Prime Pay and Raise schedule (company drivrers)

If you want to turn down loads, plan on being poor - unless you have a darn good reason. Yesterday's fixed cost from a turned-down load has to be paid from today's preferred gross income - along with today's fixed cost.

 

COOL that is what I was always told do not turn down load and you will make $$$$

 

DD13, I dunno. DD15 is supposed to be 515hp. Torque is (I believe) 1350. However. (Isn't there always one of these?) Prime does not gear their trucks the same way Swift does. They have a different rear end. Therefore, climbing is not going to go quite the way you would hope.

Since all of their trucks are neutered, you will never, ever see the horsepower potential in those motors. Horsepower is speed. Torque is pulling power. You should be concerning yourself more with torque than raw horsepower.

The Cascadia I had over there was 515 hp Series60 Detroit. I was governed at 72mph. It could cruise that speed all day long. As soon as it saw a hill, though, it would get stage fright. That thing really bit going up hills. The gearing was wrong for climbing.

The truck I have now is a ProStar with 435 Cummins ISX. And can outclimb any Prime truck, all other factors being equal. It is geared for hills. And governed at 68mph.

 

I realize that torque is climbing power. But when referring to a motor it is horsepower which most commonly used as a power factor. I always hear guys saying oh thats a 550 cat or signature 600 cummins. For example the dd15 can be rated anywhere from 455-560 (1550-1850 ft/lb tq). If the motor is rated at 455 hp its 1550 ft/lb tq correct? I'm just curious what the dd13 and isx is rated in the lightweight trucks.

 

Prime trucks are geared just fine for a cruising speed of 55 mph - you want the engine RPM in the sweet spot at cruise - about 1200 RPM on a Detroit. Hill climbing comes from torque - and you know our trucks are turned down, plus we're usually sitting at 75 to 79,000 lbs. Yup, if we were running down the road with 20,000 lbs in the box and the engine turned up, we'd be out-climbing everyone too.

 

Trainers truck is a 08 Freight governed at 62, I was passing trucks left and right while driving through the mountains in Pa.
56k gross weight.

 

Is that miles run with Prime or do previous miles run with another carrier count?

 

Only miles with Prime. However, considering your previous experience you wouldn't be starting at the bottom of the payscale. You need to call recruiting and inquire how this would affect where you start at.

 

So I was wondering how it was training and working with prime. I've heard horror stories about England and several others. I'm in a pinch financially and I like the fact that prime will pay for training, but I'm a little leary about signing a contract since most of the companies that do that couldn't care less about drivers and their only concern is recruiting "fresh meat".
Can anyone give me insight into working for them?