(New) Prime Inc. Springfield Mo.

Lol I've been driving for Prime for over a year now and just started posting on here now since I've just gotten internet. They are the worst place to start driving for. I'm finishing my one year term with them in two weeks and after all of the drivers I have talked to I KNOW they are the worst. Not to mention all the time I have worked for them. Every turn and corner they have taken money from me for the smallest things. They just want to suck you dry and they know that your gonna quit either before or once your contract is up. Everything they promise is a lie. Everything they tell you is a lie. All they care about is turning out rookies. I've done everything they have told me so I won't get a bad report on my DOT. they suck so bad I would have rather started with England. THAT IS HOW BAD THEY ARE!

 

Have you ever run a BUSINESS? That is what a lease it. You are running a business, and in business it seems there are always "little" things cutting into your profits. Another wannabe. Prime was my first company, and I wish I had stayed there. I started in their training program. I knew I would not be home. Too many people are wanting to be steering wheel holders instead of truck drivers, only living till "home time" during which, as has been said, they do absolutely nothing. When I started a little over six years ago, the "living arrangements" while in training were IN THE TRUCK with the trainer. Spent four days at the lovely Bass Country Inn (hey, it's a trucking hotel... whaddya expect, the Marriott?) to get my CDL permit, then I hit the road and learned on the job. Best training program ever. Best money I ever made in the trucking business. If I didn't have teenagers at home and a wife who was going crazy with them, I would still be at Prime. But you do have to remember it is a BUSINESS, and treat it accordingly.

 

i have read all the good and the bad about prime. I was at covenant until a week ago. I dont think there is any company worse than them. I leave for prime the day after christmas and im going to try the lease. Some say its good and then some say its bad. I dont think nothing can be worse than covenant. Just tell me what is so wrong with the lease at prime? I have talked to other prime drivers and they tell me it is what you make of it. they say you can make money- if you drive and not take all the time off. can someone tell me different?

 

There you go. Just remember it is a BUSINESS. have I stressed that enough this evening? Time off is for company drivers who are holding the steering wheel of someone else's truck. When you are running a lease, it is up to YOU how much money you make as long as the freight is there and you run legally. Prime has a great freight base, so you should do fine as long as you keep at it. You will have great weeks, and some that are not so great. Advice: Decide how much a paycheck you need each week. Let's say that is $800. If you make MORE than that, put the extra aside to take up the slack on the weeks you make LESS than that. In other words, pay yourself like an employee, because that is exactly what you are. Just YOU are the owner of the company. Good luck and make the best. There is a reason the company is called PRIME!

 

Lol sounds like a recruiter for Prime.

 

Nope. It's just with all the whining that goes on about nearly EVERY company, if we find one that is good, it's only right we should say so. Prime gets so much bad press from people who "tried" it, spent lots of advances, ran it like they were a company driver, etc. and can't stop whining about how they were "taken to the cleaners". It can never be THEIR fault. Always has to be the company's fault. Prime did for me EXACTLY what the CONTRACT said they would (whicn most drivers neither read nor understand).

 

For me it was a big cluster. Total confusion in orientation. Mis-information. Was told I was in the middle of 3 regions and could get home weekly no problem. That is until I signed the lease then was told you live in a bad area for us. You need to go to the national fleet and live on the road. Total cluster on getting trucks. Nothing but, 2 ratty old flatbeds was available. Got jerked around on getting a truck. Ended up going and getting a truck in OK, loading and tarping and bring such truck back to the yard for 20 some cents a mile Was dispatched to loads that did not exist. Followed their routing and fueling. In 30 days I had 500 bucks deposited in my account. I got tired of all the hype and BS that I was being told.

 

One of my friends has been with prime 3 years and likes it .He was home 4 days last year total :O I not sure if I can handle that.
I dont think there a bad outfit I just rag um alot telling him there worse then swift far as runnin over people/trucks/objects in general

 

My son leased on to Prime last May. He loved it. Did well for two or three weeks, then he charged a few things for his truck (refrigerator etc) took 2 days off, barely got back on the road when he had to come home
(death in the family). He got WAY in the hole, but still he loved prime (I thought they'd
brain washed the boy).

My husband and I weren't making money at
celadon so we began checking into prime. In
June we filled out the apps. Then we saw one
of our sons pay settlements, and when prime
called we said "no thanks". They charge the
drivers for everything. Then I started reading
another thread on here and we liked what we read. Half way thru reading it I began to see that it had turned into more of a recruiting thing and stopped believing alot of it.

We leased on to prime in September. There are things I don't like. Pre-pass, EZ pass, and qualcomm, we don't get a bill for them, the money is just taken out of our pay, after which we can go online and view it. Also, to purchase chains, load locks, extra keys, or even buy stamps you can't pay cash, that's not right in my opinion. I don't want anything coming out of my pay.
Bottom line...... We average $2000 plus per week. Yes, we've had bad weeks and awsome weeks. That average is after every comes out, truck, apu, road taxes, fuel, 200.00 emergency fund, medical insurance, and for 10 weeks they took out another 100 per week for deductable after damages caused by Bambi.

I hope this helps.

 

Over a year? "finishing my one year term in two weeks"? which is it?

"...they know that your gonna quit either before or once your contract is up" if this was true, why do people continue to take on new leases after they finish them. Also Is there any other time one can quit other than during a leases or at the end of one?

You barely make sense. "Not to mention all the time I have worked for them." but you did mention it, and in a confusing manner.

Id be interested to know what you were promised and didnt get. I learned a little thing when I was in the Navy. If its not on the contract you sign, your not getting it.

Ive been here at Prime for almost 8 months. Ive never been lied to. Anytime money has been deducted from my check or missing its usually a mistake on my part or mis-communication with my FM, at which time payroll has me submit the missing reciepts etc. and the money appears on my next check.

You know the only problem I have had is that when I request time off at home, my FM never fills me in on the plan or says he's working on it. He still gets me there everytime, on time or early. I always spend the last couple days worrying, and wondering why Im getting a load in a direction other than home. In the end, I get that needed load home.

Notarps, that sux... I dont know much about flatbed side, I do know a couple guys who spent some time in the division and have since moved to Reefer side and are doing better. Wish things had worked out better for you.

I once thought I got assigned to the same load as another driver... Shipper told me to get lost, the load had been picked up the day before. Dispatch told me, nope the trailer is still there. Shipper told me to look around... found the loaded trailer. Shipper had egg on his face as he printed up new bills... I always wondered which load the original set of bills left with, and whether the driver payed attention to them and took the load to the wrong place.