So, what's it like at USA for a new driver?

I made $29,600.00 in one full year with USA truck. You have to ask yourself if you want to live in a truck for that. Others make more. I did not. I can't stay gone that long right now. So I won't do it.

 

Well steph unless they changed their minds, usa is no longer taking students from c1. I made 31000 my first yr. But I more or less lived in my trk. Hometime is available, but you will not make as much, obviously. Yes you would b with a trainer for 4-6 weeks. Then if you pass upgrade you will have ur own truck. If you have anymore questions plz pm me. I train here at usa, I will be happy to answer any questions to the best of my ability.

 

I went to C1 in Fort Worth. A few really good instructors there and a few mediocre ones. They do the best they can to fast rope you through the cattle chute. If you are a somewhat competent student, you will "get it" quickly and they will test you out early so they can focus on those that struggle for all 3 weeks on the simplest things. Then you just play the waiting game. You should hope for Joe or the tiny old man as your road instructors over the other 3-4 they have. Then either Peggy or Jerry as your test truck instructors. The rest are....well they show up to work at least.

If you get Joe then Peggy you should have a fun time, learn a lot, and have a lot of laughs. You just have to learn to put up with Peggy's squeaky shrill voice. She sounds like Tangina on Poltergeist. You will also have the following phrases forever ingrained in memory: "Mash that gas, boogie boogie!"; "Okey dokey"; and "SLOW DOWN MARIO!"

The hotel is ratty but safe. There is NO free meals or a shuttle bus AT ALL, no matter what Drivers Solutions tells you. (Yes they told me both things). Bring enough money to survive on for 3 weeks and I highly recommend you bring your own car unless you want to beg for rides all 3 weeks. If you do, plan on others begging you for rides. The classroom is at least a 15 minute drive from the hotel and the "truck yard" is at least 15 minutes in the other direction. DRIvers Solutions does NOT provide you anything for free. The bus ticket, taxi fare, or anything else your agent offers to "arrange" for you will be in the form of an advance on your loan. They do not openly announce this so be warned. There are several grocery stores in the area so I suggest you live like a college student for the three weeks. Most of your classmates will want to do fast food and restaurants and it adds up quick.

I know this sounds obvious but stay away from the bars and drinking. There are several near the hotel and many of the students will go frequently. If you are drunk or hungover in the morning, Rick, the head instructor will not let you train and will dismiss you for the day. Any missed time they make you add to the end of the three weeks. Do something flagrantly illegal or stupid and you may get dismissed from the course. Of course then Driver Solutions wants their money. Happened to several of our students when I went through.

Other than that, it's worth a shot. Company paid school, company paid training, and the contract is only a year. USA Truck is not the BEST trucking company out there but it's also not the worst. I finish my year in May. I've had a 7-8 out of 10 time and improvements have been made the entire time I've been here. I will end up having made just under 30k for the 12 months. My miles have been consistent and I've had my steady pay raises as promised. I plan on staying for a second year. The rest....well without rehashing countless conversations....id suggest you look back through some of the other threads.

 

You have no idea lol! Wait until you see the "student body" in your class. C1 in a way is a cross section of American society, from bored rich kids, to laid off tradesman, bankrupt business owners, returning veterans, to homeless people and rehabilitated criminals. I swear it seemed like the Ft. Worth school cleaned out the county jail and soup kitchen for students. We had some that wore the same clothes for days at a time, and the smell followed them. There were others who did not have such a serious criminal record to be incarcerated but enough of one that they couldn't get a job anywhere else but fast food. Those all seemed to be contracted to PAM. Seemed PAM took just about anything but DUIs and med disqualifiers. USA seemed to be more strict. Had one guy that was tattoed from head to toe, face included. It was almost a fun challenge for me to try and count how many swastikas and Aryan Brotherhood tats he had.

Anyhow, unless DS has really changed it's hiring screenings (which I doubt) you will see plenty of ######### at C1 doing lots of dumb things. Had one guy who got kicked out of the nearby (very sleazy) strip bar for trying to touch a girl onstage while he was drunk. Then he nearly crashed his car at the hotel, punched and broke a security camera, then beat up the night manager. He got arrested and was kicked out of the course.

Another guy passed out in his bath tub and flooded a floor. Finally my favorite. A female in my class stripped down outside the hotel the night before graduation when we were throwing a party. Then she did cartwheels. Then she spent the night in the room of the only guy who was interested after she had asked everybody who wanted to be with her.

Anyhow, most of the bad apples will get weeded out by graduation. My class started with 40. 16 of us were left at graduation. I'm sure you will be just fine.

 

That is just how it is out there. I went there too. But I drove everyday.

 

I found a job out here in Justin, TX. Nah, I finished my contract with USA in January. It was ok I guess. But if I had kids or a mortgage, I never could have worked there.