Prime: Orientation and Training?

I started with Prime on 5/17/09 fresh out of CDL school with Class A CDL license in hand and went thru orientation,physical and classes on everything at Prime. Waited 3 days for my trainer to pick me up and from day one as far as the training and sleeping part it's been UGLY!! I stress to anyone who has any other alternative for a job please consider it very seriously before trying to drive a truck (especially TEAM driving) as you must do in training. My trainer is a good kid that personally I get along with but IS NOT a good trainer. From day one it's been a nightmare as this guy logs illegally and demands that I also do it stating that this is the only way to make money right now. The truck he has leased has to be the weakest ever made or either really has some mechanical problems because every truck known to man has flown by us the last 7 weeks in every state that we have been in. A '07 Freightshaker Cascadia and I didn't know what freightshaker meant but I do now!! We must drive 55 mph according to him in order for him to get his fuel bonus which is 20 cents per gallon and if wer'e in a state with hills this makes for a long day of 500 mile shifts(sometimes 12/13 hours) but then he divides the miles by 65 so he can log illegally. Now to the sleeping part (or trying to slleep), this guy the very 1st nite beds down after he picks me up 150 miles into the trip. Keep in mind I have a CDL but have NEVER driven a truck OTR and I tell him this. He says I will do fine and that he is tired because he drove illegal from out west so that he could pick me up in Springfield. Like I said earlier as far as personally liking the guy I really do (good clean kid and a hard worker) just can't hardly stomach the LONG shifts,weak truck and oh yes the THUNDER strips that I constantly hear as I'm TRYING to sleep. He runs off the road as he's texting back and forth to his family and ex-wife constantly and also reads his QCom and Atlas from the steering wheel while going down the road. I never feel safe in the truck with him driving and don't feel I'm learning hardly anything the RIGHT way. Let my FM know about the illegal logging from the 1st week and he told me to hang in there and that he wouldn't have paired me up with this guy unless he felt right about it. Problem is the FM is like 23 yrs old and has never driven a truck whatsoever. I've noticed that most of their dispatchers are very young for some reason. I'm not trying to depress you drivers looking to come onto the Prime scene but I can tell you that it's not what I expected and there is one hell of a turnover here!! I think my trainer said that there were 78 in his class a little over a yar ago and that he's the last one left still at Prime. Oh yea and what does that tell you when they let so called TRAINERS train with so little experience. I spoke with one trainer at the Mill. Bldg one day who said when he was in traing a few yrs ago that his trainer awoke him by crashing into a guard rail and totalling the truck. I asked him if the guy got fired and he responded HELL NO he's still training people!!! WoW!! Just hope I can make it another 10 months as I am trying to get 1 yr exp so that hopefully I can get a local job. Hell the way things are with Obama it may take 10 yrs exp by that time as many exp drivers will be looking for work!! Oh yes and the $600 guarantee during training doesn't apply if u didn't train at Prime it's $500 weekly or ten cents per mile!!

 

If you were having pay problems would you call the Permit Department or Road Assist? NO, you wouldnt.

Your FM has nothing to do with trainer assignments... He is just backing up his driver, because as long as you are on that truck, your trainer has a better chance at making money with the team freight, and in turn, the FM makes more money.

You are having training issues, and safety issues... So the correct individuals you need to be voicing your concerns are in the SAFETY and TRAINING departments.

 

And just what do you think they will do? Any idea? I'm not comfortable logging or sleeping but I'm afraid it could get worse if I ask for someone else. I've heard horror stories from some at Prime who say they barely get 1 shower per week with their trainer. Thanks for any help at all U2.

 

Man! What's with all the bad trainer reports lately!?! My trainer will be in Springfield this week dropping me off and picking a new student up. He's a good one. Although, I have to say a few things here...

I couldn't have asked for a better training experience, but some of these guys (not talking directly to you BrutusK) seem to be complaining about every single thing.

Team driving is definately tough. My trainer and I have become friends, but there are some days we want to rip each others faces off. It's totally unavoidable. Spending every minute of every day togeather will do that. You will see the best in your trainer, and you will see the worst in him.

For some reason, I've been able to sleep pretty well in a moving truck. The lane departure system doesn't bother me as long as the curtains are closed. And we usually turn it off going through construction zones. If I do wake up from a jerk of the wheel or a brake check, I can usually fall right back asleep. A lot of people will get those really soft foamy ear plugs. That could help for those of you having trouble sleeping due to the noise. As for your trainer texting while he's driving...yeah, that's bad.

