Prime: Orientation and Training?

Thanks, Prime knows about everything that pertains to me, I'm not worried about something different coming up, I just want to make sure I dont get sent home for something that I had approved by safety before I attended training. If I get sent home for something they didn't know about or something I didn't tell them then that's my fault, but if I got approved by safety and then go to training and get sent home for the same thing that safety approved, then I'll be pissed. Thank you for the help.

 

I can't give you a whole lot of info, but I was hired back in March and had no issues getting my own company truck in July when I was finished with training. In fact, they even recommended that we stay away from leasing right now, until we see what this economy is going to do. Things may have changed, but that was my experience. And up until this date, I've never been "pressured" into leasing at all.

 

Keeping in mind that I'm a company driver, I actually make pretty good money here at Prime (of course I'd always like more, but that's always the case). Haven't even been here a year yet and make over 34cpm. My base is 34cpm, but I make more than that with my fuel bonus (consistantly average at least 7.25mpg in a 2006 Century). Compare that to some of the other major carriers. I've been averaging anywhere from 2300 to 2600 miles per week, with a few around 3000 miles mixed in.

Call me a cheerleader if you must, but I think Prime has treated me pretty well since I started here in March. I get home when I want, get paid correctly and on time, have a good fleet manager, get decent runs, have a nice truck with an APU, and most of all, they gave me a chance in a bad economy. Am I saying I'll be here in 5 years? I don't know. But if I leave, it will most likely be because of the OTR lifestyle, not necessarily anything Prime did, unless something vastly changes over the next 5 years.

I am not saying Prime is absolutely the best company around with no flaws. I don't even have anybody to compare them to and Prime wasn't even my first choice, I just sort of ended up here. But I don't feel like I've been shafted at all. Wasn't promised anything in orientation that they haven't delivered on.

 

Going with Prime at the end of the month. just graduated with my cdl. hope i get miles any advice?

 

Be painfully truthful with your recruiter. The way things are since computers started recording everytime you pick your nose - they'll find out about any peccidillos in your past. Make sure your BP and BMI meet the company requirements... etc.

And enjoy! It's been quite a ride for me. And, yeah... once you get through training and on to your own - the miles will be there. At least they have up to this point!

 

Just waiting for the final approval and start date. Sent my last medical release on Tues. I should hear something tomorrow. Hopefully it will be a yes with a start date of week after next.

 

Good luck man!

 

Well I got accepted by CRE and Prime, but I've seem to read more negative posts about CRE than Prime. And I hear mostly good things about Prime's training.

I currently have a job that is somewhat stressful, yet it probably pays fairly decent at around 42 - 45K a year. I work in a printing plant that makes magazines and I run a stitcher or binder. It's not so bad dealing with the machines, but the crews I sometimes end up with makes doing my job more difficult and more unpredictable. On weekly titles we have dispatches to make so we don't have trucks waiting on us, so I understand time restraints. We have to deal with break downs / pressroom getting behind, folks on crews that make mistakes and all this on a daily basis.

I was thinking about learning to be a professional truck driver for a caree change. My brother-n-law is a regional driver out of Harrisonburg Va and makes decent money. I realize in the first couple of years I'll most likely make less than I'm making now, but my main goal is to get training and OTR experience and Prime seems to offer a sound training prgram with better than average pay both durring and after you go solo.

A few things after reading all the U2 and IP posts that I"m still not entirely sure about is like refridgerators in trucks, APU's and inverter's, eating habbits and possibility of exercise (running) while out on the road. When CRE first called me and told me the requirements, I checked to make sure I'd pass and my BP was high. 100/40 So I have since seen a doctor, changed my diet and started exercising and didn't know how all that actually worked on the road. Reason I would like a fridge is to stop at walmart for healthier food and an inverter for preparing the food.

Also durring your time with the trainer is seems to me like the truck rolls about 20hrs a day and are most trainer's flexible as far as stopping at walmart for food or will it mostly be truck stop to truck stop style living?

I agree that the "feeder" company's like Prime have an objective and that's to survive durring these economic times and I can't say I blame any of them for the way the run their schools / training. But after one year if I don't like Prime for whatever reason we are even. I went to Kunsan AB in Korea for a year, I think I can handle Prime for that long.

Also is going to school in the beginning of Nov a good thing? I was thinking that being with a trainer durring the winter month's might be a good idea.

Again thanks for all the posts - positive and negative it has been a very informing post.

 

Kunsan, eh? How's A-Town doing these days?



Company trucks are always equiped with an APU, and a facility for AC power. You can get a Coleman powered cooler, or a small fridge to put in the back of a truck. I have a larger two compartment fridge, and pulled one of the cabinets to get it to fit. Microwave is bungie-corded to the other cabinet.

How things operate on your trainers' truck is mostly up to him... it's his truck. So you could have access to a fridge with WallyWorld visits, or it may be the truckstop lifestyle for you. Cheer up! Training is usually over in about 4 months at most. And yeah, the wheels are mostly rolling on a team truck. You can do some limited exercising in the sleeper... imagination helps here.

Getting some winter experience with a trainer is invaluable. It's a whole different world when the road is icy! So yeah, starting in November is not a bad thing. You'll get 1,000,000% better training at Prime, than you would at CRE. My best advice concerning that company is run... fast and far! Some folks have had problems with Prime... yeah. That happens at any company - did you know anyone in the AF who had a problem dealing? But CRE is a different matter. It is a total butthole of trucking companies.

Good luck!

IP
Osan AB, ROK '75-'76