Help! Crst or p.a.m.

What company would you suggest? And why do you think they suck?

 

Do a search in here and you will see way.

Look in here and see what you can find OTR & Local CDL A Truck Driving Jobs - TruckersReportJobs.com

Where do you live?

 

Former PAM employee here. Look, you really need to approach this company like you would a poker table. If you're smart and can learn the game then you can make money.
I was a hazmat team with PAM, whenever someone told me they did not make money at PAM I rolled my eyes. It's in your dispatcher's best interest to keep you moving, they get bonuses based on performance. So if you got the results, they got the money to throw your way.

Now, all of that said, their nickname is Poor ### Management and they undoubtedly live up to it. I used to turn $1000 a week working for them and still got into it with whatever moron wanted to do something stupid with my next load. I did better than most because I quickly figured out their system and their lanes, I knew where I was and where I needed to go to get another good load. This company is what you make of it. I did decently well here and I truthfully had some great dispatchers at PAM, but the reason is myself and my teammate ran hard and got it done.

You can't approach this company expecting an hourly paycheck like you would at a standard job, this is performance-based like a car salesman. You get results, you get business, you get paid. You won't make the most money at PAM because they have one of the lowest pay scales in the industry, but anyone who says you can't make decent money with them probably is not working hard enough to earn it.

 

2012 went through c1 and Pam. C1 training was a joke. Even the instructors said so. Two weeks at the time, they went back to three. One week classroom. There were days I stood in the yard all day in 15 degrees never got in a truck. Had an hour of backing, two hours of driving. They told me I could take an extra week or two if I need it. This was before I signed up. When I got there week 2 take the test or get out. Passed on my third attempt by the grace of God. Several people sent home with a bill and no CDL. Same with Pam trainer. Two weeks they said I can request longer. My trainer did not train me and backed under my clock. I requested another trainer and to be trained longer. Pam told me I was fine and didn't need any more training. For this reason I would recommend a 3 month votech class or something and not a CDL mill. They take anyone. Afterwards it's survival of the fittest and about an 80 percent washout rate.

The company itself wasn't bad. I drove my clock out team driving. Average 800 a week before tax and $50 school payment. After was five something or 600 take home. New truck. We idled it at night. Pam did try to steal our good loads, on the road 3 months at a time. Left when they wouldn't send me home to renew my license. Most people quit because they only made $150 a week. I never made less than five. But I had a good partner. People would not run hard and be late on loads and it leads to a cascade effect of sitting all the time. Pam gave us $1000 three month bonus. Obviously serious issues with this company but it's a starter company. You are there to get experience and pay your school off. I quit pam went to scneider and it was worse. They treat their experienced people good but new people I was given a broken down truck and treated like garbage. Lost my CDL now years later starting with crst. Crst pays a couple dents less than pam but makes up for it with longer loads more miles. Both companies have low pay but long loads so the pay isn't much different from starter companies that pay more per mile but give you shorter loads. Crst seems about the same as pam from what I can tell. It is what you make of it. My only advice is get as much training as possible. You might need to bounce around a few companies just to get the training you need. Mostly I learned it on the road with my partner wish is one reason they do teams.

 

If you already have your CDL you don't need to go to school.

 

Use your phone