TransAm Trucking, Inc. - Olathe, Ks.?

I've been talking to OIPIML's (Other Important People In My Life) about TransAm and they seem to think it might be wise for me to pursue it. okay, they see lots of TA trucks in their area and would love to see me in one of them.

So I have a question (and, yes, I'm experienced and know all the qualifiers...depends on the dispatcher, available freight, my own performance and rep with the company, etc)

If I want to run real 48 states - meaning all of them - will the company really do that? Coast-to-coast, up-and-down? I'm willing to stay out a long time for them (6-8 weeks? No problem) and really like new places and new challenges.

 

Transam only runs to Los Angelos
and not over the rockies except in summer when you don't need to chain
plenty of places to go drive all 48 with a little experience thou

 

I would like some advice please from the experts that I have been following for the last 6-8 months i.e: trans am pete, honeybadger, hometimequeen. I just finished up my 5th week of cdl classes and have 3 more weeks to go. I have taken the road test and passed just fine, the forward serpentine which I aced and had the fastest time in the class ( I am the only female), and the jacknife. My problem is the angle back. I can get the angle no problem, but for the life of me I can't get the straight line back to save my soul! I am being told from one instructor that I am oversteering and another says I am not turning enough. They are having us do this with the short pup trailers which I hate. I backed the 53' no problem but the pups go all over the place. I have tried placing my hand at the top of the wheel and doing it, and I have tried using 9 and 3. It always, always drifts to the left because there is a slope there. I turn it to the left and it just keeps going that way and doesn't correct. So, once I see it start to finally correct, do I go back up to center, or do I bypass center and go more right? I really need to get this down, it is keeping me up at night and I have watched probably every video on youtube possible. I really value the opinions from you guys. I applied at Trans Am and the recruiter lady said she was waiting to hear from one of my former employers and that was yesterday when I talked to her. One of the drivers that went to the same community college I do now, is apparently a driver/recruiter now and he startled me a little bit when he stopped by with his truck but he was cool! Thanks for all the input that you can spare and I hope to be working with you all in the near future, your posts have been very beneficial to many people!! Thank you!

 

TransAm runs 95% or something like that within their hiring area (see map below) + as TAPete says, a few runs to California.
View attachment 54904

 

Yeah Im as busy as I want to be. Im making so much money Im considering opening another account at a different bank. Each bank is only insured for up to what is it $250,000. ROFL. Really though Im keeping busy. I went through the summer safety class Friday, and mostly all that was talked about was the Drive Cam. Also we are getting neon green seat belts. I guess Trans Am wants us to look stupid while we are on camera lol. Always have your seatbelt on when hitting the kingpin, because it will set off the camera. If your not wearing your belt you will get a phone call from safety. Im currently headed for Cali. I have a 3 stop load. 1st is in Ontario, 2nd is in Riverside, and 3rd is in National City, Ca. I sure hope this all works out. I hate multiple stop loads. 1st stop is Dominos, 2nd stop is Wal-Mart DC, 3rd stop is Harvest meats.

 

Now, now ...neon green isn't too bad ....I saw some today that had a definite neon pink tone to them! LOL I am assuming they were bright orange and had been faded by the sun. Glad you are doing okay and hope the Cali trip goes well for you!
Oh and rather than open another bank account for all of that money ....you know the holidays are on the way ....you could send all of your online friends a little Christmas gift card!

 

lbutler, I really wish I could help you ....but I know nothing about operating the trucks, I'm just the wife of a driver. I read your post to Husband and he tried to explain to me what his opinion was, but I am afraid to even try to write it down here .....for fear I would be telling it wrong. When Husband was in school there was one backing situation that he was having trouble with .....and you know how it is, sometimes the harder you try the worse you make it. He also had different instructors giving him different advice ....he just couldn't put it all together in his head. So this may sound a bit off the wall ....but he went to the hobby shop and bought a toy semi and trailer. After he had studied at night he would sit there and practice backing up the toy truck and trailer. I guess it helped him make the connection, to get an overall visual, between his steering, his eyes and his head .....just being able to see how the trailer reacted to what he was doing and knowing at what point to turn the wheel the other way..... or maybe it just made him more confident in being able to translate what he already knew into being able to do it. For whatever reason, it worked for him.
I'm sure the others will be able to give you far better and more technical advice. I wish you the very best of luck and I am sure you are going to do just fine. Welcome.

 

to me it sounds like your backing skills will just improve with practice
pups ARE harder to back up
longer the trailer slower it reacts
go back a boat trailer down a ramp see how quick it reacts
even a 53 backs different depending where the tandems are placed

 

See ....I knew there was a reason I couldn't even back up the utility trailer ...it's just too short! I kick, push and shove til I get it where I want it.

 

I can honestly say I have no useful input for this one, sorry! Ive straight up told TransAm that I only have half a clue what I'm doing when backing up. I just go with my gut, use my mirrors a lot and lots of GOALs to avoid hitting things and I eventually get it where it needs to be. X____X Im really not kidding either, lol. In school I was only taught enough to past the CDL test and the trucks were perfectly set up before we began exam moves. And I didnt get enough time with a coach to be taught any relevant important things like how to set yourself up to back. Buuuut on the bright side, Ive been carefully BSing my way through this backing thing more than 8 months now and my equipment is still in pristine condition. GOALs and mirrors, is the most advice I can offer. Im a total rookie.