Prime

The company benefits most from it I think. lower maintenance cost, fuel, and less fatal accidents. Prime did the fast truck thing and ran into financial problems so now they run slow.

There were a few other outfits that ran slow but they don't do that anymore. I wonder why.

 

Bingo. There's exactly why right here.

 

Prime didn't run into financial trouble with "fast trucks." Company trucks were always limited to 65 mph, so dropping them to 62 didn't do that much. Limiting lease trucks to 65 doesn't save Prime a cent... lease ops pay for their own fuel. The limit on lease trucks was due to the Ontario speed limiter law. And yeah, they have made fuel economy a big thing, but that's just good business... Prime was one of the few carriers to expand during the downturn, and it has resulted in more money for the company guys.

 

That's not the story told in the safety meetings.

 

They can tell all the stories they want in the safety meetings... that's just a friggin' excuse. I sure didn't see any signs of major financial distress in '09. They started the expansion of the tractor shop, bought TRL, didn't have a bit of problem getting new tractors in - there weren't a bunch of tractors parked either. They started the Eco49 trailer program in those years too... and contracted for the 100xxx series, and bought the last of the 28 and 29xxx reefers. The fuel program for company guys started at 6.25 mpg, and they didn't have a bit of problem paying anyone. No one sat around unless you were a flatbedder, or your 90 was in Ohio.

That's a bunch of safety meeting bovine excrement. If they ran out of money, how did they manage to do all of that and end up with about 800 or so more active tractors by the beginning of '10?

 

Oh wow this is a total riot! Let's watch a bunch of idiots argue and drag each other down to the other guys level.

 

And, with fuel prices going lower & lower........that is definately a point. Just have to know your numbers.

With fuel as cheap as it is now, we (O/O group) are at the point of probably running a bit quicker, for just this reason.

PEACE

 

Interesting timing for your post.

On the very next two days, had two Prime trucks pass me on a slight long upgrade (so no coasting) at at least 68-70 in PA. A Prime O/O truck, I was locked on 66 for my own reason.

The funny part was they were company or lease, not O/O. I was like, "WTF........!" and laughing.

Guess they missed setting those governors when they went out!

PEACE

 

Didn't the prime mph slow down start well before 08..... Like 15 or so years ago maybe..?