Drivers Solutions

• Long-haul freight shifting from trucks to trains
• Specialized equipment and handling
• Stiffening in the regulatory environment
• Challenges to the independent contractor status

"Another accomplishment completed in the fourth quarter 2009 was the rebranding of P.AM. Transport, which effectively combines the operations of several companies acquired over the last several years under the P.A.M. Transport, Inc. operating name. The benefits of communicating the services we provide in terms that customers, both existing and potential, understand outweigh any residual benefit of continued operations in the original names of the companies acquired, such as Choctaw Express, Inc., Decker Transport Co., Inc., Allen Freight Services, Inc., and P.A.M. Dedicated Services, Inc.

"We appreciate our customers' and employees' support through this transition, as it will provide us greater market visibility, operating efficiencies, and market position for 2010."  In addition to renaming the subsidiary fleets, PAM Transport also updated the company logo which will eventually adorn all of the company trucks & trailers.

PAM Transport is currently providing company-sponsored CDL training for qualified applicants thru the Driver Solutions Network. Learn more about joining the PAM Transport team.

• Focused driver training programs

• New safety field representative training

• Terminal and management scorecards

• Driver scorecards and enhanced incentive programs

• Alerts from in-vehicle technology
• Dispatch training.

Truck driving schools have been getting a bad rap lately thanks to bloggers like Jason Cox, and newscasters like Dan Rather.

Rather recently aired a piece on "Dan Rather Reports," his show on HDNet, about truck driver training schools & their "lack" of real training. In "Queen of the Road", he interviewed a 45-year-old single mom who got into trucking only two years ago. She took a three week course on truck driving and got a job with a major carrier, but felt she wasn’t trained well enough to be out on the road by herself. She told Rather that in the three weeks of training, she only drove on the street twice.

Obviously there are truck driving schools out there that promise the moon, and yet don’t deliver the goods. There might be a couple of bad apples out there, but Driver Solutions isn’t one of them. We’re not a ‘CDL mill’ as many people like to call them. It benefits no one to pass a driver through a CDL training course so they can fail on the road. That’s unsafe for everyone!

At Driver Solutions, we take pride in the fact that we have a very intense driver training course. We make it clear that truck driving isn’t for the faint of heart, it’s a difficult job, and students should think long & hard before making the commitment to start a truck driving career.

Driver Solutions wants to put truck drivers on the road who are prepared and educated. Our three week course includes a week of classroom training, where the students learn the basics about the road and the truck. The second week is practical training on a range course with an instructor. And the third week is spent driving on the open road, again with an instructor, who can guide the student and answer any questions he or she might have. Our students are put through the ringer in a short period of time, but in the end, everyone must pass a Department of Transportation certification test.

At Driver Solutions, we work with a network of trucking companies to train and place their new truck drivers. If we produce poorly-trained drivers, our customers would stop working with us, and our reputation will be damaged. And with 100% job placement, it's obviously within our interest to produce drivers who actually know how to drive.

Not all truck driving schools are the same, as Rather might suggest. There are always exceptions to the rule, and he found one of them. Most truck driver training schools want to put safe drivers on the road because, well…that’s their job.

The bottom line is not what’s in the bank account. We make no promises that a student will triple their money in the first few weeks. The bottom line is the safety of the drivers we put on the road…it has to be since we’re all driving on the same roads with these newbie truck drivers.

"Safety is our highest priority," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "This new rule says that we are serious about having safe trucks and buses on the road. This is important for those behind the wheels of these big rigs and those who share the road with them."

Any time the U.S. Department of Transportation enforces stricter safety requirements, it makes the roads safer for all of us.

At Driver Solutions, a complete CDL truck driver training school, we already train our students to think "safety first" at all times, but we will be updating our curriculum to reflect the new requirements as soon as they go into effect.

Under the new federal requirements, a newly registered truck driving or bus company will automatically fail its safety audit if violations of any one of 16 essential federal regulations are discovered. These regulations cover everything from controlled substances and alcohol testing, to hours-of-service rules, as well as driver qualifications, vehicle condition, and carrier insurance responsibility.

At Driver Solutions, we teach our truck drivers to perform a pre-trip inspection before they begin to drive their truck each time. If a driver has been on the road for five hours and stops to use the restroom or grab a bite to eat, he is trained to go over his truck with a fine tooth comb. Something could potentially go wrong during those five hours and if the driver doesn’t inspect his truck, he might miss a problem which could be a safety hazard for him and other drivers when he gets back on the road.

