TransAm Trucking, Inc. - Olathe, Ks.?

well I am sure their thinking is
only the driver gets written up for no chains
if you buy them you can take them with you
like a cb
most co I see will buy one set of chains
you lose them you buy the next set

lease opps probably never get a set of chains from any company
any company that is willing to rip off drivers with l/o
isn't gonna say we ripped them off enough here is a bone

 

Hi everyone!

I'm thinking of going with Trans Am. I talked with a recruiter (Kim) and basically i will take a bus out there to start orientation whenever i choose to do so.

I understand they will push the lease option (which i positively wont do, I mean; i have no frigging experience except for cdl school). So if I don't go witht he lease at/after oriemtation will they still take me on as a company driver? I heard a few times that they wont. Is this true?

Also I am going to call her tommorow and ask some questions, but can anyone tell me what orietation is like and also what is training like?
what are the time frames for each? How long will i be with a trainer and is this basically team driving when training?

Thanks.

 

if you can get a flight cheap enough skip the 24 bus trip
they will reimburse you up to the cost of bus fare

last I knew training was 3 days orientation paperwork and pee test
7-10 days in the yard reefing your backing skills
7-10 days out with trainer should be just you driving for the most part
trainers come in all kinds of shapes and attitudes
prepare to be quick and learn on your own
no one holds your hand

 

I don't know about some of you drivers, but as a newbie, I don't have the $1k for a complete set of chains as required by some states. Unlike a CB... the chains you purchased might not fit your next tractor/trailer if/when you decide to leave. Chains are determined by tire size. Not every tractor/trailer have the same tire size.

 

well it is only a problem going to ca
and even then you can go I40
where chains are not required
L/o lose 200 miles that way
but fuel doesn't matter to co drivers
most companies run low pro 22.5 anyway

 

Hey Wild Man... Yes, there is a big push to lease. It's a business, and TA make money off the lease program. I am going on my 4th month as a lease driver. It is like taking a crash course in this industry. I have learned so much in such a short period of time as a lease driver which I don't feel I could have learned as a company driver. There are a lot of pros & cons to going leasing or going company. It's what you make of it.

 

I survived 19 months as a lease driver
never avged $.30/mile after deductions
which is what a co driver gets
no insurance and all the risk
but you do learn plenty

many of transam lil petty things help me every day now with a different co
the other day one of our drivers ran the reefer empty
transam makes you fuel the reefer everytime you fuel the truck
it was a great habit to get into

 

Thanks guys.

Yeh sounds like a crash course any way about it. I'm pretty much fine with that as I make sure i stay safe and do what Im comfortable doing so hopefully I won't run into any issues that will be disastorous.

I'm not saying I won't ever lease a truck, but I sure don't feel I am ready to just starting out.

I'm probably going to go with trans am. So then, they won't sandbag me if I don't lease with them and want to be a company driver?

 

Here are a couple links which might give a better understanding chain laws state-by-state. Give particular attention to CA, CO, OR, WA and WY... just to name a few. I realize we at TA might run through all these states. My point is, if you get stuck and don't have chains... you could could be putting yourself in a financial bind.

http://www.ooida.com/EducationTools/Info/chain-laws.asp
http://www.thetruckersreport.com/chain-law-information/

 

A company driver earning $.30 a mile is also paying taxes on part of that $.30. On a lease driver, you shouldn't end up paying taxes at the end of the year (if you do, it will be very little). You can not do a direct compare between the two. Take the taxes out of your $.30 before you compare. I believe a company driver is only taxed on $.18 out of the $.30. If you are at a 28% tax base, $.0504 will go toward State/Fed Tax. Therefore, that particular company driver will only make $.2496 per mile. Example: (.30-((.30-.12)* .28 ) =.2496).