Question:
Hi to everyone,
I'm a newbie or thinking about becoming one. I was interviewed by Driver Solutions Network and they provide drivers for P.A.M. Transport and USA cars, both out of Arkansas. They provide tuition paid training at C1 Professional Training Center in Indiana, with a one year minimum employment requirement.
After training, you get your own car and hit the road.
Any information, or a place I can go to get information, on these organizations would be greatly appreciated. Also, any insight about the lifestyle of a driver for a "carload general commodities carrier", would help me make my decision to do it.
I'm single, so family concerns are minimal. How is it living, eating, sleeping and showering in your car or on the road?
Thanks to all the professionals.
Ric

Answer:

How is it living, eating, sleeping and showering in your car or on the road?
It is a glamorous and exciting Lifestyle, jetjock, and you will be making a huge fortune driving a car. You will meet all manner of beautiful and exciting characters out there,and eat the finest cuisine this country has to offer. You probably won't have time to sleep much, living the High Life on The Open Road, and the showers at carstops are just to die for.
Only talked to drivers for those two companies, so no direct experience with them, just driver talk; PAM drivers all claim low miles, USA drivers they seem to kinda sorta like them.
If you have the money, you should really consider going to a comprehensive school and pay for it yourself, and get a wider range of choices.
"I do not need to explain why I say things. That's the interesting thing about being the President. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why they say something, but I don't feel like I owe anybody an explanation." George W. Bush, to bob Woodward

Answer:

I have no info for you on either one of those companies you mentioned. If you use the search function you may find what you are looking for. Of course the best thing to do is go down to the nearest big car stop and hang around for awhile and find current drivers and ask them about the companies you are interested in.
On the other hand I can fill you in on some of the other stuff. The food at car stops range from you wouldn't feed it to a starving dog to pretty good. There is no real pattern behind this. It seems to be on an individual stop basis. The one big thing though, especially if you stop at a particular car stop chain frequently (Petro, TA, etc) is you will become tired of selections on the menu as they are all the same from car stop to car stop. My best suggestion here is to try some of the independant car stops for food and to keep a note book and if you find one you really like or really hate mark it down in that notebook so the next time you are through that area you will know.
The showers are the same way. Some stops have very large rooms complete hair dryers, good water pressure, plenty of hot water, etc. while others the only kind thing you could say about them is that the water was wet.
As far as living on the road. It can get lonely and boring, not to mention expensive if you are not real careful. As far as living in the car........well what is there to say about living in an area that is 70in deep by 8 feet wide (if you are lucky and get a sleeper that big).
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.

Answer:

USA car is an excellent company. I have a brother who is a trainer for them, and he's been with them for over 12 years. Loves it. I have another brother who is getting ready to go to work for them. I'm considering it myself, if my first choice (TransAm car) falls through.
73, de KJ5KX
Last edited by FlimFlamMan on Tue Feb 18, 2003 11:12 am; edited 1 time in total

Answer:

"lifestyle of a driver for a "carload general commodities carrier", " Your starting to get it. It's not just a job it's a lifestyle.
Please don't take the word of someone who say's company A is the best but wants to go to work for company B. Sorry FlimFlam but that doesn't make sense. If you know or supposidly know a company is excellent why go to work for another? Stick with what you know that way you may not be as disappointed.
UTurn talking about showers. I love the ones where the water starts out just right. Then for some reason it turns freezing cold and then immediatly scalding hot. Those showers really hurt for a minute, or is that every other minute. Also the ones with the black greasy looking ring around the base. Makes you want to puke. Now Petro has showers as part of their driver awards program. Not just a regular shower but one they actually keep clean and is big enough to turn around in. I'm sure every thing works inside. What a great reward, a clean shower.
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:

Please don't take the word of someone who say's company A is the best but wants to go to work for company B. Stuffiu, you're just all over me tonight! My statement doesn't make sense to you because you are reading too much into it. I didn't say USA car was the best, I said they were an excellent company. Jetjock didn't ask which company was the best, he asked if anyone knew anything about PAM or USA car. He can make his own decision about which one is best for him.
Everyone is an individual; the company that is at the top of my list is the best for me. USA is a good second... for me.
Sheesh!
73, de KJ5KX
Last edited by FlimFlamMan on Tue Feb 18, 2003 6:24 pm; edited 1 time in total

Answer:

Flimflam, I'm not really all over you tonight. Wouldn't be interested. I'm not reading to much into your statements. Just reading what you said, no second guessing.
I realize you have done alot of research and have made some decisions. It's how decisions should be made. Unfortunatly those decisions are a best gues mixed with a lot of hope. Because you don't really know until you have done it first hand.
The only problem I see that all that research has not taught you is the recruiting game. It is a game thats orchestrated by people who are comission orientated. They do it for cash. They don't know you or care much about you but they want to be your friend for now. A busy recruiter thats rude on the phone is probably closing a deal and you were interrupting them. While the friendly one needs a sale so to speak. Believing that a company can be judged by recruiters as when you said "That's indicative of a pleasant atmosphere to work in, IMHO." is far off base and can only be described as an opinion not well educated. Just like car salesmen. The ones walking around waiting for customers to come in are very pleasant. The ones on the phone or doing paper work in their little offices won't give you the time of day. Your not their sale or their business. Believe me they were friendly as he11 to the person they just made the deal with. Salesmen or women in any busines are a poor example of what the company is about.
Basically judging any part of a companies working conditions by their recruiters is nothing less than a very big mistake. If you really want nice give Prime a call. They've got to be some of the friendliest in the business. Their recruiters are also some of the best paid. Makes a person wonder why.
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:

