Prime Inc Upgrade

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by dboot01, Nov 8, 2021.

  1. dboot01

    dboot01 Light Load Member

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    Hello my name is David! I am a new driver and I just finished TnT training with Prime Inc. I have a few questions that may or may not relate directly to prime inc so if you don't work there still free to answer!
    Any way here are some questions I have. Thank you in advance and happy trucking!

    1. Does any Prime drivers know on estimate how long I will be waiting for a truck? I'm on the waiting list as a company driver and I selected the light weight truck to earn the extra nickel.

    2. How many miles a week can I expect out of the gate?

    3. Am I making a mistake going company over lease? Ive heard lease operation makes more doe but I don't think I'm ready for all the responsibility that comes with it.

    4. I plan to drive 8-9 hours a day so I get recaps and not have to take a 34 every week. Good idea??

    5. I plan to drive like 3am to noon every day so I won't have trouble finding parking when done. Good idea?

    6. I don't want to spend on a fridge. I think a microwave and cooler will suffice right? ( Besides I need room for my guitar duh lol)

    7. Can't think of more questions right now, if you want to add more topics in your answer feal Free!

    Thanks
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 8, 2021
    Reason for edit: Pimping a new youtube channel
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  3. Warrior Pump

    Warrior Pump Light Load Member

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    You made the right choice by not choosing lease purchase. Starting early is one way to avoid worries about parking. Keep in mind that independent truck stops and rest areas tend to fill up slower than the big chains.
     
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  4. Warrior Pump

    Warrior Pump Light Load Member

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    Driving less than 10 hours a day is a good way to avoid having to take a 34 hour reset on the road.
     
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  5. Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

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    Don’t do a lease unless you’d like to be broke. Savvy?
     
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  6. Coriolanus

    Coriolanus Bobtail Member

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    I'm also interested in everyone's responses to OP's questions as I'm just starting TNT with Prime.

    David, if you don't mind me asking, how long did your TNT end up being and in what division are you in?

    Also, how did your trainer run the truck? Was it moving pretty much 24 hours, or was it more like 16 hours, or something in between? And what were the average miles you were expected to do in a day?
     
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  7. dboot01

    dboot01 Light Load Member

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    Sure yeah I'm in the reefer division, expect TnT to take anywhere from 6-10 weeks depending on how often you take home time. I took 4 days home time and I was at 30,000 miles in 7 weeks. Now TnT took me 9 weeks because I had to do 40,000 miles because I had a critical event. That is a story for another post. TnT may be long but it is necessary as you'll find out there is alot to learn when you are on the road.

    Me and my trainer ran two 12 hour shifts per day. Note you won't be driving for 12 hours you are responsible for driving in that 12 hour window. We each would drive 8-9 hours per day on average. The truck would be moving 16-20 hours a day.

    Miles will vary per day depending on if you drive all day or drive a little and sit at a customer all day. If you drive all day expect drive 500-550 miles per day.
     
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  8. dboot01

    dboot01 Light Load Member

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    Savvy
     
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  9. SoulScream84

    SoulScream84 Road Train Member

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    (1) How does a lighter truck equate to more money as a company driver?

    (2) I'd say expect to average 2500/week. Also, plan your finances on a 2 week average as things will sometimes fall oddly

    (3) Leasing can work, but for a rookie it's almost always a plan for failure.

    (4&5) Your plans for time to run are worthless, you'll run when freight needs to be ran. Typically Prime does plan freight at 55mph so if you keep the door shut you'll be able to adjust your schedule some, but again your clock will be dictated by freight.

    (6) Is Prime so cheap they haven't outfitted their equipment for driver comfort? A little more research would have shown you that Wilson outfits the trucks well for company drivers, offers trainings, and is moving Prime freight. Buying a fridge is a good investment if you want to try to eat a little healthier, and cheaper. 12V coolers used to be crap, I haven't tried one in years.
     
  10. Warrior Pump

    Warrior Pump Light Load Member

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    From my understanding, Prime drivers are paid more if their truck has a smaller sleeper.
     
  11. dboot01

    dboot01 Light Load Member

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    1.. yes if you drive a light weight at prime they pay you 5 cpm more that of a condo driver. You are swapping extra comfort for extra cpm
     
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