Thinkin about Prime Inc.

If you're going to lease, team is the way to go. OTR freight sucks right now, so if it were me, I'd wait until things start swinging up. I'm company right now, and plan to go lease when the economy recovers.

My impression is that leasing with Prime is probably a better deal than many of the other lease deals out there. It's a walk away lease, so if things don't work, you settle the escrow accounts, and they don't hold you to staying or try to trash your credit.

You have to treat it as a business... settlement checks aren't the same as a paycheck - that takes discipline. The equipment is well maintained - you are responsible for it, so it's up to you to get it in for PMs, etc. Also, fuel is critical at Prime - both to company types for minimum economy, and to lease ops as a way of keeping your overhead costs down.

What else would you like to know?

 

They give you a ticket for a Greyhound bus... or re-imburse you the price of Prime's negotiated discounted ticket from Greyhound to find your own way.

 

GOSH! In 20 years I've never heard anything good about Prime. Go with a company that has a good reputation.

 

Then it's time we let you know that you've been listening to the wrong BS session at the truckstop. In any employment situation, a lot of how it goes is based on what you make of that situation. There are plenty of drivers who have a problem with X Trucking Co., and plenty who love it. Its no different with Prime. I am one of those for whom the situation is working well - if it wasn't I'd be gone. Heck I remember chatting with a Swift driver one night last fall on the CB while we were doing Chicago - he thought Swift was great... that's Swift we're talking about. So perceptions can vary.

If I may ask, what is your direct experience with Prime?

 

Usually orientation starts on a Monday or Tuesday, and it's three days. The last day or so there's some free time, so you can get into the leasing office and start the process with them. Availability of power units varies, but generally speaking, they are always processing new and returned units so the wait is usually confined to a few days if no wait at all. On the reefer side, lease lengths can run from a few months to 3 years for a new tractor - so there is some flexibility there.

Prime has an older motel over on Glenstone Ave that they use to put up folks in Springfield, and they run a shuttle bus back and forth between there and the company HQ complex over on Mayfair - they'll run you where you need to go outside of that basic run as well.

 

Do you have to lease?

 

^^^ No you dont have to lease you can be a company driver.

 

That all depends. They sent several of us to Altus OK to pick up our trucks.