prime recruiting

I have worked for places that got me home on the weekends. They are out there. I would never have a contract with any company.

 

And this is basically true.

You only get paid when the wheels are turning, so if you have bills you have to work enough to cover those bills while you're on hometime. So out a month or so between stints at home works out. Also, Prime is an OTR company... not an AHEW* company.

* (At Home Every Weekend)

That being said, my FM and I get along very well - if he see's a load that will get me through the house, I get it. So out 4 and back home sometimes is out 2 - home under load, out another 2 or 3 - requested home time, etc. It does depend on where you live...

 

There are OTR companies that get drivers at home on weekends. Sometimes you get hung out. It happens.

 

I put an application in with Prime yesterday and talked with the recruiter today. I was told that they are not accepting newbies without them already having somebody lined up to do the training. They will not place you with a trainer. As I don't know anybody to do the training, I'll have to wait. I've heard all good from the couple of people I know who work for them, so it was going to be my choice.

Best of luck to all of you, and I hope to one day be there with ya. Everybody be safe on the roads. There are folks you don't even know who worry about you out there.

 

Is that because you are female? Or no?

 

The recruiter never said that in so many words, but I am sure being a woman has a lot to do with it. I understand the problems that could arise if a female were to be put with a male. All it takes is one woman to "claim" something happened, and it spoils it for everyone. I have a very close friend who had his military career ruined by such an instance. Myself, I have one goal in mind and it doesn't matter to me if it's a man or woman that I learn from. What does matter is learning, and being trained by a professional. Truck drivers have gotten a bad rep over the years. From what I have seen firsthand at the school I attended, and from what I have heard about some of the companies and the way they train, I can see why.

 

I'm thinking about putting in an application to Prime, I have absolutely no experience other than my grandfather and my dad are/were both truck drivers. It's looking like Prime is getting picky on who they want to train/hire, but I have an immaculate class C driving record, 5+ years with no tickets or accidents, no arrests, no drugs, and a steady work history (4 years at my current employer). To top it off I have towing experience at my current job, maybe that'll count for something when it comes right down to it. I imagine I have a pretty good shot at getting on, but if they aren't hiring anyone without a predetermined trainer then I am SOL like teddy bear. Any insight on that subject?

On another note, I have a friend that may want to go team with me. How much experience would I have to accumulate before I could take him on as a student, train him, and run as a team?

 

TeddyBear is having problems because she is a female. Prime has such a backlog of women students right now that they are only taking on new female students that have some one already lined up to train you.

Instructors have to have a year at Prime with no accidents. Trainers I believe only have to have 90 days as an A seat (full upgrade)

All Instructors are trainers... not all trainers are instructors. Instructors take students with permits and train them to get their CDL. Trainers take the student after they pass and reciever their CDL. Alot of instructors will keep their students on as trainees.

Couple things I learned this week. Prime will only hire RECENT CDL School grads with NO experiance... RECENT = Less than 6 weeks from graduation.

Training period is now 60k miles before upgrade to Company (no change) and Lease (new change). If you go company, it is still 20k miles at .30/miles. You can still stick with the trainer and knock out those 20k quickly as team if you want to... when you hit 80k (60+20) the rate goes up to .34/mile/

 

Now I know I'm not going to Prime any time soon. If I'm gonna have to go to a CDL Mill I'll then try to get on with Schneider or May, they have terminals closer to home.

 

I have put an application with Prime and tried to call them. I get tired of holding and just hang up.