Newbie trying to get on with either PRIME or KKW (a journal of my progress)

Hello drivers,

I am a newbie who is trying to get a job in the industry. Any advice posted in this thread would be greatly appreciated. A little about me: I have been in the electrical trade for 7 years now and things have slowed down considerably so I am trying to change careers to something with more stability. I currently have my CDL (which I got myself, not through a school) with doubles, triples, and tankers endorsements. I have pretty much zero experience in driving a rig other than my uncle being kind enough to take me along with him in his rig for 3 trips from Ca to TX and back when I had my permit. I put in some time driving with him over those 3 weeks. I have applied at a company close to home called KKW and was told they had already filled the two trainee openings they had. They put another ad up today so I have applied again. I also put in an application with PRIME after reading a couple threads on here . I applied for them 2 days ago and even called today and left a voicemail for my assigned recruiter but have heard nothing back yet. I also (before I was properly informed) put in an app for C.R. England and they did call me back and offered me a bus ticket to their training center in Fontana CA (which is about 10 miles from my home so I don't know why I need a bus ticket) and broke down their training program for me. I did not give a solid "no" yet as from what I have seen the last few weeks with companies I may have absolutely no other choice in order to get some sort of OTR experience. I will be posting on this thread whenever I get the chance or whenever I hear any news regarding my search for employment in the trucking industry . Thanks for any advice in advance.

 

Thanks Lonesome. I have absolutely no intention to lease anything. If I went to CRE it would be strictly to get OTR experience and then find something better.

 

I have read a couple threads on here and you are correct. The closest terminal they have to southern CA is in Salt Lake City. From what I have heard from PRIME drivers they bus you to either Salt Lake City or Springfield MO for training and then when I went solo and was due for home time they would get me a load to CA and bobtail home for home time then get a load out of CA to head back out On the road. This is what I have seen on another thread by a driver who asked about this same situation and was given this as an answer.

 

Yeah I am not at all claiming to know about this situation but it will be one of the first questions I ask the recruiter when she calls me.

 

Thank you for the input Albert. Yeah there is a thread on here that is 111 pages long detailing a lot about PRIME from start to finish. 1 of the people on there by the user name bubbleguts was from the Los Angeles area and detailed his bus ride to Springfield, his training and everything. He said they could get him home time so that is where I got the idea it is possible. How do you like working for them?

 

Do US Expree and Werner offer jobs to people with no experience? I have heard CRE is the worst of the worst pretty much but like I said if I HAVE to get OTR experience and they are the only company that I can go to in order to make that happen then so be it.