Considering prime, but unsure.

Primes an alright company if you stay company unless you don't wanna go home.

 

You sound like you're mind is made up already.

Just stay away from the lease purchase brainwashing.

You have many other options, you know.

 

You can make pretty good money on the company side starting out. They'll run you about 2500 to 2700 miles a week long as your safe and on-time. That equates to about 60k a year.

I'd stear clear of the lease until you've got a few years under your belt.

 

Ok - look.

I'm not going to start an argument with you, but I take some issue with mis information. So can we clarify this?

$60,000 (we'll assume you're talking gross)

Divided by 52 weeks - $1153.85/week.

Picking your midpoint at 2600 miles a week, $1153.85/2600 miles is 44 cents per mile.

Are you telling me that a first year - or even 2nd or third year driver at Prime, is making 44 cents per mile?

I do know for a fact, that a family member that works there has a wife who is currently filling out paperwork with the state to get assistance with paying for removal of a tumor in her head - because the family member who works at Prime is being paid less than poverty level. That - you can take to the bank.

 

Taking these numbers directly from my 2014 EOY settlement (my 1st full year here) my total gross for the year was $62,491. That includes all miles, accessorials, vacations, per-diem ect.

New drivers here start at 43cpm base with an additional up to 6cpm fuel bonus on top of that which you can chase depending on your tolerance for going slow.

There are 3 reasons imo why people here may struggle. 1) They think leasing means more $$$ and more freedom. Some can and do make it work, many don't. Running the truck as a business is a whole different ballgame. You know that first hand. Imagine trying it with no experience?

2) Some kind of physical limitation. I've spoken to guys here who can't run more than a couple hours without stopping because of a medical condition. Some refuse to run at night. Some have constant family issues to deal with. All legit issues, but all of these will dig into your check. Especially the night thing, since reefer is our main calling.

3) Getting stuck with a FM that won't run you. I'm was pretty fortunate to land on the fleet with the 2nd most miles on the company side. Always bumping my 70.

I don't know really what else to say. I have zero incentive to encourage people to come here other than another body to compete with for freight. They've treated me well here.

 

Not related to employment. I thought Prime trucks are governed at 62, how come I have seen couple of Prime flatbeds go well over 70?

 

They're the O/O's.

 

Prime start base is not .43 cpm.
I am at roughly month 9 and my weekly settlement shows .32 cpm. Adding tarp, so, hazmat and per diem, it comes out to between 40-50 rarely 80 cpm depending on miles driven.

 

Well I've been here for over 2 years and I know for a fact mine is 37cpm + 8cpm per diem. That equals 45cpm.

What else I know for a fact? Newbies on the reefer side are starting at 43 cpm. That's 35cpm + 8cpm per diem.