Trans Am Trucking Employment Or Non Employment Question?

Kearsey

How do I dispute the DAC entry Where do I send my dispute?

Hay, Mike.

I'm not Kearsey, but ... here ya go:

HireRight / DAC

I've been following your TransAm conundrum, as well. You can get one free copy a year, and I do this for my husband every other year or so, just ... because.

Wishing you well~!!!!

Anne ~ :)

Yes, I understood your point about you completely. I was replying to the other point you made about their program and drivers in general.

I will not accept the fact that a brand new holder of a CDL with absolutely no solo experiance with a truck can then be given a truck and say it's Ok to go on the road safely as Trans Am does'.

You cant make this stuff up and put it in print

Thanks Anne A

I sent in my request

I appreciate your help

Trying to finish up my "apprentice period" so to speak with CFI.

I still need more work primarily with my backing skills which they are giving me.

I'm also computer stupid..........a gen-u-ine dinosaur. The on board computer controls your life and I just aint real good at it. Back in the dark ages when I learned to fly there was no such thing as computers. Railroad tracks, highways, and water towers that all had the towns name on them were my nav aids. I'm kinda Ok with a nav Garmin but the onboard computer that controls your life on the road I need some help with.

On the form that asks my opinion of my abilities I checked off "Not ready Yet" which also goes to the point that I believe so much as to training.

Thanks again young lady...................

Thanks Anne A

I sent in my request

I appreciate your help

Trying to finish up my "apprentice period" so to speak with CFI.

I still need more work primarily with my backing skills which they are giving me.

I'm also computer stupid..........a gen-u-ine dinosaur. The on board computer controls your life and I just aint real good at it. Back in the dark ages when I learned to fly there was no such thing as computers. Railroad tracks, highways, and water towers that all had the towns name on them were my nav aids. I'm kinda Ok with a nav Garmin but the onboard computer that controls your life on the road I need some help with.

On the form that asks my opinion of my abilities I checked off "Not ready Yet" which also goes to the point that I believe so much as to training.

Thanks again young lady...................

LoL ..... 'young' lady, <<<< born in '69, haha! (Good song, Bryan Adams perhaps? I'm a winter baby... summer song doesn't work, anyway.)

Man, Mike.. the QC/Peoplenet /Linux, etc....<<<.. sheesh~! I KNOW, RIGHT?!? My husband Tom took flying lessons back in the day; has problems with blue/greens and couldn't pass the vision test to ever fully qualify. He co'piloted a King Air when I first met him, was a training flight. All those gauges?!?!? SMH!! I commend you! I just stared at the altimeter to make sure we weren't falling out of the sky~!!!! If you can do THAT... you GOT this~!

Gotta tell ya; 2 or 3 (?) Decembers ago, when husband went from paper to Qualcomm... he had what, maybe 2 weeks 'overlap' to learn it?!?!? I literally had to learn it to 'teach' him. No joke. We have an android LG tablet of some sort at the home (his) .. and an iMac desktop (his) and a Dell laptop (mine) and a couple Chromebooks (kids) and an X'box (sons,) Tom's bro has an iPad, .......and STILLLLLLLLLLL another platform to learn~! Hard to believe my husband was a SWITCHman at the phone company 20 plus years ago~! Technology sure took off~!!!!!

I feel you, I hear ya! (LoL on the Gin U Wine.... the 'PONY' SONG~!) ;)

I'm glad CFI is doing you well; kinda figured they would. I don't know 'why' sometimes they are opined as an 'underdog' because I just don't see that, whatsoever~!!! Honestly, CFI and Swift would be my 1st choices (and are)... if I ever get out of the 'home schooling' hat~!!

For now, however... I have to stay 'apprised' in the industry, to keep the 20 plus year driver (old guy / hubby!) on the 'right path,' hahaha~!!

Wish you well, always~!!

Anne ~ :)

Hey Mike I just wanna throw it out there nearly all of us felt our training wasn't enough regardless of how long it takes. I didnt go OTR , but I had 12 weeks of a trainer sitting in the seat next to me and still was uneasy about going solo. There is so many variables out there that it's really impossible to face everything in training. Your backing is going to suck for about 6 months to a year. The key is take it slow and steady, always G.O.A.L. and not hit anything. Believe it or not there comes a point where having a trainer next to you is hindering your learning. Trucking is something that's learned by doing. I do believe that you need some hands on training but think 2-3 weeks is plenty to get you accustomed to the basics like submitting paperwork, checking in, fueling, breakdowns and managing grades (mountains).

You will improve backing and trip planning by doing it. I'm glad you were honest with them about where you feel you are. Truth is you know how to operate safely enough to be out there on your own and now it's just fine tuning those skills. Just keep in mind there will come a time that CFI has to decide to keep you out with a trainer or give you your own regardless of how you feel. For every mile that's run with the trainer in the passenger seat its adding more to the total cost of what they're investing in your training. Profit margins are pretty small in this industry which is why most companies try to get recent grads into their own truck in only a couple weeks.

I probably missed it in this post or a different one but how long have you been in training with CFI?

Rob T

Thanks for the input and encouragement

I've been out with a trainer going on three weeks.

