Actual "orientation" at Prime only lasts 4 days. 4 days with no pay isn't a big deal to me... in exchange for a job. Especially in this economy.
Im glad to hear all the positive comments about Prime. I have to call and get a few more questions answered but hearing what emton and truckermike had to say sure helps me in making a decision.
Heck with that. That is how they get away with it. Someone is always willing to work for nothing or for peanuts. I doubt the bums in truck stops go 4 days without conning somebody...... Positive? Like what; no pay for 4 days? Dang; no wonder there is such fierce competition for low pay jobs... outlooks like this; I will work for free really makes it easy for the mega carriers to gouge drivers.......
Prime is a good company as companies go. If they pay you for orientation, and you are sent home for some reason, what then? That means legally, you were hired and let go - JB Hunt, a true bottom feeder of a company, will show you FIRED on your DAC report. Personally, considering the weight that many companies give to that all-important DAC report, I'd rather forgo a couple of days chump change than have something like a termination show up on my DAC.
You are quite the selective reader! Find me one company that is 100% perfect. Seems like all of the current Prime drivers on the board are happy with them, myself included. And for the amount of people who have at one time worked for Prime, you are the only real guy that comes back time and time again to complain about them. Most of the other "mega-carriers" have many more former drivers complaining, and many times fewer drivers speaking highly of them. I never did search through your posts to find out what exactly happened between you and Prime, but it must have been a doozy. Your hatred for Prime shines bright on this forum. I really am sorry if they did you wrong. I'm guessing it had something to do with a lease gone bad? Just a 100% total guess, and I don't expect you to explain it all over again. But if they screwed you over, than I really am sorry for that and can't blame you for being outspoken about them.
I really didn't consider orientation "work." More like free room and board while spending a couple of hours a day getting "oriented" to the new career I had chosen and the company I chose to train me to be a successful employee in that career. Oh, there was that 45 minute physical; I guess that could be considered "work."
Gracie was my recruiter too. She is very nice. I'm trying to get into Pittston when she's working to meet her, but so far just overnights and weekends. Glad you got everything straightened out and good luck to the two of you.
And if ya think about it, we got breakfast, lunch, and dinner paid for. I think it was something like $7 per meal we got to spend. So, $7 times 3 meals = $21 per day. $21 times 4 days = $84. So there you have it. The orientation pay at Prime is $84. Oh, and a free hat too. ....and a purple folder holder thingy.
Do you guys have any opinion on whether to lease with prime or run a company truck? I would be running tankers, just nervious with the economy and not knowing how steady the runs will be.
