TransAm Trucking, Inc. - Olathe, Ks.?

1800 seems kinda low though with fuel between 3 and 4 dollars a gallon

 

I think 1,800 is not that big of a number if you only want to break even, if you want to work only to pay for a truck, but to get well above that 1,800 to start making money to put food on the table is another thing again.

I did a lot more analyzation of this when I was on my way to orientation last January. I am not as sharp on it now but in any given week if things are going well, 1,800 is a comfortable number. Comfortable if you have smooth sailing to just run the wheels off a truck.

On the other hand, 1,800 is no small hurdle when you think of it as an average. Week in and week out you have to make that payment regardless of weather, shipper/receiver delays, breakdowns, traffic, etc. One bad week and you can spend several weeks trying to get your average back up.

I get the impression that when some lease drivers have a bad week they “just write it off”. As in they don't really look at it as an average, they really just count the good weeks. I am not going to rain on their parade, if they are happy I am happy, but I don't think that is a wise or realistic way to look at it.

 

i am far too lazy to look back thru the whole thread
but somewhere last fall i posted l/o settlement for myself

fuel should cost no more then $1.25 gal with fuel surcharge


leasing doesnt work

 

Hey folks just a lil update on my new carrier US Xpress. Been with them for 3 months now and it's going good except they pay they start you with very little as a team till you upgrade to solo then you get better pay rates. But the runs have been good except a few locals and some repowers. But other then that the company is pretty much decent and almost the same as every other one out there. But I got my first home time and moved to Florida and spent Xmas with my wife and New Years with wifey and my family in Florida had some good times there as well. I'm hoping another month goes by fast so I can get my upgrade and the truck I have is running good except a few stops for breakdowns. 2012 Freightliner cascadia and I hope I keep it too. I hear someone is asking about Trans Am well as a company driver you will get a used old truck and you lucky if it's decent inside the cab sometime driver leave their trucks pretty beat up like the one I had at Trans Am I left cause I got sick with no AC in the truck and they would not give me a better one either. But if you looking to lease and your a new driver coming out of school don't touch the lease program and they will try to convince you to take it by telling drivers they can learn every thing while leasing don't fall for that because you will be responsible for all payments on the trucks if you don't get the miles but they will make sure you get the miles as well. Learn the industry first before leasing folks. Well with that said have to go I'm unloading in Tinley Illinois right now just about to head out if any question feel free to email me or send me a message. Be safe and drive safe GOAL.........

 

Oh I wasn't aware you weren't with TA no more. I though you were since i have read hundreds of post on this thread from you lol. Do you have any opinion about US Xpress ? There are my first choice, trying to get some feedback


Jmor or you have to ask your self what exactly your looking for okay with US Xpress which is where I am now you start off slow but after a few months you begin to pick up also us Xpress has more to offer then what Trans am does. I was with Trans am and left because I got sick with a crappy ole truck and could not be promised a new truck so I left them and it's basically a leasing company. All company driver get the left over crappy trucks but I hear they giving the T700 I just wish they had given methat when I was there. But US Xpress you have options like a riders program and pet program and tuition reimbursements and they also have a better leasing program then Trans Am too. But to be honest where ever you start off just get the experience because that's what you will need to get into better carriers later on in the future. It's up to you the decision you make we can't make that decision. Good luck with you journey and don't hesitate to send me a message for any questions. Good Luck GOAL.....

 

Don't lease this is not a very good lease program. I made more at other companies but with the handcuffs of E-Logs this is not a very good program

 

By-the-way, for those of you who haven't heard yet, TA now monitors speed limit violations using the Drive Cam. They use a "reliable" national speed limit database to match your speed with that of the database. If you exceed the speed limit, it registers it and sends an incident report. I got a call from safety for driving 1 mph over speed limit while driving through hilly stretch of highway. I have now been disqualified from having any chance of receiving this quarter's quarterly safety bonus. I can see how these cams will pay for them self. I guess I'll start driving 5 mph under speed limit.

 

The accuracy of the database is bogus. I have gone 5mph over the speed limit and no had it go off and thrn in other instances have had it go off when I was under the speed limit and there was nothing else to trigger it. Ive only gotten two phone calls regarding drivecam and have triggered it a lot.

 

I am not going to worry about it. I just wonder why it sometimes continues to record (red light) for 10+ hrs after it goes off. The only thing that truly bothers me is it is another way to keep drivers from getting the quarterly bonus.

 

George's new company is based in Wisconsin.