My situation is pretty close to yours BrutusK. I was picked up by my trainer at 8pm from Springfield. He drove for about an hour, then stopped and said it was my turn. Back to the sleeper he went. I drove for 7 hours through the night without him up front with me. Granted, we were driving down I-40 through Missouri, Oklahoma, and the Texas panhandle, so traffic congestion wasn't a huge issue. I was nervous at first to be up there all alone on my very first day (and it was very unexpected), but really, it was nothin. I did have trouble shifting out of the toll booth in Oklahoma, but my trainer quickly shot up front to help me out.

I don't know, it's strange to me reading some of these posts. If I really wanted to make Prime and my training experience sound terrible, I'm sure I could do it with some of the experiences I've had. Has it been perfect? Nope. Our truck breakdowns have sucked. Stopping at as many casino's as possible, making our runs tight, isn't what I'd do if I was solo. The lack of backing experience my trainer has given me has been less than ideal. I can go on and on. But when I take in the entire experience into perspective, I think it's gone extremely well.

This is a very unique life, and it's not for everybody. Nothing in truck driving goes according to plan. You will see and hear things that might go against your beliefs. You will see and hear disgusting things. You will not agree with your trainer 100% of the time. You will see him do things that might be unsafe. He might tell you to do things you'd never do if you were solo. Choose your battles. You are a guest in your trainers truck for a few months. If you can get through it, you can write your own rules after that.

I currently have 65,000 miles in. Hopefully we'll be on our way to Springfield in a day or two so I can test out and go solo. I'm going to really miss my trainer. We had some real good times and he was real good company to have. This is sort of a bitter sweet thing. But I'm definately ready to get a truck of my own. Team driving is a very difficult thing to do. Can't wait to have some privacy again!

Interested if any of you have used the simulator for your upgrade yet. I guess they are using the simulator instead of the yard now. Any pointers?

 

BrutusK:

Welcome to the wonderful world of trucking. Get over yourself.

Not every trainer is Mr. Wonderful. It takes all kinds, and if the one you drew is a true disaster area, then it would help everybody if he steps aside. You've got some options...

First, if you really feel strongly that he's shafting you, you can turn him in. Be aware that you will need some serious evidence to convince Safety and Training. Your FM will not support you since he is aiding your trainer in his activities. Keep a notebook describing all the activities that you observe, including date, time and location. Document anything that you pass on to your FM with a QC message, and make sure that you do macro 15s at your shift change points to get a GPS marker on where you are at. You can delete anything from your side of the QC message queue without it being deleted in San Diego - that is serious documentation. Keep your receipts from purchases at truckstops - there is a time stamp on them, and you'd probably want to make a purchase everytime you stop at one. Keep in mind, if your trainer catches on, he's probably not going to be amused - you are after all, being a snitch.

Second option is to deal with it. You are looking at a fairly short range goal - 5 to 8 weeks from now. Getting off of the training truck, and into your own. You can use this as a learning situation in what not to do. Driving a big truck in a distracted manner is a bad way to do things - and I'm probably as guilty of it as anyone on occasion. I certainly don't condone illegal logging, and if you get into a serious accident, it will be used against you. Prime does get GPS locations on you from time-to-time, and they need to match your logbook. That goes along with anything that has a time stamp on it, cellphone records, etc. Honestly, by the time you have the goods on this fella, you're probably going to be fairly close to your goal anyway.

Third option: Get off the truck and request a different trainer. A fella I went through orientation with had three of them: The first quit because he couldn't deal with sleeping on a moving truck; number two was a filty pig; number three was a fantastic teacher. He actually was upgraded before I was, but that's a different story. Horror stories? Please... this isn't even close.

As far as cleanliness on a team truck, well... welcome to the wonderful world of team operations. You get to shower when the truck quits moving, it's part of the job. In between there are wet wipes, all sorts of facial and skin care products, etc. You need to get creative. Take advantage of the facilities every time the truck stops as far as you can.

A local job with one year experience??? Exactly what have you been smoking? Even before the downturn, which in fact had its roots well before 2007, most "local jobs" were offered by smaller companies whose insurance required a minimum of two years experience. Drivers have lost their jobs in hordes, so do you really think that you stand a chance at one year vs someone with a perfect record and ten years experience?

