Just Getting Started And Already It's Bad.

In some ways, I am glad it didn't work out. I know so little about driving a tractor trailer. I would be out there and so damn lost. I would end up with some sort of violation on my record that would have me forced to stick with TransAm. I really believe that this company intends for that to happen to new drivers

Kerry, you have a unique way of rationalizing your own shortcomings. We are all truckers. We all know about the difficulties of starting this career. I had a similar experience to you. Nobody would hire me. One company finally gave me a shot. You wouldn't have ever found me badmouthing them. In fact, I met a TransAm driver while fueling one time. He saw my Western Express truck and told me I needed to quit and come to TransAm. That's what he did, and he couldn't stop telling me how great TransAm was.

Here's the real problem. You were as green as grass. You didn't understand how to handle the situation you found yourself in while waiting on a truck. That's a common occurrence at any trucking company. You certainly could have handled it better. What's done is done, and you botched the whole situation. Now you're trying to convince a bunch of seasoned truckers that this is TransAm's business model. Don't keep trying to fool yourself. It certainly doesn't fool experienced truckers.

All trucking companies want really great drivers who are flexible and creative at getting things accomplished. TransAm is no different. They don't make a business plan that traps the losers, and keeps them like bond servants, unable to go anywhere else. That's a recipe for disaster in trucking.

Perhaps trucking just isn't a good career for you. If that's true, you'd save yourself a lot of grief by acknowledging it. Spare us your assessments of a trucking company's relevance or value. You have absolutely no credibility to lay the blame at their feet. It's laughable to listen to your remarks. You screwed up. The sooner you recognize your faults the sooner you can mend them. I certainly don't carry any water for TransAm, but it's really disturbing to see a total greenhorn act like he's an authority on something he knows nothing about.

I don't doubt you felt emboldened to make such unfounded statements because you've seen other whiners and complainers making such comments about TransAm. They were just as foolish and inexperienced as you. The internet is fully inhabited by self declared experts. The wise among us recognize them and their folly. You could have gotten your career underway just like I did. You chose the low road. You decided to lay the blame on a company that's merely trying to make their way in a challenging business. I wish you had taken an approach that was more determined to dig in and make this one shot opportunity work out. You didn't. You now see the consequences.

Kerry had an attitude problem on here a bit over seven months ago, too. Very apparent after reading his very first TT post.

Supposedly, he had a pre-hire letter from CRST at that time. Obviously, that company wasn't to his liking either, just like Trans Am.

20 bucks says he won't be back. We been through this too many times guys.

I was ok with it because it was my only option. I knew what it was, and I would be in a truck right now had I not basically been abandoned at the terminal.

As far as TransAm being a bad company, you don't have to take my word for it, but its reputation precedes it. I didn't want to go to TransAm and left no stone unturned in looking for another opportunity. TransAm was it. So I told myself, "you can do 6 months and you know other companies that will then give you a shot." I was willing to go out there knowing that I didn't know enough yet and basically train myself with the employee handbook.

You are absolutely right that the communication ball was dropped. That is part of why I say it is a bad company, along with the well-earned reputation. All through orientation and training, there were clear signs that communication is an issue with this company. The people in the office just lack professionalism. They themselves are not well trained, so it becomes a snowball effect. I have been around HR people a lot over the years, so it isn't hard for me to recognize those that do their jobs well from those that need more training to do their jobs well. The individuals at TransAm are not bad people.

The company's business model, from pushing lease on drivers with 0 experience in trucking to sending drivers pit solo with 0 hours of actual OTR driving, is designed to take advantage of the naivete and inexperience of new drivers. Whether intentional, as I believe, or unintentional, their business model results in drivers coming in with no experience and finding themselves married to TransAm because violations or incidents leave them with no other options. Too many of those, and TransAm cuts them loose. This type of employee relations is not unique to trucking. It is called predatory employment.

As far as my comment on TransAm wanting their drivers to have violations... They told us during orientation that they expect most of us to get a few months of experience and then move on. Based on what I observed, the company knows that they are not fully preparing new drivers to go out on the road. Their driver retention model appears to me to be creating a situation where new drivers out of school have no other option. In really makes no sense otherwise why this is the only company that doesn't have inexperienced drivers go out with a trainer before going solo.

Yes, their equipment looks great. We both know that a piece of junk can be made to look great, so that, in and of itself doesn't say much. Yes, breakdowns happen, but wouldn't it seem a bit out of the ordinary for 3 trucks in a 2 day period assigned to new drivers to breakdown? One of those trucks being a lease, so it should have been fully inspected before leasing.

Yes, they will basically give anyone with a CDL chance. Why is that? They are self-insured. The company owner settles all company claims out of pocket. For this reason, he has no insurance company to approve of new hires. They told us this in orientation.

If you fail to see how TransAm is a bad company, that is because you are reading my comments and automatically viewing it from their perspective. That's fine. TransAm's reputation as a bad company is well established and no secret in the trucking industry. I was warned about going there by people who have been in the industry for years. I had no other options, so it was either not use my CDL or make the best of 6 months at TransAm.

I fail to see how trans am is a bad company. It sounds like people dropped the ball with communication which resulted in your departure. You knew going into it the way their program works. You were ok with it then because it was your only option but now you're not ok with it? Can you elaborate by saying that trans am wants their drivers to have violations?

Trucks breakdown, that is in no way trans am fault. I can almost guarantee that a company their size is fixing equipment so its safe and roadworthy IF THE DRIVER WRITES IT UP. Sometimes even doing thorough inspections equipment will eventually breakdown. I'm typing this as I'm picking up at Tyson in Olathe KS right next to their terminal. From what I can see it looks like it's well taken care of.

