PRIME drivers...What's your 20?

Gotta do it, bro, to get all the bennies!

 

Beat, yes, but employed and satisfied, I bet.

 

Flagstaff, AZ in my motel room. Day 6 of Breakdown.
I called my FM to have him reboot my card with cash for another night at the Motel. He said that the truck will be finished late morning today. I said "Wow" that's not what they told us last night when we talked to them. I was excited to get rolling again. Turned the rental car in. Checked out of motel. Then when we got to the Freightliner Dealership they tell us that not only will it not be finished today, all the parts aren't even there yet. They said "Who told Prime it would be done today"
One can only wonder, Was this something Road Assist did. or something the FM made up? Don't know, but it sure was lack of communication.
Ended up paying for taxi back to motel and here I sit again.
If stuff like this would get you all stressed out Trucking is not the place for you.
Fortunately for me I have a high tolerance for ignorance and stupidity and lack of communication. And know that all of the above comes with this industry.

 

I highly suggest you get those motel receipts into payroll on a daily basis. Experience talking here.

 

Yea DTB, Just found that out. What a morning it's been. I can't believe they would do such a thing. They took the motel payments as advances off my check now my direct deposit for this week wasn't even worth them sending. How many drivers have they done this crap to. I'm fortunate enough to have a successful business running back home so it's not like momma is back there in dire straights in need of cash but not all are as fortunate and this could really mess some people up. Yes, I will get reimbursed for the rooms but not till the following week. This is something they should tell you when you call in for the cash.

 

That's pretty much how we found out, too. I understand the reasoning, but not the way we find out about it. I mean, you *could* be pocketing the money, and sleeping who knows where. It's a pitfall, to be sure. We keep making mistakes, but they are all different ones! And I should have thought about it a few days ago and warned you. Sorry.

I won't make any comment on my opinion of street planning in DC or on a certain someone's ability to correctly communicate his location. Why buy a GPS, when you already got the wife?

 

OK, well here's one more toward the "bennies", two more to go!

 

Really? Im gonna give you some slack cause you are new. Quite a bit of the blame in all of this falls on your trainer.

First, he's dumb for not calling Freightliner first. RA second. Your FM third.

Second, he needs to explain how cash advances work on your card, and how to get re-imbursed.

 

I agree with U2. Also if you are sharing a room with the trainer I would think he should be taking care of the room.

 

JCW had two occasions to need a hotel room on the road. Neither time did he share a room w/ the trainer. The first (a better business man, to be sure) paid for the rooms up front, and waited on his reimbursement from Prime for JCWs room. The second (not a great head for business) had to get an advance for his own room, and JCW had to take the advance for his room. Neither one told (or reminded, as I haven't gone through orientation, nor read through the materiels) JCW that he needed to get those reciepts in ASAP to make sure he didn't get dinged for the hotel room charges (at least the ones that fell before Tuesday.) All that being said, yes, he got reimbursed the following week, at least once they located the hand-delivered copy of the receipt. That went to his ComData card, and he sent it to me, via Wal-Mart Money Center.

Mistakes were made all around, and now we know. I suppose it could be said that this is one sure way to learn a lesson you won't soon repeat. But it sure sucked that week.

Also, if payday is a bank holiday, or there is a holiday with in the week, the following paycheck is the next Monday. Something I didn't factor in this week. Fortunately, my mother will cover Friday night's dinner (FarmGirl's 12th birthday) and I'll give her a check to cover dinner. But keep this in mind for the week after Turkey day and Xmas. Probably New Year's as well. (Not sure if it will affect Xmas/NY as XMas is on Sunday this year.) We learned that lesson after Labor Day.