Home Time expectations:

Hubby just completed his 1st year with Prime and he stays out 6 weeks at a time, comes home for 3 or 4 days. We choose to do this because when the truck is not rolling there is no money coming in, so once he has been home 4 days and then leaves it takes at least a week to ramp the funds back up into the normal bill pay, by week 2 to 2 1/2 we are back on track, sail easy on paying bills for week 3 and 4, week 5 i start buying food for the truck again to replenish it once he is home, week 6, stock up the house for when he is home and then we can afford the week he is home to use any money left to play while he is home.

You have to figure out what your budget can handle. We have a farm and a teenage boy at home, so all that comes into play with how the money works for us. Likewise, if he has a bad week or two (God forbid), we are not struggling just cause he came home.

 

I stay out for a week every once in a blue moon. If I go to a desirable area, I may stay out 2 weeks but I enjoy being home everyday for the most part but don't mind being gone for a week if I'm running good because being home adds a bit more staying awake time to my schedule.

 

The policy on the company side is a minumum of 3 weeks out, no more than 4 days taken at a stretch - and you accrue a day every week. That being said, if you have a good reason for coming in sooner, I don't think it would be a problem.

You also get 1 week's paid vacation every 125,000 dispatched miles.

 

My bad. I didnt realize I was in the Prime forum. Yawl disregard my post

 

wow horrible stuff. i am out 10 days usually and home for 3. So far no company has had issues with that. if they do i quit. FAMILY first

 

I was told they are there for emergencies and unplanned problems.

It is possible to get 5 days... Some sort of deal has to be worked out... I've received 5 days off for staying out over the 4th of July weekend, plus the fact Im usually out for at least 8 weeks.

Without a deal, and some FMs might not make deals, it's possible to get extra days when there are no loads available... You must be ready by 1000 central on the day you planned to return to the road. I usually check in by phone, but only after packing up and ready to leave. If there is a load I roll, if not I have my FM call me. I stay home, ready to leave when I get the call... And then check back in at 1630 if no call or no QC message.

Usually if there is nothing and the FM says that we will try again in the morning, Im pretty sure no one will be calling in the middle of the night. However, I am ready to go by 0700 and check in by phone...

BTW nothing gets a FM angrier about your home time than him having to track you down or finding out you are not ready at 1000 on the day you are scheduled to return to the road.

 

You can use macro 53 to turn on an option to send high priority messages (loads) to you cell phone as SMS text messages now.