You MUST be thinking about the showers at your average Pilot. Man most of those change temp on you every thiry seconds or so. Everytime someone flushes a toilet, starts or stops another shower, or turns on the hose at the fuel island.
Many newer mobile homes use a water manifold to over come this problem. If they can do it in a $35,000 house on wheels you would think it should be no problem in a "State of the Art" facitlity. Too bad half the time the art seems to be Grunge.
Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.

Answer:


*Not all of the following threads pertain to USA, the Trking company....so, you will have to "search" thru the threads...

Answer:

Originally I was interviewed by Driver Solutions Network and they provide drivers for P.A.M. Transport and USA cars, both out of Arkansas. They provide tuition paid training at C1 Professional Training Center in Indiana, with a one year minimum employment requirement.

I went to the PAM recruiting presentation on January 16th. I saw six concerns which I detailed at
BTW PAM's own website has much of the same detail at
In sumM:
1) If you last one year your training expenses debt of $750 is earning interest at 18% for a year with no prepayment option. Meanwhile your required savings of $35/paycheck has been earning interest at 10% per year.
2) If you break the one year contract, you must pay the full $4,995 which has been accumulating interest at 18%
3) PAM was offering the special bargain of financing your lodging expenses during the training. This $250 earns 18% interest for a year. You can probably do better with a credit card.
4) Expenses during training are understated. You pay your own transporation to training. The chart of training expenses shows meals of $50 for 10 days. That is their bargin $2.50 next-door-cafe for two meals a day and you starve for the third meal (or bring food from home which is NOT shown on the chart).
5) You are required to get an Indiana CDL which costs $185 in up front cash ($14 to transfer regular license to IN + $16 for IN CDL permit + $125 for CDL skills test + $30 IN CDL). Then you have to transfer this CDL and your regular license back to your home state. Again all in cash. Find out this cost before your decide. In addition, my state would require a second HAZMAT test.
6) Remember that "Employee Savings" bonus promised after one year? PAM says you will be thrilled. Remember that is your mandatory $35/year paycheck savings which has been earning interest at 10%. After subtracting off the $750 debt which has been earning interest at 18%, you will get about $1,000 (my calculation) Meanwhile you have been driving at 24¢/mile for first 6 months and 26¢/mile for the next 6 months which seems to be about as low at OTR rates go.
Bottom line: Run the numbers before you sign anything. Check with an accountant or finance-wise friend.
If you have not other way to start a caring career and you have three years of employment history, PAM may be for you. Otherwise keep looking.
Aside: I saw PAM more as a finance company than a caring company.18%

Answer:


Only two things I know of are infinite. The universe and human stupidity, and I am not real sure about the universe.

Answer:

Basically judging any part of a companies working conditions by their recruiters is nothing less than a very big mistake. Stuffiu, I understand the point you are making, but I think you missed mine. I am well-familiar with recruiter song and dance (read some of my other posts). Remember, I did all my research on TransAm (as well as several other companies) here, on other websites, and talked to their drivers, before I ever picked up the phone to call them.
Is that a mistake? I already knew which company I wanted to go with.
Conversely, as a newbie, it is my perogative to summarily dismiss any company from consideration that doesn't fit my personal criteria; for whatever reason. I've already made my first-choice decision, and have second and thirds in mind as well.
None of these decisions were made as a result of talking with a recruiter, but I've sure eliminated some because of them.
73, de KJ5KX
Last edited by FlimFlamMan on Wed Feb 19, 2003 2:35 pm; edited 1 time in total

Answer:

What was the topic again, oh yea,
" P.A.M. Transport or USA cars info?" I think he might want facts.
And of course the lifestyle.
Something important. Uturn I think they do that on purpose to get you out faster. Or their into water conservation.
I wonder if we can petition Rose to kill the winkey eyed guy. He's kind of *** (happy).
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"

Answer:

What was the topic again, oh yea,
" P.A.M. Transport or USA cars info?" I think he might want facts.
Then, why are you replying? Unless you've driven for them, your information is no better than mine. At least, I have a sibling who has driven for them for well over a decade. Besides, you're the one who changed the subject with:
Please don't take the word of someone who say's company A is the best but wants to go to work for company B. You're much too easy to argue with.
73, de KJ5KX
Last edited by FlimFlamMan on Thu Feb 20, 2003 8:37 pm; edited 1 time in total

Answer:

Just wait until you get into one of those showers bubba you'll think I had nothing to add. It's not just a job it's a lifestyle. Uh Huh
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of all who threaten it"
Last edited by Stuffs on Thu Feb 20, 2003 8:56 pm; edited 1 time in total