Prime Inc driver thread

hey guys and gals, im new to these threads and im looking to go with prime because of their length of training with an experienced driver can anyone talk to me about it and i also would like to hear about the flat bed division if there are any of you out there ? im only interested in being a company driver for the first year im ok with team drivin did it for 5 months like 5yrs ago i had a good partner we got along well. thanks

 

I see there are lots of people being recruited by Prime and I will no doubt see some of you (well maybe not... your job is to drive, not sit at HQ) when I start at the end of the month.

IronPony or others... what exactly will I be driving while out with my trainer? Pony, you have a Cascadia? Will my trainer most likely be a lease operator and have an "almost" new truck or are they vary quite a bit in age and manufacturer? What does Prime's fleet mostly consist of and how old are they? Any with the DEF and filter units? I've heard this new emissions stuff is nothing but headaches. Your take on this?

How does the "A" seat thing work? Once I get qualified, how do I figure out what I'll be driving?

thanks again, folks for your input.

 

Good question, I read in Stevens they gave the new drivers who weren't driving team old (i.e. 500,000 miles) trucks is that about the norm? I mean, I understand wanting to give the new drivers the older equipment (more likely to have accidents learning the ropes, etc...) Just wanting to know what to expect...

 

Lets see if I can work some of this off. I don't train, so this comes from memory - and sometimes I don't always get the memo!

That's what the driving schools deliver... getting you past the CDL drive test.

For inexperienced CDL holders, orientation was 4 days when I went through it. They give you an agenda... that will mix you into classes with both experienced drivers and students, so pay attention to your agenda and not someone elses! Depending on how many trainers are looking for new co-drivers you'll probably be leaving the terminal over the weekend following orientation. I'm hearing a confirmed rumor that they are cutting the drive experience to A-seat in half... I've heard the figure 30k miles, but I think that is for CDL students.

Shouldn't be a problem for you. If you want to spend more time with an experienced driver than what the new requirement is, just hook up with him for awhile. Many folks who like to run teams tend to run with someone they've trained for awhile. We have both company and lease drivers in all three divisions.

Yup, I'm in an '09 Cascadia with a DD15. That engine was designed from the ground up around the new EPA protocol. I like it! I've had a few problems with it, but none of the "EGR cancer" that the older engines with band-aids for the new emissions requirements suffer. I think part of the problem with the new technology is folks who just are having problems adapting to it.

Prime rotates tractors out of the fleet at 3 or 4 years in service. Its unlikely you'll be running a truck with more than 500,000 miles. We run full size Cascadias and Pete 387s. The lightweight trucks are midroof International 9400s, Columbias, Cascadias and Pete 386s. They are a little smaller, but have some load advantages to the larger (heavier) tractors - and can get you into situations with a higher per-mile-rate on the company side. All the training trucks are full-size "condo" style sleepers. Since the trucks are newer units you will have the EGR/DPF/SCR technologies. I haven't had a problem with any of them... don't use SCR on this truck.

Your trainer could be either a lease or company driver - we have both, and outside of perhaps learning something specific about running on one side or the other, the training should be the same. You will be in a full size truck during training.

You get through your training, go back to Springfield, test out and take some more classes. Last day there you get your truck assignment (lease or company - doesn't matter) through the leasing office - they have the keys! Its basically what they have that day is what you get to choose from. My first tractor had 90 days left on it before retirement... take it or sit around - they just didn't have anything else because of a production interruption at Freightliner. So I took it. It didn't have any problems... just faded yellow paint. 60-ish days later I was in a much newer Century. In my case it wasn't a big deal.

Nope... that's Stevens. I've seen brand spankin' new company drivers leave the terminal in brand spankin' new trucks. If that's true, then what Stevens gives to their new drivers evidently, is what Prime is retiring.

 

Pony,

What are the advantages of the lighter trucks over the heavier trucks? Is it mostly your gross combined weight (more freight allowed due to less tractor weight?) What goes through your mind when choosing a truck? Will I gain the knowledge to make the right decision after training or do they just expect me to pick a truck without putting a lot of thought into it??

In your opinion, who makes a better truck as far as reliability and fit and finish: Pete or Freightliner? Specifically, how do the Cascadias compare with the 386 and 387? Both are nice looking to me that's not what really matters. I would imagine both have either a Cummins or Detroit and an Eaton tranny.

Thanks for all the info so far.

 

You need to decide if you are going to be a Company Driver or a Lease Driver first...

Cuz if you go Company Driver, you wont be picking anything. They'll just hand you the keys to a truck and its yours.

 

Lighter trucks, more freight. And yeah... its kinda limited on the company side. Getting to the lease office early on the day you're assigned a truck can get you some choice if you're charming and ask right!

 

hey im from Kansas City Kansas Im 21 years old an im goin to truck drivin school in august,i grew up in truckin an around drivers an do nothn else,my ole man is a 25 year vet with over 3 million miles so im not totally green just a rookie but i was kinda lookn into prime because im interested in flatbedding or tanker yankn,i grew up wit ol man reefer hauln an he sat a lil too much for what i want,but i had a couple basic questions like can anyone tell me what kinda miles i can get there flatbedding or pulln tankers? an if you might know how often i can get to the house?an ive heard yalls company trucks are cut back to 60 mph,is that true?i figured a thread of prime drivers might be a good place to get honest answers to my questions if anyone could answer it would be greatly appreciated

sincerly
dave from kck

 

62 on the pedal, 65 on cruise. But you have to get 6.75 mpg week over week to stay employed on the company side. There's a fuel bonus for those who do better.

And if you can't do that on the lease side, you're not going to be impressed with your settlement checks...

 

thanks iron pony thats not bad at all my ol man is at a small 100 truck out fit based like 7 miles from the house an they run cascadias an he gets labout 6.3 to 6.4 at 67 mph so thats not bad at all,do you have any insight into what kinda of miles an hometime i could get with the three differant divisions (reefer,flatbed,an tanker) im lookn to do as little sitting as possible i want miles ya know