Originally Posted by popmartian

Are you good enough for Prime? Is Prime good enough for YOU?

I showed up for prime ACE1 orientation with an open mind and desire to be a 1st seat Company Driver. By the end of the first day I withdrew my application and walked out. I have almost 5 years of OTR experience with a National Carrier hauling Refrigerated so I am Qualified to judge this company called Prime, Inc. I am fifty-two years old, 5" 10" and 260 lbs. I have never had been fired from a job. I have never had a DOT-Preventable Accident.

Early on in the Orientation I witnessed a company who is determined to Control! Way too much control for an Free Spirit like my-self. They will make you agree and sign to legal and binding contracts regarding your performance to operate a comericial vehicle. The Contracts stated mandatory performance of no less than 6.75 MPG or Termination. You are required to Obtain a US passport at 60 dollars. You are required to Obtain Haz-Mat Endorsement. So far I was OK with all those requirements.

The more I saw, the less enthusiastic I became. In October 2010, I passed a routhine Physical from my Family Physican and then Obtaining a Current Medical Card from my former trucking company docto. Of course that's not good enough for prime. After a DOT physical at the Campus Inn , I was ordered to go to the Corporate Complex for another "Air-Way" screening. The Same medical professional from the DOT Exam looked into my throat for one scecond and said " you nedd a sleep study". "What" I asked the doctor, " what do you base your determination on" and he showed me a line-drawing of a human air-passage. His said," the Test was 140 dollars and the device was 2400 dollars and not to worry because prime owns the doctors testing facilities and a medical supply company that sells sleep apnea equipment and supplies." Prime is now treading into my personal sleep habits and selling medical equipment, WOW. I'm thinking car salesman, Enough is Enough already. I'm not buying it and demand a second opinion. I don't need Prime, Inc. telling me how much or how often is enough sleep. This is a Freedom I am not willing to give up.

Prime is greedy? Why does a company need to sell and profit from a device it prescibes to driviers according to a company policy. If this was a third party outside independent Medical Doctor, Yes, I might consider undergoing a clinical study to determine if I needed to purchase a 2400 Sleep Apnea Ventilation Unit from a Relaible Medical Equipment Supply Company. But all of this is done in house under the pretense of medically necessary. What a Load Of B. U. L. L.

Prime and Predjudise. It Appears to me and this is my opinion, that Prime will exploit the weaknesses of men and woman desperate to find work. I was grouped by others of the the same age, weight and height and required to submit to the Sleep test or be denied Medical Certification From Prime, Inc. and the Company Employed Medical Professional. I exersized my right to refuse testing and treatment, asked that my my application for employment to be withdrawn. My recruiter's response was " We will have to submit a report on you to Hire-Right(formerly DAC) that you attended orientation." I graciously thanked him for the oppurtunity and job offer. Prime, Inc. was not a good place for me.

This information was provided to help people understand how this Industry has become over regulated and ruled by a group of "Safety Advocates". I believe when these people are finished grabbing control of the the Industry, l the Small Independent Truckers will fall to the way side. It's Just a matter of time as Corporate Giants like Prime and the FMCSA takes away driving jobs from healthy people based on Predjudice.

Actually you're quite wrong. Prime provides space at a discount to a third party sleep apnea testing facility, and their medical personnel. As part of the deal, we receive a deeply discounted sleep study at $150 as I recall. Many places charge you as much as $2000 - $3000 for the same service. My own family doctor told me it would cost $5000 for the study alone a number of years ago. The company who provides the sleep apnea machines has no financial connection to Prime, but Prime has negotiated a discount on the machines with the third-party company and will allow you to make resonable payments on it through your settlement.

You state that you are 5' 10" and 260 pounds. Well, I'm 5' 10" and if I were carrying around 260 pounds I'd consider myself massively overweight with all of the health complications that much weight brings along with it. If you feel "healthy" now, you won't be soon at your age. Considering what sleep apnea does to your body (you're slowly killing yourself) you did yourself and your family a disservice by not making sure you aren't at risk. For $140 as you state, that's really cheap insurance.

I really don't blame Prime for covering themselves as well... the accident on I44 just south of the Missouri line in Oklahoma last year when a older driver slammed into a line of stopped cars and killed 10 people has been partially blamed on the driver's sleep apnea. Prime has 4500 power units, and all it takes under the new CSA regieme is a few accidents like that to put a carrier out of business. Frankly, with your attitude, I'm just as glad that you AREN'T driving for Prime.

Do yourself a favor - quit calling yourself "healthy." You're just kidding yourself at the age you're at.

Originally Posted by popmartian

Are you good enough for Prime? Is Prime good enough for YOU?

I showed up for prime ACE1 orientation ............

........... It's Just a matter of time. Corporate Giants like Prime, Inc with FMCSA rules are have control of driving jobs based on a Predjudice instead of Performance.

Can you tell me why you decided to dig up a thread where the last post before yours was 16 months ago?

If you can dig back that far, then you must have come across all your gripes being covered in other Prime threads.

Nothing new here but a guy who didnt do decent research.

Prime, or any company can set their own physical requirements for employment... however they cannot lower the requirements below the DOT mandated minnimum.

Intrest free loan covers the cost of the DISCOUNTED study and equipment. Oooo...$55 a week.

Im on the machine... First impression, on week one, was that I felt just as tired without it, however I slept considerably less. Sometimes 2 or 3 hours less.

10 months later: if for some reason I dont sleep with the machine (hometime and forget it in the truck) I wake up constantly, I sleep longer....I feel horribly tired in the morning.... and usually have a sore throat from snoring. Oh, and its been paid off.

Ive met a few people who have taken the test and the results were negative, and no machine was required.

A high BMI is the quick "ticket" to a sleep study. However the Dr. will take into account someone's neck size, and throat structure on individuals below the BMI threshold... and issue a ticket to test.

Originally Posted by sydsdriver

So you have said that you fall into the category of, "obese"

he or she already knew that.

Originally Posted by popmartian

Prime, Inc - 1/3/2010 Prime Recuiting pre-employment medical question

During the Telephone Interview the recruiter asked my height and weight. He said it is to check my BMI........ I responded 5'10" 250 lbs. he replied that my BMI calculation was 36% and I was OK.

Prime has a policy to screen drivers with Sleep Apnea Syndrome. Applicants whose Body Mass Index is 39% or Higher will have to under go clinical testing for the condition.

According to FitnessMagazine.com 25 to 29.9 is Overweight; 30 to 39 is Obese; 40 to 200 is Extremely Obese.

Time too put down those Big Gulp and Super Sized Big Mac Combos!

Put on an extra 10lbs before orientation? or the home scale needs calibration?

I dont know about anyone else, i was skeptical about the sleep apnea study them charging me money for the cpap machine every week,but since i have been using the machine i am so glad that i have it i sleep like a baby every nite and dont feel tired during the day like i used to b4 the cpap machine.so whoever complains about prime forcing them to buy and use the cpap, you should thank them for maybe saving your life and the lifes of others.no,prime isnt perfect and i really like the company side of things better than when i was leasing(another story another time) just give the cpap time and you will see it will work for you.my .02

Popmartian:
Aries (♈) (Zodiac Sign of The Ram) the sign of fire, ruled by Mars the Son of Jupiter (the King) and wife Juno in Greek Myth.

no matter what problem i have had at prime i have always been treated with respect. thats why when i chose to get out of my lease i decided to go over to company instead of switching companies altogether.i have always liked it here its not perfect but i dont think the grass is greener elsewhere.