Trans Am Still

Good info , So now I can see that maybe it is a good deal for someone with a good background in trucking.

Being 60 and just wanting to drive and make a few bucks I am sure company driver will be all that I am interested in. Might work a few years and retire , that would be a lot easier for me. If I was younger with more experience I would check other options but for now I just want to load up the wife some food and drinks and hit the road.

I think I mentioned that I talked with Carter Express which is located 1 hour from my place in Indiana. They pay for school at Sage Truck driving school if you agree to stay 1 year, there is no loan or payback. The pay is the same as TA and the trucks are all nice Volvo's with automatic.

I talked with the recruiter when I was in Indiana a few weeks ago and talked with a few drivers there that really like it. There is a forum on here about Carter Express and a guy that went to the Sage school and is now working with Carter for one week and he is giving me a lot of info.

They run the Nafta highway and deliver car parts but not sure where all they go other than Romulis , MI , Anderson, IN , Laredo ,TX ,Knoxville ,TN and a few other places he mentioned. Rider program and a few other perks but I like the trucks better at TA. Carter has no APU , fridge , microwave etc....

Never ending decisions ????
If TA paid for school that would be nice and I think I would travel more and see more with TA but not sure about that as someone said Carter is running 48 states.
There is still a lot of info I would like to hear about all companies before I make a choice but these 2 seem like good options.

The thing I like about TA is they will hire you and you know you have the job before you go there but with Carter paying for your school I am sure they are probably going to hire you.

 

I found this and thought it might be of some interest ......and it gives you a good look at the trucks and the way they are equipped.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/TransAm-Equipment-Sales/177554466649

 

Thanks HTQ , a lot of nice trucks. I have always wondered who buys these trucks ?
Maybe smaller companies , owner operators ???

If I go with TA I would want them to give me a brand spanking new Black T680 with all the options including hot tub.
Just wishing haha

 

Stayed at that Shell in Clarksville. Not a bad place except a lot of flies in the bathroom. Whose your DM? Mine is Tessa Mullins. I hope this is ok to post. Tessa is really good. Now they are going to 7 on and 7 off in dispatch. 84 hour weeks, but every other week off. A man named Terry is her partner. I expect no problems. Also Marci and Kim have been good at night to deal with. Hope they are still with us. Seems to be a good crew in Rockwall. Deuces.

 

Yeah Dennis, the xtras are nice. Been spoiled by the automatics, apus, microfridges, 2500 watt inverters. You gotta supply your microwave. Mine is T 700. After having a Mack at Abilene, this is a huge step up for me. Had to buy my own 750 watt inverter at Abilene and extra wiring. Cost me $100. Shop installed it. But I had to do the legwork. Costed me a day out of the truck and on the road and didn't get reimbursed. Thats the only slam I got on Abilene.


Oh yeah, as a company driver, I normally stay out 12 days and home for two, but have stayed out 17 and this time 21 days to get an extra day off. AND I have NEVER been pressured or even asked to do a lease. They had a presentation at orientation and you have to sit through itbut why not, your orientation is paid for. Least I could do was show some token interest. The thing that scared me off about this company 11 months ago when coming out of school was those rumours of being forced to lease and they are completely UNFOUNDED. Should have come here from the getgo. It was in my final two. I think Trans Am is an excellent place to start and even better to transition to like I did. No company is perfect, but in the two months plus I have been with them, I am happy here. Still wish they had a pet policy though, but since I don't have one right now, no biggie.

 

Its funny, but I haven't had any trouble with shippers and receivers. I've gotten along famously with all of them. Even the 32 hour wait in Amarillo. With no lease, I DON'T have to sweat hours and minutes. Well, better get my day started with shower and roll to Mauldin SC. Have a great day. These days mine are.

 

As Cranky wrote before as a lease you usually do not make more money but there is a little more freedom. I am going to train and when you do it does change how much you make when you go past about 3,100 miles. I had experience before I came here. I only say don't lease if you have no experience. Better to learn on their dime than your own, especially in the winter time. It is not rocket science but there is a lot to know. A lot of rules and regulations, you are always somewhere different so you have to deal with many different situations. Backing is easy in some places but tougher in others and for most, in the beginning, backing is tough every where. The thing we all say about leasing is true anywhere you decide to go. Learn the business first and if you feel comfortable then lease. Companies that lease to brand new drivers always make the numbers look great but just like Enron they are cooking the books for those numbers. Here if enough sign up they do not pressure but if not they do. I understand in Rockwall they are not as aggressive as Olathe but I have not been through their training, only orientation and only had about 6 students so that is from them telling me. They will not say to much while in orientation that much I do remember. dennisroc you should be well informed by the time you start. Just remember there is no perfect company you have to look for what it is that you want not what you don't want. I always tell my students that are young to get in 1 year, I tell them 1 year for 30 years if you find the right company. Everybody has to pay their dues no matter what industry and this place is not as bad as some make it seem. Usually most who have unrealistic expectations or lease with no experience fail and put all the blame on Trans Am or what ever company they start with but if you follow them you will see that most of those guys are not happy anywhere.

Will be leaving out in an hour have to shower first then roll just one or two more things to do before the truck is set up just right. I do carpet the inside so that is nice.

Just so you guys know I do not have any more chocolate as I gave almost all of it away. Gave two bags to the man thats lets me drop my trailer on his company yard. My MIL will get a few and my wife has more than enough.

Be safe out there

 

Do you ever get in bad neighborhoods where you have to sleep. What is the worse place you have stayed.
My wife was reading about all the horror stories and even truck stops that were not safe.
I don't worry much and if she is with me I would always take her around the truck stops and rest areas ,just wonder wonder how bad it really is or if people are just blowing smoke.

Im sure some places are a little shady , I don't want to be stuck and out of hours in like Bad areas of Detroit , Chicago, Indy, and all other bad hoods haha

 

Where is Rockwall , is that another terminal ? What state ? Do they train out of there also ?