Is Prime really that bad?

Prime may give you some grief on the work history; pretty strict about that. Apply anyway and see what happens.
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Stevens Transport also does urine test.

• CDL Training

 

There are several ways to get a CDL and a job that don't necessarily require paying for everything out of your pocket or getting a "free" CDL from a trucking company. It seems you are a perfect candidate for your state WIOA grant that would pay for your training in one of the trades, like a CDL or others. It's administered by your state unemployment office but the program pays for everything and you don't repay the expenses because it is a federal grant program. Every CDL school will find a company to loan you money for school. Almost half of the trucking companies offer Tuition Reimbursement for new drivers. Read this please Money for CDL Training

Since every trucking company needs drivers you may want to look around your area or the nearest larger city near you and look at those trucking companies first. BTW almost every trucking company only uses a urinalysis for drug screening. Maybe 3-5 companies use hair tests. Hair testing hasn't come up much recently, but after 6 months abstinence I don't think there is any possibility of failing it. IIRC, the 6 months includes some time cushion just to make sure. Obviously the more heavy the past usage the longer it may be detectable.

I'm not affiliated with Prime. I've never worked for them. One thing going for Prime is they are like a factory producing new truck drivers. That's not an insult or complaint. They are probably the most organized and predictable company making newbies into solo drivers. They also have you with a trainer longer than most other companies. It's not easy to share a space the size of a bathroom in a discount motel for 2 months or more. Most drivers consider that period riding with a trainer the hardest part of trucking due to the cramped space, poor sleep, and learning a new job.

Trucking can be a good rescue job. But it's far more than a job, especially if you do Over-The-Road (OTR). It can be a life as you hardly get out of the truck for days or weeks beyond walking into one building or another for certain tasks. Some drivers choose to live in the truck for some period to minimize their expenses and maximize saving money. The key is to decide what items you need and how much money you need to bring home and pick among the various working conditions and trucking companies and then choose the one that matches what you need. It is generally much better for you to do enough research to find the company you want to work for and then decide what is the best way to get your CDL. Prime is a reasonable choice, but there may be other companies that will work as well for you. AVOID CR ENGLAND NO MATTER WHAT.

 

Gee… should be plenty around you for your situation. I remember a couple big ones had signs on the rest stops in Chicago. Yes for new drivers.
I turned off Prime when they kept giving Trucker Brown, Lemmon trucks. Dirty trick.

 

It’s truckin man they all have short memory about things as long as you don’t have a bunch of horrible stuff on your record go for it. I’ve never been through it but I thought most of all these big companies got you there and paid room and board?

 

Something to bear in mind-you have to stay away from the CBD as well as marijuana -PERMANENTLY!
If you test positive for any of that stuff in your system you will be disqualified from driving a CMV for 10 YEARS-MINIMUM!

And trucking companies can select you for a random drug screen at ANY given time!

 

They have programs you can go through if you test positive then you have to go with a second chance company for a while. You arent disqualified for 10 years

 

I had applied with Prime. I ended up turning them down. Here I had driven class B for 7 years for the same company. Before that 3 years of multiple jobs that weren’t good. They wanted to disqualify me on those 3 years. Told them I couldn’t do anything about them. That’s their problem. Come in. You either join in on the fighting. Or youre out. One way or another. Still no. Then I told her I had a career for 18 years. She took that ok.
Geese… a driving job. I drove for the same guy for 7 years. He sold the company. That’s not good enough? Ya gotta be kiddiNG.