Prime: Orientation and Training?

Boog, Just want to thank you for your analytical approach to finding the right company (an approach I am sure you take in all your endeavors). Reading your posts (and others, but especially yours) has really been a big help in answering my own questions as I consider a move into driving.

Stevens is my first choice right now because they are one of the few hiring out of Florida (though you must attend a satellite school if you are from FL). The others are Covenant and Swift. I am particularly attracted to Steven's Alliance program once elegible.

Anyway, point I was trying to make was thanks for commenting about your experiences - it helps.

 

Thanks for the kind words. It's probably the 25 years of architecture that makes me so analytical., although I am just sort of built this way. I like to do research and know what I'm getting into.

From my perspective, Prime and Stevens are very similar. I don't think you will be disappointed with Stevens. I may still end up there. I have been to their terminal quite a few times and I always have a good vibe when I'm there. I am also interested in becoming a L/O, and ultimately, and O/O. You may have already been there, but there is a great thread mostly written by Fozzy Bear on them that you should read. He started posting on his first day there, and he just went solo this week. I also put down everything I've learned about them on that thread. Anything you'd ever want to know about Stevens is in there.

 

I can understand the wanting to be hired out of the state you reside in...

HOWEVER... Beware! All three of these companies are serious bottom feeders. Please do your research, and especially understand that Stevens is a company that desires to have you fail. They have plenty of drivers, and make buku $$$ off of the repayment plan for tuition, and defaults on their lease program.

 

In fact, I started reading your posts, Fozzy's Posts and others on the thread relating to Stevens. This bulletin board is a great way to learn - and I have. I am enjoying Big's journey through Stevens CDL training and Hunter's posts as a driver.

 

In fact, I started reading your posts, Fozzy's Posts and others on the thread relating to Stevens. This bulletin board is a great way to learn - and I have. I am enjoying Big's journey through Stevens CDL training and Hunter's posts as a driver.

 

Stevens is $6k and 36 months? ####, thats alot. So you work off about $166 dollars a month, and the pay rate (you say, I havent looked) is 2-3 cents per mile less than Prime... is there a fuel milage bonus?

Prime holds you to a little above $3k with half due if you leave after 6 months and before one year. (At $4k to make it easier) you work off $333 dollars a month... make 2-3 cents more per mile... Plus up to .04/mile in fuel bonus. AND finished your commitment a whole 2 years earlier than Stevens.

Im not sure how Stevens raise structure is, but Prime's is based on miles and you can easily be bumped up around 2-3 levels in a year (.02 to .03)

And, yes, Prime pays both all dispatched miles... empty and loaded.

2k average for Company Drivers at Prime? Uh, no... I would say its more like 2700.

My numbers are a little skewed right now as I am training someone and getting team miles but I will give you the last few solo week miles I had

2790
2744
3394
2891
2358

There were two weeks also in there where I had 1977 and 2100 but I had minor surgery and follow up visits on those weeks. Its kinda hard for the Fleet manager to keep you running and bring you in at the last second and get you back out the moment your ready to hit the road... so I figure at least 2-3 days were wasted each of those weeks.

Team Miles (training) have been
4484 (with my first trainee quitting)
5267 (with my new trainee)
6466

 

for prime to pay the 3500 for school is the 1yr from when you go out the trainer with your cdl or when your training is complete and now your by yourself thanks

 

The day you are hired... which is the day you pass your CDL test... You are not an employee during the permit phase (instruction)...

So yes, your training phase (not instruction) counts towards your one year.

 

Thanks for correcting my inacccurate mileage estimate. More miles averaged for Prime would obviously skew the numbers in Prime's favor as far as I'm concerned. Stevens' bumps in pay for solo's are $0.26/mile to start; $0.28/mile at 6 mos.; $0.29/mile at 9 mos.; and finally to $0.30 at one year. According to the sheet they gave me, you would have to work there for 6-1/2 years before you ever sniffed $0.34/mile!! So again, if the miles are close it's not a contest.

I also heard back from the lovely lady at Prime today. Looks like I'm pretty good to go. I just have to provide some medical releases to her and have my surgeons initial a sheet saying I can do the job. That won't be a problem. Once I get those to her I will know for sure in 2-3 days. I also have to do an agility exam with a local therapist before I go because I've had back surgery. No problem. I'm getting started on that in the morning. If I can get accepted to Prime I would go there. My hope is to start on Sept. 28th. That way, I can have my wife drop me in Springfield on her way to PA for a trip she's taking. I would love to forego the greyhound bus trip!!

The only other company I would seriously consider working for as a newbie is Watkins Shepard. However, as I just posted in a new thread in the Motor Carrier Questions section, they have recently had a major change in tuition and financing. They used to do a 4 week CDL school for around $2500. They carried the financing in-house, and even helped you pay it back. The payment was $40/week, of which they covered everything but the last $15/week as long as you worked for them. They are a good company, very people/driver oriented, but more mid-size than super sized like Prime and Stevens. However, so many students would get their CDL at WS and then leave and also default on their loans, they were losing money. So, it's now $4695 to attend their training, and you have to bring cash/get your own financing. They're not even working with a finance company. They won't even refer you to one.

All things being equal, I might choose WS over Prime (they also have a regular drop right where I will be living in PA), but things are definitely not equal, at least not for me. I don't have $4695 and I'm pretty sure in my present situation I won't find anyone to finance me. The idea of not being tied to a company because of tuition payback is attractive to me, but I'm 80% sure I'll end up at Prime. I'll be happy there, so it's all good.

 

Hey IronPony-

I'm curious which 3 companies you are referring to as bottom feeders? I know we were conparing Stevens with Prime, did I miss one? Also, do you really think there is that much difference between Stevens and Prime regarding their wish for you to fail? Or their respective lease programs? I'm asking in all seriousness, not to call you out. I'm interested in your opinions. I have probably read more people comment negatively on Prime's lease program than those who say negative things about Stevens' lease program. That doesn't mean it's true. Do you feel, as a company driver for Prime, that they value your work there? I have a few acquaintances at Stevens right now, and they speak highly of the way they are being treated, just as you do of Prime. I'm sure everyone has their own personal preference and certain people are a better fit at one company than another, so it's all subjective until you're actually in their employ.

As far as being hired out of my home state, it's not much of a factor, I was just stating that with Stevens being local to Dallas, I would get to see my kids more. I'm actually going to be relocating to Eastern PA because the wife is being transferred. In reality, if you're working as an OTR driver, you can reasonably get just about anywhere with either company for your time off.

I would really like to hear your comments about your post so I can understand where you are coming from. Was the thrid company you were speaking of Watkins Shepard?