Students must team?

I've been here at Prime since 94, and have been very successful. But I promise you ES is a much better trainer than I would ever be, just from reading his posts. How many years somebody has is not as important as their ability and desire to teach, the way I see it.

 

Kinda inflated the importance of those requirements a bit?

From one trainer to another... They don't really care about anything but your service and safety record... They care zero for experiance, otherwise the time requirement would be longer than 90 days.

 

I would have to agree with olphart. Your desire and ability to teach someone is just as important as your knowledge of the industry. Many knowledgable drivers just don't seem to have the ability to convey information in an effective way.

 

The info you want is easily available online here: http://primeinc.com/drivers/cdl-training.html

Since you're broke, you don't have many options to be so choosy.
Prime is a not bad choice for starting out. If you want your cake and eat it too, get a job at Dunkin' Donuts or Krispy Kreem.

 

When I taught vocational electonics, the state of Colorado required me to show FIVE years of experience in industry to be certified to teach that trade. Now I'm not advocating that for driver-trainers, but I will say that the sooner the FMCSA puts a halt to the BFIs who get away with putting a CDL school graduate with 140 hours behind the wheel and a week or so of "orientation" the better off the industry will be. I also think a minimum of 36-months experience should be required for trainers.

 

That's a great point and I totally agree.
Q: Could companies like Prime have enough trainers?

I figure anyone with a year has a year more than me, so guess I'll roll the dice when the time comes.

 

So what about the students that have to team. The ? was never answered. Is that the 30,000 mils you need to upgrede.(with another student). WEhat is the training if you have your CDL-A but no experience. Thanks.

 

You can spend hours digging thru TTR, posting questions, going to the Prime web site -- or talk to your recruiter.
You do have a recruiter don't you?

 

Students don't "have to team." They are required to drive with a more experienced driver aka a trainer until Prime is satisfied that you're competent and safe enough to be turned loose on your own.

If you have a CDL, you come in as a C-seat, and drive at least the 30k with a trainer. Someone should verify that number.

 

Let's get these definitions straight people... At Prime:

Students are not employees, they are CDL permit holders, they are paired with instructors who sit in the passenger seat at all times on the road, and may instruct from the ground while the students is conducting backing maneuvers. Students do not "team" with their instructors. The student and the instructor work within the confines of HOS. Students cannot be driving without the instructor being on duty...

Trainees have their CDL. Trainees are payed employees. Students become trainees upon passing the CDL exam and issued a CDL Trainees do team with trainers... Most instructors keep their students on after upgrade to train as trainees. Some instructors pass them along to available trainers.

All instructors are qualified trainers... Not all trainers are instructors.

Instructors have a more stringent qualification criteria, and have to attend a week long instructor course.

Trainers have considerable less qualification requirements, and attend a two day course on training.

All OTR instruction and training is done over the road under real loads moving freight. It provides a variety of real world situations with customers, other drivers, various terrains and weather conditions.

Their are certain limits and time periods instructors are not allowed to let their students drive. As well as both instructors and trainers are to ease their pupils into the daily routines. Instructors are to slowly increase seat time, and trainers are to watch, observe and make sure trainee is getting rest. Also trainers work with the fleet manager to adjust the pace of the freight while they team. Also the trainer is supposed to strike a balance between the night and day driving shifts as the load allows.