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

Is Decker very similiar to PAM?

 

If you listen to employees of PAM's subsidiary companies, like Choctaw Express, Decker, AFS, Mcneil, they will most likely deny they are working for, or even connected in any way, to PAM.
They always try to say their company is better than PAM.
Seeing as to how I never drove for any of the subsidiary companies, I cannot honestly answer that question.
I drove for PAM for two years. It was a start, I got my experience. I know people who were there long before I came along. And, they are still there. For some people, it seems they are never happy where they are. Others get comfortable, and are satisfied.
When I drove for PAM, one time I picked up a load in northwestern Arkansas, and was taking it to New Jersey. My dispatcher asked me to stop by the home terminal in Tontitown, Ar and pick up a box of license plates for the Decker trucks, and take them to the Decker terminal in New Jersey. Can't remember the name of the town. Maybe if I looked at a map, I might remember.

 

I have been employed by Decker for a few months and find that the two big differences between Decker and PAM are :1] Decker drivers can get home every two weeks, if they choose they have to option to stay out longer for as long as they want. 2] Decker handles the east coast and texas. I have talked to a Decker guy who went to California once but I think that is rare. Decker originated as a New Jersey company and is now headquartered in Willard, OH

 

Hey guys, im interested in PAM, and just starting out with no CDL. I'm interested in the training that they work with. I'm just trying to figure out the length of the training, and actually how long I will have to go without a paycheck. Also I live jsut south of grand rapids, so what kind of loads and miles could i expect with PAM

 

Question for the drivers that went through driver solutions. If you're going with PAM,AFS, or Decker, do they teach you on automatics since that is what they use? what is the pay scale? Lease/Purchase details? I currently live in Columbus, Ohio, but might be moving to Jacksonville, Florida within 5 years, so which would you go with? I wasn't able to find it on their web site! Thanks in advance for any answers!

 

Thanks for all the info! I just graduated from c1 in Indy, and will be getting with my trainer on Tuesday. I will be driving for Allen, from what Ive read it seems this is a good starting point in my career.

 

What is the realistic number? I am thinking about the PAM option.

I need to earn 35,000 or better.

What are the stresses in trucking other than traffic of course.

I am single and available to run any miles that I can. Need one day per month at home to pay bills.

Thanks,

Thinkinboutit

 

I've been studying various carriers for the past 2 weeks and there are several strategic gotchas in most that offer company subsidized training. PAM is parsing $500 and not a $1000 sign-on bonus.

Pam makes it easy to get started as a student driver but for every incentive on the front-end they have a device to quickly get it back. For example in addition to $45 being extracted from your pay for 44 weeks towards the students obligation of $1,495 (lodging included), $25 is also extracted and put aside into an escrow account (that they officiate) for 16 weeks when you go solo until the balance reaches $400. All this money that they control the newbie pays taxes on including any interest that may accrue. If you default they will keep this money that the newbie driver has already put in and paid taxes on. The PAM plan equates to losing $300 per month of net income for the first 4 months and $200 per month there-after. This loss of net income brings down the stated $.28 per mile as a solo driver to approx $.24, and only if the driver can log at least 400 miles per day (I've seen many complaints from others that state they don't get enough miles). Also noteworthy is the fact that once the student gets on the road for a non-stop period of 4-6 weeks with a company trainer, the daily income will be only $42.86 from which food and possibly occasional lodging will be utilized.

Large company operations vary a lot depending on the time of year and location so the statements herein are a generalization. I resent marketeers that prey on the unaware. In contrast companies like SWIFT (although their reputation is far from stellar) don't play such games (they don't take pay away and reimburse $125 per month for the CDL schooling loan) and present a more acurate view of things to come.

 

Friday, August 8th 2008: Submitted my application via website to PAM Transport. It isn't what I really want to do but I knew I could do it.

Monday August 11th: called to confirm they got the application. Was sent an Applicant Release form via email that I needed to print and sign and fax back to them.

Monday August 18th: was told I needed to get at least two letters from former clients stating that I had done drafting work for them. These letters had to be on company letterheads.

Thursday, August 21st: Faxed two letters of recommendation

Thursday August 28th: I was told to go to Concentra for my DOT physical and pre-employment drug screen.

Tuesday September 2nd: I was sent a questionnaire about past injuries and medications currently taking. They also asked for copies of my medical records. I had to go to Kinkos to fax them because they had no toll free number for the confidential medical fax line. I faxed them to them on September 5th.

Thursday, September 11th: I called the representative I had been talking to and was transferred to the medical compliance department. They said I needed to go to an authorized truck manufacturer or dealership and have a manager accompany me to a truck to confirm weather or not the seat belt would fit around me and then have the sales manager write up an affidavit on a company letterhead, stating I fit. (Is this something everyone has to do? now mind you, they have NEVER EVEN SEEN ME) Went to SelecTrucks Freightliner dealership in Oklahoma City that afternoon and for the first time ever, sat in a Freightliner Columbia with a 70" condo. I fit with room to spare. I Went to Kinkos and faxed the letter to them the following morning.

Monday, September 15th: received a call from medical department saying that my medical records showed that in January, when I went to the doctor for what we thought was a urinary tract infection, I had sugar in my urine. I have never had high sugar but they were leery and told me to go to a doctor and have a finger stick, blood glucose test.

Tuesday, September 16th: I returned to Concentra and asked if they could do a glucose test. They charged me $11.50 for a finger stick. It showed a 168 glucose level. I again returned to Kinkos to pay for a long distance fax.

Wednesday, September 17th: I received a call from them, telling me my blood sugar was high and I needed to go to a primary care doctor to have a diabetic evaluation done before they could hire me.

Wednesday, September 24th: went to see my new doctor, who will be my new primary care doctor, to have a diabetic evaluation done. I needed to have been fasting before such a test so I was asked to return the next morning.

Wednesday, October 1st: I returned to my doctor's office to pick up the letter and the results of my test. I faxed them to PAM.

Friday, October 3rd: I called to check my status. Some emergency happened there and no one could talk to me.

Monday October 6th: I called to check my status. The medical department informed me that since it had been so long since my first drug test, I had to go back to Concentra and have another.

Tuesday October 7th: I called to check if they had gotten the results of my drug test yet. They hadn't.

Wednesday, October 8th: Pam from PAM called and said I needed to have another drug test. I informed her I had had one on Monday. She called me back when she received the results. She said I would hear from the recruiter before Friday.

Friday, October 10th: I didn't hear from him so I called her. She said if I didn't hear from him by Tuesday to call her again.

Tuesday, October 14th: The recruiter still hadn't called so I called Pam again. She gave me his number and told me to call him. She said she had personally faxed him my information. I called him and he hadn't heard of me. He called Pam and then called me back. He told me I would start school in Fort Worth, Texas on Monday, October 27th.

so we shall see. I hope this is all worth it.

 

Good luck stringer, after all that hassle I hope everything works out for you. I tried to go to PAM but they couldn't understand my position. I'm not a USA citizen so for me in order to cross to Canada I need a Canadian Visa. They told me they wouldn't hire because I could not cross the border. I tried to explain but they said no. So I went to one of the biggest carriers and they hired me. Was very difficult first but now I'm a solo driver, getting experience and I'm doing fine.