ask your questions about prime inc here

AAACCCKKKKK!

The Great French Fry Run is a rite of passage!!! Especially in Black Fly Season!

 

The first run where I actually went up there loaded. Pallets of carboard shipping boxes from Leominster, MA.

Too much time on this load because 90 only allows a 23:59 before appointment delivery... that beats most wal-marts by 22:59

Grabbing a restart for a fresh Christmas week clock and run up to hometime in WA at New Years.

 

u2exit, Thx for your quick response. No I don't think that your a jerk, you keep it real and I appreciate that. I just had a couple of questions off the top off my head that I needed answered, I am sure I could've found by doing more research on my own. Thank you for your quick response and thank for all that you do in these forums. This is a big decision for me, because I know the major comitment this is going to take to get back into trucking. Cad

 

No, it is not typical of most trucking companies to make their drivers pay for load locks. It's just one of those things. Look, every major company has its good things and bad things. Choose your battles, If you're careful about it, the $20 you spend here and there isn't really something to get all fussy about. Besides, there will be many times you pick up a trailer with load locks in it. You'll see many guys at Prime who have 5 or 10 load locks on their trucks. Guess who never buys them -- those guys. The whole point is to make you responsible for the equipment so that you don't just leave them places and simply have the company buy more for you later.

Some shippers / recievers will indeed let you break the seal, especially those who require you to use load locks. Guard checks the seal to make sure it's intact, then you can get in there to get your lock out. Others will not allow this. But if you save up the load locks you find over time, you shouldn't have to ever buy any.

 

Thanks, Mike! Overall, he's happy with Prime and is treated fairly -- better than much of what I read on other companies' threads. And to be honest, he didn't question the purchase of the load locks. I did. I can understand jumper cables, locks, gloves, and most of the other accessories, but load locks seemed a "stretch". But you're right -- putting out $40.00 here and there isn't too bad, plus it does tend to make a person more accountable for their equipment... and I suspect these will be the last he has to purchase.

 

You are required to buy two. Thats all you will ever have to buy without being re-imbursed.

I have accumulated up to 6 before just by picking up various trailers with load locks in them. My load lock holder only holds 4, so if I get a trailer that has any load locks in them, and I get empy... the extra stay on the trailer.

Only once have I dipped below 2, I let my FM know that the load locks got left on a sealed trailer, and were un-retrievable... He credited me the price of two load locks and I purchased 2 more.

 

thank You to all the questions and comments her ein this particular thread regarding Prime it is definatly a canidate in my decision of a new company. but this last comment regarding required purchases for two load lock brings me to wonder what else is required to be purchased out of pocket? are there many variables between company drivers and lease drivers for the same question. And lastly Lease option seems a bit scarey and uncertian in these tuff economic times, I realise alot of it depends upon the driver , but alot also depends on the company keeping that truck moving, so herin lies my question, are there any lease operators for prime that can recomend or not recomend this at this point in time? if u could change ur decision to be a lease operator now would you?

 

Out of pocket expenses for a company driver are 2 load locks, two padlocks (large lock and smaller one for the inspection door), an air cuff lock, and jumper cables. I believe that's it for the company side from what I remember. But of course, you'll have the things you WANT to buy like an atlas, truck stop guide, gloves, flashlight, etc., etc.

Lease drivers have to purchase pretty much everything.

I haven't read all of your posts, but if you're just starting out I'd stay as a company driver for now. Not only to gain experience, but also to see what this economy is going to do. You can't go in the hole as a company driver, but you can lose your shirt as a lease driver.

 

I have a question about Prime's medical qualification's....How strict are they on heart rate? I have a fast heart rate and was just wondering. Drove class B fo 11 yrs. had dot physical every 2yrs. never failed. Just wondering..Thanks

 

I don't think we're any more strict on that than the DOT medical examiner is. We do have restrictions on undiagnosed sleep apnea, and an upper limit on Body Mass Index.