PAM Driver - Ask me anything.

Well I've had 3 separate phone conversations with the recruiter who handles their "returning driver" program. Nothing has been mentioned about going to a TDS.I took the drug test and DOT physical yesterday, on their dime. I was told once the peepee came back clear that I'd come to AR for a week, then immediately go out for 2 weeks with a trainer.

 

Nothing against you, I don't know your driving capabilities.... but it looks like Pam is really slacking their requirements. Chalk up another company to stay away from in the truck stop...

 

Ummm ... Cswann1 you worked for USA for a year right? So why do you have to retrain?

 

No driving for six years. Any company would make him

 

Yes, if you have not driven in the last 3 years most companies will not consider you. Just the companies that work with inexperienced drivers.

As I see it, the only thing that a TDS will do is get you ready for your CDL test. You learn all about the job of being an OTR driver with your company trainer. So, USA telling me I need to go back to TDS when I already have a CDL makes n sense to me. As far as P.A.Ms standards all I can say is that they are a training company that gets money for taking inexperienced drivers like Swift and USA, so of course they are low. You don't see many Ivy League college grads applying for OTR driving jobs LOL. P.A.M is the only company I found that has a separate set of hiring requirements for those with experience outside of 3 years, that will let them get to work quicker. I spoke to Swift as well and was told If I could pass a a road test at one of their terminals I would be able to go out for 4-6 weeks with a trainer as if I were a new TDS grad. I passed on that mainly due to the overwhelmingly bad reports I've read on Swift.

 

So my friend just upgraded to first seat today. I start my CDL training on March 11th. Once I am done and upgraded to first seat I want to start teaming with him. Can we do that? I his current teammate said that we both have to wait 6 months before he can change teammates. The only thing I can find online is that you have to drive team for 6 months before going solo. Can you please clarify this information for me so I have a better understanding? Thansk

 

Your best bet is to speak to a P.A.M. recruiter. For myself, I will be a solo driver. Personally I don't think I would ever team unless I was looking at making a LOT of money...I mean 6 figures. Getting quality rest is important to me and even with the truck parked It's a compromise at best. Having to try to sleep in a moving truck is just not something I'm willing to do. But then some folks can sleep through anything, I'm not one of them.

 

You'll be able to team with your buddy once you make first seat. He could ask to change his co-driver today if he wanted and the guy wouldn't have any say so. PAM doesn't require teams to stay together for any amount of time, just that you must do teams for 6 months.

 

It's about 4am on Monday the 11th which is the first day of training with P.A.M. I got to Springdale AR last night and checked into the motel. I had an information packet waiting for me at the desk. I was lucky in that there was an odd number of new hires and I was given a room to myself. That will likely change during the week. Orientation/training will be here at the motel at 8 with breakfast and lunch provided.
The motel is pretty ghetto but the room is clean, has a fridge, microwave and internet. Lot of noise between 9 and 11 but I remembered my ear plugs so I was able to sleep OK.

I found out that I will likely be put on a bus to a terminal to meet my driver-trainer at the end of the week. I'm none to happy about that as I really hate buses. But I'm trying to keep a positive outlook so I won't sweat the bus ride. Hell, it can't possibly be worse than my last one LOL.

I'll try to make nightly updates as I go through P.A.Ms training and once I'm assigned a tractor I'll post now and again to let folks know what sort of miles I'm getting and what sort of freight and locations I'm seeing.

 

Monday was spent signing company employment forms, going over CSA/FMCSA and hours of service logging and rules. Both speakers were very good I thought. My class looks to have about 40 which I think I heard is larger than normal, which sucks because many of us may have to wait some time to get on a trainer truck.

I ate breakfast with my dad who drove me up yesterday so I'm not sure what sort of breakfast is provided, but I did see a waffle iron. Lunch was pretty good.

One thing that was a bit surprising was that it seems new CDL holders as well as those with some experience (but not recent) will be on a trainers truck for 2 weeks, not the normal 4. From my own experience with USA I would say that after 2 weeks I was ready to go solo and the last 2 weeks on my trainers truck we pretty much ran as a team, except my trainer made an ###-load of money where I just got training pay. Nothing wrong with that I guess, you can never have too much practice, but IMO if a person is not capable of handling a rig after 3 weeks of TDS and 2 weeks on OTR training then that should be looked at closely. So I can see why P.A.M does the 2 weeks OTR training.