Transport America (TA)

[mi_rookie]

Last week I went to orientation and I must say that I was very impressed. They really emphasized driving safely and legally. They did not teach us how to be creative on our logs, they taught us how to do it legally.

Yesterday I met my training and we are on our way to deliver a load in Minniapolis. We made it to Eau Claire Wisconsin and will complete my first trip this morning. I talked to him about being impressed with TA and he said they really do emphasize safety it is not just lip service (their record also supports the claim). I am very happy so far, I have made the right choices to this point.

[hitman]

That's great news Hans. Happy to hear that all is well with Transport America. TA is the 2nd company on my list. Please keep us updated. Drive safe...Dave

[mi_rookie]

I am finishing up my first week of training and really loving it so far. I think TA is a great fit for me. I have around 2200 miles so far this week. I pretty happy with that for my first week. I am learning a lot.

I am also doing over 90% of the driving, TA does not allow teaming. Either I drive or he does, we do not team.

I get to get back, just wanted to send an update.

[Cynduck]

Glad it is working out for you. We are seriously considering them.

[DonnaB201]

Are you still checking your posting? Are things still going well with TA. My husband and I are looking into TA seriously. Our goal is September to join up as an owner/operator team. What can you tell us?

[putt1]

If you are lloking for a company that cares about you and you want to team also this has been a good company for us. we where teamingfor almost 2 years and they gave all the miles we wanted and when we wanted abreak no problem.they are very easy company to work for.

[Karnajj]

I would really be leary of a company that has had the financial woes that this one has. Seems like they file bankruptcy every other day. Would hate to wake up a 1000 miles from home to find out they went out of business and left me hanging.

They don't exactly have the best pay package either.

[fireman932003]

There always has to be a nay sayer in the crowd!

[MADLUX]

yup, always has to be, and there pay package is a lot better than some of other companies offer, to bad I'm not in there Hiring area, I would drive for them in a heart beat, very professional with the people I have talk to over there.

[Karnajj]

There always has to be a nay sayer in the crowd!

And your point is what? You only want to hear the good about them? You walk around with rose colored glasses all the time? You would rather remain ignorant until you find out for yourself? Or maybe your psyche is too fragile? Grow up. What I said in my first post is all truth.

[MADLUX]

There always has to be a nay sayer in the crowd!

And your point is what? You only want to hear the good about them? You walk around with rose colored glasses all the time? You would rather remain ignorant until you find out for yourself? Or maybe your psyche id too fragile? Grow up. What I said in my first post is all truth.

They were bought out by some one else and they went to a private company, that doesn't mean they are in trouble, or filing for bankruptcy every day, and your pay comment is b.s. when Werner starts at $0.26, swift at $0.27 and The big pumpkin at $0.27, and they start at $0.29,( $0.33 if you get your easy to obtain bonus) a good bit more than what the others offers. Not also to mention there benefits program is the best I have seen offered by any company.

[Cyanide]

Madlux, I want the Kool Aid you've been drinking ...

http://www.transportamerica.com/pdf/...itsSummary.pdf

If these are the best benefits you've seen, you are missing a bunch! The weekly cost and deductibles in their health insurance package is ridiculous.

And for experienced drivers, having to wait 90 days to receive the balance of your orientation pay IMHO is a slap in the face.

What a deal, but if someone wants to go there, or is already there and happy, I wish you nothing but the best... :wink:

[Blue Angel]

My husband is starting oreintation with Transport america Monday. He was going to go with Roehl Transport But they kept jerking him around . He has been trying to get on with them for the last month. We kept sending the things they wanted but they kept asking for more things. Finaly they set him up to take a bus out at 9 Oclock bus never showed up last straw. Transport America had everything done with in aweek. Wanted to thank this web site for all the useful information we got.

[Karnajj]

There always has to be a nay sayer in the crowd!

And your point is what? You only want to hear the good about them? You walk around with rose colored glasses all the time? You would rather remain ignorant until you find out for yourself? Or maybe your psyche id too fragile? Grow up. What I said in my first post is all truth.

They were bought out by some one else and they went to a private company, that doesn't mean they are in trouble, or filing for bankruptcy every day, and your pay comment is b.s. when Werner starts at $0.26, swift at $0.27 and The big pumpkin at $0.27, and they start at $0.29,( $0.33 if you get your easy to obtain bonus) a good bit more than what the others offers. Not also to mention there benefits program is the best I have seen offered by any company.

Interesting that you pick other bottom feeders to compare to. If you have your sights set that low then by all means TA is a wonderful company.

[Skywalker]

Madlux, I want the Kool Aid you've been drinking ...

http://www.transportamerica.com/pdf/...itsSummary.pdf

If these are the best benefits you've seen, you are missing a bunch! The weekly cost and deductibles in their health insurance package is ridiculous.

And for experienced drivers, having to wait 90 days to receive the balance of your orientation pay IMHO is a slap in the face.