As the new rules are written, they apply to new carriers. This is understandable because they have not yet established any poor habits, so getting the new truck drivers to comply will be an easy task. Eventually, all drivers should be held to these same regulations. Driver Solutions students have already been trained to the highest safety standards, so the new regulations, when applied to all drivers, will have little effect, but it’s nice to know that the roads are safer because of the new rules established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Dupre Logistics has been trying something a little different than the trucking industry norm. They are paying their truck drivers by the hour instead of by the mile. This is an unheard-of practice in the truck driving world and many companies are paying close attention to see how it pans out for Dupre Logistics.

There are very few truck driving companies, especially in this economy, who pay their truck drivers by the hour, but Dupre Logistics has had some amazing benefits by doing just that. Dupre says that the alternative pay structure produces better schedules and safer drivers. It also attracts higher quality drivers that want to stay with the company, something that may give Dupre a leg up once the economy recovers. Dupre Logistics, which is based in Louisiana, has found that their new payment method is paying off in terms of retention, safety, and efficiency.

By paying drivers for all they do, including pre-trip inspections, wait time, and unloading, Dupre is telling their drivers that they’re appreciated and valued. This has altered the turnover rate for Dupre considerably. When they first started the hourly pay rate, their turnover rate was 45% - pretty standard in the trucking industry. After just three years of this new plan, Dupre’s turnover rate is down to an unprecedented 27%. With the average cost to recruit a new driver at about $3000, this new method is saving Dupre a substantial amount of money.

In addition to the savings found by reducing recruiting costs, Dupre Logistics has cut its risk management costs by 34% due to the fact that truckers take their time, are safer on the road and better rested than drivers who are paid for each mile. Drivers who are paid by the mile often hurry to complete a delivery so that they can start another one as soon as possible. Some might argue that drivers will take their time and milk the hourly system, but if the driver is going the speed limit, he is less likely to get into an accident which increases the costs for the trucking company and puts other drivers at risk.

Most drivers don’t want to spend more time than necessary away from their family. Most drivers want to take the time to be safe. And most drivers don’t want to hop from one company to another for a few extra cents per mile. Dupre Logistics has an interesting and unique idea and it’s making all the difference in their bottom line.

The Driver Solutions Network trucking companies, along with most in the trucking industry, pay their truck drivers per mile. What do you think about pay by the hour vs. per mile? As a truck driver, would you rather get paid the Dupre way? What are the benefits to the average truck driver?

Many trucking companies are actively recruiting veterans of the military to work in the trucking industry. Trucking companies know that when they hire a veteran they are getting a well-trained, honest, loyal, and trustworthy employee. They know that the years of service these men and women have given to their country have prepared them for any kind of challenge that they may face while driving truck.

According to G.I. Jobs, which has recently released its list of the Top 100 Military-Friendly Employers, trucking companies such as J.B. Hunt Transport Services (ranked #16), Schneider National (#18), and Werner Enterprises (#25) are all committed to hiring veterans because they possess the skills and characteristics that make dependable and reliable truck drivers.

Of course, the qualities that veterans bring to the table are desired by most employers, but truck driving is an industry that most military veterans can adapt to easily with the long hours on the road, the loneliness that is often times part of the job description, and the extended periods between seeing family and friends.

There is no question that veterans are at the top of the list of applicants we like to see come through. Trucking companies already know that men and women who have served in the military have been trained by our country's finest, and will definitely make some of the best employees. Even if they know nothing about driving a truck, veterans are easily taught the skills that make a fine truck driver. Trucking companies know that military veterans are dedicated to service, are able to consistently follow through with orders, and are likely to make truck driving a career & not just another job.

Trucking companies understand that military veterans make great truck drivers and have gone out of their way to make the truck driving positions desirable to veterans. Schneider National, which has made G.I. Jobs list for four years, offers extended benefits and differential pay for soldiers deployed 18 months, guaranteed home time for weekend drill and annual training, a quick-hire process, and nationwide opportunities throughout their network of offices, maintenance facilities, and operating centers. Schneider, like many other trucking companies who made the list, understands that hiring a veteran is a great move for the trucking company as a whole.

The Driver Solutions Network trucking companies, USA Truck & PAM Transport, are also great places for military veterans to get their start as a professional truck driver. Just like many other trucking companies, the Driver Solutions Network trucking companies know how important their truck drivers are (they’re the backbone of the company) and having truck drivers with previous military experience is always a plus.

