61 And Starting Drivers Solutions CDL Training Monday

My low paying, no paying crappy manufacturing job has been going South for awhile. Short days and weeks.

It's gotten to where I was looking at $250 - 300 a week. The only way to make any decent money was to work bookoo overtime.

There's very little economic opportunities here in rural Alabama. About the same in rural Mississippi. Where the wife and I are planning on moving to. (family, cost of living, pre-retirement relocation etc)

I'm 61, retired military (Marines). Yea I could put in for my Social Security in ten months. But Ive got to get off my face and back on my feet financially. Take care of some bills, pay off a student loan I've been paying off aggressively.

And although it'll be nice to have that option in my back pocket? I'm just not ready to got sit at the house.

Needless to say I've got my concerns, doubts But I had to make a move quickly. My current job just wasn't getting it. And the only other jobs for someone my age were just more of the same. Crappy low paying, no paying dead end suck the life out of you jobs.

For some reason employers around here think your supposed actually live off of $8 an hour.

Drivers Solutions ~ PAM Transfer was the shortest and quickest way to get my CDL'S.

I know PAM is a starter company. But some of the reviews are BRUTAL!!

Real horror stories!!

Any thoughts, opinions, suggestions, welcomed and appropriated

I am sure the people that wrote those reviews are the ones that failed miserably at this career. Imagine if you had the option of quitting during boot camp. Imagine what kind of reviews the Marines would get. The trucking industry will chew up and spit out those that are unprepared or not cut from the right cloth.

As far as the starter company myth. All of these mags carriers / starter companies are the ones that have survived even thrived in this industry for probably 30+ years. Think back to your youth and how many of those trucking companies do you see today? Trucking companies are going out of business every day.

Starter company...

I've worked for one of them for over 5 years now. Does that make me a "starter driver"?

Patrick is absolutely correct in his reply. Your future success, commitment and your ability to adjust, roll with the punches is far more critical than the name on the door of your truck.

Careful what you believe in any internet review...

Internet of Lies & Misinformation

Thanks your right. That's the sort of thing I needed to hear.

Everything happens for a reason

I can handle anything put before me.

God doesn't give us a Spirit of Fear, but a Spirit of Love, Power and Sound Mind.

I retired from the Corps in '95. Bought into the "Go To College ~ Student Loan ~ Get a Great Job" lie ~ trap!

Tried selling cars for six months. Yep another lie~trap. 60% of all car salesmen are out of the business within 6 months.

Then I got into low paying, no paying, crappy, dead and jobs since.

I'm DONE!!!!

Dan

Thank you for your service. I am too working towards a driving career. I would encourage you to look at paid CDL schools like, WilTrans, Jim Palmer, Prime, Swift, and many others. Paid CDL Training Programs I am not convinced you get your CDL faster with PAM. I got a prehire from CRST, but all is on the back burner due to the fact I am not retired from the service yet. I go back and fourth on whether I could team. Jeremy on the site, should be finishing CRST training, we have a few finishing Prime, and a few others. I encourage you to read some of the diaries in the other thread.

Best of luck, and yeah I imagine the low cost of living in Alabama equates to low pay. I was stationed at Fort Rucker for a few years back in 2003 and was impressed you could get a nice brick house (hurricane solid) and a pool for dirt cheap...

Best of Luck Chris

Dan, CONGRATULATIONS! And THANKS for your service.

Take your positive attitude with you and it’ll make all the difference. Regardless of the company you drive for, you will probably be very successful and that student loan will soon be history.

Welcome and enjoy the challenge.

Like the others said, you definitely have the right attitude.

And I apologize for not extending my appreciation for your service. We cannot say that enough to our veterans.

So "back to school" for you. Treat it like military boot camp/basic training. You definitely know that drill.

Don't let the lows get you too low, or the highs get you too high.

I think you'll do fine.

Good luck!

Dan

Thank you for your service. I am too working towards a driving career. I would encourage you to look at paid CDL schools like, WilTrans, Jim Palmer, Prime, Swift, and many others. Paid CDL Training Programs I am not convinced you get your CDL faster with PAM. I got a prehire from CRST, but all is on the back burner due to the fact I am not retired from the service yet. I go back and fourth on whether I could team. Jeremy on the site, should be finishing CRST training, we have a few finishing Prime, and a few others. I encourage you to read some of the diaries in the other thread.

Best of luck, and yeah I imagine the low cost of living in Alabama equates to low pay. I was stationed at Fort Rucker for a few years back in 2003 and was impressed you could get a nice brick house (hurricane solid) and a pool for dirt cheap...

Best of Luck Chris

I'm in Troy, Alabama. From a little town about 13 miles North of Ozark just off Highway 231.

I'm afraid I don't have the luxury of waiting and going through the process of shopping around. After twenty years of working in Dead End, low paying, no paying jobs?

I've got to make a move yesterday. I'm ready to get into a field where working hard and hustling is rewarded.

Treat it like military boot camp/basic training. You definitely know that drill.

That's definitely part of my intention.

And thanks for all the help and replies.

I know PAM is a starter company. But some of the reviews are BRUTAL!!

These will help a ton - do yourself a favor and listen to these podcasts. They'll really put your mind at ease and help you understand why there is so much unwarranted negativity around the trucking industry. You'll also never use the expression "starter company" again after hearing the first one because you'll realize how ridiculous that notion is.

Enjoy!

• Episode 9: Are Major Carriers Nothing More Than Starter Companies?
• Episode 10: Terminal Rats Are Derailing Trucking Careers
• Episode 19: You're Getting Career Advice From The Wrong People