New to Prime INC - What to expect (Springfield edition)

Have been trying to get some updated information on the sleep apnea test as I am right at the limit of what several have said are the limits. At 39 bmi and 17.5 neck size. Have anything about this?

 

I'm not familiar with the details on the apnea & sleep study stuff, as I never had any issues with that myself.

Sure someone that knows will chime in with info on that.

 

I'll ask my student when I get a chance and reply back in your thread in the next day or so.

 

I have a couple of curiousity questions. I've never driven a truck before, and I'm looking at Prime to go through my training and get my CDL. I happen to live right here in Springfield, MO, so I was curious if I'd have to stay at the hotel by Prime during my orientation, or if I'd be able to come back home at night.

The other thing I'm wondering about is if anyone has a schedule of the upcoming start dates for orientation. I think I know of one coming up on 2/29, but I wouldn't be able to start that early I don't think.

Really, I'm still up in the air deciding about this whole thing. I currently work in an cubicle office, and I've been there for 16 years, and it's getting to feel very stale. I feel I need to do something different with my life, that I might actually enjoy.

Anyway, thanks to everyone on this thread that's posting answers and information regarding the Prime Student Driver program. I've been very curious about it lately and the information the OP has provided has been very interesting.

 

You can go home during training, orientation is pretty much every week

 

Talked to my student and he didn't do the sleep study at Prime. Sorry.

 

Thanks for asking!

 

Got a couple of Prime questions, and this looks like the most appropriate thread to stick them in - so here goes...

I went to a County VoTech in '09, have a fully endorsed Class A (PTX), TWIC, current DOT Med Card - the whole 9 yards. Clean MVR - no at fault accidents - no moving convictions.

I've (obviously) been a member of this site for a number of years. I never used my CDL - have stayed in my self-employed computer business.

Testing the waters to possibly make a move in the spring.

I'm in a bad zip code for Prime, but I'd be going "full time" anyway (as in, not maintaining a homestead in S. Florida) - so I won't be needing home time to my current zip code. I can probably use a friends address in a more desirable (hiring area) zip code anyway.

I made a recent inquiry to Jim Palmer (haven't called Prime yet), and their in-house recruiter told me they don't offer "refreshers". I don't have an issue doing the "full course" (I guess the equivalent of PST/TNT), but they told me I'd have to "downgrade" my CDL to a regular operators, get the MT permit, MT CDL and transfer it back to Florida. This seems kind of ridiculous to me, owing in part, to what I've paid for the CDL and all my endorsements - and the fact that I'd like to maintain "continuous CDL-A licensing" on my driving record.

Does anyone have a "direct contact" to someone "higher up" in recruiting, that I might be able to speak with?

Again - I don't have a problem with doing PSD/TNT, and making the 1 year commitment. I'd just hate to have to re-license, when I've held a clean Class A for almost 7 years now.

Alternatively - I suppose I could do a "refresher" somewhere - but the prices I've gotten, cost more than the $1,900 I paid for a 9 week, full time class at my local Vo-Tech (320 hours, 1,000 road miles). My Vo-Tech doesn't do a refresher - so I would have to sit for the full course (more a matter of time, versus cost there).

Any suggestions would be welcome. Prime is my first choice for getting started.

Regards,

Rick

 

Why call Jim palmer / wiltrans in the first place skip the middle man and go straight to prime , they might make you go through the psd program but if they do they will not make you downgrade your license , or get a missouri license


I wanted to add I've trained 2 guys in the psd program that already had cdl one came from a school not on primes approved list and the other came straight from cr England's school , training both was a breeze because they already knew how to pass the test and they weren't worried about it because they already had their license anyway, both still went through an evaluation with an examiner just like the test , both still recieved their trifecta bonus as well

 

Tired JPT because they are a little smaller, run training similar to Prime, and pull Prime Reefer loads exclusively.

Updated my Prime app and spoke with a recruiter over the weekend.

They confirmed I can do PDS/TNT and not have to downgrade my license.

My biggest issue is still going to be my ZIP CODE. My current address is in Fort Lauderdale, which is not their hiring area.

I'll be dumping my homestead and storing what I can't part with. Don't have a wife/gf/kids that I need to get home to - so it doesn't make sense to carry the overhead

So I won't really require hometime in this zip code. I am probably going to have to find a friend with an address that IS IN the hiring area (and change my license to that address), in order to move forward with the process. They won't even consider me out of this zip code. Though they said if I can team with someone from there and signed on to TEAM, they would hire both of us out of this zip code.

I wonder if there is anything like a "home-time waiver" I can sign off on. I was planning on using home days, to visit folks in various areas of the country.

I still have a few projects I need to complete for clients here (computer stuff), and liquidating/storing my belongings. So I'm still a few months away from doing anything.

Thanks for the response.

Rick