Prime Inc driver thread

Better than I'm making now! I have a Bachelor's degree and one class away from a Master's degree but that doesn't mean a #### thing in this economy.... I'm a country boy and I've always felt more comfortable on a tractor than in a classroom so I'm looking forward to trucking!

 

Ah then... welcome! An undergraduate and advanced degree plus $5 will get you a fancy cup of coffee most places. An undergraduate and advanced degree with a CDL will buy you your groceries!

 

Thats about the way it is today.

 

Thanks, KS...

I've heard all sorts of bad and good about all makes and models, i.e. the Peterbilts shake, the T700 has crappy plastic fit and finish, multiple makes and models leak water in the sleeper, and the list goes on. For every person that says their company truck is ######, there is another that seems to like it.

I'm looking for money in this gig, because frankly if I'm making less than 65k per year, I'm taking a pay cut by getting out of the military. If I like it and can work it to make decent money and get home enough to make the wife happy, I'll buy my own truck in 5 years or so... gotta watch the economy.

Engine and tranny aside, who makes the better truck as far as overall feeling of quality is concerned? I had a 33 foot top-of-the-line fifth wheel camper and it started rusting right off the lot. Things were breaking left and right and I vowed never again to buy an RV.

So for "overall" quality, what "light truck" should I be shooting for when I turn "a" seat? I'm assuming the light truck is a medium sleeper rig. I see quite a few Cascadia fleet trucks with medium sleepers out there, even for Walmart. They look nice, but I don't want noise, rattles, cheap plastic, and a leaky sleeper.

Prime drivers, what Prime fleet trucks do you prefer and which make the most money due to their lower GVW?

 

Don't feel bad, Dennis... I have three years of PhD coursework completed and my hometown job market is absolutely horrible. I think these days, the more education you have, the less people want you because you fit into one or both of two categories:

1. We have to pay him too much and we can't afford (resume goes in the trash).

2. He's going to use us to pay the bills and then leave in six months when he finds something better (resume also goes in the trash).

Either way, I can't even seem to get a call back when I send out my resume. You're better off not disclosing your education unless it the job calls for it.

This is why I chose trucking as well. Can't say I'll be some super-cool owner/operator some day, but Prime hired me right away and that's more than I can say for the other 50 or so applications for management jobs in various fields over the past four months that I have put in for.

Right now, my education has gotten me absolutely nowhere... So, perhaps after a few years of trucking, my 21 years of hard work getting my education will allow me nothing more than to start my own O/O business... who knows at this point.

 

So true. I had to take my current job because the last job was doing some things that were going to get them into trouble with the state and I wanted no parts of it. Two months after I left, the state was onto them. But leaving that job for this one meant a $10,000 pay cut but no one else was calling and this is a job I worked at previously. Well, that pay cut is taking a toll and my lawn business is in the tank with this drought this year so I am at my wits end with things. I have been on multiple interviews but later found out they hired someone from the inside for less money or some recent college grad for less money. Well, to hell with it. I'm going to do something I've always wanted to do. If I can make enough money to stay afloat.... good. Anything extra is even better. Like you, I feel like I wasted my time in college right now when this is what I wanted to do all along.

 

I wouldn't call college "wasted time." I have an engineering degree and a career that was outsourced to south Asia... they can hire 10 of them for what they pay one of us over here!

However, the education and the ability to think through things gives you quite a step-up in this industry.

 

education and the ability to think through things gives you quite a step-up in this industry. Basic common sense goes a long ways as well , but is sorely lacking nowdays.

Seems that now everyone needs an ELECTRONIC gadget to tell them where to go , what to do ,

 

You are in Upstate NY? Where abouts? My husband is considering going to PRIME school and I've been doing a lot of reading up about it as I'm in front of a computer all day...and he's not. So I'm gathering info for him. He left a message for a recruiter earlier today.

Best,

Simone

 

Between Fort Drum 9 Watertown ) and the Canadian Border , ( I am not with PRIME )