Possible new driver in search of PAM info

You should try asking this question in the PAM forum also there are lots of posts newan old about the company you can read there

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/truckingindustryforum/pam/

 

The Good - You're pretty free out here on the road. You don't have a boss looking over your shoulder, but if your phone starts to ring constantly, I'd start to worry. If you hear from no one, that means you're doing your job. Now with that new found freedom, you do have a responsibility. Time matters and time management is a must. You get to see parts of the country to might have otherwise never seen and get paid for it. You have the satisfaction of knowing that every load delivered is a job well done. Your office view constantly changes. This will likely be a complete 180 from whatever you did before.

The bad - People are ########. Drivers don't have the best reputation on the road. Pay can and will be low. Home time can possibly be non-existent. Say goodbye to a normal social life. Important dates you cannot miss? Plan accordingly or miss it all together. Watch your kids (if you have any) grow up from afar. Unneeded stress.

The ugly - This has at times been a very backstabbing industry. Dispatchers will use those they can to do things they'd never ask another person to do. You have to watch yourself in any situation or you could very well be the victim of someone else's mistake. Shippers and receivers are rarely held accountable for the time they keep you in the dock. You piss off the wrong person, they can and will starve you out.


These are just a few things. There's so many more, but not every situation is bad, good or ugly. It truly is what you make of it. I've never been starved out or treated poorly, but I also wouldn't allow it to happen. Stand up for yourself or you'll be taken advantage of. Good luck in your endeavors.

 

PAM is going back to 10 speeds, automatics are being phased out.

 

Trucking is a way of life...its not a job or a career..

If you are married there is a good chance that in a few years you won't be..If you are single..You have nothing to worry about...

find out what your dispatcher needs from you to keep you rolling informationwise. Could be as simple as a phone call every day.

You might have the option of turning down a load but Don't..it ma be the only load and no matter what it will drop you back to the bottom of the pile which means more waiting.

The more you are in your TM;s ear (politely) with information they can use..the more they are looking at you..the more things are going to happen on time..

Petey

 

You can turn down a load for only 1 reason at PAM...cannot do it legally. Aside from that, if I was ever sitting, I would pester my DM (nicely) every hour or 2 until I got something. Didn't always work, seeing as freight is slow in a lot of places a lot of times...but, it is helpful because your DM has other drivers under loads to worry about and can't always think about you...so just put yourself back in the front of his mind every couple hours, get him to jostle the load planner, and you may just have a load that they haven't got around to sending you yet. Happens a lot.