Prime flatbed

Well... that's what this guy has, a dedicated route. Granted, anyone just coming in the door is probably going to have to work the OTR board a bit, prove themselves, and then get into a dedicated situation. OTOH, from what the flatbed guys I know tell me, there are more dedicated situations on their side than there are in the reefer division. I can't say from personal experience, I only know what those folks tell me.

It certainly worked out that way for me too - I didn't just walk onto the board I'm on now either, but established my reputation for consistant service while I was on D-man's board with you. You establish a reputation in the company first, then you get on one of the boards with a better reputation for being consistant and reliable - and with better freight assigned to it.

That's the point of having a dedicated run, isn't it now? Something that runs through the house on a regular basis. My friend happens to live in KC - makes the run 5 times per week - one end of the run being just outside of the KC area. So depending on the timing he's either empty or just loaded depending on how that works for him.

If you need a steady paycheck, then you're probably in the wrong line of business. As it stands, outside of the weeks that I take some serious time off, my settlements tend to be reasonably consistent. Granted - just like you - there are those weeks where the trips work out so that something falls on the other side of cutoff so you have a shy week followed by a flush week.

I went to orientation with this guy, and we've remained in touch. This is his second full lease, so yeah, I'd say he's doing ok, and is happy with it. I certainly don't have any complaints about the lease side - especially when it comes to money. Besides - its not a paycheck - if that's the way you're viewing cashflow into a business, then you're headed for a bad situation.

 

Yeah, I've only been here at Prime for three years... So I guess I don't have as much insight as to what goes on around Prime as your 15 years at other companies. Reefer or Flatbed.

I dont know anything about drivers taking home loads but not telling anyone because if they do security will nix that without a secure location for the loaded trailer... Is it easier to secure a flatbed load? Seems like some of that stuff is just out in the open..

I don't hear how fleet managers will run you anywhere BUT near your house until you ask them to go home.

You ARE naive to think that you will be home every weekend... Especially to state so before you even come to work here...

I am a very realistic individual... I haven't met one driver at Prime who can claim what you hope to get.

I challenge any other Prime driver to back Dan up here and confirm that He will be home pulling restarts nearly every weekend when he comes to Prime...

 

That is what I liked about maverick. What they told me was the truth straight out of the gate. Unlike what prime told me. As a flatbedder at maverick I was home almost every weekend. Most of the time loaded and did at least a 34 hour, a lot of times more a few times less.

 

Driver if I was you I would stay at maverick. I was on the waiting list for a lease truck when I was a company driver at maverick. I screwed up big time by going to prime. Maverick was straight up about everything with me. Orientation was very professional and so was everyone I dealt with at maverick. I was there over 2 years when I had turned in my notice to go to prime. I was lied to big time by primes recruiting and I never seen a worse goat roping session for orientation. Everything was jacked up form getting a truck to getting loads. I stayed 30 days and got fed up with the jacked up operations.

I contacted maverick about going back. They was more than happy to take me back. When I was turning in that polished turd of a truck I got from prime maverick called me and asked how things was going. I told them I was at prime's yard turning in the truck. Maverick asked me do you have a ride? If not we will send a driver by to pick you up. Maverick is a class act outfit.

I personally think you will not be satisfied going from maverick to prime. I know I wasn't. They are not like maverick. They will not want you to take freight home and they will want you to drop the empty trailer behind a locked gate somewhere. I have been trucking for a good while and never had a problem taking freight home and dropping where I did. Your are used to maverick getting you home weekly. Won't happen at prime. Plan on making your addy your truck number.

 

I am not with them anymore. In fact I am no longer OTR. If you know brad in recruiting go and ask him about my ordeal with prime. I told him about some of the jacked up stuff I encountered there.

 

You worked for Prime for all of 2 weeks wasn't it? Three years ago.

I've known this driver for nearly 4 years now, and I've never known him to stretch the truth. See posts no. 7 and 11. It is possible for an organization to improve how it operates over time.

Sorry you had the problem with the truck. My first truck assignment wasn't exactly new either, but I don't see that as much as Prime's problem - who were doing the best they could with the trucks on hand - as it was an unannounced production halt at Freightliner. They did their usual year-end thing, as well as shutting down Century production without having the corresponding Cascadia line opened. Without telling any of their customers that no new vehicles would be available for 90+ days they way I heard it.

Just my 2-cents - have a great life dude.