Prime the facts

This isn't really a reply to ya'll's argument,but I need some info.
Whoever said that Prime's F/B is the worst I strogly disagree, as I work for the worst!
Iam pulling the trigger on Prime probably next week,and need to know if there is any kind of orientation pay.
I only got 1,100. last week,and probably will get ripped for that when I turn my truck in on Wed of this week.
I will be going with a trainer after being solo 4 months,but it has been so hit &miss that 500. per week looks pretty good.
Any info will help ,thanks

 

Well; you will need that money to buy your securing equipment and tarps for prime... not just lease, but as a company driver....

 

If ya want the facts on prime go to .....prime-only the newbies sing the praises.... You will get it all right there !

 

Training pay depends on how you get hired on, and remember these numbers are gross - taxman hasn't taken his bite.

Depending on your experience level, C-seat starts at $500 per week. You get a boost to B-seat after a month. If you have enough experience they'll start you as a B-seat - pay is $600 a week or 12 cpm for all miles empty or loaded, whichever is greater. Training pay is guaranteed whether rolling or not, but you do have to be available for dispatch, which means you can't be sitting at home.

Prime does require you buy your own miscellaneous equipment, but that won't happen until you are an A-seat and have your own truck. Some folks whine about this, but there is a good reason. If Prime provides this equipment, many of the drivers won't take care of it. Loose an expensive trailer lock often enough, with it coming out of your pocket, and eventually a driver will learn to keep track of it.

Here's the thing that No-tarps didn't say and the whiner-in-chief won't tell you. You can arrange to have the cost of this equipment spread out in payments over a number of weeks. You do have to talk to your FM about this in advance. You definitely want to do this if you're a flatbedder - there's a lot of it, and it's expensive.

 

No; they have brain washed you into thinking that most co's do this and it is good practice. (not a lease driver a company driver) Any co that charges you for their equipment to pull their freight with their truck and trailer and then gets you to tell others this is common practice then this is a master co of deception. I don't blame you for thinking this I blame low life co's that bring up a new driver to believe this is normal.

I have worked for different co's since back in the 80's. This is the first jacked up co that I ever encountered this. What happens if you are pulling a flat and you have to do a emergency swap with a driver to get them home for a emergency and it is pouring down raining? Your freight can't get wet. Are you going to pull off all your tarps, chains and binders to swap them out? Of course now you just burned a couple of hours, ruined the freight, have a claim against you or you just gave your equipment that you bought to someone you may never see again and hope his equipment is half as good as yours.

Newbies this is where the little voice in your head should be telling you do I want to be brain washed into thinking this is normal and go tell others newbies this is normal or do I want to work for a co that trusts their drivers to act like grown ups and not pay for something they should not have to pay for. Everyone talks about how well prime is doing. Heck; yeah if I was making money from all the drivers that thought it was normal for a driver to pay for stuff that the co should foot the bill for I would be doing well too...

A decent co would do this. Swap your equipment out with a driver. If you get bad equipment in a swap. Com check you to get what you need or if you are close get you to a yard where you can swap out the material at no cost to the driver....
Now newbies what sounds better??? Work for a a jacked up outfit that will make you pay for stuff and get you to tell others oh this is normal in trucking... or work for someone that won't rip you off and convince you how good you have it>>>>?

 

Back in the 80's that may have been common practice - and I can't say how the flatbed side works except for what I've "heard".

However the majority of company drivers I've talked to who pull reefer these days need to buy their own equipment - locks n' such. It's not the kind of expense a flatbedder goes through.

So... "newbies" - if you find a company that'll pay the hundred or so bucks it takes to get what you need to pull reefer - look deeper. There's a heck of a lot more to a company than a couple of locks and a thermometer.

Notarps - hey man, I'm on your side in this so why don't you give it a rest?

 

I am talking about flatbed expenses. Prime charges company drivers for securement items. (or did when I was there they might still do) We are not talking load locks we are talking high $$ now. I won't give it a rest. They are jacked up on the flat side. Why should I be quite and let someone fall in that deep pit they have dug there?

 

Speaking of load locks maybe I know why prime charges the driver for them. I was passing a prime driver one day. I looked over and seen him dragging his load lock from the cat walk. I tried to get his attention, but he was too busy yacking on the phone to know a truck was side by side with him. No radio on and he would not look over at me. Figured he would figure it out when ho got to where he was going and found out his load lock was 3 foot long...

 

Sure am glad the company I work for doesn't charge me for load locks. Also don't charge for the padlocks and king pin locks (company driver) unless you lose them and have to get them replaced.
I've had to get 8 load locks now due to swapping trailers. Call it in, get a PO#, and buy the locks. This compnay I work for does have a FEW things right.

 

Well; if you was brought up at prime you would think it is normal to pay for such things..