Just Getting Started And Already It's Bad.

Kerry L

My experiance with Trans Am was less than good. No matter who is at fault be it you or Trans Am, move on. When I left orientation at Trans Am after three days I went shopping for a job. Got some very good direction and help from right here on this forum . As luck had it, I landed good at CFI.

You gotta just beat the bushes til something comes up. I sent out around fifty or so applications and recieved alot of "sorry.............but". If you give up trying then that's on you. Dont give up.

I cant say enough good about CFI in Joplin, Mo. First class operation and I really lucked out falling in with them. Contact them and others as well and DO NOT GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting kicked in the butt now and then is no mortal sin but giving up is one. Lots of companies out there Go get a job my brother!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Also, for what it's worth, I think I understand your feelings re Trans Am. I just didn't like the experiance at all. It's not always so easy to put things into words that maybe people understand but sometimes if you feel like your just a piece of meat, well, maybe it's best to just move on........huh?

Go get a job

Use the tools on this forum and all the help the people here will give you.

You don't expect people to keep their word? If someone says that they are going to call you, you don't have every expectation that they will?

No, I certainly don't, but the expectation is irrelevant. What happened after your expectation was not met is where you dropped the ball.

Supposedly you still wanted to start your career after your truck wasn't ready at 7:00, but you took no action towards actually making that happen. If you had picked up the phone in the morning and vocalized "hey, I waited last night and my truck wasn't available, can you check and see if it's ready for me now?", you'd be driving right now.

When you're honest with yourself, you see it was your responsibility to take control of yourself and your own career. Why try to pin it on some stranger who messed up what for them was just some menial task? Assume responsibility for yourself and your own goals, get it right next time.

For future readers::::

This is a prime example of why we suggest company sponsored programs. The OP has now wasted time and money because due to his own accidents in the past, he was ineligible for many companies. The CDL school didn't care and took the money. He then entered a program out of desperation knowing exactly what the lack of training entailed---HIS fault for agreeing. All because no one else wanted him due to his own negligence of prior accidents. Now adding to the issues, he refused a motel due to "personal reasons" but claims the company abandoned him. Uh no. The motel was apparently offered, the truck was being worked on at a shop outside of the company's control. It was at a dealership. So the company was at the mercy of a dealership. Hmmmm.... And yet the blame falls to Trans Am?

He never followed up with the truck shop regarding repairs. And NO, shops do not always call like they say. They get busy helping other customers. It is your responsibility to stay on top of things including at consignee's. Some shippers will leave you in a door for 8 hours if you do not follow up. If you don't follow up it is your own time and money you are wasting.

By the time he goes to find a job, his CDL will be stale and he will be expected to do schooling over again at the new company. That may require signing a commitment contract or he may even have to make payments after he is employed.

This is also an example of unrealistic expectations. This driver expected to come out of CDL school with accidents on his record and find a prime job, had ideas in his head of what the industry and training should be, and wants everyone to cater to him.

He also stated that self insured companies are not desirable and want you to fail so you are stuck there because no one else will hire you. Not true. Most of the training companies are self insured because new drivers are too risky and underwriters won't cover them. That is why many companies require a year of experience. My training company has plaques lining the walls of every corridor of drivers who have been there for decades. Most new drivers hit something their first year even if very minor. So a training company expecting a new driver to hit something is not unrealistic. It makes them more understanding when you do hit something....which you probably will. I admit I did.

This driver also repeatedly stated "accident in my personal vehicle" as if somehow that is better. I could dare say that is worse than a CMV accident. In your own car that you drive and manuever every day for years... You had at fault accidents. Then how are you going to drive an unfamiliar vehicle? Just as unsafely, that is how.

Often we get posters who change their story as this one did. In the first post he stated "two felonies from 2006 and one accident in June". Later he states THREE accidents in the last 4 years, plus two felony convictions. When I see things like that, I get concerned there is more to the story than what we are reading.

Lesson to be learned protect your license. Drive safely. Understand and think about what you are agreeing to when it comes to training and hiring onto a company.

My guess is this OP wanted out once reality set in that there was no training. Which he admits he knew before going. This is just like the lease ops who sign a contract then sue because they don't like the outcome. The company is probably pushing leasing (if that is true) to shift some liability on the some of the less desirable drivers it employs. They can make back some money they pay out due to hiring riskier drivers.

Again.... Act responsibily before you get your CDL and you will have less issues after.

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.

It's important to realize we live and conduct our business in a free enterprise system of economics. Part of that practice eliminates companies that are treating people badly. Workers don't go work for companies that treat us bad. Customers don't use the services of companies that treat them badly.

I find it ironic when a person who can barely land a job in an industry has the gonads to shout from the mountain tops how "bad" a company is that gave them a consideration that no one else was willing to do. For me, you can't come up with a better description of a "great" company. They reached out to this driver in a magnanimous way. The driver still failed.

It begs the question. Who is really the "bad" guy?

The driver is non stop in his comments. I'm sure many of them have been deleted. He's tireless. He's relentless in his diatribe. Had he put nearly as much energy into his failed attempts at trucking, he'd be a successful driver at this point. Some people comfort themselves by pointing out the failures of everyone they come in contact with. Others focus on their own success in spite of the shortcomings of those they encounter.

For some reason TransAm is still in business, and has a long list of drivers who are happily employed there. For some reason our friend here is at home with plenty of time to complain about the company.

I've never held to this "good company/bad company" mantra. It really makes no sense. In the end TransAm stays in business, and our friend here is still held out from participating. I don't know how you measure that as "good vs bad." Competent professionals can easily get hired into this business. Newbies have trouble sometimes. I'm empathetic with them. I had my share of struggles. One thing is for sure though. The first outfit that gave me a shot got my full dedication. I never looked back.

To this day I realize my success had nothing to do with whether my company was good or bad. Everybody said they were bad. I just went ahead and proved them all wrong. I wish our friend here had that kind of gumption. It would make a huge difference in his outcome.

Don't ever believe the shop on an eta the truck will be done when they call you. Whether you are at a TA, LOVES, or a terminal.