Prime the facts

Well, It diddnt work out with Prime not because of the injury or being out of work but, because they wherent hiring in my area.
Its ok though, Im starting with ATS soon.

 

Greetings...I have been offerred a job by one company, but am looking at moving to Prime. I am not new to how most situations can really suck, Been there, Done that...numerous times. That is just how it is...period, paragraph. Just want to know, how primes training program rates against other CDL programs. Looks good to me from the website against other companies. Don't really give a rats ##### about how much money I am not going to make. You take out what you put in, in my experience...Just want to know if their training is good. Good company, Bad company, all a matter of perspective. Been in numerous situations that completely went to hell while I was there, however, being here and able to talk about it years later...they now seem kind of fun. Perspective is reality.

 

I am beyond new to this industry…experience level ZERO, so I understand that my opinion carries no weight whatsoever…however, I really don’t give a rats ##### about the money, just want to live out a childhood dream of driving a G.D. truck across the country. Their training program seems to pay out the highest I’ve seen, and a couple of years commitment…well, that ain’t nothin’ but a heartbeat. Do you know how their training program is; does it live up to the hype from the website/recruiter? I like the long term training, as I have seen too many people think they are properly equipped to undertake something, and find themselves on the short end of the experience stick…when it really counts.

 

Brand new, still trying to decide if I want to come to Prime or to another "refer" company that has offered me a job. Look, life sucks and then you die...move on...you know what I mean? If success was easy, everyone would be successful. Thanks for the post that gives me information that is useful. I've been around the block too many times to mention, No Successful Company will advertise it's shortcomings...that would be stupid. People like me need to be able to look at real life experiences of others to help us make informed decisions. Have a question about the BMI though...I have been a weightlifter for over 30 years. My BMI is 35...can probably get it down to 32-33 by increasing treadmill time. I am short, but you can see that I am not what would be considered fat by standard...does that count for anything? I had this same problem in the Corps...had to get alternative weight standards, authorized by the CO.

 

The training program at Prime is excellent. I went through it, and I highly recommend it. Go for it man. Good luck!

 

Thanks for the input DirtySideDown. Are you still with Prime, and if so, how many miles are you getting?

 

Well said Southernpride! I have been with Prime for 3 years now as a trainer and have seen all types of drivers come and go. Its a mindset you have to get in to be a l/o and if you dont have the drive, you wont make it. You have to be smart with your time and money. Most of all, you have to trust yourself and your fleet manager. Everyone at prime that is succesful is not afraid to ask questions and lean on the staff for help. They are good people that really know the business. The few bad apples come, and go just as fast.

Ive been out here for seventeen years and can honestly say the Prime is the company that has made me feel comfortable, wanted, and needed. I beleive I actually make a difference and that I am valued. Most importantly, I make good money.

It saddens me to hear people beat up on Prime, then you here there stories, there experience and they make it sound so bad. When you ask them the simple questions like: What are your fixed costs? what is your fuel cost per mile? Do you refuse loads? How often do you talk to your fleet manager? How fast do you drive? etc etc. The answer to these questions tells you all you need to know about why they failed. When they have no clue how to read a settlement report coupled with a complete lack of knowledge when it comes to money management, its a formula for disaster. Not everyone can jump in to a lease, but with the support that we all give each other, someone new can learn pretty fast and overcome the challenges they face.

To all you haters out there, we really ignore your ignorance. We l/o's at Prime are a close family and do all we can to help each other. All you new drivers out their, come to prime and listen to the succesful drivers, ignore the smoking lounge BS and ask the questions of the guys that know there business, we are the ones that are not complaining and are always willing to help. We are not hard to find and will help you all we can.

 

Prime was the worst trucking job. I had to go with a trainer for 3 weeks as at the time I had only 9 months experience. This guy was the biggest dirt bag ever. Had black mold growing in the wing windows of his truck. He was filthy, and only would shower when I said just leave me at this t/s. Complained about the mpg of his truck, but thats because he didnt know how to drive it. I rookie got him up to 6.5 by showing him how to take hills, geez.

It gets better.

I did all the night driving because he couldn't stay awake, if it overlapped even a little he couldn't handle it. Usually I'd drive 2 days a week for 3 or 4 hours each day ON HIS LOG. Plus do my shift. Once I think he took a crap in the sleeper. No fart smells that bad for that long.

