are running in their Freightshakers Because I rather a Freightliner over the International. I just come to liking the FL Columbia's next to the FLD120 that none of these companies have anymore. Damn those POS Detroit's. Gimme somethin' with a CAT or Cummins!

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"I'm not a truck driver. I'm a non refrigerated load relocation engineer".

Good pay ? Benefits? What benefits? You must not work for PAM,

Hi how was the trainner with pam?