Finally Getting To It!

So I am finally ready to start my career as an OTR driver. I applied to Wil- Trans but was turned down. Wasn't given a reason why. I didn't ask. I figured it was probably due to the two speeding tickets I had in the past 3 years. One of them was a super speeder ticket here in GA. I was going 18 miles over the speed limit So anyhoo after going over some more of the company sponsored training found here on TT, I went with Driver Solutions. I had also contacted Schneider but didn't like the experience I had in dealing with the 3 different recruiters or enrollment specialists. So anyhoo, filled out the application on Driver Solutions and the next day spoke with a recruiter. She asked a few questions and said to get back with her in an hour, she was going to run my information. I was so nervous, fearing another let down. But nope, when I called back she said I was approved!

I am so excited. I start my training with CDL of GA out in Winder on Jan. 3rd!!! whoooohoooo I do know that PAM starts out a bit low on the pay scale and that's okay with me. I do not have any children or significant other to support. I don't own a car and the lease on my apartment is nearing its end. So I will be driving and saving to dig myself out of debt for the next year.

PAM is requiring that I do team driving for the 1st 6 months or 50K miles & that isn't too bad. I am an extremely patient and even tempered person. As long as my co- driver doesn't smack while he or she chews, I'll survive I am super excited to be starting this chapter of my life. I am ready or as ready as I think I am for all of the challenges I will be facing with this career & I am ready to conquer them all!

To every driver on this forum that has provided their recount of training to experience on the road Reading about the good & the bad help solidify my decision.

Happy holidays & be safe out there!!

Wow thats great! Keep us informed. Why don't you intro yourself over in General Discussions. Lot of people with real good info. And you get alot more bananas!

Thanks. I will do. I figured I'd head over to General once I start or maybe post in the training diary for anyone interested in PAM training & how CDL of GA works. I feel like I'm the only one attending that training, thus far. Happy New Year!!

Wow thats great! Keep us informed. Why don't you intro yourself over in General Discussions. Lot of people with real good info. And you get alot more bananas!

I will say to anyone who reads this in GA, do not, I repeat do not attend CDL of GA. Terrible. Out of the 5 instructors, 4 of them are old and broken. By broken I mean multiple physical problems that limited their ability to walk. Spent more time ranting and raving about politics and old trucking stories than they did teaching. Let you get out of school early, so you did not get the full hours of training. When it was time to go on the road, the truck was old and raggedy. Broke down so we missed a day of training. The instructor that I had could barely walk, he used a huge wooden stick. So we had to keep taking breaks because he needed to get out and stretch and smoke a cigarette. There were over 8 ppl in my group so imagine the amount of time we got to spend learning how to drive. students. Then when we did get in the truck, the instructor sat on facebook or flipping through a truck magazine. The students pretty much helped each other. Poorly ran now and its completely obvious that its all about the money. The one good trainer they have is a young kid who received his cdl through them about 3 or so years ago. But even he is overwhelmed now. They went from having 3 to 5 students per trainer to now over 8 students. A few days we didn't even get the full amount of drive time we were told we would get because students had failed their pre trip at the dds so we had to go back into the yard. One student came to school with the flu infecting everyone else, myself included. So I ended up missing a day of school. When I returned I was told that I missed the hazmat training that the driver solutions/ pam student were required to take. I asked when I could make it up and was told they would set it up for the next day. When I came in the next day I was sent out over the road. No mention of a makeup day ever discussed. Also avoid, driver's solution. I was on a contract for $6000 and sent to a school that only charged $2700. When I asked why was my contract so much to attend a school for half the price I could never get an answer. Filled out some information for my bank account wrong and when I contacted the lady at driver's solutions numerous times, never got an answer or call back. Starting pay at Pam is terrible compared to a few other places and then you are forced to start as team. Driver's Solution has a private facebook page that only about 4 ppl post positive things on. A few times ppl posted things about how bad driver's solution was with Pam the post would be deleted. I also read a lot of ppl sitting home after getting their cdl for over a month, waiting for a Pam mentor to go over the road with. There were also a few posts where a team driver would quit and then the other driver would be stuck home for weeks waiting for another co driver. smh Stay away from Driver's Solution/ Pam Transport. I have seen very few positives about it. My experience was all bad. From most of the things I read in the facebook group, ppl who were sent to C1 school were also having a bad time.

Oh goodness. That's not encouraging at all. I'm sorry you had that experience.

We are neighbors, kind of...I'm in South Carolina.

Were you able to get your CDL?

Is there a community college or another company that may be able to hire you? Don't give up if this is what you want to do!