Transport Corp. Of America - Eagan, Mn.?

Cool! I'll more than likely be going to the TA orientation in Indiana with in the next week or so! I made my choice with this site also! I don’t think it’s going to be a bad choice! When I first tried OTR I chose USA Truck or actually the first company that contacted me after filling out their app. I was out 6 weeks and then maybe home for 3 days! From what I saw about them here I believe it all! Good luck!

 

I was driving for TCAM for about a year. If you are just starting driving TCAM i would say it the best companey to start with. when i was driving for them i really wasnt getting the miles i wanted and needed. my best week was my last week with 3200 for the week. my disbatcher was keith otto in grove city ohio. my first week solo they tryed to send me to NY city. i stood my ground with saying no that i wasnt ready for there just yet. come to find out. they were not to send new drivers there till they had atless 6 months driving.

 

what happened to me???

I quit...

not because of anything bad at transport america, infact, they were fantastic.

my dad got sick, and true to their words "transport america" sent me straight home. (dad's fine now btw)

Transport America was great and if I were still out, it would be with them.

I was off with the family problem about 3 weeks and was going to call my dispatcher the next day for a load out... btw they did give me that new truck they promised... I just never got to drive it. darn it all....

anyways,

my neighbor and I were #### chatting my dad and situation and he said you know there's a guy down the road just retired, his company is looking for a replacement driver...

it sounded a bit to good to be true but I drove over and filled out an application...

they called me that night for an interview the next day.

they liked what I had to say and gave me a test drive.

said they'd let me know and sent me home.

the next day they called and asked for an additional interview at my conveniance, which btw was the following morning...

Big Guy, leaned back in his chair and said he liked my attention to detail...

said they'd like to offer me a position starting june 4th.

$40k salary
plus 29% of the load
full family medical $37.00 weekly (yeah, no typo, $37.00 a week)
pension plan
plus 401K 6% matched
home every night and weekends off
"we don't run if its icy"
average pay is 65k, lowest 59 highest 83.
6 weeks training needed to get carded at facilities
1 weeks pd vacation now and two after the first of the year
all new pete's... (turned out to be all new mack's) apparently "Big Guy" is not into trucks although he was correct in they were all painted white and the nicer interiors...

guess where I was on june 4th ?????? rotflmao!!!

right place? right time?
You bet, and its about ###### time I got a break!!!!!!!!

its september now and I've only been out (over night) once, and that was "my call" to stay or go back the next day.

company put me up in the "country inn suites" so I stayed.

what got me the job?

I had just passed the newer version hazmat test (same as the old as near as I could tell) and I had been security cleared (back ground check and finger-printing) with my letter in hand from the dept of homeland security.

apparently older guys were "grand-fathered in for two years or until their current hazmat expired, and I was the first yo-yo to show-up with all the new stuff which they wanted for insurance or something???

also I was wearing black levi's and a white collared shirt with a new haircut, they don't like their guys looking like grubby truckers. "Our customers are paying for professionalism and that's what we expect at all times."

what am I hauling???

A variety of nasty stuff, chemicals, that really are safe provided you don't get stupid and drink it or something. Main thing they wanted was anal retentive about not getting complacent, double check everything you are doing and drive safe. one speeding ticket and you're gone. (I've never had one, ever.)

good jobs are out there, you just have to be lucky to find them I suppose.

 

Hay im6under! I did wonder what happened to you! I just finished last night reading all your "logs" as I've been referring to them. I got all DirtyDragons “logs” in too! Pretty interesting to say the least! I drove last summer only in about 10 states and before that drove dump trucks for about 6 years. Before that, ah yes! Got my CDL April 98 and started driving for USA Truck! I couldn’t believe what they put me through but I took it all in stride before finally quitting after about 6 months! I have been talking to a recruiter with T/A. Faxed the signed release yesterday late. You and DirtyDragan and a few others helped me decide on T/A! I hope it works out as far as my driving record! The company I drove for last year was a real bunch of outlaws! Before them I had a clean license but now have 3 MV all for speeding. The highest speed is 67 in a 55 which should have been reduced to 59 in a 55 but for some reason its showing 67! I’m looking into it because I went to court and the prosecutor told me they’d reduce it to 59!

 

I have been reading thru these post over the last week and I also want to thank everybody for all the Information. I just got out of School on the 24 of Aug and my first choice was to go to TMC. Check out there safety rating. There trucks seem to be the only thing they are worried about.
Thanks to this forum I found out how big of a mistake I was about to make so I called Transport America. I will be In Scottsburg, Indiana later tonight and be attending orientation with Transport America, beginning tomorrow morning.

 

Good for you LonghornIII! I faxed my release to them Friday evening! I believe that I got a recruiter who likes his time off which is fine with me I do too! I filled out the online app on the 1st and figured the holiday weekend would slow things down a bit anyway. Then when I Thrusday came I decided to call and got hold of I believe it was Susan with a really raspy voice. She helped me a lot. Mark finally called me, I must not have had a good signal on my phone, he left a message and I called him right back. Anyyyyyyway I don't expect to be going to IN Mon being today is Sun but hopefully next Mon for my 3 day orientation.

 

ok so who really knows what is going on with the new H,O,S.
i read on here that its not going to happen with the new Hours. but the company that im driving for is telling me that it goes in afect on the 14th.

can anyone tell me what going on with our HOURS???

 

I don't know where they're getting their informatin from RedTaz69! That's the first I've heard of any changes! I checked the FMCSA website and it's the same as it has been since Rocktober, 05!
The Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations (49 CFR, Part 395) were revised in August 2005. I searched their website and couldn’t see anything about any other changes as of this year. This is what it said on their website word for word! There wasn't even anything about it on their latest news link. This is straight from the horses mouth! Below is the only change to date the FMCSA has made which was made Oct 1st, 05. This was copied straight from the FMCSA website!

“For questions concerning HOS regulations, please contact your State's Division Office.
2005 Rule
Property-Carrying CMV Drivers
Compliance On & After 10/01/05
CMV drivers using the sleeper berth provision must take at least 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, plus 2 consecutive hours either in the sleeper berth, off duty, or any combination of the two.”

 

well as of right now my company is telling all there drivers that as of friday sep 14th we are loosing our 34 hours restart. were loosing an hour of drive time so now we have NO restart. 1 hour less of drive time but we still have a 14 hour day.
thats why i was asking if anyone knew forsure about the change

 

Well I just got home today from my 6 days of orientation In Scottsburg, Indiana and I have to say I am very impressed. The hotel was nice and clean. You get 3 meals a day while you are there. Transportation to and from the motel and they make sure you get home when you are done with orientation. Paid orientation. Nice well maintained equipment. Safety Is a big Key to them. The Instructors were very helpful and knew what they were talking about and everybody there treated us with respect and did everything they could to help us succeed. They give you all of the Information needed to get start right Including a new atlas.
So far A++
I am now waiting to hear from my trainer and no matter how long I wait, I still get paid. On a side note I was lucky to get a trainer because Mondays class will have to wait over a week before getting a trainer but again they still get paid.
So thanks to everyone again for helping me make the right choice..