Prime, Inc. - Springfield, Mo.

Hi Guy's,

Well I went ahead and started a blog, mostly to let you know who I am and where I come from. It is titled "Starting a New Career at 59".

Hope to get some real great stuff in there for all of the new guys, and give some of the exprienced an actual working tool to help us along with advise and suggestions.

Semper-Fi
Nick

 

To Late
That's already happening.........You know somethings wrong when a company turns down an experienced driver with 21 years experience and a clean driving record and with a Hazmat endoresment....> They want
students or drivers that won't know they're being lied too.......They know an experienced driver will look at them and go '' are you ##-ing kiddin me.

 

I truly believe we are not being told the whole story. With 21 years experience, why would someone be looking to change companies. By that time they should be settled in to one and be making fantastic money there.

 

Talk to me 4 years from now and see if you think that way..

 

I dont think I will waste my time.

 

In all my years, dating back to 1975 when I first started in a straight truck, almost every company I have driven full time for, either as company driver or O/O, has has gone out in different ways.

Some simply shut down, some went bankrupt. Others were bought out and were stripped clean, then shut down, while the one remaining company merged into a larger company and turned into something I do not want to work for at this time.

The twenty year to life jobs are few and far between. I congratulate those who found the right job at the right time, and were willing to do what it took to get there.

Some like me liked being an O/O too much. I also wanted to be home when my children were small, so I worked at the family business, and ran my own bussiness for quite a while.

I would venture a guess that only a handfull of people today will be with the same company 20 years from now. Most companies will take the risk of a newbie in exchange for lesser pay and benefits. Not to mention there are fewer and fewer small companies, and many private fleets are shutting down and outsourcing the freight.

This happened in the 80's in a big way around here. Practically every manufacturer had its own fleet of trucks and a garage to keep them up. First they shut down the garages and sold the trucks, then started leasing the tractors. Next the lease was terminated, and all freight was outsourced.

There must have been at least 40-50 small company fleets in our area. I really can't think of but maybe one or two now.

So, unless you are one of the luck newbies, don't count on retiring from that company you're with unless you have a very short career in mind.

 

You make some good points but one of the big reasons people don't work years for a company as most did in the past is because of the "it's all about me" mentality. And it is not just trucking. Look at sports. If I were to ask you who Mickey Mantle played for you should be able to give a quick answer. What about most players today? They play until they think someone else can give them a better deal. It is called a lack of LOYALTY. People are only in it for themselves. That is also why so many marriages fail today. Rather than being loyal, people are always looking for the greener grass.

 

However, the company has to have the ability to earn the employee's loyalty. Far too often, the larger company looks at the employee as a number and could care less if they stay or not.

 

The only advice I have for new Prime drivers... I hope you have only a few bills at home, and don't plan on getting home too often. I worked there for 6 mos. Went from caught up to almost bankrupt. But I ran solo, some teams do good there, but most of the solo drivers I talked to were in the same sinking boat.

Best of luck, I hope they have changed for your sake.

 

Typical response of modern man. Why not take responsibility for your own actions? Why does someone else have to do for you before you will do for them? I think we have forgotten the words of JFK who said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." The same statement can be applied to all aspects of life. Treat others with respect whether they do the same to you or not. I am only responsible for my own actions. I will treat people the way I want to be treated and will give loyalty, whether I get it first or in return.

Now if someone goes to one company as a stepping stone to another, that is different. We know that some of the better companies require time with someone else first. BUT while you are at that company, be loyal and do your very best to make the company look good. And don't wait for them to treat you well first. It is the sowing and reaping theory. What you sow that is what you will reap. But YOU are responsible for YOUR actions.