Please help!!! Usa truck or prime inc.

Props, man. We are so on the same page it's not real. That's awesome.

I have no advice to give you, being that we're in the same boat, but I applaud your standing up for yourself and keeping a good positive attitude. We indeed are those who will be standing in decades, laughing at the naysayers and passing our trade forward. Best of luck to you!

 

Scorpiorias I will try to be as fair as I can, but alas I can only offer you my experience with one of the companies....USA Truck. I was one of the "one year wonders" that came from one of their CDL mills..specifically C-1. Their orientation was short and sweet, about 3 days. Of course you will have to pass a basic drivers skills test just like with any company. My trainer was excellent, absolutely no problems. He spent as much time mentoring me on the realities of this particular company and life on the road as he did on handling the rig. From him I was able to come up with a reasonable expectation of the company, which was basically them being a B- or C+ company. I had three tractors and three fleet managers during my tenure. In each case, none of which I had control over, it got better with each change. My last FM would hit the bottom line when he dealt with me, and my last tractor was just about brand new when I got it.
Talking with most drivers, and my experience, your first several months are shorter runs, and as time passes, the miles get better. Most of the trainer companies are about the same, just small operational differences. Anytime I dealt with HQ in Van Buren, I felt the peple were honest with me. I may not have got the answer that I wanted, but they gave me an answer.
I was as frustrated as anyone when freight was slow (and yes they are 99% dry van). I averaged about 2800 miles a week. But with any training company, the real money was made by the trainers. The solos somewhat support their hard running by repowering their loads once they have run all the good miles off! The terminals and maintenance are average at best.
I left the company after my one year contract was completed to go back to work in an occupation (non-driving) that was similar to what I had worked prior. The main reason for leaving was to be back with my family, and the the plus was that the money was about the same. If I would have remained driving, I would have probably stayed with USA no more than 6 more monthes. The one plus is that USA did not pressure their drivers into any kind of L/P or O/O situation. They seemed to be pretty content with you being a company driver.
In a nutshell, my experience with USA met my expectations. My expections were not set very high, and thus I was not disappointed.
In the end, most of the training companies are pretty much the same.Good luck on your quest.

 

When you get in a truck and stay in at least 6 months then you can use the term "our trade " . Odds are though the place you'll be standing is the unemployment line unless some carrier terminates you on conditions that disqualify you for unemployment .
Positive attitudes don't create jobs . Taking a positive attitude to a CDL mill just increases the surplus of unneeded applicants .

 

Good morning Scorpiorias! If you have solid job offers from 2 companies, you are in an enviable position, considering the dearth of jobs out there.
If you're really "up in the air" about which offer to take, let me make what sounds like a silly suggestion. Instead of being "up in the air", make your decision "up in the air". Told you it would be silly. It gets worse, but bear with me. I'm suggesting the old "coin toss" deal. Ready, heads is Prime-tails is USA Truck. Flip the coin, you'll know what you want while the coin is "up in the air". If, after the first toss, you're still not sure....do it again, and again, and again.... Keep track of the outcome of the tosses. Sooner or later, you're going to know what you really want. You're going to want the coin to land "heads up" or "tails up", depending upon what you, subconsciouly, know to be what's best for you. I'm just a wannabe, but I've been around for awhile.

 

While a positive attitude may not sit well with some people at least it helps when the grind gets you down and you feel like giving up! There will be plenty of times you wonder WHY you took this career/lifestyle path, a good attitude in general with make it easier as a newbie....paying your "dues" does not have to be a depressing angry time for anyone.

 

But for growing numbers the only dues they pay are the cost of school . As more jobs are eliminated and more students graduate the odds against even getting hired increase .

 

Go ahead and tell him how you really feel......

 

Read Layne's posts . He doesn't have a clue . He's ready to give up a job with $30,000 a year potential and wants to get into trucking to have a job to put his wife through school .
He has it all figured out . You can bet I'll keep an eye on his progress .

 

i've never driven for either company but the reputation of both companies is they don't respect there drivers and getting hometime from prime is like pulling teeth................so i always hear.


good luck.