PAM Transport

I am currently in the training program for PAM through Drivers solutions, the school is called C1, I am at the Ft. Worth Texas campus.

I could tell you quite a few things that our class has experienced however please remember that this is with limited experience as we are in the beginning of our training and driving career.

Overall the best advice I can give for this school or any school is study your manual prior to school. If you are on any medication whatsoever you have two choices, notify during physical or if it is outside of the tested toxins just keep it to yourself. Many in my class have been through quite a ringer in order to remain in class for being honest about medications. Even though the DOT certified us all.

If your blood pressure is not at the controlled levels as stated in your packet they will send you home.

The school itself is pretty substandard (class room anyhow) and honestly it is just a necessary evil in order to get the cdl and work.

Many of us passed our permit and written exams on the first attempt, you will test at a DPS facility, they do not come to the campass.

The equipment is okay, not top of the line, not the bottom of the barrel either.

Our class started off small compared to others, we started with 21, we now have 12. Many were disqualified for health reasons.

The lodging is really just acceptable, however it's only for a few weeks and again a necessary evil.

If I had the financial choices I would have done one of two things before choosing the drivers solution route. A) I would have financed my own training, obtained my CDL and than found work on my own. Their are a hell of lot more options with a CDL and no experience, than their are for those with No CDL/No Experience. B) I would have attended a course at a local community college.

If those options are not available I believe I would have taken Schneiders offer, perhaps even Swifts above PAM's.

This is all based on schooling and training, not company.....

From what I have learned through many research area's and speaking with several PAM drivers, the company overall is a good outfit and you get out of it what you put into it (as with anything). The pay is a little low with or without experience and the company seem's to be very professional.

Keep in mind if you take the offer with PAM you will be signing a one year agreement and the tuition cost for school and lodging is really on the high side considering what they offer compared to other companies that offer the same opportunites and in some cases slightly better pay.

Good luck.

 

i have been employed by them twice.- (and i am probably going back again-lol) and each time i had a nice truck. they are maintained just as good as any other trucks are maintained. actually you have to pull into a shop once a month for inspection. both of mine had under 200K miles when i got them and they trade them off after 400K or so. the only reason a truck would smell like piss is if you are a complete lazy slob and use a truck as a toilet and are too lazy to clean up after yourself.
i understand you had a bad experience with a trainer,but that does not mean they are all bad.

 

well we dont all have 1000+ dollar a month mortgages in the suburbs and new cars and trucks to make payments on all the time.

you lost me at "you'll have to go door to door"...
it really pisses me off when people just walk right up to my door and knock on it wanting anything at all that i didnt call them over for- ESPECIALLY trying to sell me something, and i would never do that.
i wouldnt even want to be a cold-calling telemarketer.

 

My swans guy said if he makes 500 a week working 50 hours plus the time it takes to fill the truck and get to you route he is lucky.

I think crazymama must work in the office.

 

lol-- yes the last time i went back i got my truck and it had an ash tray full of ciggarettes, smoke film on the insides of teh windows and was kind of dirty, so i cleaned it up and kept it clean- that's just me,though- im not a slob- i like to live in cleanliness.
but you are right if you went overdue on your inspection they really wouldnt 'shut you down' or anything- they might mention it,but they wouldnt get pissed.they would make you get the services every 3 months though. i just left about 3 months ago.
anyways im not going to talk them up anymore- i dont want them to get an influx of drivers- they need to be short so i have miles to run--lol
i have 2 years of exp. now, but i've worked for about 5 different companies,and have no endorsements on my CDL, so my options are pretty limited.
maybe i should be a trainer.

 

I worked in San Diego and was started out with Schwan's at 700 dollars per week. When I switched over to commission only I had one week of routes that was very good where I averaged about 150-200 dollars per day. But the other week of routes was really awful. And yes, they expected us to get our own business. That was one of the threats against us. They said they would let us go if we didn't learn to get 2 new clients every day on average. When I quit my boss called me and said they would offer me 850 per week flat instead of the commission only structure. But I was doing better than 850 some weeks and he said that I would still be responsible for building up the bad routes. I'm really no good at high pressure sales. Seems to me that a person knows what food they want to buy. They don't need someone trying to fast talk them into boxes of expensive steaks, seafood and ice cream.

I agree. Going door to door SUCKS! That's one big reason I don't want to go back. Besides the fact that it wouldn't get me to my goal of being a national solo driver and visiting my family through the job.

Suzi

 

your goal of being an all 48 OTR driver?
huh?
like that is something that is hard to get into?-lol
wtf?

 

9ball.. I'm not sure what you are trying to say.. Maybe you should enlighten me to your position? I'm not sure if you are saying it's hard or not hard to land a national OTR position or if you are trying to say something else.

The jury is still out as to wether or not I can handle a big rig safely and without incident. I'm not overly confident there but I'm not scared either. If it's God's will he'll help me and I certainly have the IQ for it. But I believe there is probably a certain amount of instinct and talent involved as well and I don't know if I'm right for it.

However, the rest will be fine. Any company would be glad to get someone with my business experience, track record, determination and if a company checks credit ratings they will be happy there too. I've never done drugs or drank a drop and my health is good. I've never had so much as a parking ticket...that is not entirely true. The only time I ever had a parking ticket was when I almost died from Pnemonia and the meter ran out. That was 20 years ago LOL! I have a great work ethic and a good attitude. From what I read on these boards this profession could really use a lot more people like me.

There are a few of you on these boards that are very wise and have great attitudes. You know who you are.

Suzi

 

im saying it is very easy to get into OTR trucking.
if you're not sure you want to do it that is another thing- you just made it seem from your other post that you are having to "work towards a goal of being an OTR trucker"

that's good that you are all squeaky clean and have a great attitude and all that-- you're going to need it-lol
my advice to you is to only become an OTR driver at an absolute last resort.