As far as "weak trucks" are concerned... I doubt you'd know the difference. Right now, the way to be even close to making money in any kind of trucking operation is by cutting your overhead as much as possible. That's the fuel bill. The revenue side of the P and L is what it is, and won't change until the economy revives or enough capacity (ie... drivers loose their jobs) that the current oversupply of said capacity disappears. The Freightliners we drive are spec'd to get their best economy in the 55-to-60 mph area, and as the traction knobs wear down on your drives, that number starts going up to the top end of that range. Especially with a newb who doesn't have a clue about how to drive a big truck, 55 is the rule. Once you develop your technique things change, otherwise your trainer's fuel bill will be astronomical for one simple reason - your inexperence. We haul heavy loads. Most of those "trucks that go flying by you" are either empty, hauling light loads, are spec'd for much higher speeds at the sweet spot - with a corresponding fuel penalty, or are being operated by people who haven't looked at their bottom line recently/don't care/require the speed to meet their appointments. Last week I pulled a 18,000 lb load of rugs out of Dalton GA for Smyrna DE... guess what? I went "flying by a whole pile of trucks" on those "states with hills." Imagine that! In one of Primes ol' "weak" Freightshakers - a Century which is more difficult to get mileage out of than a Cascadia. I certainly don't do that when I have my usual 40,000+ lb load back there. Neither does anyone else... except the guys with the CATs under the hood, and I personally wouldn't want to pay the fuel bill for one of those rolling nightmares.

FMs... I really don't think you have a clue as to who Prime employs. There are as many old heads as young at Prime, so perhaps you might try getting your facts straight.

Finally, not everyone is cut out to drive a large CMV - team or even solo. Many people just cannot deal with the necessary changes in their lifestyle to be successful. This is nothing like a regular "9-to-5" job. All I saw in your post was a lot of whining about how things are. While I don't agree with everything that your trainer does in his truck, I'll make a prediction: Even if you do stick through your training period, you won't be driving a rig a year from now. You don't have what it takes. Suck it up and get a pair, or get off of the truck.

 

The $500 is still better than most companies, and you will get $600 eventually. I forgot exactly when it kicked in for me, but I think it was after 12 weeks I started getting the $600 guarantee. I've seen two paychecks over $900 and a couple in the $700 to $800 range as we've gone over the mileage requirement. Hardly something to complain about.

 

Absolutely #### right. Just read a post about a guy whose worked for a large dry van company whose name starts with an "S" and ends with a "wift" who makes 25-or-so cpm, and barely brings home $300 per week in his own truck with what passes for decent miles. If you don't like things here as a trainee, you might want to try them.

 

Man u are a very assuming person aren't you? I bet u smell like crap too if your one that "gets used to showering when u can" LOL. Real healthy there pony!! I didn't mean to come across as a whiner I would just rather my driver drive without texting or looking at a map on the steering wheel going down the road (also types in is QC messages). I've wore earplugs even and they don't block out the noise of thunder strips. Being very tired and Tylenol PM is the only way I can rest. Like I said in my first post personally I really like this guy and we get along great most of the time. I'm just afraid I'm either going to get caught logging illegally or he's going to wreck and kill us before my training is up. As for the trucks passing us by this happens on a light load,deadhead or anytime the truck is moving. I've drove 3 trucks briefly before this (2 of them governed) but have yet to see one this weak. It has needed an alignment for over 2 months now as well but the guy is too tight to get one done. I think something may be mechanically wrong with his Cascadia and I know he told me it does not have the Detroit Cummings in it and problems had been reported on others like his. Is $900 weekly not high for a lease? Or is that the norm on a third party deal such as Prime's? Thank for the input and I'm not whining just trying to see if this is the norm for Prime and their FM's in covering up illegal logging.

 

Yes I hear that some trainees make more than their trainer's too. Is that a GOOD THING? I've already spoken with enough co. drivers with Prime at the truck stops and they are getting less than $450 per week. Not complaining about the $500. I just wonder why someone who goes to another school and has their CDL makes $100 less weekly. I drive as many miles as my trainer mile for mile per week. He pays the lease and makes two grand some weeks but I don't see any solos breaking $700. GL

 

Yeah, I remember my first trucking job and the trainer I had. He was a character, no doubt about it. We left Peoria, IL at about 7 pm heading to Griffin, Ga. WE get down to Mt. Vernon, IL and he says well, wake me up when you pass the scale before Mont Eagle, TN. He shows me this on a map lol. Man, I had never driven a big truck more than 10 miles for a road test, and here it was, dark, strange roads, tired (it takes a while to build up that no-sleep tolerance). He says, you can stop for coffee if it's a pilot or big name truckstop. I was way too scared to do that lol, worried I would wreck. But I didn't, I made it Mont Eagle safe and sound. He later told me that he'd been doing it long enough that he can tell in a couple hours if a guy can drive or not. I actually believed him. He was a great trainer, bought me some meals here and there, let me do all the backing unless I was asleep, was clean, showered daily at all costs, and heck even had dvd's and a tv. I still talk to him occasionally after 3 years. I know I was lucky. I had buddies in my class that had terrible trainers to say the least. But I think that's one of the cool things about this industry, it's quirky lol.