Starting my career at TransAm

Well....I didn't want to owe someone for school so I got the State Department of Vocational Rehab to pay for it. I decoded to go with TransAm since they pay more to start, and you're out on your own sooner. I'm following another guy here from the same school. He started earlier than me and is already half way through training.
The bus ride from Pensacola, FL to Mesquite, TX was a pain but I made it alive. The Mobile Police searched the bus and passengers and for some reason 2 passengers who were supposed to continue with us...didn't. Hmmm....coincidence? I think not. Anyway, after 18 hours I'm at the hotel. I've got more of my trip to tell but I need a shower so bad the elevator wouldn't let me in! More to follow once I de-funk.

 

I finally got some sleep....about 12 hours or so. I hate riding the bus. Greyhound continues to astound me...the BLIND customer service lady in Dallas giving people directions left me speechless. Yes...BLIND....cane and sunglasses...blind. The hotel is really nice and the A/C works really good...and with the north Texas heat over 100....that's my biggest concern.
Day 1 of orientation went pretty smooth. We did our expected drug screen and road test. Driving an automatic is going to take some getting used to...but the trucks are really well maintained and look sharp. Lunch was from subway on the company dime and we started on the mountain of paperwork. All in all not a bad day. Everyone is curious about the lease program but the orientation staff didn't push. We'll see what's up for day 2...but so far I think I've made the better decision.

 

I am not sure of this but I heard that the trainer is in the other seat during the 3 weeks with you.

 

Don't ever lease a truck from the people who control your freight. It's kind of a general "rule of thumb" that applies to all companies with lease programs. I've never leased a truck but I've heard countless horror stories and the only people who seem to counter those stories seem to be the brainwashed "company man" types who choose to merely insult the driver rather than address the issue.

I also don't know much about TransAm other than secondhand stuff I've heard (that was negative). I'd suggest seeing if there's a TransAm thread in here.

Regardless of carrier, you're doing it right as far as not having the carrier pay for or provide the initial CDL training. That way you're not stuck in a contract and obligated to drive for them for X amount of time, in which they will treat you like crap because they know you can't quit.

I do know that TransAm is a reefer fleet so I know you're gonna have trouble learning to sleep with the noise. Put the reefer on "continuous run" mode so it doesn't wake you up every few minutes when it starts or stops. It's also a courtesy for the non-reefer drivers parked next to you with their windows open. (They'll explain how to operate the units, it's pretty simple) If you still can't sleep with a reefer unit running, whip into a Walmart and get some ear plugs. They'll be over by the pharmacy section. I get the white cylindrical ones, not the orange ones over by the guns. The orange ones always fall out of my ears when I'm sleeping.

In an emergency like you haven't adapted to the noise yet, and can't get to a Walmart for ear plugs, and you know you've got a lot of miles to run the next day and you NEED your sleep, try this:

Put the unit on continuous, then un-hook from the trailer. Dump your air bags and leave the switch in the dump position, pull forward just until the 5th wheel "falls" and drops loose from the king pin on the trailer. But stop, don't any further than you have to. What you want is to not have any physical contact between the tractor and the trailer, while keeping your tractor frame partially under the trailer so it can't be stolen by hooking to it from the side.

75% of the noise is transmitted through the truck frame, not the air. So by un-hooking, you kill 75% of the noise.

Re-inflate the air ride BEFORE re-hooking in the morning.

 

I see that there is not a dac report on this form for Trams Am.

 

Here's a few I found when I used the "advanced search":

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...oop/14142-transam-trucking-inc-olathe-ks.html

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...245-trans-am-company-drivers-please-read.html

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...87-trans-am-trucking-horrible-all-around.html

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...king-company-here/149901-how-is-trans-am.html

 

well lifeboat keep me informed on how its going i leave florida monday for that long bus ride to texas to start my orientation with them

 

Good luck to you guys. I see quite a bit of Trans Am trucks out there, they all seem to be pretty shiny and newer. Learn, practice and practice as much as you can. That's what you're there for. Take advantage of every opportunity to do so, while you're in school. You'll be better prepared for your on-road training where the rubber really hits the road.

 

Day 3 of orientation went smooth. We went out and got familiarized with the refer-trailers and the settings. We were issued our Comdata cards and learned what our test-out requirements are. The whole training program seems designed to make us successful and we were given a virtual road map to passing our final tests. It's a really low stress way of doing it...I think anyway...and I've been a Paramedic instructor for years.
We went over trip planning, map reading and logging. And the recurring theme in the logging class was that if you falsify your logs...you're on the street. I like what I see so far.
My coach won't be here until sometime saturday so they put me back in the hotel until he gets here. So...more to come.

 

Very good...very good!
I like what I'm reading. Keep up the good work and the updates.