TransAm - Beware new students, new graduates, new drivers!

TransAm is one of the worst companies to work for, and that is coming from my personal experience as a trucker's wife. My husband works hard, delivers on time, and still there have been times when he barely makes anything on his paycheck. This company lures new students, inexperienced drivers, or drivers in desperate need of financial help into leasing their brand new trucks, but the reality is different. I haven't seen my husband in almost 5 weeks now, he is been out there driving. This morning his paycheck was less than $100. He pays for his own fuel, the others costs of truck, mostly everything, and they deduct so many prorated charges, that you are almost left with nothing. They don't give him enough miles, he keeps waiting for loads, sitting at the terminal. And he has been a good driver so far, delivering on time, keeping his log, communicating with dispatch but still lack of miles. They didn't pay him 5 days of orientation pay while he was driving on the road with his trainer, the payroll people don't call you back after you leave many messages about your messed up paycheck, they hide the most important facts from you during the hiring process, recruiters lie to you and show you the good picture on the phone until you actually get sucked in and can't get out. They pretty much suck the life out of you and your family and lie to you all the time. The driver managers care less about the drivers, their family emergencies or anything related to the drivers. The drivers are just a number to them. My husband is new in this industry, but he has already learned a big life lesson with TransAm. He is hard working, honest, and trying to make a decent living for our family, but TransAm have taken big advantage of his needs. They push you into leasing, which they don't tell you during your hiring process, there training time is not 11 days, but rather 4-6 weeks including stays at the hotel waiting for your truck, your trainer, your loads...etc. They require you to stay at least 90 days for both lease drivers and the company drivers once you are at their orientation, and if you don't, you have to reimburse everything they paid for you, even if they lied to you to to get you into the mess. The recruiters don't tell all this to the new drivers on the phone, but I am giving anyone a heads up if you are considering this company. No home time after training, they put on the road right away. Then you have to request your days off 8 days prior, but they still don't send them home on time. My husband started orientation on Sep 4th and finished training on Sep 25th. He requested to be off starting Oct 6th till Oct 10th ( you are only given 4 days off in a month) Our 6 year old son had a scheduled surgery on Oct 7th. He even told his driver manager that he needs to be home for the son's surgery, and was told he will be, as long as he put the request on the log. He requested the days off on the first day (Sep 27th) he got his own truck, which is the only way you can put a request - from your own truck. They gave him a load at the last minute that was 1200 miles away. He said he can't do it, but they told him he has no choice. He didn't get home till Oct 9th and missed the surgery. It was so devastating, but for TransAm this was not their problem! So please - Look somewhere else. There are many others companies that would respect you as a driver and give you what you deserve. I would not recommend this company to any new graduates, students or any drivers, unless you wanted to be treated just like a number rather than a good driver or a team member.

 

Quit making assumptions and judge other people or their decisions. Just because I'm stating the facts, doesn't mean I'm saying my husband leased the truck. No, he is not leasing the truck, but yes the company tried the hell out of him to lease one. They train their trainers who are also lease operators to train the students and talk them into leasing. We all are adults and don't need judgments from people like you! And yes we did our homework, that's why we made the right decision.

 

He is working as a company driver with TransAm for time being, to get some experience on his license. Even their company drivers only get 4 days off in a month. Most local jobs want some exp, so once he has some exp, he will try regional or local. Thanks tough!

 

Is really that hard to understand my post? The right decision to be a company driver than to lease. We are lucky we didn't lease with them. Few of my husband's friends he met at orientation, they leased, and no one is happy. One of them pay about $900/week for his payment, and barely got anything on his check. The best decision was to work as a company driver so you are not in some kind of contract!

 

Yes he got the offer with coke for $650/week right after school. That's how much he was making at the job before he went into trucking. It's not enough to support a family and a child with disability! It's ok, he has survived 2 months and will do another few more months. It's just has been a bad experience. Most of the things that he found out after orientation, were surprising. I was trying to tell the perspective drivers what to expect at orientation and with TransAm, so they are not surprised. He drove 2700 miles this week, so I know he is trying his best and doing his best, knowing he is still learning and getting experienced. I'm proud of him and for all he do for his family! God bless you all.