Prime - Only newbies sing the praises

Desolate missou? I beg to differ. A man can be profitable anywhere...maybe it is just you? A move to San Fran as an improvement...that is too much...you're killing me here. For a good laugh I like to listen to Forum on NPR. It is a Frisco based talk show and a sure fire laugh getter. One hour of listening to the waste of flesh that make up the Bay area will leave me in stiches.

 

You have a pretty good opinion of yourself and your experience evidently. You come on this forum and start running down a lifestyle and employment that you couldn't hack for more than a year.

Go post somewhere else. In my opinion you don't know what you're talking about, and all you are is a newb who couldn't hack it, Mr. Ex-1year.

 

I really wanted to say 'misery' the way most missourians refer to their state. You really should hear what better traveled missourians really say about their state. Your presumption is amazing to think that I moved to frisco. Only a nut makes such assumptions.

 

Jeez!

Can this ironpony guy NOT take anything personal??!

 

You guys can shove it.

First, I work for Prime as a solo driver. Second, I like what I do, and the crap you guys throw at the company is just that - crap. None of the posters who are tearing down Prime in this thread actively work for the company, and most never had. If you never worked for Prime - you are full of BS! Because you just don't know about the company.

Yeah, I take it a bit personally. I've worked in a number of different industries, and I know what a lousy job is. This isn't one of them. Yup, you're away from home a lot - and I don't necessarily like that. On the other hand, the view from my "office window" is great - changes constantly.

Prime is a good company to work for. So... BITE ME!

 

EX-1 Year.. I just changed to that, that's how long i've been an EX (Haven't driven in one year) not how long i drove in total.

Believe me, I can hack it, was raised around it, in fact i'm getting ready to BUY my truck, i'll bet you i still make it despite what you claim about freight rates, too. So I guess when the facts pop out and slap you in the face and there is no longer any hope at arguing your way out of it you turn into a child?

Figures, can't say that i expected much else, you are, after all, defending Prime. We don't have to work for Prime to form our opinions based on various things that we've read on here, research that we've done or drivers that we've spoken with regarding the company, it's not just prime, most companies charge too much for their lease and then wonder why drivers don't make it, I can buy a brand new stretched out Pete with all the real o/o amenities for much less than they are charging for one of those trucks that's probably already been paid for 3-4 times.

Lastly, if you enjoy what you do... Well, congratulations. I think that's why most drivers deal with the crap this industry shovels at us year after year, but that doesn't mean other people aren't allowed to have opinions. And despite how much you enjoy your job, and how good you think the money is, you should be in the industry a little longer than you have been to make that kind of judgment, it's nice, yes, you are free, your 'view changes' but above all else this is still a job, a job that hasn't received a reasonable pay raise in, what, 30 years plus?

..... And after reading your responses to my attempt at a discussion i can't say that i don't see why, thanks for being "that guy".

 

My bad I misread your location. Fresno is much better. Having been born overseas then residing in severals states along the East coast due to a father in the big green machine I consider myself well traveled. Started a family and a driving career while living in NC before moving to the mighty Mizzou about four years ago. Let's see I was able to buy a good size five bedroom home on a truck driver's pay. Also got a nice little farm to wrap around that house. My wife doesn't have to work and is able to stay at home and home school my four kids. I am able to work a regional job being home most weekends and several nights a week. Taxes are low crime is almost non existent. The two counties I have lived in in MO have a total of zero traffic lights. The local state park provides fishing boats for free as well as free campsites and the fishing license can be had for a song.

Anyway having spent time in the cesspool of CA this well traveled person has no issues calling Missouri home. Let me know how that whole budget thingy works out for you. lol

 

Actually the residents usually refer to it as "Missoura" which i always chuckle at hehe

I have family that lives there, and always have to give the flak for pronouncing it that way!

 

The fact remains, you have no idea what you're writing about when it comes to Prime. Most of the negative things you see on this forum about Prime are simply untrue, the result of a driver who screwed himself, and yup - every company screws up including Prime. I can think of one flatbedders experience who posts here who definitely got a raw deal.

You're buying a truck? Well good for you. Great time to do it considering used truck prices are rock bottom right now. So do you have a shipper lined up, or are you going to hope that the load boards keep you running? I have a plan for that too... except I don't expect it will work with 80 - 90 cpm freight. And yeah, those leases are quite expensive - especially with rates as low as they are - that's why I'm not getting sucked into that little game myself.

You want to converse, that's fine. Just don't throw the mindless crap that gets posted around here about "how come Prime screwed me, boo hoo!" into my face and tell me that's the way it is at this company. I'm here to tell you it's not.

 

Prime never screwed me, i openly said that. I also said that i have friends (a husband and wife team) doing the lease and they are also happy there, running hard, but you have to remember they are a team so it's hard for them to not make money.

I haven't said anything about 'prime' first hand or ever implied that i worked there, nor did i comment on anything that would have required me to work there in order to have knowledge about it.. I'm simply saying that the lease is overpriced and that makes it harder for L/O's to make it in the rough economy, and it's NOT just Prime, most other companies have expensive leases.

I'm leasing on to a company that pays mileage, including empty, and hauls lots of OD stuff, my current plan right now is to wait til around November, though, because i have some stuff that needs to be taken care of around the house first! I'll also apply for my own authority and run with said company while my authority get's it's 6 months history, if i don't like it, it's my truck, i can take my ball and go home without losing anything financially.. This really is the way to avoid getting screwed.. Personally i'd rather have a high truck payment that i can plan on than have to worry about (unexpectedly) breaking down somewhere for days... Plus the warranty is nice, and typically interest rates on a new truck are lower.

80-90CPM Sucks, but it also depends on FSC and extra's, you can use that stuff to your advantage, I believe that even if i was to broker freight i could probably still survive, i'd have to cut lots of costs and run extremely lean but i think it's doable... There are still tooo many pretty trucks running around out there for me to believe that there isn't money to be made somewhere!

In short, yes, there are drivers that screw themselves! I am not denying that, but you can't blame them ALL for their experiences with Prime, companies that lease generally make it harder on a driver to make a living, so it's not always the drivers fault, either.