You need to look at it from their point of view. They're one of the few companies willing to give those with a less than perfect record (criminal and driving). Somebody in the office clearly dropped the ball but go over their head if you need to.

Yes, there were people at orientation from all over the country. TransAm hires from anywhere east of the Rockies, I believe. They offered to put me in a motel, but for personal reasons, I chose to commute every day. Had I been staying at the hotel when this happened, nothing different would have resulted because I still would have had my car at the terminal. I would have left after sitting there waiting for several hours. It still would have been on the shop to call me when the truck was ready. They confirmed my phone number, which they had from HR, since I was a company driver at that point and assigned to that truck. If I hadn't been from around there, I would have insisted on them sending me back to the hotel via Uber until the truck was ready.

I have no desire to return to TransAm. So, I will just keep my CDL and med card active until the accidents are no longer a hindrance.

I applied at Western Express and the combination of my record and the recent accident was the reason they couldn't hire me.

As much as the situation sucks, I know that it's just the way life goes sometimes. I don't feel a victim because it is ultimately my own life decisions that are holding me back. Looks like more warehousing until Spring of next year.

Kerry, wow. I'm literally dumbfounded. Holy crap show, crayola ..type of wow.

Just wondering, had you not lived 30 minutes away, would they have put you up in a hotel/motel? Kinda would've HAD to, IMHO. Personally, I'd have gone THAT route...just so they 'know' where you are, and you are at their fingertips, 'available for dispatch' more readily. I think the convenience of the 'going home' thingy (although it was a great opportunity, I know, I get it...) might have been your downfall. I'd have let them put me up, and driven home accordingly.

I agree with Mr. Banks. Seriously, I do. Show your phone records, texts, ELD messages (if any) and EVERYTHING... including but not limited to, the empty picnic table they expected you to 'wait' at. 'Splain it away, Lucy . . . type of thing. Humble, humility, etc et al..

If all else fails, as it may, . . . . take a look into Western Express*. They sure turned out a GREAT driver, when they trained Old School. Flatbed is their forte' (or was?) but vans are just as prevalent (or almost) now, it seems.

*If you would be open to tarps and chains and bungees and straps and the like (lol) . . . I'd bet they'd welcome you quickly!

I sincerely hope you post back, and let us know what becomes of this conundrum. Man, Kerry. This is a double edged sucky sword; I'm sorry.

Best to you;

Anne

The truck wasn't ready at 7 pm. The shop said they would call me when the truck was ready. They never called me. HR called me at 2:30 the next afternoon telling me that the shop had called me that morning. I left at 6:30 because I was watching the trucks coming in and there was no truck being pulled in. The shop still had to do their inspection of the truck even after it got towed back in, so even if the truck had gotten there right at 6:30, it wasn't going to be ready by 7. I had been sitting out in the heat all day. I doubt you would have waited half as long as I did. Yes, TransAm is at fault for dropping the ball in communication. I wouldn't doubt if the shop had told HR that the truck was not going to be ready until 7 am, but HR misunderstood. It really wasn't a major issue, IF they had called me when the truck was ready as they said they would. There was no reason for TransAm to tell me at 4:00 that I need to wait outside at a terminal for a truck that won't be ready for 3 more hours when I live less than 45 minutes away. They knew this to be the case because I told HR this. They also obviously had my personal info, which includes address. I decided that when they called that the truck is ready, I would drive over there. It really isn't that hard a concept to understand. When the shop says, "We'll call you," that tells me that they don't want me popping my head in looking for the truck. I don't really give a damn how you feel about me. I am not affected by your opinion nor your point of view. Truthfully, you are irrelevant to me. So, saying how irritated you are and expressing all this disdain because I didn't bend over backwards to accommodate this crap company, it shows you value your own opinion too much, as it relates to other people. Yes, I know what my situation is. You seem much more upset about it than I am. Now, go find another rookie to make feel inferior and inadequate. It doesn't work with me.

Have a good day.

How is this Trans Am's fault? They told you the truck would be ready by 7pm. You didn't even wait that long, but just decided on your own to leave at 6:30pm. Then you didn't even have the gumption to at least be there when the doors opened the next morning. Stories like this annoy me-for someone whose back is against the wall, you sure aren't doing what it takes to succeed.

Right. You're MVR may be clean in a year, and you'll have a stale CDL in under six months. What happens then, Kerry? The top carriers won't be calling you with job offers.

Yes. All of them in my area want experience. This is especially the case when you have an unemployment rate closing in on 15%.

Just a thought as a last resort!!! Have you considered looking at local construction or excavating companies? Maybe driving a Tri-axle dump or hauling their heavy equipment around? They may be more lenient with the accidents. Work for them so your CDL doesnt go stale and try for OTR down the road when the accidents are older

So then re=apply at CRST do teams for 10 months. They really ain't that bad, time does fly by too. I tried Gardners for 2 months, wasn't for me sitting more than driving. Returned to CRST, found a new co driver (he and I get along great, so this should be last co) lol

Got another 2019 truck, and we are driving the miles ! burnin up clocks, on another 2800 mile load back to NW area of Portland n Seattle.....

Ur CDL will be considered stale prolly in a month or 2, medical card dont mean diddly if you're not DRIVING.....Time is NOT on your side. So suck it up buttercup, and jump into a drivers seat ANYPLACE.

Try western express if you haven't.