Trans Am Still

A lot of companies get slammed. A lot of new drivers have unrealistic expectations. You are not going to surf the waves if you go to Cali or hold Mickeys hand if you go to Fl. Some get into driving cause it is "easy" and it most certainly is not. We all get stressed out. If you lease and you are new the odds are not in your favor to be a success. Most new drivers say I worked my tail off and it is not about how hard you work but how efficient you work especially with electronic logs. Some drivers think that shippers and receivers will be different at another company. There are a lot of reasons. Dennisroc you have been on here for a little while so you should have a decent idea that this is not an easy industry and if you do decide to drive you should not lease in the beginning Not every day is going to be good in fact you will have some bad weeks. There is a joke I heard- You want to make God laugh tell him your plans. Once you get your time in if you are not happy at Trans Am find a company that suites your needs. Alot look for what they don't want in a company and that is wrong cause you should be looking for exactly what you want. I hope this helps

 

Well, you need some deep "spring" cleaning done, right? Give them a chore list: wash windows, clean out closets, the barn, etc. Can double to keep them busy/outta your hair, as well as earning time on Internet. Teach them to crochet! Bet you can think of a string of mundane, boring things for them to do that will get them to give you your space again. Strategize! You can do it....outsmart them!!! There's cooking too, unless they like to cook. Tell them to plan a menu and fix a meal or two, and clean up afterwards.

 

Those have been my plans too, jungHo. They seem to be faster at finishing things than I am at coming up with things for them to start on next. I had them painting the front door, Number One Daughter decided she no longer liked her wallpaper and they steamed it and pulled it off the wall. They have repainted the bird feeders, we have sat down to learn to crochet .....they are wearing me down with thinking up new things for them to do! Oh, we did the cooking thing too ....prepared a full Chinese meal. I rented them booth space in a craft mall, thought a little enterprise and the opportunity to make some money would keep them busy. I'm not down and out yet .....but I am getting older by the day!

 

honeybadger, I couldn't help but think when I read your post, that if all had gone smoothly today you might have ended up being closer when that accident happened. Sometimes life's aggravations and frustrations are a blessing in disguise.

Pete, gamma and ajacks are hanging in there, although I think gamma has run into more than his share of truck and trailer issues here lately.

dennisroc, Pete and jaso are both right about the TransAm complaint threads. You will find them about most companies and especially the mega carriers. Being a driver is more than a job....it is a lifestyle. If you come from a situation where you earned x amount of dollars every week, it is going to be an adjustment.....every week is not the same. Some get lonely and can't get used to being away from their families. Some fall for all of the slick brochures and hype.....they are very bitter when the job fails to live up to their expectations. Some of them have been through the so called schools and training that we discussed in the last couple of pages and are woefully ill prepared for the job. Some don't do their research ....or like so many that have been on the forum, they don't follow the best advise that drivers with experience have given them. We have had many that lease no matter what we have said. As jaso said, some don't understand that it takes more than just hard work.....you have to learn the system and how to maximize it. That takes some time and experience. Some just won't make it in anything that they try. I am not worried about you being any of those things. I think you have looked at this and talked with folks enough to know what you are getting into, and have the knowledge to make it work for you.

melo15, glad to know you are doing well! Hang in there and keep in touch. Do go back a few pages and look at the discussion on trailer washouts in Maine as Pete suggested. They are few and far between and can waste a lot of your time if you don't know where to look. Remember we are here if you have questions.

 

Well said, HTQ! A person's attitude greatly affects their success. Whether a truck driver is willing to go through the protocol steps required, like scaling their load at appropriate times, using their mirrors effectively, checking out the location of their drops or pick ups well, in general, being prepared, doing their homework, and being cautious. Some might think the job is a cake walk, with little to do, yet, it's like a puzzle. The "pieces" only fit by going through all the essential steps. I wonder if, besides chasing extra money, many drivers trade companies looking for that silver lining, thinking things will just work better with another company. I am amazed at all that is involved with the job, hearing George share from his daily encounters. HTQ, you made the remark a few days ago that the drivers could write a book about their experiences. You could too! I'm by no stretch of the imagination an expert (yet) on the subject, but I believe I've learned a bit from "observing," or listening.

I know that trainers tell their trainees certain safety and routine techniques. If drivers aren't willing to follow through on that, it matters not which company they work with, they will not be successful. John boy has posted several times that his objective in training is to turn out safe drivers, that won't be a threat to him or his family. In essence, who won't be a threat to other people on or off the road. Sounds like sound expectations to me. Ok.....I'm getting off my soap box now. Be safe, Everyone!

 

I forgot about the part of being away from home a lot. Good point HTQ. Jungho you are right that there is more than meets the eye to this career. The HOS takes some time getting used to. Most jobs do not have a clock that is mandated and you also give a lot of free time. Doesn't matter what company you drive for(repairs, loading and unloading times, waiting for dispatch or sometimes driving in circles looking for places, accidents or whatever may cause traffic). Safety is the most important aspect of this job. There is a lot of ins and outs to this. Dennisroc you have us no matter what company you go to and we are always willing to show off our knowledge, especially Cranky.

 

I remember dealing with brokers when I was there. No where near as often as now tho.

 

Yea but..... your sure got them all snowed!!!! lol