Pam/Driver Solutions Contract

I get what everybody is saying and i 100% agree i don't want to seem like a shady *******....i just CAN'T team drive....coming in i was excited (i still am) but when reality set in i dont wanna be paired up with a stranger. Someone who isn't as clean as I am, someone who i am totally opposite from, somebody who could be a shady dude...and I'd have to LIVE with a STRANGER for 6 months to a year??? No! I guess I'm not as open and friendly like some guys are. If i was promised a cool clean positive hard working type guy to run teams with then I'd be all on board but the risk of it being someone i may not even click with sorta bothers me and i rather stop the process before it even starts. At least with Stevens once I'm done with my trainer i am promised to roll solo...and solo sounds like a beautiful melody in my ears right about now

Thanks Kent, i am going to pay back all the money...i just at least wanna be somewhere that i know I'd be happy and comfortable thats all. I know I'm a rookie but i do plan on staying at my first company for a while, I'm not one to job hop...so i am looking forward to calling Stevens homes.

Honestly you probably should have done your research. There's tons of information available in this day and age. I want to say there may be a few team drivers here but it would probably work best for a couple. As long as you pay them back it doesn't really matter I suppose.

I work for PAM and part of the agreement for paying for your school is that you team for 6 mos. anything longer is your choice. Stay with them a year and the schooling is free! Now this is completely dependent on them finding a teammate for you that lives within a 100 miles. Now many of my PAM friends that are teaming met someone from school and got to know them a little and teamed up, some met someone during orientation. Now if you get teamed up with someone you are NOT stuck with them if you can't get along. One friend of mine was with his teammate for a couple of weeks and couldn't stand the guy. He is now running solo until they find him someone else. I never met anyone from my area during school or orientation, and found out the paired me up with someone after I upgraded. He is younger than me, but has been running a few months so has some experience I can lean on and we get along well. If you do the team hazmat there is good money to make. Now, sleeping in a truck takes getting used to, but if you can't sleep then you will spend 6 weeks of training without sleep if you go to Stevens. The best thing to do is talk to people at the trucking school and see if anyone lives within 100 miles and get to know them. This will take an effort to actually approach people and start a conversation, so let's hope you don't have an issue there. Two of my friends from school met there and became instant best friends and teamed up, so there is that chance.

No matter what you are going to have to team w a trainer for at least 4-6 weeks. W Stevens you have to log 10,000 miles and drive certain areas of country and mountains. After that you will team for a couple weeks a another trainee and then go solo.

Stevens doesn't put u with another rookie anymore, you just do ur 6 weeks

In my opinion you should honor the contract. That said, if you're willing to pay them back you should do it in one lump sum now. They didn't train you in installments. They invested time, money and energy into the training you so readily accepted. Be a man and honor your word.

i am going to pay back all the money...i just at least wanna be somewhere that i know I'd be happy and comfortable thats all.

What makes you think you're going to be happy and comfortable with a different company?

Listen, you've probably been talking to the wrong people and they've gotten you all worked up over nothing. The interesting thing about most trucking accidents is that the really bad ones often times involve more experienced drivers. See, rookies tend to get in a lot of little dingers, and most of the time it's backing into something like a pole or someone's mirror. But rookies tend to be a lot more cautious all the time. They don't speed, they don't tailgate, and they don't drive too fast for conditions.

The guys who have done it for a short time are the ones who tend to become overconfident. They start tailgating people, driving too fast for conditions, and taking unnecessary risks because they've been driving for a year or two and they think they're trucking heroes. They're jamming to tunes, talking on the phone, and playing the Big Boss Man in their heads. That's when things go horribly wrong. So your chances of getting in "the big one" with a rookie driver aren't nearly what you would expect.

Another thing people aren't aware of is that the company that trained you now has a vested interest in your future. They've forked out the time, money, and other resources it took to get you out there on the road. If they can't make you a successful driver and get some productivity out of you they'll lose that investment. So they're going to be a lot more tolerant of the little dingers that rookies are likely to get into.

If you switch companies you'll be with a company that has no vested interest in you. If they lose you on day one it won't matter a bit. You're only a rookie so you're not going to be all that productive for a while most of the time anyhow. If you get in a little dinger or two they'll just figure you're more trouble than you're worth and send you packing.

That is where your real problems begin.

Now look at your record. You signed a contract with your first company and immediately broke that commitment. Then you went to a second company and got in a dinger or two. So not only will you jump ship at the drop of a hat but you've proven to be a bit accident prone.

So now who is going to be the third company to step up and say, "Sure, we'll take a chance on this guy. The fact that he won't honor his commitments and has proven to be a hazard on the highways doesn't concern us."

Yeah right! Good luck finding a job.

Stay where you're at and you'll be fine. If you don't get along with your co-driver they'll find you another one. No big deal. And you'll already be adjusted to sleeping with the truck rolling because you'll be doing some of that with your trainer anyhow.

I'm with Brett, honor your contract. I have gotten offers to jump ship for more money, but the grass ain't always greener. Some companies will tell you come on over we have tuition reimbursement, but then something happens and now your out of a job and still owe the the school. Also PAM is a lot of drop and hook , I got a buddy that went to another company for a few more cents/mile but sits through 6 hour live loads and instead of 6, 7, 8, 900 mile loads he will run 300 miles, then live load, 400 miles live load. I think we make the same by this point.

Back to sleeping in the truck for a moment...I guarantee after driving your first 500 miles you are gonna be so tired you would sleep on the back of a bull. You will adjust.

I have to say I'm in the camp that says honor your contract. All research should be done prior to entering any contract. It's not like the company changed the conditions of the agreement. I was brought up that a man's hand shake (or signature) was his word and you make good on it. What is this mentality that you can just jump ship on a whim and think there are no consequences? The will be consequences. Brett's post is spot on imho. Sorry if this sounds harsh, but think hard before you make a big mistake.

I'm glad it wasn't this easy to opt out of my old military contract or I would've! I also would've missed out on some great times and great opportunities. You could end up missing out on a lot too but you'll never know if you don't honor the contract you willingly (committed to) signed.