Prime: Orientation and Training?

Just remember, its october, the next 6 months minimum are going to be slow. Perhaps the next 2-3 years may be slow, depending on the economy. And you ARE right, being unhappy at work-- sux !! So does living in a cardboard box..
Peace !!!!!!

 

Thanks for the information. I will be expecting the slow-down so I don't get frustrated with it.

 

I appriciate all the comments. It probably is a bad idea to leave my current job, and most of the local company's require 2 to 3 years exp and are paying 40 to 60k of course depending on how hard you hit the ground rolling. I also realize that this is a bad time to get into trucking in general due to the economy, frate rates down and fuel prices. Also being away from home would take an adjustment, so these are all things I must consider.

Thanks

 

Zany
best of luck to you. And that's a cool little town you live in. Later

 

When you throw in per diem, I made 47k at Prime last year as a company driver. I don't expect to do that well this year because of the economy, but we will see...

 

Zany,
It is scary,last tear I made 57,000.,and this year I will be lucky to make 25,000.
I was solo with a flatbed company,and after 3 months my bills weren't getting paid,and we aren't talking extensive bills,I just turned in my truck,and am heading to Prime to back into a trainer truck,not what I really want to do,but the guarantee looks pretty good at this point.
Also flatbed is going to die the next couple of months,and reefer seems like the better bet.
I agree if you can hold on to your 42 k,it might be smart for now,dirving a truck is definitely a different world,not bad ,just different.

 

The freight cycle for reefer freight is different than for flatbed. When homebuilding and construction crashed last year, reefer freight kept up, although the holiday surge was super muted. Can't tell you how many tractors I saw last spring with headache racks pulling reefers. Generally when flatbad freight goes dead, we're still busy. We get a big upturn in the spring, a couple of ups and downs in the course of spring and summer - generally around the end of the quarters, and it picks up strong with the holiday freight in the late autumn.

 

I was on track to make about 45k this year... I took on a trainee for 3 months (he's got 3 more weeks) and its looking to be closer, if not over 50k.

Before anyone starts yelling that you have to take on a trainee to make money... I didnt have to, it was my choice... I dont know about L/O... but as a company driver, its kinda nice changing things up a bit. Different driving cycles. Coast to coast runs. Someone else on the truck to interact with.

Im not going to do it full time, but I may take on a trainee once or twice a year to change things up a bit... The extra pay aint to bad too.

 

Zany, I've been approved with Prime and I'm starting the second week of November. My recruiter told me a week ago after 20k solo miles I would get .34 but today she told me .33. I didn't beat my fist about it but I was wondering what you've been told about solo pay at orientation?

 

Actually I haven't started orientation yet. I don't start that until next week. On the Website it's listed after you've got 80k miles under your belt you get .34 cpm. When Stephanie calls me to day I'll try to remember to ask that.