Jim Palmer Training

Will be difficult to drive reefers if you can't drive at night. Are not most deliveries and drops overnight for reefer drivers? Either way, I'm cool with putting in my 11 hours driving at any time.

 

does jpt teach you guys to drive 30 mph in 50 mph construction zones if there is a jersey wall on both sides? every time Im on 75n in Toledo before exit 207 I get stuck behind some fool creeping on through. I know those little concrete walls are VERY SCARY but come on.

 

If I left my current job, I have a little under 20 years with them, Jim Palmer is where I would go. Their health insurance is nothing like my current low-cost,full coverage insurance. That's really the only knock I can say about them. They give you the tools, have the freight, and leave you alone to get the job done. I may still go after winter. One of their appeals to me was staying out West and getting long trips, avg is 1300 miles. Understand you are expected to stay out 3 weeks at a time. You earn 1 day off per week out, but you aren't supposed to stay home over 5 days, no matter how many weeks you stay out, but current drivers tell me they are flexible and reasonable for special circumstances. The fuel bonus is achievable and paid quickly. Just remember you're hired to move freight.

Trucking can rescue from the swamps of poverty if you live in the truck and save your money, not fritter away the opportunity and rush into some low-rent version of a Hip-Hop wannabe with all the toys.

 

You'll be with a trainer during your 40k mile training period and he will be driving after midnight.

 

If you really want flatbed why not Prime, inc? Also have you considered Maverick out of Arkansas? I believe they pay you to train and their securement training seems to be thorough. Look on YouTube for Dale Clay. He documented his time during training and now his work at Maverick. I believe after training they pay 50 CPM.

Back to Jim Palmer/Wil-Trans, if you are taking a phone interview about medical stuff, it's very short (5 minutes?) and they ask can you lift 100 lbs, can you bend and stoop? can you climb up or on stuff. It's harmless.

 

I want to make money, not go home and spend it. My woman and I have discussed this pretty heavily and she is aware that I have no intention of returning home for at least 4-6 months when I leave for school. Home time doesn't even register as being close to important right now for me. It's hard to get fuel and mileage bonuses when you're not driving and delivering freight. 100% that's what I plan on doing. I wish that applications asked those sorts of questions, because I doubt there's a single company who had a choice(other than insurance reasons etc) who would turn me down. I want to run and make money.

My wife is from South Africa and we have had periods of time in our relationship where we had to go up to a year without seeing each other while dealing with VISA issues. 4 months is nothing. 6 months is nothing. I need to provide for my family. Let other people go home. More freight for me. More money for my family. The more I drive, the more experience I get. The more troubles I face. The more I learn. The more I earn. The better I will be able to diagnose and handle problems out on the road. The more I will earn.

The goal is to be in a position to not need to ask a bank for a loan to buy a home, or finance a car. I won't be happy with 1000 net per week. Right now, yea that's amazing and I will be thrilled. They definitely won't need to beg me to stay on the road and make deliveries though. That's what they hire me to do.

 

Prime told me no. If JPT or WT hire me on, I will make sure to take a selfie in front of the first Prime trailer they put me under and send it to the recruiter at Prime with the caption "Out here getting the experience you told me I was lacking to be hired on with Prime..."

 

Depending on where you live, I would estimate getting hometime every 2 months is reasonable expectation. I live far east for JP but they regularly go through my area, I'm just not in their sweet spot, I wanted to work for JP, not Wil-Trans. I've seem my share of Chicago, Detroit, & Cleveland. I don't care to see them ever again. I was attracted to the western US. It was my favorite part of OTR and I hate the 500-600 mile daily grind of Midwest & East runs.

You designate where and when you would like hometime, not just your actual home. You need to give them 2 weeks notice of when/where. You can bring tractor home, trailer will not come home. You need to have a secure parking place for tractor, which can be a WT customer nearby, or a secure self-storage or tow facility. I would not want or expect to leave a bobtail at a truckstop. That's not safe/secure for my taste. Please look into Prime & Maverick if you like flatbed. My impression (van driver) is their flatbed training is organized & thorough, maybe I'm wrong. I believe flatbed pays more, but it may be more variable during the year. I hear it really slows down during winter, maybe I'm wrong.

 

You won't pull anything but Prime trailers with JP/WT. The company sold off Jim Palmer trailers, so if you ever see one it's not Jim Palmer. If Prime said "no" I bet Maverick will also, but I am guessing only. If you are reliable employee now and do what trainers tell you you will do fine. Just remember only you can protect you and your license. Keeping a clean license is the most important thing. Excuses or explanations are not the same as a spotless record. Keep it spotless and assume the boss & cops are always watching. It sounds like you are a good fit.

 

Well I guess as long as I don't bang up any Prime trailers, they will reconsider dismissing me if I ever put in another app lol