deciding on prime

Thanks again,IronPony,i do have another question for you.i would appreciate your in-put,i was attending a school here in buffalo N.Y, it's a 603 hr. course BUT your only on the road for 24 hrs.( 1 hr at a time,MINUS 10-15min for pre-trip)they do alot of classroom work,which was crap,i listend to stories of the instructors personal life,i soon learned the school wasn't what i thought,i was told i would be getting 1 on 1 training in the yard,it was from another student and not instructors,they took me out on 3 road rides in city,tractor and trailor,with no double shiffing training except for an hour on sim with other students,so on the road i was grinding gears and afraid i was going to take out something or someone!! the equipment is garbage,old day cabs donated from UPS,went to director and said this isn't the training i signed up for(9300buck's)she said i don't know what bob(my recruiter)explained to you but this is the we do it,so i withdrew,i want to be a truck driver,i passed all the book work stuff and a couple of labs.i have my permit ,med card,written endorsements for doubles.tanker.steel coil endorsements for permit.passed my pre-trip,drop and hook and straight line backing.my concerns are shifting .not up shifting BUT down shifting,will i be sent home if i'm showing that i"m having problems with that, this is one of my biggest concerns,not being gone from home,but getting GoodTraining,thats what i need and wanti was in the Army,,no kids,nothing holding me here,i don't care if i'm gone months at a time,i just want good traing ,prime sounds like a great fit,if i get the chance to go to prime,i don't want to be sent home within first week because i'm lacking shifting experence!

 

Shifting is something you're taught by an instructor during the PSD phase of training - while you're driving on a permit at Prime. You'll get lots of practice. Make sure you watch the tach.

BTW... driving schools aren't all that bad, and $9300 is a rip off in my opinion. Should be about half of that. All they do is teach you enough to get past the driving test for your CDL. Almost all of them use beat-up equipment.

 

your allright!! Ironpony!! thanks for answering all our questions, i'm sure i'll have more!!

 

since i'm from buffalo NY will i be sent to train in pittston PA,and if given the choice,is one better than the other as far as training complex/grounds go. thanks for replies!!

 

CDL training is done at Springfield MO.

 

hey ironpony.what do u suggest i can do if i keep getting mt recruiters voice mail,i just got my recruiter last monday, called 3 times ,went to voice mail and i left her a message,never returned a call,i know their busy,what can i do?

 

Email, or get a book (TV show) to entertain yourself while you camp on hold. And yeah, they're slammed.

 

i understand that a very high percentage of people that start out don't become drivers,but even at 10% of the recruits going on to become drivers,that seems to be maybe 5-10 new drivers per new class.were are they finding the placement/trucks/loads for all these drivers....or is it even a lower % of people getting their cdl's,just wondering if that many ppl drop out or just can't hack it

 

You'll find out that the trucking industry has a high turnover rate,even with good carriers. Its not an easy job regardless of what tv or someone else may have lead you to believe. Its a thankless tough job that when done right no one will remember you for but the one time you screw up everyone will hear about it and remember you. Not tryin to scare you off because trucking can be financially rewarding if you work hard. This is why there is a place for so many new folks. As an example,Ive been at my carrier 8 yrs and hired in with 25 guys. 8yrs later Im the only one left,all but 3 of us were gone in the first year. Drivers seem to do a LOT of job hopping. Its not unusual to talk to a driver who has been at three different companies in a year.

 

Thanks for your reply Dan. i know everyone believe's and say's that they can do OTR ,but i know i'm able to,because of my mental make-up.i was in the army,not afraid or not incapeable of being gone from home for long period's of timei've basicly been on my own ,except for my older brother my whole life.i have no kids,i do have a girlfriend but we don't live together and we don't depend on each other financially.i worked on a trucking dock for a meat processing plant,and also as a line cook for most of my life.i worked all major holidays for some of most ungrateful s.o.b"s it's making sure order's are being done on time,and customers are happy.so when i'm busting my butt in a kitchen on Thanksgiving day,most of America is watching football and enjoying a nice hot meal,well except for the TRUCKERS!! i also worked at Jims Truck Stop in Buffalo NY,spoken with alot of drivers,heard alot of the crap you go thru from dipatch to drop,i understand that it's not like "joyride' i realize it's hard ### work,that doesn't phase me .i want to be a SAFE driver,thats what worries me the most,i just want a trainer thats gonna have some patience with me.i'm not idiot and no genuis,but i can do this job,i see the big picture,put in my miles,keep driving record as clean as possible,and then get something regional or local,if thats what i deciede,i hoping to start at Prime in the 2ND week of August,i appreciate all the info. i know i don't know #### about trucking,but i know i'm not afraid to do what it takes to become a real trucker!