Prime: Orientation and Training?

So tha lightweight pete is tha 384...

During tha holidays i seen alot a shiny 387's pulling trailers into FedEx..

 

how long do you have to have your license before you can drive for prime,I will be 21 in march and i would like to drive for prime but i have only had my license for a year is that going to be alright???

 

Trucker Mike, I you get a change to look inside the light weight petes, can you snap a few pictures and confirm the sleeper size. Thanks.

 

Do you guys think that prime will still give the light weight pete guys the same fuel bonus? that would be a nice siver lining.

 

The sleeper is teeny-tiny! One look from the outside tells all!!

Yup, company drivers still get a fuel bonus even in a lightweight Pete - but don't count on a lightweight load.

 

Weight is weight... Its all under 80k... Even in your current truck...

As long as you are not pulling over 80k its almost the same, even in a lighter trailer and lighter truck. Just hauling more product.

Lighter truck/trailers Should get great milage if you get one of those frozen pizza loads at 28k that fills the trailer front to back.

Or that one pallet of hazmat that goes from WV to CA... I like those loads.

 

Those super singles are a lot squirrellier than the duals, especially when it gets wet. They work better when you slide the tandems to put more weight on the drives - got high sevens and eights coming out to Belvedere IL from WA with 42k in the box.

 

Ok, got to look inside one of the Petes today. I'll post some pictures later, but they are pretty poor quality. Here's the scoop.

Cab area storage:

- One small glove box already filled with the owners manual and other paperwork. Really no room for anything else in there.

- One pocket inside each door.

....that's it. Absolutely no other storage in the cab.

Sleeper area storage:

- One small shelf elevated on either side of the bed. One wired for TV.
- One small pocket above the bunk on each side.
- The bunk does raise up, but it's about half the size of a Century.
- A 9in wide area to hang clothes on each side. I didn't see any practical area to place folded up pants, socks, underwear, or anything like that, unless you can find a place on the floor.

Outside storage:

None. There is a door that opens from the outside, but you can only access the storage area under the bunk.


It's going to be real tight fellas. No doubt about it. The area where the passenger seat usually is has quite a bit of space, so that'll help. I'll put my cooler there and also probably get a small storage bin to put folded up jeans and sweatshirts in, as well as my socks and underwear.

Shower bag / laundry bag? HA! Try between the drivers seat and all the crap you have in the passenger seat area. You'll just have to step over them and onto the bed. I really saw no area to put any type of luggage or laundry stuff.

The area seperating the drivers seat and the bed is about 9in wide (where the closet area is). One big problem I noticed is the drivers seat doesn't go back very far. Being 6ft tall myself, this is going to pose a huge comfort issue for me.

Biggest concern I have is the extra money I'll have to spend on food (hopefully that will be made up in fuel bonus money). I'll get some yogart, cottage cheese, and a few things to try and keep in my cooler. But there's literally no room left over for bread, boxes of power bars, etc.

A TV would take up half the storage space in the sleeper, so that'll be off my truck along with my x-box. All my DVD's, audiobooks, and CD case will be gone. No room for that stuff. A microwave?? HA! No way. That's gone.

This truck has enough room for necessities only...period. It is basically a day cab with a small bed behind the drivers seat (bed is smaller than the one I have in my Century). Want entertainment on your truck? Want to cook and eat out of the truck? Find another company. Clothes, maybe some cleaning supplies and paper towels, laundry soap, necessities such as an atlas, flashlight, locks, paperwork items (trip sheets, etc.) and your storage is about filled up.

The truck I looked at did not have wrap around curtains or an APU, but did have a bunk heater. Not sure what they plan on doing for AC in the summertime, if anything.

When I walked in to get the keys to a truck, there was somebody yelling and screaming about the truck he was just assigned (a lightweight of course). When I left, he was still yelling. As I came back to hand them the keys back, there was yet another driver yelling and screaming and eventually cursed out all the workers in the leasing office, said he was quitting, and stormed out of the office. Eeek. I feel bad for the folks in the leasing office. It's not their decision. They are just the messengers. But it made me wonder how many drivers have already quit over this?

I was told that it's currently "luck of the draw." Most drivers are getting them, but she said it all depends on what they have available when you are due for a new truck. She said it's possible that I'll still end up with a condo, but to expect a lightweight and be prepared for it.

On a brighter note, there were quite a few Internationals on the lot as well. I didn't get to go inside one, but peeked in through a window. They are still lightweight trucks, but they are condo style. No top bunk, but it the place of a bunk are some storage areas. I could totally live with that. They still had passenger seats as well from what I saw, although I'd almost prefer no passenger seat for more storage. Anyway, I'm hoping if I get one, I get an International. At least I could stand up in it and have some added storage for food. Totally doable.

I will not be quitting Prime should I get a lightweight. I like everything else about this company. But as the economy improves, I will be keeping my eyes wide open and weighing options, that's for sure. If I get a condo or possibly even the lightweight International, I'll have no reason to leave. If I get put into a Pete, I'll have a very, very tough decision to make eventually. Feeling very torn and saddened about all of this. But I'm sure I'll deal with it and adjust. It'll just take some time. I really don't see myself leaving Prime, but that doesn't mean I can't be a little angry about the current situation.

 

Ok this is not a SHOT at PRIME at all.....
But what the heck was Peterbuilt thinking.....
I would not and could not live or stay a week alone in that kind of situation at all..... I love my fridge, microwave, and love the comforts of home that i bring with me in my truck.....
To take away comforts of an OTR driver is ridiculous to say the least....
We have it hard enough out here as it is and we should all have the comforts that everyone else has .....
I can see may be getting a flat screen and rigging it up on the wall....
that would work !
But I love my fridge and micro wave and ROOM to stretch out in Privacy....
When i shut my curtains I want to turn around , stand up and stretch up and out..... Make my self dinner or lunch and watch a movie !

Once again not a dig on Prime but what was Peterbuilt thinking and why would anyone conciously decide to drive one of these P.O.S.?

 

Well, I have a lightweight Pete, and to be honest...I hated it at first. For me, the downfall is the lack of storage space (for food, clotes, etc.). But's all easily fixed...for example, hanging a shelving unit for extra storage. My biggest problem, currently, is the lack of a microwave.....i'm still trying to figure out how to solve it, but at the same time, I don't have a problem walking into a truck stop or whatever and use their microwave to heat p my food. Most of the time they have no problem with it. Personally, i don't need a fridge....i'll just get one of those coolers that plugs in and keep things cool, that's all i need. As far as a TV, when i do get one...I will hang it on the wall, but for now, I'll just deal with my laptop and DVD's.

I can understand for those of you who are 6 feet and taller having a problem with the lightweights, because the fact is, it's very tight and small. I'm only 5' 8", so it's perfect for me. So far, the fuel mileage is great, but the pull is not so great. I recently had a load with 49,000 in the box, and the Pete struggled uphill....lets just say that the MPG was still above the 6.75, but not where I would like it.

Overall, I'm getting used to the lightweight Pete, but again...that's just me. I can deal with climbing over my stuff to get to bed, or sleeping on this toddler bed.......suffice to say, it's all part of being an OVR truck driver.