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Thanks for the info. No intention of taking it to any sort of weapon discussion, gun or otherwise. Hopefully no one reading does either. You told me pretty much everything I wanted to know. I'll certainly ask at orientation too.

 

Security told us in orientation they had no issue with non lethal weapons for self defense. A driver asked about a stun gun and they were very open about it. The no firearms policy stems mostly from the fact that its too hard to stay legal in a truck with it because laws vary widely from state to state and town to town. That being said Prime security wants you to retreat from a situation if possible "no load is worth your life" were his exact words.

 

What happens if you fail your cdl hands on test 3 times? You are sent home, right? What about tuition? Do you still owe them 3,600 even if you fail and are sent home? It's not really a major concern but it's something I'm curious about if that did happen.

 

Yep, its all on you if you fail 3 times and get sent home. Prime can't test you more than the law allows.

You can test in your home state on your own when you get home, but you'll need to get your own truck and trailer to do it.

Prime gives you a very detailed instruction binder. It tells you every piece of the test in detail. Minor exception is the Road test. The road test section gives you all the info on what you will be graded on and the various skills you will be either asked to perform, or observed as one would normally operate the truck in a road enviroment. however it does not give you the course route, and it does not give any indication on what order the various driving skills you will be asked to demonstrate.

If your not ready, don't take the test. Get the practice you need. You've got three chances to say "Im ready"

Honestly the pre trip and backing skills are very straight forward. You've either got it down with practice on the pad or you are not ready. On backing, truck starts here, truck must end up here (without crossing the lines within the cones). You've got the book so you know what has to be done for the pre trip and the backing skills.

The only part you might have a chance to blame your instructor is the road test. Even then, if he taught you wrong or let you develop bad habits, you've got two more chances... thats two more chances to be taught the right way, even if it means getting another instructor.

 

Btw if you pass the pre trip, you get to take the backing skills. Pass the backing skills and you get to take the road test. Pass the road test and you get your CDL. It goes in that order. If you pass a section, then fail the next, you don't have to retake the previous section...

HOWEVER, the Pretrip light/signal check, in cab, and air brake test have to be completed before the road test... so if you fail the road test, you will have to re demonstrate those parts before you can hit the road on a retest.

 

My FM was saying they were going to do a major overhaul on the fuel routing program. It will be nice to have something better but I'm sure there will be bugs to work out.

 

Going into orientation on Jan. 28th. Was told that I could not hire on to the reefer division because I live in Western Colorado, but can do flatbed. Don't have a problem with that, just wondering if the flatbed division runs mostly west (Cal. Nev., Co etc.). Anyone know the reasoning for this?

 

Yeah, there are quite a few flatbed customers in Western Colorado and up and down I15 in neighboring Utah.

 

Nice, maybe a few trips to Vegas every few weeks!!!! And some extra home time.

 

Does Prime really not hire for the reefer division if you live in Western Colorado?