Ok guys, here is the deal....I am signed up to leave for school on the 26th of december through Driver Solutions. I will be in FT wayne indiana. They have "guarnenteed" me a job with PAM transport when i graduate. I am a little nervous. I am very interested in a truck driving job, but have a few concerns i hope you guys can help me with. First, has anyone worked with Driver Solutions? are they a good school? i dont want halfass training and get on the road and hurt someone. Second, is PAM a good company to work for? I dont care about home time, i wouldnt mind spending all my time on the road, what I care about it getting paid. I was told PAM goes mailly to the midwest south and east coast..is that true? do they go to cali? Third after school when i go to on the road training with a trainer, do I sleep in his bed? or does the truck have two beds? one thing that concerns me is I am a clean person, not saying truckers are not, but i would not be comfortable sleeping in another mans bed after him. Please let me know, thanks
Am I Ready For This?!?!
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by adamdzy, Dec 19, 2006.
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I am in the same boat as you, except I am taking my training in St. Louis MO. And I am supposed to have a Job with PAM when I graduate. From what I was told the trainer truck normally has two bunks and you bring your own sleep wear and items to sleep on. I have talked to several people and they say that PAM is OK. I can't speak for your school.
Best of luck and hope to see you out there.
Scott -
Driver solutions is not the best training you could get. Pam is not one of the better companies and yes you will be sleeping in the same bed as your trainer. Have fun...
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I found PAM to be a good company to get my foot in the door. I stayed with them from Aug of '03 until July of '05. My paychecks were always there and in my first full year with the company I made just over $39,000. Like you, I wasn't concerned about hometime for the majority of my time with them. There was a short period of time that I was on a dedicated that had me home every 4 days with a 3 day weekend every other weekend. I still averaged a bring home of $600-$700 throughout my time with the company.
As far as your time with a trainer goes, PAM's trainer trucks are all double bunk Freightliner Century S/T's. Their company policy states that no co-driver can sleep in the top bunk while the vehicle is in motion. Best advice I can give you, which I also gave my students when I was a trainer, is to bring a sleeping bag. Also, you can bring a comforter to lay on top of your trainers bedding so your pillow doesn't have to touch his sheets or whatever he has. I understand your concern for not wanting to sleep in another man's bed and you might just be able to work out an "under the table" deal with your trainer where no one but the two of you know that you sleep on the top bunk. I did that with a few of my students. Also, if you should have the bad luck of getting a trainer with less than appropriate hygene, don't hesitate to let the student department know. Their trainers are supposed to be amoung the neatest and the cleanest of drivers, and PAM will not hesitate to ban a driver from training if he cannot keep a clean truck.
Hope this helps! Now get ready to listen, learn and drive!simplyred1962 Thanks this. -
Nikkon66, what school are you attending in the St.Louis area? I graduated from CDL Training Services & Consulting Inc. in Granite City,Ill almost 2 years ago. I think they have a pretty good school. As far as what company to go with, from what I have read on these forums on this website( and I have read A LOT of them), It seems that Roehl would be your best bet. Schneider & C.F.I. also seem to have good reputations. Any of the companies I have just mentioned will hire you out of CDL training services. I have heard mixed reviews about P.A.M. Have you heard anything about Hogan Transport out of St.Louis? My instructor told me that he heard some "nightmare" stories about their training program. I though about checking them out once I move back to the St.Louis area since they are about the only trucking company that has a full service terminal close to home. That means I don't have to get on a miserable bus to go to orientation 200+ miles away & if it doesn't work out, I can turn their truck in & not be far from home. Oh & yes, you will have to sleep in the same bed as your trainer. good luck
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Is the name, a friend of mine graduated from there and went to work for USA truck "he said big mistake" but he said the school was good. I live about 3.5 hours north of there and I am just following his advice. I did talk to the school today and a PAM rep. Now of course this is all a recruiting ploy I am sure but they said that there is a double bunk in the training trucks. I guess I will let everyone know in three weeks. I have heard of Hogan and I have heard the same thing you have.
I have heard mixed reviews on PAM ever from this site. Of course talking with an existing driver does not always give you a true assesment of the company.
Have you heard anything bad about Drivers Solution ?
Scott
Rock Falls, IL -
I was not impressed with PAM either. Good Luck!! My husband and brother both worked for PAM for a brief period of time. They will tell you anything to get you in the door.
then they ended up sitting more than driving and PAM does not pay layover pay. It can be quite frustrating.
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Are YOU ready for this ???????
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Hey There...
Drivers Solutions is not a Truck Driving School, they are a driving school referral program, they recruit new students for a network of various company sponsored schools. There are a network of schools that offer company sponsored training, the school may train for more than one company.
I talked to a driver who went through drivers solution and at tented the same school at the same time, in the same class as his cousin who applied directly to the same company.
I would double, an even triple check, and get it writ ting, about the "Guaranteed Job". Usually the Guarantee is for an opportunity for a job, or that you meet the hiring requirements and have been accepted into the school. Even on their web site they state that a company will agree to sponsor your costs and hire you after training, that is actually different than hiring you and providing you with training. Basically, the sponsoring company is also acting as a financing company, and you will owe it all back regardless of whether you get hired at the end of your training or not.
I was going to get my start the same way, I had already paid my $200 (which didn't come up till after the ball was rolling) and got set up to attend a company sponsored training, however after further research and work I decided to go to a local private school and finance at a much lower interest rate, and have three companies that have extended an "intent to hire" after graduation.
There are many things to consider and look into before attending any school. For example, in some states, if you train and test on an automatic, then you are only licensed to drive automatics. There are companies out there that do not have automatics. When it comes to getting your training, get the best that you can so that you have the most opportunity to succeed in this industry.
Anyway, good luck to you.
Take Care
Brensimplyred1962 Thanks this. -
I don't know about the school you are signed up for. But I can tell you I attended Roadmasters Driving School down in Indianapolis and wish I would have went to Sage through Ivy Tech instead. Sage offers one on one instructor time behind the wheel, 44 hours worth. If Driver Solutions is like Roadmasters it will be a 160 hour program, of which you might get 10 hours of actual behind the wheel driving time. What I was not told before signing up was that they count sitting in the jump seats watching other students drive as behind the wheel time. I ultimately got what I paid for, a CDL, and had pre-hire offers from 5 different companies. It did not take me long to mark PAM off my list due to the low per mile rate they pay.
Do some research and you'll find other companies that will pay you more. Roehl, TMC, and Prime were my top three choices and I ended up choosing Prime. I wanted to know I was going to get quality on the job training after driving school and their program seemed best for what I was looking for. I know other guys in my class that were fine with the idea of going out five weeks with a trainer and then being assigned a truck and told good luck. Not me, I want to have time to learn how to be safe so I don't hurt my self or anyone else out there. Check out the Motor carrier inside scoope forum and start reading up on any of the companies you might be interested in. Ask questions, visit a truck stop and ask actual drivers of the company you might be interested in driving for some questions. Good luck to you!!simplyred1962 Thanks this.
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