This paper presents a novel adaptive DS-CDMA slotted-ALOHA packet random access scheme with transmitter-based spreading codes for mobiles. It is aimed at improving the throughput and message delay delivery when traffic load values below the saturation point of the conventional DS-CDMA slotted-ALOHA system are sensed in the channel. For this purpose a mobile assisted algorithm is envisaged to control the change of the transmission rate according to the traffic load. This algorithm revealed that the optimum behavior, obtained using a Markov chain model, may be almost reached at a low complexity cost. Moreover, priorities between mobiles could be easily established. Finally, a traffic model based on a realistic statistical length distribution of the messages illustrates how the delay delivery can be greatly reduced.