Jason Cox, from Truck Drivers News, has stated that he thinks truck driving schools get by teaching the bare minimum. In a recent piece on the website, he says:

Students have been rushed through the CDL schools and some are only really taught how to shift gears and back up. A lot of schools last from two to four weeks, after which the students are rushed into the industry at companies without enough existing drivers qualified to mentor and further train the newcomers.

Some trucking companies only require a truck driver to have six months total driving experience in a commercial vehicle in order to become a truck driver trainer and begin training new drivers. Six months is simply not enough experience to be considered qualified to train new truck drivers.

I can't help but disagree. He himself went to a truck driving school, so I don't know why he's so against them now. And we do so much more than simply train a new truck driver to shift gears and back up...

Driver Solutions’ students are trained the basics in a classroom for one week, are on the driving range for another week, and then are on the road, with a trainer, for yet another week before they get their CDL license. After the student gets their Class A CDL license, they drive with a company driver trainer for another four to six weeks.

At Driver Solutions, we train our students to enter the highway with confidence, how to properly perform a pre-trip inspection, how to use the technology in the truck, as well as the common sense that goes with using new technology.

It serves no one to be a CDL mill, rushing students through the training just so they can get their CDL license. Driver Solutions provides students with superior CDL training & provides trucking companies with well-trained, quality truck drivers.

Driver Solutions, the leader in truck driver training, is trying to lead in other ways to serve the community.  We're doing things a little differently this holiday season. Instead of just helping out those in need in our own community, we’re helping those in need halfway around the world by holding a winter clothing drive. With the help of an organization called ServLife International, all donations that we receive from our employees will go to Northern India & Nepal to keep children & orphans a little warmer this winter. But Driver Solutions is still here to help out our own community…for every item of clothing donated, we’re donating $5 to Riley Kids, an organization we’ve supported over the years who helps children & families of children dealing with life debilitating conditions & diseases.

And during the holidays isn’t the only time Driver Solutions likes to help others. Throughout the year, we host at least 3 blood drives benefiting the Indiana Blood Center. And for each blood donor that participates, Driver Solutions makes a donation to another charitable organization, such as the Humane Society of Indianapolis & Riley Children’s Hospital. We also hold canned food drives to help out Gleaner’s Food Bank in Indianapolis from time to time. Also, a little something Driver Solutions does for its employees is a volunteer program where the employee is allowed 8 hours per year to participate in a volunteer event or activity of their choice & the company pays them to do it! So they basically get paid to go out and try to make a difference in our community.

Hear how some of our employees feel about working for a company like Driver Solutions & how it impacts them personally. (Don't make fun, but I'm in this video!!)

In the New Year, Driver Solutions hopes to be able to give more & reach others throughout our community & beyond, and we challenge everyone else out there to do the same. Also, if you know of a charity or a volunteer program that needs a little help, let us know! We’re always ready to help out those in need.

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year”, and at Driver Solutions, we like to give gifts just like everyone else! Because there are many people ready to get into a new truck driving career, but want to wait until after the holidays to begin their CDL training, Driver Solutions is offering a little incentive to get started early…$200 to be exact!

So here’s the deal: You start your truck driver training on Monday, December 21st & Driver Solutions will give you $200 when you successfully graduate from the CDL training course. Pretty easy, huh? And even though you’ll be starting training school the week of Christmas, you’ll still be able to spend the holidays with your family. Our network truck driving schools are giving all students & employees the last half of Christmas Eve & all of Christmas day off! You won’t have to miss out on any of the holiday fun, you’ll get started in your new truck driving career earlier (which means you’ll start making the good money quicker), & you’ll earn some extra cash. It’s a no-brainer!

Now who out there couldn’t use an extra $200? I know I could! Just apply online with Driver Solutions today and we’ll get you set up with company sponsored CDL training & a great new career as a professional truck driver, plus a little extra green to start the new year off on the right foot!

$200 Christmas bonus is only good for students starting truck driver training school with Driver Solutions on Monday, December 21, 2009.

This holiday season at Driver Solutions, we’re all thankful for many different things…some of us have children, some of us are recently married, and some of us just bought our first homes. Regardless of what else is going on in our lives, we’re all thankful that we have a job & that that job is with a great company.

