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The L/O was wrong about company drivers being charged for cargo damage. I've never had anything deducted from my paycheck over this issue.

 

Thanks, IP! I didn't think the company would deduct this from his paycheck, but he was certain that he, personally, was responsible for any freight damage.

What I find curious is that he'll tell me that he gets instructions from the company stating a load is driver count, yet the shipper/receiver will not permit him to be on the dock while loading/unloading. How can the driver verify the count if s/he is not permitted on the dock?

When this happens, he is currently sending a QC message to his dispatching stating such. Is there anything else he should be doing to cover his butt?

 

That should be fine... just let dispatch know when something out of the ordinary occurs. There's a lot of places that won't verify a seal being intact... qc that into dispatch. Same thing with not being allowed on dock. Make sure he always pops the inspection door on any loads he gets from another driver - ya never can tell what someone might try to pass off as your problem! As long as he's careful driving and braces the loads properly, he shouldn't have many problems with cargo claims.

 

I have a question U2EXIT. Does Prime run through Louisville< Kentucky a lot? I put in an online app last week and talked to recruiter Don Bell and am supposed to call him back on Monday(Jan 4) to find out if everything checked out.

 

ok $1100 a week payout what do you gross a week

 

every prime truck I have come across is movin 60 MPH so how can you he heavy on the pedal

 

In reference to time at home (TAH)? If that's your question, then yeah we get through there. Being right across the river from Cinncinatti there's plenty of places that we pickup and deliver to.

TAH works like this: You request some time at home, your FM and the computer finds you a load that delivers as close to the requested date as possible, you deliver the load, drop the empty trailer, and bobtail home. On the way out you pick up an empty, and get an outbound load.

L/Os take TAH whenever they like - company guys get up to 4 days at a stretch if you've earned them - 1 day accrued per week out. Generally speaking, they want you out a minimum of 3 weeks between TAH requests.

 

Good luck to you k_ivey76! Please keep us posted. If I had to choose a company that has a training program right now, I'd certainly look into Prime. Do they still have the 4-6 months with a trainer? I wouldn't be too excited about spending that much time with a trainer, but I can see the value of having some "REAL" driving time under my belt before being cut loose and fed to the wolves. If you get a minute, could you post about your experiences with Prime recruiters/admin leading up to your start date of tomorrow. Thanks, Oldnew....

Any other prime trainees or grads of the training apprenticeship program could chime in to.....IronPony, I know you're out there. Anyone else? DirtySideDown? U2Exit?

 

Hey Oldnewbie,

I'm out on the road with my instructor as I write. We've just dropped a load in L.A. and are waiting for them to get us another. Things are going really well so far. My instructor is great, and he says I am doing really well. I feel relatively comfortable driving... even in L.A. traffic (lol... if that's possible) I am doing well.

As a PSD, I have to be with an Instructor for 100 hrs behind the wheel (approx 3-4 weeks), and then run team with a Trainer for another 50,000 miles (approx 12 weeks) before I can go company solo. My instructor is already talking about possibly keeping me on as my Trainer.

So, yeah, it takes about 4 months before you can go solo here at Prime. IMO, the more extensive the training, the better off a new driver will be. There is alot to learn, and it will take some time to get ready to go solo. It has been great so far, and I am having fun learning the business.

 

I almost didn't come to Prime because of the longer training period. But I'm so glad I got the experience I got. It really helps if you get a trainer you can get along with. My trainer and I still talk on the phone about once per week. We got along great, and I even considered teaming with him after my training was done.

In any case, there will be days you feel like your training is never going to end ("I'm only a quarter of the way done!?!" "I'm not even half way done!?!" "I still have another 4 weeks of this!?!?"). Then there will be other days when you feel like you could use MORE training! As the end approached for me, I actually got a little nervous and started doubting myself, like maybe I wasn't ready yet? But I'm here and I'm doing just fine. I really believe the added training time here at Prime is the most valuable time you'll have in your career. After going throught Prime's training, I can't get over the fact that some companies turn brand new drivers loose in just 3 weeks. That, to me, is boarderline insanity. How much of trucking could you have experienced in 3 short weeks? Think about the long term, not the short term.

That said, the majority of your learning will indeed come once you go solo, and have to do everything on your own. Things are a bit different when nobody is sitting next to you to bail you out!