Prime: Orientation and Training?

Congrats on getting your CDL Charlie!

 

Depends on what you want, and what your bills can afford. Was by the yard this morning for a few minutes. There are a bunch of new Petes there (expensive) and quite a few Centuries (not so expensive).

If you are going the new Pete route as a lease-op, then you better plan on a team operation. Freight rates are still bad enough as to not be able to support a Pete payment as a solo lease operator.

 

Thanks Emtom. Out on a trainer truck(09 387 Pete) and havd run from the caves in Carthage to Ontario,Ca for a drop/hook and now in Illinois for 4 drops of Tropicana. Load finals Wed am so I finally have some time to update. Things are going well and I am learning alot....lots of experience on hills this week. Had to relearn to drive between the Century I was in and the Pete. Hit a #### deer in eastern Colorado last night around 2330 and got lucky with just putting a dent in the front bumper.....That will get your blood pumping. counting the miles down and then have decided to go company driver for a while to see what the economy does and figure out Prime's way of doing things. Good luck to all others just starting and thanks to those who have paved the way.

Charlie

 

have u backed the truck up yet?

 

Got to tell ya guys - been working what my loads would pay me as a lease operator right now - I'd only show positive cash flow for 1 week in 5 footing the bill for a new Cascadia; change that to an older Century on a short-term lease, and it goes to 3 weeks in 5. Now there's a big difference between showing positive cash-flow, and a healthy paycheck... and I haven't seen that happen yet this year.

 

got through talking to a fm from another company and he said his drivers put fuel in their trucks out of pocket like around 100 dollars every couple of weeks to make their fuel bonus does this work?

 

I suppose, but why? It's a matter of driver technique. YOU can make as much as 30% difference in fuel economy by the way YOU drive. Our target is 6.5 mpg, and I routinely have been getting better than 7 in an older Century.

 

kool thanks for the info

 

I have no problem making fuel bonus... pay attention to your shift points... terrain and speed.

I guess if it came down to keeping your job, using your own money to make bonus is all youve got.

Fortunantly on my end, I have almost a year worth of MPG Data with me making bonus almost every week. MY MPG is so good that for me to slip below the minnimum it could only be explained as a mechanical issue.

 

thanks ip and u2 yalls information has been very helpful to me. maybe i'll c yall out there in the next couple of weeks. i always wear a auburn tigers hat. have a safe one