My honest, no BS, opinion of P.A.M.

lillady, I once heard someone say they used a ratchet strap to keep the doors shut. Wrap each end of strap around the inside door handle, pull it tight, and ratchet it tight. That way, even if somebody had a key that would fit your doors, they couldn't get them open because of the strap. Guess you could use a chain with a padlock, too.

 

When I was driving for PAM I would take my seatbelt and run it through the door handle twice then click it. That way when somebody opened the door it would rock the truck. I think Im going back to drive for PAM it gets kinda boring working local.

 

I checked my Driver Solutions page and they denied me with a message saying to try again in 6 months. I have no idea why and my recruiter won't be in until Monday. Prime said there was a year wait for females so now that's 0 for 2. I applied with Central Refrigerated and will see. If I don't get in with them I'll try with Swift and then I guess England is my last chance.

*sigh*

 

PAM just threw out a 5% pay cut effective next week. For some of us who are working the 'dedicated' division {rofl}, it's a real kick below the belt, especially considering that we aren't getting run the way we're supposed to {2500 miles per week, as a team...}.

Consider yourself lucky and hope you get in somewhere else.

 

WOW. Ive read every post for this topic. I am feeling better about my decision of going with c1 in fort wayne IN and choosing pam as my new employer. I start school on the 20th of July. I cant wait. Im really excited. Its going to be an adjustment for me cuz im used to being a superviser at a cnc machine shop making 22 bucks an hr. Been doing machining for 17 years. Kinda scared to start something new. but The cnc indistry is a cut throte industry and I need a change. So thanks to everyone for there questions and comments...

 

I'm looking into a cdl training course not a school.They just get you a cdl license. I have a class B but want an A. Would i still have to go through the driving school to get hired on or could I go right into orientation if I already have the class A?

 

OK, Ive been reading alot on PAM, 1st off, all you newbies. and I say that with respect to U all. I was a newbie a yr ago. I will first say this, I only post the truth, no Bull S_ _ T.
I'm here in N.J. and last yr at the time I wasnt eligable for there state/unemployed training program. free paid training.//PAM said I had to pay my way to get to school in Indiana, I didnt have the money then.// so I ended up w/schnider in Pa. alot closer. << Yuck.. well there again depends on the trainers you get. they have many trainers that you get to deal with. Several for class rm and a cpl for drv tr. and 1 for drv rd. tr. they started me off with a great road tr. but switiched me to this brand new short FAT old Slob , who just came off the road, to be a trainer. and he was supervised by another trainer. So when I made a mistake= I got double corrected all day long when driving. I had the highest test score's in the class rooms out of my class. I also was told I was one of the best back-up new drv's they had seen in awhile. which the amount of people dropped off quickly. Anyway. the new fat slob trainer, and I didnt get along well, he finally threatened me, w/if i didnt learn to skip shiff [ while down shifting he would fail me] I understand all about down shifting. And I did it well. Like any newbie I made my occisonal mistakes. The drv.tr. & I got into it alot more over the next cpl days. So rather then Punch the Fat Slob out. I choose to walk away[quit] he said oh youl never pass any state drv. road test. LOL #######. I went home made appointment the next day, and borrowed a friend truck, and passed road test 1st time w/ only 5 points deducted. 2 weeks later I went to work for Maverick Specialized Glass Div. they trained me all about hauling glass and flatbed = glass,steel of every kind,lumber, etc. Great training. Great company. I went out for 2wks with drv trainer OTR, he was great. got my own truck, , and the 1st 4 wks was ok. but after that the dispatcher started giving me very short runs, [ 400 to 500 mile] and had a 3 day deliverly. ??? yeah 3 days to go 500 miles. DAMMM the mileage for me here in the northeast region was terrible, I didnt make money. But if your living in midwest of say near N.C. youl get the mileage. So i quit. Back in December I almost made a big mistake. I went out to burnsharbor, Indiana = CR England <<< I was Dumb// but I escaped before they had me. I was told, they would get me in a truck with in 4 days after normal testing and paper work/physical. No- Prob. right . wrong they tried to screw me, but I left before signing any paper work. while there that day, there were several drvs that got mad at them and there bull. in fact one guy got so mad he punched out a trainer. LOL
I am driving for a local company now but like everywhere frieght is slow.
And yes alot of these trucking companys Lie there butts off to recuit new drivers. experienced drv's. wont hire on with them. they know better.
lillady = do what the others said about securing your doors. when your at truck stops, and ask around or listen to drivers talk about where the bad stops are. And of course be careful out there. there are alot of a-hole drv's out there also.
As for PAM and there other co's they partnered with I have no info. I'm just reading what i can find out. Ive been considering applying to PAM. I have a clean good DAC// so ill keep reading and thinking about them and a few others.
Trucking OTR is a big life style change. away for 2 or 3 wks. and only home for 1 1/2 to 2 days then out again. It is hard on familys.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL U NEW DRIVERS.
Hey No-Tarps you Quit Maverick WOW. Interesting.

 

run far away from PAM, Don't walk, RUN!!! This company is in bad shape and you will get screwed. Hear me now and believe me later(when you work for them) Hell, Swift is a better company than PAM.. GOODLUCK!

 

Stay away from CR England, Prime, PAM... ALL are horrible. Do your research!
I'm not sure about Central Refrigerated? However, I have heard nothing but bad things from the actual drivers themselves at truck stops or reading forums about these 3 trking companies I mentioned above. And Rumor has it, PAM is on their way out. They even LAID off alot of their drivers!! many were students fresh out of school or drivers making the max per mile w/no accidents, no tickets that were getting laid off. seriously!

Also i'd say your best bet is Swift.. I know there are alot of bad things said about them also. Swift has so many drivers which means there will be more hate threads. The thing I like about Swift is they have "comfort Zones"... check it out on the website. No, i'm not a Swift driver, but i like the idea of choosing the region i run.

 

Dan my friend, told you a crock of ####. you may get 2500 miles one week per month, if that... For the rest of month you will wait for loads, sometimes days, averaging 500-1400 miles a week, honestly. PAM is good about paying your layover pay(most of the time) although sometimes it's like you have to fight for it.