TransAm Orientation

ChickieMonster, thanks for the detailed information. It sounds like you're doing a great job! Your points about the forced dispatch, the inability to bobtail without approval and the consequences for missed scale, make me wonder if that's the norm in the industry or if this company just micromanages more. But it also gives me an idea of what questions to ask in the future, so thank you.

I don't know about a great job but in definitely giving it all I've got! It seems to me that TransAm does micromanage their company drivers a lot BUT they are a VERY hard sale on their lease program. As lease operators they have a lot more freedom and I think that they use this as an incentive to lease.

I'm almost getting tired of hearing about leasing. EVERYONE here pushes it. All their instructors were lease operators and the are always going on about how much more money you can make at it. And I feel like I'm almost having to defend my decision to stay a company driver. It's bugging me and honestly may affect how long I will stay with them. They have a lot of policies that seem to push people into a lease but don't give enough information. And they have a policy not to discuss the financial side of leasing, which to me is the most important part!!

Sorry for venting, but this has been getting on my nerves all day. We have lost at least 2 more people to the lease program who will be signing a lease as soon as they come back from training.

You backed between two trailers for the first time and you came here to vent to keep your cool, so I'd say for a new driver that's a great job! I can imagine how constantly hearing about the leasing program would be difficult. I'm not sure if leasing an O/O eventually mean the same (meaning you lease a truck that you hope to own one day). Your post helped me know the companies I want won't push it down my throat. Thanks again!

Chickie, I know exactly how you feel. It's terrible having to defend your decision. And then when you tell them your decision they look at you like you're less-than.

Believe me, it won't ever stop. When you'll be solo you'll still get messages over the QC. Here's one that I always got and I hated it, but I still remember the by memory because I hated it so much.

Good morning Daniel, in the last 30 days you have driven 11,220 miles. If you had been leasing a truck with us then you would have made 22,340 dollars after all expenses! If you're interesting in furthering your career give us a call at [Insert # here].

I haven't really researched it extensively and actually done the math but it seems to me that there is a catch somewhere that I am just not getting. Lease at TA make 84 cpm plus the fuel surcharge which last week was 12cpm. This sounds great at first glance! But after your lease payment, fuel, scale tickets, insurance and various expenses how much difference is there actually? They told us you have to run 1900 miles per week to cover your expenses. Now I know this is absolutely achievable but what about weeks where you take home time? Can your check go in the negative? I mean, no one is going into the nitty gritty on this! I'm the kind of person who researches and reads obsessively before I make a decision on anything! And I can't seem to get a straight answer from anyone about this. So my plan now is to just avoid the debates, take my company driver position, get some experience and move on. It's not worth this much headache. I just feel terrible for people who are giving into the pressure and the pretty picture and jumping right into leasing with out any experience in this but no one seems to listen to my side. So I'm just gonna keep my mouth shut, my head down and rock it out like only a girl can!

On a lighter note, my classmates have given me a CB handle! They have been calling me the Pink Panther because of the pink hoodie I wear all the time. I dig it and I think I'll use it!

Wow trans am lease program is crappy only 84 cpm. Roehl pays 106cpm plus a fuel surcharge. I look at leasing at least once a month just to get out from the micromanaging then I look at all the failed stories and realize I'm ok where I'm at. Would I like more freedom yeah but it will come one day.

Day 2 of student training:

Another day on the backing range. Since there are 13 of us, we only get one opportunity in the truck. Today everyone was having trouble with the driving part (hitting cones and barrels of having to stop and back up to be able to make the turn) so the instructor hopped in the truck and walked us through the exercise. After that it was my turn and guess what I did? I did it PERFECT! No mistakes! I hopped out of that truck and told them that's how it was done! I was pretty dang proud of it to be honest. My backing was pretty decent until I got to the 45 degree angle back between two trailers. I got in a sticky situation and just couldn't figure out what to do. So the instructor gave me a couple of clues and I managed to figure out how to fix it. He didn't tell me how to do it but let me work it out on my own which really helped me. Once it clicked I felt good and got it in the hole with no problems.

Tomorrow we are gonna hit the road. I'm a little nervous about this because I've never drove in the city. Not to mention Olathe has a bunch of road construction going on and the traffic is terrible! But I feel good about my driving abilities especially since I don't have to shift!

Just as a side note: I am soooo sunburnt! I have raccoon eyes going on from my sunglasses and it sucks.

Daily tidbits:

Due to their CSA score, TransAm drivers no longer have a PrePass. Every single open weigh station we have to stop at. This is only temporary but no one knows how long it's going to be for. Apparently they have had a huge problem with drivers bypassing the scales and it negatively affected their CSA score so they revoked the PrePass. Sucks but what can you do?

I was happy with today because no one mentioned leasing! I'm tired of talking about it.

We lost our prepass at Werner temporarily last year. It sucked. It's was last because of all the idiots getting speeding and no seat belt violations.

All you can do is make sure you're not the one getting violations and hope the ones who are wise up.

For example, Prime gives you their own fuel stops but you don't need permission to use Off-Duty driving (just make sure youse using it legally) and they don't fire folks for running a scale.

I've seen this mentioned a few times and I'm just curious, does this mean that there are Prime company-owned fuel stops that only Prime drivers use? So you don't use truck stops for fuel?

Toonces asks:

does this mean that there are Prime company-owned fuel stops that only Prime drivers use? So you don't use truck stops for fuel?

Most companies assign a particular truck stop for company drivers to fuel at. "Their own fuel stops" means Prime has already picked a place for you. If you accidentally go to another truck stop, your card won't work.

ChickieMonster, I'm loving your blog, keep it up!

And keep rockin' it out there!