PAM Transportation

Don't do it. I don't know if PAM has anyone that reads this forum, but I talked to them and went to their orientation. All I can say is, don't do it. There are better companies out there. I have never been treated as bad as I was at PAM, and it seems as though a lot of their long term drivers accept it as "the way it is". There is no reason to treat trainees or vets like they do. Bad mojo all around. I really don't want to go into details, but it was the worst experience I have ever had.

 

Hi,
I don't mean to slam PAM, but this is my experience with them....

Day 1: Orientation.
Waiting for the company to pick up 6 of us from the motel. We were told to be outside at 7:15 a.m. We were all there. At 8:20 the van shows up.
At 8:30 - 8:45 we are at the terminal. No one tells us anything, so we go into the security office. Lady tells us go next door. We do. Go inside, and look for someone to guide us. People walking by, no one even acknowledges us with a good morning. Finally stopped some one and explained that we were there for orientation. Guy says he will get someone for us. After 15 minutes, we went outside and had a cigarette, cause no one had told us anything. A guy comes out and asks us why we are outside, "Orientation is in here" was his words. We sit, a lady brings us 2 inches thick paper and says fill this out. Some, are the FINES they charge, which I refused to sign. Apparently PAM charges 15.00 to 25.00 for various logbook and other violations. At 2:00 PM the lady collects the paperwork, and tells us to go back to the motel.

Day 2 Orientation.
They split experienced, students and refreshers and we all go separate ways. Watch dvd's take tests. Instructor says when we get done , take a break, be back at 1:00 PM. Gives us a meal voucher for lunch, value 6.00. Only good at the 2 closest restaurants. Menu's lowest item is 5.75.
So we had to add our own cash to really make it a lunch. Then back at 1:00. I am a refresher. Never ran under the new hours of service regulations, so I had a few questions for the instructor. When I asked he told me it was all covered in a dvd that we would see later, watched another dvd and went back to the motel... off of the terminal.

Day 3: Orientation.
Picked us up. Were told to bring all of our stuff with us and check out. Pretty much the same as day 2. DVD's and tests.
Actual contact with PAM staff was near zero. Very cold place. We were moved into the on terminal bunk house motel. There we interacted with veteran PAM drivers mostly, and a few students. And we found out that in the motel, on the terminal grounds, most were veteran drivers. Most were there due to truck repairs or services. Most were there 7 to 11 days waiting for their trucks. Days? Why are you not running if your truck is down for DAYS? 1 day...OK, any more, give me another truck ...lets go.
You don't make money being in a motel for that long. Some were clearing departments.... WHY does this take more than a few hours? Some say they took 2 days to clear the log department. If a driver is sending in logs every load, why let him get so screwed up that the DOT could eat him alive? Contact him on the road, fix the problem and keep DOT and Company happy. Don't let stuff go that it takes a couple days to clear it up.

Day 4: Orientation.
Much like day 3 plus road test and pretrip. Not a big deal. Nobody passes pretrip, so they get to do it again in the afternoon. We knew this from the veteran drivers the night before. We were told that even if we repeated the 108 checkpoints and put a hand on each part, "you won't pass it the first time". So, I did mine and I am sure I didn't get all 108, but he knew that I had all the majors and told him all about what I was after. I don't want problems on the road anymore than anyone else, and I sure don't want to be the cause of a backup. We all did pretrip again that afternoon.

Anyway, that was my last day. I proved that I could drive, and had passed all of their requirments. I have 13 years experience. I then left. I can't tell you any instructors name. I don't know if they ever told us. They place was like in it's own world, and we were outsiders, not to be trusted. getting someone to say "good morning" wasn't real easy. Maybe it was just me, but seemed like everyone was very self involved and really didn't care about friendliness. Not that they have to, but it was an un easy feeling about the place.

So many people sitting, and not making money. Some were students, and say they can't quit yet because they will owe PAM for the schooling. Guys acting like it is normal to be out like that for 7 to 10 or more days for truck repairs. Plenty of trucks on the yard. Even new ones. I don't see why anyone should sit more than a day or 2 at the most. It is bad enough to be away from home for a month or so, then have to lose 7 or more days in the shop.

Over all, I think PAMs own office staff and veteran drivers made me decide to not take this job. I really can not say how they are under a dispatch, or out with a trainer.

And maybe I am spoiled. I drove with Crete, USXpress, J-Mar, MSCarriers, TriState.
There driver relations were great. They made you feel like they knew you, even if you had never spoke to them before. There was an easy feeling, and you talked to them like you talked to a friend. Not such an "unwanted" feeling. I guess I feel it is important to be treated like you are not intruding. You would rather be on the road, but you didn't mind being with them for a little while. You were not going to be there that long anyway.

The PAM web site claims equipment rotation every 18 months or around then. Most drivers were pushing 500,000 miles on their trucks, even the one we road tested was over 470,000, and a pretty rough truck inside. Normal for a training truck.

6 of us showed up for orientation. when I left, there was 1 left.

That was my experience with PAM.

 

I really doubt that many of the big companies are much different. I have been away from trucking since 2005, and seems a lot has changed. It was an odd experience, to say the least. I just had my hopes set to high I guess.