What a deal, but if someone wants to go there, or is already there and happy, I wish you nothing but the best... :wink:

I have to agree with Cyanide.... The pay package is "iffy" at best, and because they don't specify whether they are paying HHG or Practical Miles, its generally safe to presume that its HHG miles, aka rip-off miles.

The health insurance is a "hosedown" at best. I get "family coverage" under Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO for $37.00 a week, to include excellent RX coverage....and my deductible is $250.00 for the year.

The layover's not bad....nor is the detention. But while it looks decent, how many hoops do you have to jump through to collect it, as in how many phone calls do you have to make...or is it paid automatically?

One week vacation after a year? Not great. No mention of number of paid holidays....or if you get any personal paid days off.

Its interesting that they don't explain just how you can make that three cent bonus per mile, or how little it takes not to get it..... And you would have to drive 120,000 miles to get a profit sharing bonus of $600.00, and they don't list any caveats or disclaimers as to disqualifications re safety issues.

If you wonder what Cyanide and I get.....go to his tanker thread and read what Superior and other tanker companies give in pay and benefits.... You'll see why we are critical.

Shucks, CFI pays better, and does it on Practical Miles to boot!!

And its interesting that they haven't updated their info since 2005.

I'd have to say that they were no better or worse than any of the big companies, but behind others in their own size or league, and still lacking overall....like the majority.

Its probably as good a place to start out as any.... But it wouldn't be my choice in any event.

[redsfan]

Talk to drivers for TA, not people who have never worked for them, that's where you'll get the straight scoop on any company.

It will all depend upon what you are looking for personally as to whether they are a good company or not. Their pay package may not be the best out there, but it is very competitive with most companies, not just the bottom feeders. They were offering me 35.5 cpm with the opportunity to earn 3 different 1 cpm bonuses every month for not having any safety issues (accidents), meeting their fuel mpg and idling goals and another for meeting customer service goals which they have set.

Not to be critical about CFI, but their pay package started at 28 cpm for 3 months experience and they offered me 35 cpm, so no their pay package is not better. I personally thought that the driver information page for TA was much more informative than most companies out there.

The family insurance coverage was around 70 bucks per week which is pretty much the industry average.

One big thing with me was that they offered me home weekly, which a lot of companies don't. They do pay HHG, but I ran on HHG with Maverick and still made very good money so that may or may not be an issue with all drivers. I believe that CFI is one of the better companies also, but I was in orientation at Maverick with 2 guys who came from CFI, giving up their practical miles for HHG. Their reason was that they wanted to be home more often than CFI offered them and if the wage projections that they were hearing from Maverick turned out to be true, they would make more money to boot. Everyone is different. There is no company that works for everyone.

As for them filing bankruptcy every other day, I've never heard that, but they were purchased by a capital investment company a year or so ago. Having a sister in this business I can tell you that they don't just go out an purchase companies that they have no chance at reviving. Seeing that they are still held by this same investment group, that part of them wouldn't worry me one bit. There are no guarantees in this business. Heck, CFI could be bought out by Swift tomorrow. Do your homework, talk to people with firsthand knowledge and make your decision. Every company out there offers good opportunities or they wouldn't exist, just the same as every company is not a fit for everyone or they would have zero turnover.

Good luck.

[coalregion]

Redsfan, yet another great post. :wink:

[trahkle]

:sad:
My problem with Transport America isn't the pay schedule so much. It is the fact that I am a new driver and everything that the recruiter told me about home time was a lie! As soon as they got me out on the road, that's when it all came out! I have not been home for two weeks and now they are telling me that I don't have any home time because I had to do my reset out of state and that is counted as my "off time". What???? Is this normal? They have been jerking me around since the very beginning! They talk in circles when you ask direct questions and each person tells you that they don't have the answers that you will need to talk to someone else! They repeatedly lie over their Qualcomm when you ask about your home time, saying things like, "Sure, we'll get you there" only to find yourself on the mexican border during the time you asked for off! I hope this is not a precursor to all trucking companies out there because right now I have a bad taste in my mouth!

[Karnajj]

:sad:
My problem with Transport America isn't the pay schedule so much. It is the fact that I am a new driver and everything that the recruiter told me about home time was a lie! As soon as they got me out on the road, that's when it all came out! I have not been home for two weeks and now they are telling me that I don't have any home time because I had to do my reset out of state and that is counted as my "off time". What???? Is this normal? They have been jerking me around since the very beginning! They talk in circles when you ask direct questions and each person tells you that they don't have the answers that you will need to talk to someone else! They repeatedly lie over their Qualcomm when you ask about your home time, saying things like, "Sure, we'll get you there" only to find yourself on the mexican border during the time you asked for off! I hope this is not a precursor to all trucking companies out there because right now I have a bad taste in my mouth!

If my company told me that taking a reset away from the house was considered time off the CEO of that company would find my truck parked in his living room.

[trahkle]

Yeah, but at this point I really don't know what to do or where to turn! Everyone I talk to at this company gives me the runaround and since I don't have enough experience, I don't really know where else to go!