I think I have the driving part down pretty good just so long as all I have to do is drive straight. I'm in Joplin now and have spent some time with my backing here at the terminal. I'm very pleased with the help CFI offers

As it looks, I think I'm going to spend another maybe couple weeks or so with a trainer before I'm on my own. We'll see.

Echoing what Rob and others have posted concerning backing, in addition hat the only way to get it is by doing it on your own. Many, many times. Experience is going to be the single best teacher.

When I attended CDL school, 80% of our hands-on training was backing. Straight line, alley docking, or offset. Six hours each day, six days each week. It instilled a great foundation that I still utilize. Once on the road, in real situations that differ at nearly every location, it can take weeks, months, or maybe years to back into any spot with accuracy.

The biggest thing is to take your time, GOAL as often as needed, think about what you're doing, don't hit anything, and to learn from your mistakes.

Anne A

I began driving airplanes in the 60's in NW Florida. There aint no such thing in any small town in NW Florida, Ga, Ms, la, or Ala that does' not have a water tower with the name of the town along with "Class of...................." That pretty much told me where I was. There was no such thing as a computer.

All PA28's 140 an Arrow and an "Aztruck" Tried a little spraying with a Pawnee and didn't break the airplane, hit any power or phone lines or more than likely didn't cause any deaths that I'm aware of anyway.

People that I know kid me about the fact that I'm a klutz at backing a truck because they feel if you can fly an airplane you can certainly back a semi........................WRONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 An airplane only goes' forward and there aint no 53' trailer behind it and no (six of them) mirrors. I'm sure both you and your husband agree that flying an airplane is alot easier and I could pre flight a single or light twin in maybe two minutes whereas you sure as poop cant do that with a tractor and trailer.

I'd be lost today with a "Glass ****pit" or the like.

I recieved my CDL on 19 June, 2020.

Attended Trans Am trucking orientation 29 June, 2020.

After three days of orientation it was clear that Trans Am offered no "Trainer" on the road. No "trainer" at all. They said they once did but no longer offer a trainer.

Ok, here I am a brand new holder of a CDL with less than 100 miles on the street and those miles with a drivers school instructor and the state examiner. No solo time at all..........nothing at all.

Trans Am offers a week (more or less) orientation then if you pass orientation you have a truck by yourself, solo, no training at all. On the street with a truck, solo.

No way was I ready to be on the road with up to 80,000 pounds, seventy feet or so with no training.

Trans Am told me that they once did offer a trainer but no longer do. I was told that I could sign a "Voluntary Withdrawal" which I did sign.

To me the Trans Am policy was at least dangerous and irresponsible and I was not ready nor prepared to be on the road by myself.

Since that time I've signed on with CFI . A week of orientation A test drive with a CFI trainer to be sure I have at least a basic driving knowledge/skill. Three or four weeks on the road with a Trainer that CFI calls a "Finisher" Then after the time on the road with a "Finisher" I'll have a written test and a driving test, which includes an "obstacle course" and some backing skills before I'm considered safe/reasonably competent.

CFI's program is to me outstanding. I need the training and I want the training.

Ok, here's my rub with Trans Am. They report me that I was employed by them. I left orientation after three days. I recieved not one penny compensation from Trans Am nor any type of compensation/pay , nothing what so ever. I recieved not a penny nor did I want anything at all from them. I didn't ask for anything, didn't want nor expect anything, recieved nothing after three days only of orientation, but am reported as was empolyed by them.

This is causing me an issue.

I'm not all that crazy about Trans Am Trucking. They have the policies that work for them but those policies I will not agree to . I didn't agree to the program and declined Trans Am employment however they report me as an ex employee.

Of course I'm contesting any so called employment with Trans Am Trucking.

Now that I'm in the industry for about a month I'm learning that some of Trans Am's policies are very much Trans Am's and not industry standards per se.

Any past experiances with Trans Am like mine?

Basically, as soon as you pee in a cup, you "worked" there. DOT requires all future employers to collect all pre-employment & random drug screen from all previous "employers". If you don't list TransAm, and the company you applied to finds out later (or on the DAC), they could be on the hook for not obtaining the required D&A testing results from TransAm, and they can terminate you for "falsified application".

As someone who hires truckers for a living, just put that on your application. "Never finished orientation, Not a good fit for me". Unless you have 4-5-6 similar situations, most places won't hold it against you.

Fascinating discussion...with serious implications for TransAm newbies and maybe the general public on the roads... Obviously the key data point would be how long ago the company made the apparently radical change to their "training" approach. Then we'd know it's had time to really show up as a difference in their safety rating stats. Does anyone here know if it was a recent shift? Sounds like calling the company isn't likely to bring an answer to the question? If they're not even providing full disclosure (or maybe only when asked?) to their applicants, well that can't be a good sign. But if they're somehow pulling it off, jeez, what does that mean? IF it's a fact, that along with the experienced driver commentary above, it'd seem to suggest there might a "placebo effect" of sorts re: the industry standard and obvious conventional wisdom behind weeks of OTR training. In other words, is the need for it more myth than necessity? Or would it mostly show how adaptable humans are when the stakes are so super-high, that they can take on what would be TOO much stress for most in order to stay safe enough to succeed? (While maybe for others, the weeks of directly-supervised mentorship would be MORE stressful and result in slower learning, less overall safety, than going solo sooner than otherwise ideal?)