Info on Trans-Am

Only thing I can say bad about them is the automatic fleets...coming out of school I would suggest a company with sticks so you improve shifting...

 

I like some info too.
My bf and i get our cdl's in 2 weeks and so far Transam has been the only company to send a recruiter to the school biggrin_25510
The recruiter did talk about the auto trans and he thought it was a plus.
I agree with Minus.......learning to shift makes you marketable if you start to look for a new company.
Other things that I found good were...NO NYC!
They haul high consumables......beer, beef, and toliet paper......always freight for that.
Pay for beginners sucked......$50 for the entire orinentation.....then $50 a day during training for 4 or 5 weeks.......then drivers test that enphasized backing abilities such as backward serpintine, 90% and 45% alley dock.
If you fail......do not pass go and do not collect $200....

 

They have a dedicated fleet out of Rocky Mount, NC. They pick up loads in Raeford, NC. The auto fleet is kind of a downside if you are new to the business, but I do believe they have some trucks with 10 speed standard.

 

im on the way to trans am leaving crst. the only thing that i dont like is auto shift. i love shifting. is there a plus to auto shift? how is the lease program there?

 

There are a couple pluses to auto shift. First off sitting in traffic is a breeze because there is no clutch at all. Some earlier autos have a clutch but that was only for stopping and taking off. Going up and down a mountain is very easy as well. When going down all you have to do is switch from auto shift to manual and you can stop the transmission from shifting. The bad thing is that if you go to another company they may question your ability to shift. An autoshift company may not be a good place to start if you are planning on leaving after only a little while to find a better paying job.

 

I was exceptionally disappointed in Trans Am's Recruiting STYLE! I had been with them before and had high hopes of returning to them because I had been gone for 3 years and needed to be "retrained".

I filled out all the paperwork, and got it back to them. I had to call several times as there were questions I needed answered, and I was eager to go back to work.

Right after I sent in the app, I waited for 3 days for a callback. No callback. So I called them. I got connected to the Recruiting Supervisor and she was FROSTY, the ICE QUEEN! I found out that the recruiter I had had been fired ( I know it had something to do with my app no paranoia intended) and that she was "handling my app from then on". I did not get a good feeling, and after 3 days I called again, this time being referred to a lower level recruiter who basically brushed me ff without even an "I'm Sorry< but this needs to be done to get you hired". I was never given a reason why, just told to come back in 6 months and reapply!

BTW I know there is a lot of animosity over CR England, but the time I was there, it went well. I am working out a kink on my app, unfortunately it is a BIG KINK, maybe would have ben caught if T/A had been honest about things???

Before they got too big for their britches I thought they were a great company. Now, they are a glorified CFI.

Judi

At least CRE is willing to pay for my return and still put me to work. I will let you all know what I go through there;. It is a temp move in order to get my 6 months out of the way.

 

I did not know CRE would help with a refresher. I myself am going to a refresher at my old truck school. You should keep a record of your time going to CRE again under the CRE DAC on the site. It would be very interesting and informative.

On the TransAm side of your story, yes, they are very icy over the phone (when they do actually pick-up). I've sent emails when I couldn't get in contact with them and they would go unanswered as well.

 

TransAm was my guy's first trucking job. I rode with him the entire time he was there, about 6 months. When we left for Celadon (BAD idea, at least for us) we didnt have a very high opinion of TransAm. Looking back, we were wrong in a lot of ways. First of all, they gave him a job straight out of CDL training when many companies would not. They are a smaller company so I think he was less of a number and more of a person than he was during his time at Celadon. Stuff we took for granted like EZPass, Pike Pass, etc we came to find out were not a given everywhere you drive. Granted, they are not perfect. We did have problems with them. Unrealistic delivery times were a big one. However, that being said, if he decides to haul freight again (currently almost signed with a HHG company) I do believe he may reconsider TransAm, they recommended him for rehire. He will not, however, EVER lease a truck from them. Heck, you dont have to. He drove an older Freightliner Century Class super 10/ and within 4 months he
was in a 2008 Kenworth T660 automatic cuz someone bailed on their lease. Beautiful truck. I still miss it. Bottom line, I knew nothing about the business of OTR truck driving a year ago, and thanks to TransAm, I learned a lot-even tho I don't do the driving, I learned the nuts and bolts of most of the other stuff except for repairs and things of that nature. Bill had the big job, being the driver, but I kept my eyes and ears open and its a whole new world

 

I don't get as much time to post as I used to, while I am straightening out my MVR (mass. Screwed me royally, but i should be back by next week) . At first I thought I was in for a major headache, but I think that what happens ( as with any company) you need to look be4 you leap into a lease truck. Also they are being generous. i need to get back there, yet if I go I will have to sit here thru X-mas, I do not want that so I offered to pay the Admin fee o f $50 for Orientaion/Drug screen, but would they let me out of re-doing orientation, no answer yet.

I also found my recruiter extremely helpful. She managed to get me 4 days above and beyond to sort out the probs I had, only a whopping 6 of us were standing when it came time to get in a truck, out of 40. But when i had to come home to deal with the mess, they bussed me back home, and will bus me back out. i don't know if 18 years in the saddle is helping, and a 14 year solid safety record, but so far I have few complaints. I will say, don't ever judge a company by what you read. It is one unsatisified person's opinion. I actually saw a driverget canned the week I was there for failing a drug screen, he new he had smoked weed 3 weeks earlier, and went to take it anyway, such stupidity! Costs you your whole career!

In any case, I am going to have to try T/A again, I cannot believe the attitude! I am glad Helwig left the building there, I plan to go back to Him after I get my 2 years in. It will be god to be home.

I also don't like the thought of the slapstick automatic. Schneider payed with them in the late 90's and got rid of them, too much upkeep with students. I was glad to see them go. In mountainous terrain, and steep downgrades I just cannot trust a truck that drives itself! I always loved T/A, but as big as it is getting, and how greedily they went after the Helwig Contracts I am not impressed. It saddens me because it was once a family operation. Oh well, times change. Someone had to take the place of CFI!

Merry X-Mas to all!

Judi