My Prime INC Experience. (A Running Log)

Bones, I was wondering about the "drop and hook" statistic. That percentage is always quoted when comparing companies. Prime seems to be on the low end...50%. Also, compared to Millis (my other favorite right now), home time is non-existant. That may not be so important to me, but I was wondering about your thoughts on those two things..drop-and-hook and home-time.

 

Drop and hook to me is actually a PITA sometimes, because sometimes I like to have a break after reaching a destination.

There are three divisions in Prime; reefer, tanker, and flats. Flats have the obligatory strapping and tarping. Tanker is mostly client load/unload. Reefer is 90% live, and about 80% no touch, with a lot of loads, primarily pharmaceutical loads, being preloaded.

My take on it, considering the detention and layover pay, is that I can cope with it without too much stress.

 

Home time is on par with any other large carrier; one day off per week out.

I have heard many stories from different long time drivers though, of how Prime will bend over backwards for family emergencies, and are very good about important dates. Remember, the FMs want you happy and making money for both of you.

 

Bones, I was wondering about the "drop and hook" statistic. That percentage is always quoted when comparing companies. Prime seems to be on the low end...50%. Also, compared to Millis (my other favorite right now), home time is non-existant. That may not be so important to me, but I was wondering about your thoughts on those two things..drop-and-hook and home-time.

 

Look up.

 

Sorry, I don't know how that got posted twice...

 

We get our share of drop 'n hook freight, but you should understand that any reefer carrier is going to have a high percentage of live load/unloads. It's the nature of the business. Company-side hometime policy is 3 weeks out, and 4 days at home; you accrue one day per week. You get one week of paid vacation every 125,000 dispatched miles after you get bumped to A-seat.

 

Sending in the application to Prime today. I have a buddy who thinks he may want to do the CDL training and driving...as a team driver (I'm the guine pig). I've been working on the math, and I'm not sure if I understand how the pay structure works with team drivers. Is the "truck" paid about 24 cpm? And then split two ways? I know more miles are covered with two people driving (5000 mi on a good week), but the math still doesn't add up to being any monetary advantage to team driving. Thanks.

 

You get a higher rate of pay to the truck... 24cpm sounds like your split. Teams get more miles. You're going to need on of the company guys to amswer this one fully for you.

 

24cpm would be your half of 48cpm to the truck (assuming the truck has a rate of 48cpm) - but be mindful of the increase in available mileage.