pam

After reading many of these depressing stories-I wonder why things have gotten the way they are. All the new federal regulations, CDL and driving schools were supposed to make trucking better, but I read about so many new drivers not making it under the current system. What is going wrong? I started in 1987 and never went to a driving school, and learned everything from other drivers on the road and have a good driving/accident record. My first year I made $28,000-that was a lot of money then and by 1991 I was making over 44,000 a year (M.S. Carriers). I don't see how things have gotten better for drivers who go through all the hassle of a driving school and going with a trainer, and so on and then can't make it. To me the system has led to more drivers going through schools and companies and no improvment in employment standards. All this about a school certification is nonsense to me. If you have a CDL, no matter how how you got it-you should be able to drive a truck. I see how the system has been taken-over by insurance companies who dictate the hiring by companies-too bad it has gotten this way. Personally, I would think a smaller company might be willing to take-on some new drivers if they were approached in the right way. Many of these mega companies get a kick-back from the feds from hiring and training drivers-so the more they run through, the more they make. As for some of the complaints, I know new drivers are afraid of saying something, but maybe they should if they can't make any money and are not getting home. Trucking used to be a 'big money' job, but it sure seems to be going downhill for many. To me (from what I read) many of these schools and mega companies are treating new drivers like school children. There are many local companies close to their homes-why not start there? I know this won't work for everyone, but I first went to a local North American company at the time and asked them for a job. They let me practice on their lot one day shifting, and the next day backing, then I passed my test for NA. If you can pass the CDL, you should at least try getting on with a smaller company and ride with one of their older drivers for a week. It seems there is too much hype about driving schools, bad trainers, and so on these days. Point being-maybe there are alternatives to the trucking school route-then maybe you can save money and save being committed to a less-then desireable company.

 

jj6040, im considering going with the co. whats the home time like,,pay,,,good luck

 

i just started. Ill ask my trainer..... he said depends on you has to be minimum 2 weeks on road for home time... pay depends on you.... in my training ....i get paid 300 a week..... Be safe

 

Sounds like a good deal so far (granted, buying you dinner and stuff doesn't make a good trainer out of him nor a good driver out of you).

How much driving time are you getting? Open road vs. city traffic? Backing into the dock? Backing into a parking space at the truck stop (I hear that can be pretty rough for a rookie with the other drivers "cheering you on," lol)?

Is your trainer (and the company) treating you two as basically a solo driver or more as a team right now? My impression is that if your company considers your truck as a solo operation, then your trainer can do what he's supposed to do, i.e., ride shotgun and train and not sleeping while you're driving.

Hopefully your positive experience as a student with your trainer will allow you to "pay it forward," in a similar fashion if/when you train a newbie.

Safe travels!

 

Atleast your trainer is trying to make it enjoyable for you have fun and learn all u can

 

My trainer is pretty nice too we have tv and movies so when we pull over we watch a good movie he has alot to chose from...

 

Ok look, first off i've been out here for PAM for 5 months. They don't tell you this but your actual hire date is when you get on your trainers truck. You must complete your CDL school and pass your Upgrade tests (Driving, Backing, and Written tests). It's not really hard. Hopefully you get a good trainer like I did.. He was hard on me but he made the best of my time and made sure I knew what I was doing. My old lady had a trainer who just ran her as a team... when we got our own truck I had to train her myself... So with that being said, im not trying to scare you off... just be a man and tell your dispatcher or tell the training dpt that you're not being trained and you're just being used as a log book. PAM has started this new thing after i upgraded where you go to tontitown for 2 weeks? and "learn" before you get on the truck so you're not sooooo green on your trainers truck, the report i hear is they're not really doing anything to help but thats what my trainer told me who i keep in touch with. Second of all, They don't team you with someone if no one is close enough to you... so you could just finish your upgrade and then go straight to solo. PAM is pretty hard on medical, if you have high blood pressure... i've seen them send people home for that, other then that it's not so bad. PAM is just a starter company, the pay is ehh, the miles are ehhh, but if you work and do your job then you're fine. I've had to tell my dispatcher sometimes if i want a shower to come move my truck while im in the shower, or if he wants me to bust my ### to deliver a load thats impossible, if his desk has a fifth wheel, you just got to be upfront with these people. Dispatchers 90% of the time have no clue what a truck looks like on the inside or have had the pleasure of being out on the road 6 weeks at a time. This is a mentally tough job. If you have family at home that is hard to be without be ready for a rude awakening. If you're not mentally capable of letting your ego down to learn then you're going to have a hard time, if you don't take advice too well, you're also going to struggle. The job is easy, the enviroment is hard. Let this be a fair warning.... some truckers out here are really cool... some are just ignorant ########, just have the best attitude you can be towards it and give it your all if this is what you really want to do, I love it to death its fun and decent money. good luck to you.