Clarification on this

I don't know what prime does but from what you say it sure sound like you should pack a REAL BIG lunch bucket

 

I went to truck driving school through an independent school in Albuquerque for four weeks. Round trip "commute" was 165 miles plus I had to provide my own lunch and the school cost $3,000.00 (tuition was reimbursed by first company but NOT the expenses). I was not paid to be in that school. I paid the out-of-pocket expenses for the school because I was wanting to make a career change. My son is getting ready to go to college and he and I are paying his expenses as he is getting no compensation while in school (other than any outside job he can get). Why should any company pay you your expenses or even a wage while you are going to school? You are not hired until orientation and then compensation begins. You could go to their school and decide to go somewhere else to drive. They are not even guaranteed that you will obtain a CDL so why would there be compensation until you are employable in the industry?

Just so you know it is not only the trucking industry that works this way, I attended a real estate school that was run by the largest real estate company in Utah at that time. Though I was going to their school, I received no compensation until after I obtained my real estate license and began to work for them. At the end of their school, I could have gone to any other company I wanted.

 

this is how it works... at least for me (i started in march and maybe they tweaked.it a little)

first thing i was a non cdl holder going through their program.

bus trip there payed for... company owns a hotel, not bad and you can pay to have your own room. otherwise its free with 2 to a room.

first week is no money but you get 3 meal tickets for each day. you can get a decent amount of food but has a value limit at wich you make up the difference. brkfst and lunch are at the hotel where the classrooms are and weekend meals and dinner are a shuttle ride away at the main Prime Bldg. (Millineium Bldg.) as i understand it, any class you take throughout you career here is lodging and meals are provided in this manner.

240 dollars is loaned to you each week you are on the truck with your cdl permit (3-4 weeks) for food and supplies... payed back at 25 dollars per week.

get back to prime take your cdl exam...then you get paid.

12 cents a mile the truck runs dispatched (your teaming) or 600 dollars...whichever is more... btw this pay comes from your trainers truck settlement each week. you want to take a break and go home for a few..you get zip for those days...your trainer wants to go home.you still get payed.

its in his best interest to run more than the minnimum...

this is where i am at.. its a bit murky at how long i actaully have to be out here since my trainer says as long as safety and our fm is on board he can turn me in early and i can go solo company for the last 20-30k miles before i can decide tostay company or go lease.

he says end of the month. and that would make it 7 or 8 weeks after getting my cdl and 11-12 overall

 

Prime pays for your room and board and provides meals during orientation but once you go out on the road a CDL student you get I think 175.00 a week for the 3-5 weeks before you go back to Springfield to test for your CDL. ONce you get that you are placed with a trainer and during this time you basically run like a team and are paid roughly 10 to 12 cpm with what was when I went throught the program a promise of 4000 miles combined a week which translates to 400 for you. If you can survie for roughly a month to month and a half then you will start making money.

 

You say it takes 3-4 weeks to get back and get your CDL. Whats wrong with that picture. It can't take 3-5 weeks to drive 100 hrs required, no way you gotta be kidding. If you drive 10 hours a day you'd have your 100 hrs in ten days. That would be about 5,000 miles for you. I think some trucking schools you can get your cdl in a week or 2 can't they? And if your getting all that wonderful 1 on 1 training on the road, it should get done faster than a school. How much time/ how many miles, does a guy really spend out there driving trying to get that cdl with Prime. The more I hear the fishyer it gets. Whats going on here?

During the training, after you get your CDL, you and your trainer only do 4,000 miles a week? I thought to drivers could drive 5-6,000 miles a week?

 

When I went through the program it was 3-5 weeks or until your trainer felt you were prepared enough to go back to Springfield,MO for your test. It made no difference at that time how many miles you did, Then I forget the total they required but as I said they promise you 4,000 thats the minimum if you can run 5,000-6,000 miles then thats fine but if your with a lease operator you have to remember they dont get paid by the mile and that 600 mile load may pay better then that 1100 mile load. The kicker is the process at prime can take several months to complete, you do 4 days orientation, 3-5 Weeks with a Instructor, test for your CDL, then do something like 50,000 miles with a trainer, then do another so many thousand miles with another what they call "C" seat driver like yourself who just finished training and such and then youc an get your CDL so all in all it could take 4-9 months before you even see the prospect of your own truck.

 

WOW!!!!!!!!! Is there a way to beat that time frame down, that 4-5 mos.? What about if I went to SNI or Central refer. I heard their training is 4-6 weeks and your in your own truck. Then I could drive for the total of 80,000 miles and move over to Prime. Would that work. It wouldn't be so good to be in a truck that long with someone, it would suck, wouldn't it? I'm just trying to get out of having to drive team for that 80k or 4-6 mos. That sounds bad.

Short version: you know anyway to beat this?

Thanks.

Hows driving company? Do you have to go to NY city? Is this a bad time to get into training with winter coming on? Do you like them or are you just stuck there?

 

You can accumulate 8 months of OTR and avoid any training requirements. You would attend a 4 day orientation and then get your truck (company or lease). Yes, company drivers do go to the East Coast (including NYC). Lease drivers can accept/refuse loads, but company drivers cannot.

I drove for Roehl for 9 months and then went to Prime. I just attended the Orientation in Dayton, OH, went to Pittston, PA and picked out my truck. No driving test required and I didn't spend any time with a trainer.

 

Thanks MG,

This was the option I was look'n to hear of. Sounds practical. Did you do your 9 mos at Roehl with the idea of avoiding the 3-4 mos teaming at Prime? This is what I was thinking about doing.

I have looked at Roehl but their website said you had to go to a school, which suggested you have to pay, and there seemed to be no commitment on there part to hire you.

How was it at Roehl?

Now that your at Prime can you say if it would be a good idea to go to Roel and avoid the many mos teaming at Prime, or would you just go to Prime and do their training.