Now that a New York court has ruled that the registration and decal fees the state had been charging truckers were unconstitutional, megacarrier Prime Inc. is suing the state to get back all the money it had already paid.
According to the Albany Times Union, the refund to Prime alone would cost New York $478,800. If New York could be made to refund all of the now-repealed fees it has collected over the years, that could be a huge problem for the state. It is estimated that the removal of the registration fee and decal requirement will cost the state $50 million in lost revenue per year – and that doesn’t include any potential refunds or court-awarded payments.
You might think that with that kind of money, the registration fees were hundreds of dollars. No, the Highway Use Tax which was repealed for out of state truckers was $19 and the decal cost $4. That’s $23 per truck, and that $23 was good for 4 years. It’s now been reduced to a $1.50 administrative fee.
The reduction came after the state lost a lawsuit brought by the Owner Operator Independent Driver Association which claimed that the fees were unconstitutional because they charged out-of-state truckers more per mile that they drove within New York State since they spent less time there than in-state truckers. This amounted to a barrier on interstate commerce, which made the fees unconstitutional.
This is likely the reason that Prime feels that they can sue to get their money back. If the state decided to change a fee or tax of its own accord, there would be no reason to think that a now-defunct tax could be reimbursed. The fact that the tax was unconstitutional and should not have existed in the first place means that a judge may rule that that the illegally collected taxes should be returned.
Source: timesunion, timesunion, bulktransporter, truckersreport
Why dont prime reimburse drivers they screwed out of money over the years, the shoe fits different on the other foot ,don’t it?
That’s an idea. They would owe me a lot of money.
I agree we would have lots coming to us for all the money prime has screwed their drivers over on.
How has prime screwed any drivers out of anything? Just curious here as I’ve been with them for over 20 years and have done VERY WELL with them!
Name when example and give details of how Prime screwed even 1 person out of 1 penny. I’ll by you $100 you can’t give 1 example that will hold up to scrutiny!
Ok challenge accepted!
Prime requires you to purchase their insurance from their carrier. Their truck insurance, permits, and incidentals cost over $14500 per year. (279 a week). Go to OOIDA get double coverage amounts all permits and incidentals for less than $9000 a year. Read your contract. It is all spelled out. Keep your money you will need it to keep working there.
Anyone who takes Prime’s deal is a fool. Period. If you don’t do your research you get what you deserve.
What deal is that, Brian? Please provide data.
I lease from Prime and they have done me and mine well over the past couple of years and I came here as
a seasoned driver. Their deal is better than any other large carriers as they pay a percentage not per mile.
Leonard’s Express is far better. Their lease drivers actually end up owning the truck they drive. Also… Not to mention. Very good people to work for.
I load at Leonard’s in New Castle DE several times a week…had no idea they were lease-purchase.
I’m a company driver. I have talked to other drivers who have bought their tractors through Leonard
I always wanted to ask…WHY would ANYONE make the friggin payment on a truck, only to have the company dictate the SPEED of said truck? My blood boils every time I see one of you guys up ahead and I know I won’t be able to change lanes to pass anytime soon. Would really love an explanation, cuz I’ll tell you what, I would NEVER let ANYONE tell me how fast my truck goes if I was making the payment! Thanks in advance for any insight.
You obviously know nothing about being an owner operator running under someone else’s authority. If someone leases onto my authority I don’t care how much they pay or have paid for their truck, I am turning it down to 65 and checking that speed periodically. Because at the end of the day, it’s about the cost of liability insurance that the carrier pays, between 11-16 thousand a year depending on the state and type of hauling. I would also require forward collision avoidance be on every truck!
Lease drivers at Prime should get that money sense we are the ones that pay it. And yes lease drivers are getting screwed, especially the ones that train, if you understand everything on your settlements then you are lying to yourself, I took my settlements to the IRS and they don’t understand a lot of it because a lot of primes costs are hidden in your fees.
I was thinking the same thing Floyd.
I understood every settlement I got with Prime. Every penny was accounted for! I stopped pulling their trailers last year because I got a deal that gets me home everyday and I still get an occasional settlement from Prime for detention they collected or for reefer fuel tax reimbursement. They are a mega carrier. They don’t have time to hold your hand and make sure you understand everything. It is your job to understand the job and how to do it while making money. I made a lot of money at Prime in my 8 years there. I leased for 6 months of that time and turned it in and went and bought a truck. I paid that truck off and then sold it and bought 2 more from Prime. Me and my wife have a dedicated gig now that gets us home everyday. We like the people at Prime and would go right back there if what we were going to be doing was a fit for us.
So now this has been ruled unconstitutional as a barrier on interstate commerce, its time to deal with CARB’s mandated trailer aerodynamics and pre-2007 DPF retrofit requirement.
That is right Lance. All that crap is more weight and junk to break.
Who knew, distilled piss mixed with distilled water breaks down soot.
Personally I wouldn’t even call Prime to rent( lease ) a truck or even work for them as a company driver, can’t afford the pay cut. But if the law suit helps recover lost revenue industry wide than I’m all for it. New York didn’t learn the first time with the hutt decals maybe they will learn now.
It’s time to deal with every fee, tax, and mandated thing imposed on trucking by fed state and carrier owner operator.
The only people getting the shaft is the driver.
One of the ways to bring things to light is to review them online so we can all compare and better choose.
I have a question, why does PRIME drive so slow down the road? I thought my company’s trucks were too slow and underpowered but wowee!
When I drove for ROCOR. My last day, they told me that they were merging with Prime. I commented on how much it all costs and the question about actual ownership. ROCOR told me that it was about the joy of ownership not actually owning your own rig.
Prime has treated us good over the last few year’s. There is always a negative with any company you drive for. My husband drive for them as a company, lease, and trainer. He left for another company and got screwed with them and I told him to go back with Prime. At least we know we are taken care of on all angles.
How does Prime screw their drivers?
I could spend the rest of the day telling you and everyone else. 1000$+ a week lease on a truck they pay 400-500$ a month for, and you have no ownership possibility unless you put a $12k down payment.
They pay .09 cents a mile fsc right now, and dispatch holds back miles of drivers go over 63 mph so they can justify a .09 cent fsc, when the industry is paying .20-.25 right now.
Rob Low is a modern day pirate of the trucking industry, and what he does to his driver’s is a shame and in a lot of cases against the law.
I’m glad you make money there, but a lot of people, experienced, seasoned drivers don’t because he steals with both hands.
Prime Inc sucks, out loud.
So a mega carrier spends big money and sues against illegal fines. So, to the old school mom and pop small carrier that wants to bash the mega carrier, maybe they do something for you too.
Prime will probably win the suit and reimburse their drivers with “prime bucks” that could be used at The Company Store for things like $10 flip flops you can find in Walmart for $0.99.
Here’s a better one for lease drivers.
Prime wins lawsuit reimburses drivers into their settlement $50 as revenue. LOL