I get my truck.
What a crap D/M. Always over the mountains, and PA, especially I79. Once I took steel coils in a refer !!!! And loaded them myself too !!!!

The end came when I was dispatched a load out of Spartansburg, SC to Hell Hole Virginia. It was frozen. No time on the load. He asks ( all on QC ), can you do this? I reply it will be late. BEEP dispatched. I ask " You will call and clear it with HH right? "
Reply " Yes no prob. "
I go to p/u and trailer is pre loaded, but trailer is damaged. Damage is on inside and I can see through window.
D/M say call safety. I call safety. Safety say call claims and find out who did it. Riiiiiiiiiight. Claims say call safety and find out who did it. RIIIIIIGGGHT. This is giant shipper on Thursday afternoon no one know nothing about nothing except its Thursday. So I screw around woth this for couple hours and safety and claims say well go. OK.
I go to slide tandems and locking pins will not engage.
Limp trailer over to a T/A and get repaired. By now about 4 hours have gone by.
I ask after hours if they contact receiver and is everything good on that end. " Yup no problem."
Get to receiver only bout 2-1/2 late, and the guy is going WTF are you talking about? We've had no contact with anyone and im not unloading you.
Shucky Darn.
Im on the QC going what now?
BEEP We'll have to get you an appointment for Monday.
Monday?
So for 3 days I have no freight, but have lease payment, and I get to spend $400 or $500 for refer fuel, through no fault of my own after making super human effort and communicating to everyone, but being helped by no one. Wrong F Answer.
The next morning my D/M say you must call in and we discuss it. I say no, ive never called you, put it on Q/C. He refuses.
Then no communication.
Except to tell me just call.
I call - the Owner - tell him he need give his d/m some instructions on using q/c cause refer going need fuel.
BEEP - We ( Prime ) will pay for the fuel. Please call. No just write on q/c please. No reply. I ask what about all my lost revenue. No reply. Hours later Im told take trailer to drop yard. I take. The next morning I call. He leave me on hold for 1 hour 20 minutes then I hang up. Tell them I just B/T to MO. Spend like $400 fuel and drive MO. When I get there, the head dispatcher ask why I wont call, I say I want written instructions, I have nothing to say to D/M. He say turn in keys. I turn in keys. They put on DAQ I quit under dispatch. Almost 2 years before I can get job again. That is bearing false witness, and I hope God blesses them for what they did to me. The whole place is whacked. True story. Everything was written on Q/C.

 

Sorry, but my Bull #### detector is going wild right now. For the sake of sanity, lets assume a small part is true and I will start with the trainer issue first. Why did you get on the truck with this guy? You didnt notice he was a slob when you opened the door? Why didnt you complain to dispatch and get a new trainer? Certainly Prime should not let an ### like that train, and I have seen them fire many just like that, but why the hell would you even put yourself in that situation. You said you had some experience, so you wseren t brand new to trucking and scared, you knew you could get out of it, you were told in orientation what to do in those situations, and you did nothing. Sounds to me like you are more to blame for that situation than Prime. They only know the guy is a slob if someone tells them. Honestly, how would they know this about the trainer. But, ou should be on the phone with your dm Thanks to you that trainer got another student after you, I am certain that person appreciates your lack of courage and respect for yourself.

A steel coil in a reefer? On a steel floor with know way to chain it? I suppose you will terll me you loaded a 45,000 pound coil on to a reefer by yourself and the secured it with a load lock? Calling major BS on this.

3 Days of reefer fuel is $400-$500. Anyone reading your post will calll BS on that one.

Why didnt you call your DM? He is your partner and the qcomm, while a great tool, cannot provide the levvel of communication that is needed in these situations. If you were a L/O you should have been alll over the phone with your DM, or if what you say is true about the load when you recieved the dispatch, you should have refused it. PRIME L/o'S ARE NOT FORCE DISPATCHED! Thats your issue to deal with.

Calling BS on your trailer repair run-around claim. A simple call to road assist and it's handled. Not sure why you did all you did, but then you did, supposedly, allow yourself to be trained by a buffoon.

There are so many problems with your story that i absolutely have to call BS on it, because of the BS in it.

 

I hauled rolls of flat steel bands in a dry van for Swift. Dumbest thing I had seen. Should have been on a flatbed or spread axle at least. Not on an ultra-cube dry van.