ask your questions about prime inc here

OK recap:

Get CDL here and then go to Prime: training pay $500 wk min.

Get CDL at Prime, training pay:........................$600 wk min.

So I lose $400 getting my CDL at home and I don't get the 10,000 mi credit for the Prime training, which will add 2 weeks to my road training time.

Plus, while training for my CDL with Prime, I can get an advance of $200 dollars a week (if needed) to cover expenses while on the road which would need to be repaid.

While training at home there will not be any subsistence during training and it will cost me about $300 in fuel alone.

It seems that training at home costs me time and money. And if memory serves, Prime will even reimburse my travel expenses to orientation. Am I missing anything?

So how fast can I get in? I mean does it take long to go from application to orientation?

 

I applied and in a week I was approved. I just had to pick a date and they said I was ready. Orientation I was told by the recruiter starts every Tuesday. I originally planned to go August 3rd. However, my grandmom got really ill and well, I am here helping out. So I am finalizing a few things here and planning on going in October now. Prime has been very helpful with me in this regard. Good luck with everything.

 

You need to look up my training thread... It's buried around here some where.

No pay during CDL instruction... In fact your not even an employee till you pass the test. $200 per week loan available to live off of while on the road under instruction. Take as little or as much each week, it's paid back at $25 per week.

This student phase can be anywhere from 4 to 8 weeks. Depends on how quickly you get an instructor, how quickly you get thru the required road hours, and get in to The terminal to test.

I spent 7 extra days at the terminal waiting for an instructor, plus the initial 4 days. 4.5 weeks with my instructor, and 3 days over a the weekend practicing for my test at the terminal before taking it Monday morning. For me, it was 7 weeks... I bumped into guys I started with who tested out at 6... And they saw guys we knew testing at 5 weeks.

Some of the instructors keep you on as a trainee... Others pass you on to wait for a trainer, while your instructor picks up a new student.

Students have 7 days on the road to decide if trucking is for them... If not, then you go home free and clear. After that point, if you stick it out and if you quit less than six months you are on the hook for $3k and change. Less than a year and it's half of that amount. Quit after a year and you are free and clear.

 

I found your training thread earlier today. Read every post!

My point is that Prime's training program (to acquire a CDL lic.) would consist of hands on real world training. The best way to learn is by doing. You can't beat that!

I'll tell you what, I'd be much more confident taking the PTI and skills test after training with Prime than I would if I trained at a local driving school.

The only negative I can see would be if you got a lousy trainer. You can switch trainers if that happens, right?

 

I wonder if Prime would ever go for the Kenworth T700's. I heard they are real nice. I know they are going to lightweights to be able to haul larger loads, however, just curious, I know they are better than the Petes. Of course still a Paccar company. LOL

 

Thanks for the input, Maverick.

I wish you the best of luck at Prime. I think I should have investigated them sooner. I may be too far out of the gate to attend their school before the WIA sponsorship kicks in. I have to be at this driving school on Tuesday for a D.O.T. physical, even though I already have my med card. I guess the school requires it when the state's involved.

I've got family in Sykesville, MD. That should be pretty close to you.

 

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it.

 

A couple questions I have.

1. How much freight do they have coming and going to and from the Greater Los Angeles area? I live close to L.A.
2. I have 3 tickets but 1 of them is a non-moving violation (parked on an offramp in a very isolated area because one of the pins came loose on the chassis and the box would have fallen off and created a mess from hell. Will Prime tell me to eff off if I call them to work for them?

I have 21 years in this business and the last ticket I got before these 3 was one in 2004. Never had a service failure to my knowledge.

 

Back when I was with them there was a lot of team freight going into LA(Carson) and frieght out was from central cali just south of the bay and down in Yuma. Then again those were team loads so not sure what the freight looks like for solos