Here’s what some of our employees had to say about what they’re thankful for:

• “I’m thankful for having family and friends to spend the holidays with.”
• “I am thankful for my children being healthy.”
• “I am thankful for my house, truck, and my job.”
• “I’m thankful that my children are healthy, and that I have a job to provide them with the things they need. I am thankful for having a wonderful family.”
• “I am thankful for my health, my wife, and my loveable kids.”
• “I am thankful that I have a job with a great company!”
• “I am thankful that my children always want me to play with them, whether it be a board game, something on the Wii, or the computer, because that means they love spending time with me.”
• “I’m thankful for the leaves we’ve had to rake multiple times this season because it means that in the spring, the trees will looks really beautiful.”
• “I am thankful that my husband loves me enough to not flip out when I insist that the curtain rod is crooked and ask him to fix it.”
• “I am thankful that I get up at 5:30 every morning to have enough time to get the kids ready, listen to why they don’t want cereal and why marshmallows are a good choice, rush to take a shower and get everybody ready so that I am at work at 8am (okay maybe 8:05) because it means that I have a job to go to even in these tough economic times.”

As for me, mine differs a bit from the rest because I don’t have any children…but I’m still thankful for my brother’s children! They’re the best, cutest niece & nephew anyone could ask for! And it works out because when they start crying, I can just hand them back. But I, just like others here at Driver Solutions that don’t have children, am thankful for my animals. They’re the best companions anyone could ever ask for. I put a pic of my little man at the top of this post. Isn’t he adorable???

So what are all of you thankful for? Anyway, I hope everyone out there has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! And to the truck drivers out there that are working on this holiday, thank you. For everything you do & the sacrifices you make, thank you. If it weren’t for all of you, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the holidays the way we do. So stay safe out there & have a good one!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

The biggest question on the minds of our soldiers coming back from the war is “What am I going to do for a job?”. Many ex-military are coming home to find that it’s kind of difficult to land a stable, well-paying job these days. Well, the search won’t be that hard! The trucking industry is one of the best career opportunities available to former soldiers and ex-military personnel. And it’s fairly easy to get started and begin driving in about a month!

Many trucking companies are hiring experienced truck drivers, but very few are willing to help those without experience break into the trucking industry, unless they’ve got about $5,000 & can pay for their own CDL training…

At Driver Solutions, we pride ourselves in helping those who just want a chance to start a new, great-paying career without getting a college degree or spending a lot of money they don’t have. In less than a month, we can help you obtain a Class A CDL license & be on your way to a great career in the trucking industry.

While fighting for our country overseas, soldiers have been exposed to operating all kinds of heavy machinery, which, in a sense, prepared them to do the same back home. And a career as a professional truck driver is one of the most stable, both professionally and financially, in our country today.

Go talk to a truck driver to see if a career in the trucking industry is right for you. Then fill out an application on our website to get on the road to success as a professional truck driver.

On the commute to the office this morning, I heard an XM Radio commercial for Rand McNally. Rand McNally is the leading producer of maps and road atlases. With a world of information just a click away, the idea of a paper driver's atlas seems as old-fashioned as a rotary dial phone. Well, it looks like Rand McNally has embraced today's latest technology with a new truck driver-focused GPS. The intelliroute TND 500 GPS unit brings a wealth of essential trucker information right to your fingertips. Some of the features that set this GPS apart from standard consumer models are the propiretary truck routing suggestions and maps trucker tools like truck stop locations and a cross-reference to the information contained in the Rand McNally Motor Carriers' Road Atlas. You can check it out at Rand McNally's website.

Think about what a useful tool this could be for any new truck driver freshly out of truck driver training program. I've seen the map reading and trip planning courses taught at trucking schools. There's a ton of information in Motor Carriers' Road Atlas if you can remember how to use it. With this GPS unit, a new truck driver doesn't have to flip pages back and forth just interpret the information and figure out his route options. It's all conveniently displayed on screen in a simple, easy to understand format. I can't think of a better gift this season for someone just finishing truck driving school. Mark Kinsel, president of Driver Solutions, a company providing truck driver training and driver job placement, commented that he thinks "it's great that Rand McNally has developed a GPS specifically targeted for use by truck drivers."

So, this is one idea for a Christmas gift for a truck driver, especially one straight out of truck driving school.  Please feel free to comment with other trucker Christmas gift suggestions.

Disclaimer: This is article is an independent opinion and is not endorsed, nor was compensation provided, by the manufacturer of the intelliroute TND 500 GPS unit or Rand McNally.