Prime Inc vs TMC

Tmc does offer percentage or mileage pay. And yes the trucks are expected to be clean the owner is a former marine .

 

As a flatbed Prime driver I know you can, but it is not easy unless you are a trainer. And I say that as someone who was flatbed driver of the month multiple times and trainer (Prime is a GREAT company - I only left because my parents both got sick at the same time). As a trainer I sometimes hit 3000 a week (before taxes, after taxes it is more like 2300-2400) - but that doesn’t happen every week, it depends on the trip. Maybe once or twice a month - that’s running 24/7. As a non trainer company driver I averaged about 1300-1400 a week, as a trainer I averaged about 1600-1700 per week. (I became a trainer at month 6 after I got my CDL).

I don’t know about TMC, but I do know tarp pay is less (30 TMC vs 90-175 at prime). I saw TMV at a lot of the shippers I went to. It does seem like TMC’a pay structure might be better. Prime asked me to come back recently and I am torn between them and TMC at the moment. TMC will allow me to be home weekly and they cover securement supplies which would be great. But I know and love Prime, they also offered me a regional at home weekly position if I go back to them but have to pay for flatbed supplies (they deduct $75 per week, if you quit they will buy it back though).

 

I am at TMC for orientation. I turned down an offer from Prime. In their offer they required me to purchase over $2k worth of flat bedding stuff that they would deduct from my pay until paid off. Thier pay seemed pretty low compared to TMC and was based simply on tenure, vs the performance/points system used by TMC.

 

after it’s all said is done it is more like $3,000, then tarps get torn a lot so that ends up costing an extra 200-300 every few months. But I was constantly running, they left me alone, I was happy with my pay most of the time. First year I made about 65,000, before I had to leave them I was on my way to over 90,000k the second year as a trainer. When I left they bought back my equipment for about 80@ of what I paid. They deducted about $75 a week.

If Prime lets me go to Tanker and be regional I will go back with them, if regional isn’t available in my area I will go with TMC.

 

let me know what orientation is like if you would!

 

You have to pay for your own "flat bedding stuff"? That makes zero sense to me? I have never paid nor would I ever pay for anything out of my own pocket to work for a company.

 

I have another thread going specific to my orientation.

 

? I'm thinking it's the lease guys that pay for the equipment needed to secure the load. If company guys are required to purchase securement tools, that would be a little extreme.

BUT, I don't know, I've never done flatbed.

 

I spoke with Prime about a company driver position and was informed that I would have to by my own flat bed equipment. I politely declined their offer.

 

It’s very difficult to find a good Flatbed Company that pays enough money for all the hardwork you put in, countless hours of load securement, using materials to prevent your tarps from getting shredded like swiss cheese. I wouldn’t recommend either one of these Companies. TMC will run you in the ground, Prime Is Prime.
Perhaps try an outfit with a couple hundred trucks Instead of a Mega like these 2
EW Wylie also much better than TMC & Prime