Day 1 at Prime

Well at least your learning from the mistakes of your INSTRUCTOR... He apparently doesnt pay attention to details or follow the CYA rules of trucking.

The seal thing is just attention to detail...

The load switch... the moment the live load caller said to proceed to the new destination, I would have requested that they send me the new load info over the Q-com... That way you know that you have been taken off Load A and now on Load B... and there would be no-one calling you looking for Load A.

I always read my bills before I leave the window, actually before I even sign them... sometimes I get the impatient look from the shipper... but Im looking for a few things... the delivery location, the weight, the seal number, the temp setting, special instructions...

your signing for that load, better know exactly what you are agreeing to do with that load before signing.

 

U2's right! Once you sign the bills, the goods are yours for better or worse. If it says anything about driver responsibilities, you need to know about them up front... plus all the picky details need to match up.

I learned a heck of a lot from my trainer... what to do, but also what not to do - quite a bit from his mistakes, assumptions, and just not knowing.

 

Can I ask a personal question. And this is not to be nosey but to get some perspective. I am supposed to go to Springfield in September and now I am kinda having doubts. What kind of paychecks are you bringing in while you are out with your trainer?

 

Right now he's not bringing home any paychecks while he is out with his INSTRUCTOR. (He is not officially hired until he passes his CDL Test)

Right now he has is permit and is getting one on one instruction, under real world conditions.

During this time he has $200 a week available to him as a loan from Prime to live off of on the road. He can take or not take as much of the $200 as he needs. Whatever amount he takes over his 3-5 weeks out with his INSTRUCTOR is payed back to Prime at $25 per week (no intrest)

After passing his CDL exam he will graduate to B seat and become an employee. Training with a trainer (as it stands right now, with me) running team. Paid $600 or .12/mile each week...whichever amounr is greater (available for dispatch 7 days)

Available for dispatch for 7 days means... our week runs out for the current pay period on Tuesday at 1600 central. If he is with the truck and not at home for the previous 7 days then he is gauranteed the $600 or is paid .12 a mile (which means if team miles are over 5k, then he is making more than the $600)

If he goes home for a break, he is only paid the .12 per mile for all the team miles on the truck that he participated in. no 600 gaurantee for that week.

Training phase gets him more experiance as a driver in various conditions and situations... but this phase also teaches dealing with shippers/recievers, repairs/maintence, polishing fuel economy etc... all the things you cant hope to see during a 4 week instruction period.

 

so about how long is it until you take your exam and start getting paid from the time you get to Springfield? About 4-5 weeks?

 

Does any one know why Prime request that you have a bmi index of 39 or less.

 

The MEDICAL GODs at the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (all who have financial interests involved) have decided that despite there being no evidence showing that sleep apnea contributes to at-fault, DOT-reportable accidents by commercial drivers, have decreed that those of us with high BMIs, large neck sizes, and medical conditions that tend to accompany sleep apnea may be subject to medical card limitations in the future.

So, throw a bunch of law-suite happy, ambulence-chasin' lawyers into the mix, and Prime is trying to be a little pro-active here. As well as setting themselves in a position that prevents them boys that want to get rich off of suing Prime, from doing that.

Are you BMI challenged? Many of us are, and one of the things that the weight brings along with it is higher blood sugar levels that will eventually lead to type II
diabetes. If this is a situation you're in, do yourself a favor and loose the weight.

 

I am BMI challenged, but thats not because i eat like a pig but i have a very slow metabolic system. and i have been tested for everything but can't seem to be able to lose the weight.