Prime: Orientation and Training?

Company drivers are at 62 mph and 1400 rpm; my truck was set up last year - I have no restrictions on rpms and can run up to 63. It's mostly for fuel economy - you have to be able to turn in 6.25 mpg week-over-week. That may move up to 6.5 mpg this summer.

Dont' let that scare you - it's reasonably easy to achieve, but most of that is because as a company we've slowed down. I typically run between 55 to 58.

Lease ops have been running up to 72, but I've heard some noise that they've been starting to set their trucks at 65. That might be because of the speed governor issue up in Ontario. We do haul freight up in Canada.

 

Whatever is in the yard at the time you get setup with a truck. Generally speaking, if there is a truck that's been turned in with time left on it, they go first - both to company types and people desiring short-term leases.

There are a bunch of new Cascadias sitting on the south end of the trailer yard in Springfield - I understand that we haven't officially taken possession of them yet. That being said, the primary vehicle we use are Century class - that's what I run, and Cascadias. We also have some KW T660's (not getting any more) and Pete 387's as well.

You could end up in any of these vehicles - it just depends on what there is available. I know newb company drivers who have driven out with a brand new Cascadia, so it can happen. We assign trucks out of all three of our primary terminals - Springfield MO, Pittston PA and Salt Lake City UT.

 

You should be just fine - if you pass your medical. Be up front with the recruiters... you don't want anything messing you up at orientation.

You can get some home time after CDL training if you want it, but most folks just want to get going on the road. You can get home time during training too... you just need to coordinate that with your trainer and fleet manager. The total 80k miles needed to get to A-seat solo qualified really goes by quickly. Once you get to the point that you're driving solo (that can be as early as 60k miles, depending on how you want to finish your training) they will arrange a load through your home so that you can load up your truck with your personal stuff.

 

Sorry I didn't get back to you right away.

We were told yesterday to expect 6-8 weeks before your first home time. 3-5 weeks is getting your CDL (alot depends on how quickly you pick things up) and then once you get on your trainers truck for you next 50k you need to co-ordinate your home time with fm.

I got to set my start date. Once I started communicating with my recruiter I told her the date I wanted and she set it for me.

Ironpony is right about being up front about everything. If they find out your lying about anything you're gone.

That said we have been treated well. I feel like I have been prepared as to what to expect and they haven't deviated from anything I have been told.

Granted I've only been here three days though so take that for what it is worth.

 

The time estimates from the recruiters are averages... they told me the same story, so that hasn't changed. 6-8 weeks is a good guess to where you will be after CDL instruction and the point you are assigned to a trainer with a load that will route you to the house for some home time. However, all the training milestones are based on the mileage you drive.

You drive 10k miles for CDL instruction, and another 50k miles with a trainer to the point where you can be assigned a truck. How long this takes is determined by the loads you and your trainer are assigned, how much home time you and/or your trainer take, holidays, etc. The final 20k miles can be driven as a team on your trainer's truck, or you can drive it solo. All inexperienced drivers get 80k training miles with Prime, and this is a good thing. The companies that do less put some really inexperienced (some of whom are dangerous) drivers on the road, and I've seen a bunch of folks really struggling to deal with the situation.

One fella who came through orientation with me had the entire 80k done in under 14 weeks. In my case it was more like 17 weeks to the end of the first 60k because of the Thanksgiving and Xmas holidays, my trainers penchant for chasing his ex's and girlfriends, etc. I spent time at home 3 times during that period - not necessarily from me asking for it. Happened to live 20 miles from where my trainer was bagging it with his main squeeze.

 

Does anyone know how long it is currently taking Prime recruiters to return calls? I have left 2 messages since filling out an online application last Friday and still haven't heard back. One guy answered the phone and say's that they are still hiring for school but have yet to get a return call from my recruiter??

 

You have to keep on the recruiting department yourself... try to get a hold of someone there and have them check on the status of your application.

They are swamped and always have been. In my experiance and others that I have heard about, persistance has prevailed.

In these economic times the potential driver pool is getting larger by the day and we (Prime or any company) can be a little more selective in hiring.

Good Luck.

 

Here is an update on how things are going.

Not bad, no real complaints... Like everyone else, I wish the economy was better and maybe I would be getting a few more miles. Now this being my first Winter/post Xmas driving season, Im not sure how "off" my miles are in a normal economic situation.

My 8 week average is about 2100 miles/week. First week high of over 3k, and had only 3 weeks over 2k miles. I did go home for 4 days, and I did have a breakdown that had me sit for 3 days.

Technically this past week I ran over 3k miles but 500 plus miles are counted for next week because these miles didnt make the cutoff for the week.

I made the top 4 fuel milage trucks on my board this past week. Didnt do anything more than I usually do to keep that up. The better MPG, the more money you can make and it does add up. Last 4 months of the year (2008) I collected about $1k in fuel bonus money. This past week, I really owe it all to a great wind on my tail heading east, and a really light load against very light winds heading West. Oh and another thing, keeping my MPG up above the 6.25 mark alows me to keep my job too.

Companies are looking to cut the dead weight and problem drivers. I have no first hand knowledge of any actual drivers being let go, but weekly messages from my FM to our board seem to indicate that service failures, preventable accidents, and DOT out of service issues are not "ending well" for individual drivers at Prime.

I havent been as frugal on the road as I should be, though I have been able to put a chunk of money in the bank (savings). I plan on being a little more focused in the month of March to acheiving the savings goals I set for myself at the begginning of the year.

Last thing, I have had a couple loads where circumstances beyond my control have put me in a situation where I would be unable to deliver my load without breaking HOS rules (overweight/reload/mechanical issues). Prime has re-powered these loads or made appointment changes because I communicated early. I have yet to get a message or a phone call that even remotely hints at pressure to break a HOS rule or do something illegal. Maybe its because I have a good fleet manager. I have even repowered loads myself from drivers who cant make it legal.

Ive said it before, Prime isnt looking over your shoulder, but they expect you to run legal. I can see how a driver can hang himself by taking a load he knows he cant deliver legal and gets caught by DOT.

 

Thanks U2Exit - spoke to them today. Looks like I could be in Springfield by next Monday!!!!!!!!!! Really appreciate your post's. I've been wanting to do this for a long time and this thread played a big part in choosing Prime.

 

I was just told i was accepted into the training program, just have to choose the date! now they I am accepted will they have a problem with a gap of about ten months off work 8 years ago because of an injury? i have worked straight through since and am young and healthy....