Transport America

I just got hired by Transport America yesterday!
If you take a look at my blog, you'll see where I started and how I got here.

As a new (student) driver, I'm totally impressed with this company!
Another student (that I was in TDDS school with), picked up a rental car and we rode here together (Fort Wayne, IN).All of the new drivers (experienced / students) got their own rooms - at the Econolodge (nice rooms).

The whole process has been very organized and flowed smoothly from start to finish. We got breakfast at the hotel, and left in vans to go to the site. Every day we had our choice of different food for lunch (all good). Dinner is up to the students... but there are plenty of places to eat within walking distance. There are also vans available for use, to run errands if you need to go to a bank, or something.

The main focus of this company, was repeated throughout their training - SAFETY.
If you as a driver, don't feel safe driving - shut it down - the driver has the final say.

Their company trucks are rotated out every 3 years. When you get a new truck, you'll keep it for 3 years. The pay for a new student (company) OTR driver, with their hazmat - is .36 per mile, plus detention, freight handling (when necessary) / lumpers, layover, paid scales and EZ Pass. They have a monthly fuel bonus worth .03 per mile (which I've been told by another driver, it's not impossible to get). Their wages are not paid based solely on seniority - pay is incentive based, which means, your performance determines your pay. Your first possible raise is in 6 months, then again in a year. After that it's an annual review. You can be at top rate in 5-6 years.

Mileage is paid by movers miles (HHMG) / Rand McNally.
They use Qualcomm MC-200, with all of the features available (e-logs, navigation, messaging, document scanning, WiFi, etc.)

Their trucks are 10-speed, Freightliners (Cascadia's). New trucks are being ordered with APU's. Some of their older trucks have APU's / EPU's / nothing. Their idle policy is below 30 degrees, or over 80 degrees outside temperature. The newer trucks use DEF.

The 2 experienced (Pro) drivers had trucks assigned on the day we finished class.
Of the remaining students, 2 left the following morning, 3 were waiting for trainers (supposed to be leaving soon), and I'm set to go out tomorrow.

I'm happy to be a part of ths company at this point - and think I've made the right choice. I'll try to update this periodically... I'll have to see how hard it is to get an internet connection, on the road!?

 

It just means that experienced drivers - with 6 months to 2 years - will be evaluated to see if the driver needs retraining (and required to go out with a trainer)... in a nutshell.

 

So far, so good! The first 5 days I went out with one of the instructors from orientation. Excellent trainer! Very patient - helped me out a lot! Now I'm out with another trainer who I had talked to before I went to Transport America, and found on Facebook! So, I've been to IN, OH, IL, CT, MA, PA and now in IN.

As for an Internet connection - I decided to get an iPad with Cellular service and WiFi.
I have AT&T - and got a 3GB plan for $30 per month, to start with... we'll have to see if that's enough for what I want to do over the internet. The other option - which might be cheaper - is to just get a yearly plan at the Flying J or one of the truck stops... just to have WiFi without the Cellular connection. This is an iPad2 and has both 4G and LTE options.

Anyway - I made my first night run from 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM, before the trainer took over for the remaining part of the run. Good thing... because we still had about an hour to go, and while I was in the passenger seat, I started nodding off!

Now we're waiting for a new load!

 

I've had 2 good runs in the past 2 days - 9 hours each, over 425 miles... from Indianapolis to Memphis, and then to Tyler Texas. We're sitting at the receiver of part of our load, waiting for them to verify the papers / load... it's been about 1-1/2 hours (actually about an hour if you account for the 20 minutes the dock worker was on break)... no word yet.

When you go out with a trainer, as a new (student) driver - you have to use paper logs until you are approved for e-logs... so you enter everything into the Qualcomm as you normally would, and have to update your paper logs. The company wants to be sure you know how to do paper logs, and do the math, and keep it neat (per DOT), just in case the Qualcomm system goes down. It's a bit of a hassle, and since paper logs are only in 15 minute blocks, e-logs are a lot more accurate (up to the minute) - not to mention easier to keep up! A push of a button, and you're done.

So far, this is all still an adventure for me. It seems like I've been away from home for a long time - and I guess I have if you consider I started Orientation on December 3... and now it's December 18. But, I was home on (December 12 - December 13) Wednesday night and had Thursday off, before sitting all day at the terminal on Friday. I haven't had a shower since going out with this trainer - luckily we don't sweat in the truck. We tried to find a spot last night at a truck stop with showers, but they were all packed - we tried 2 different places and finally settled for a parking area behind a gas station, that had 1 spot left. At least I can brush my teeth! I need a shave too. I could find a way to do that too - just prefer to have a sink with hot water, that isn't in a public rest room.

Anyway - I'm getting good miles and training - although this trainer spends all day talking on her cell phone, which gets a little annoying at times... but she's there when I need her and answers my questions, and gives me tips along the way - so it's all good. Yes - I said 'she'. Transport America has a shortage of trainers - and she lives in my area. In fact, I was glad to find out she was going to be my trainer, because I had found her on Facebook and asked her about Transport America before I decided to go with this company. She gave me her phone number so I could call her... and had good things to say about the company.

I'm starting to see more of what it takes to be a professional driver - and to be honest, it's a little daunting. There is soooo much more to all of this than just driving the truck. I already knew that coming in - and it's not a shock - it's just that now I'm living it! =)

I was driving down the road just yesterday and had to smile as I thought to myself.... HEWEEEE DOGGY, HOT-DiGiTY... I'M DRIVING A BIG TRUCK!!!