Time for Prime.....

Semi retired does prime hire divers with their own trucks to run there trailers adn supply them with with good miles and pay?

 

Steve & Lo,
Just found this site (Truckers' Forum) and thread today as I was crusing the 'Net gathering info for when I join my wife later this year as a Prime driver. Your posts (along with those from Semi-Retired) have confirmed everything my wife and I have learned over the past several months about driving as a husband/wife team, and doing it with Prime.

Her brother has been with Prime for about 10 years, so when my wife decided to look into a career change he suggested she ride with him for awhile to see if she liked it. She did, so she went through Prime's CDL training and started running with a trainer after the first of the year. She's already got 35K of her training miles in and is still trying to decide whether to finish the entire 80K with her trainer or do the last 20K as a company solo.

I will be joining her in September after I retire from my current position. We are empty-nesters now and have always enjoyed driving, so we thought this would be a great way to see this incredible country of ours, spend more time together, and get paid for it!

From what we've seen and experienced so far, Prime is a top-notch company that "gets it" on every level, especially when it comes to its employees/operators. They seem to know that it's the drivers that make the company successful, so they go out of their way to make sure everybody involved has the opportunity to make money - including Mr. Low which I think is fantastic.

All those folks who whine about how much money they make for Robert are just sour grapes as far as we're concerned. I think he's a great example of the American Dream and the values/work ethic/free-market principles that make the USofA what it is. Hey, if those nay-sayers don't like working for Prime, why don't they can go start their own company like Robert did? (Rhetorical question; they can't even run a single truck and make a profit!)

We had the opportunity to spend my Christmas week vacation together in Springfield (they put us up at the Campus Inn at no charge due to some scheduling problems), which meant we were in town for the Holiday Party. Anybody that says Prime doesn't know how to treat their employees is clueless. And it goes beyond just the party. Great equipment, great facilities, great training (I love listening to the safety meeting CDs), and quality support staff make Prime #1 as far as we're concerned.

I can hardly wait to get out on the road with my wife! Thanks so much for your posts and your great attitude. I'll be checking in regularly and hopefully posting as well.

 

Yes Sir, They want me to get my own truck as soon as I can so that I will make even more $$$. I do not know what years they will take though due to them not knowing the history of maintaining the truck.

Glenn

 

There is nothing more I can add to that. Very well said my friend

 

Thank you steve,lo,and semi retired for all the info on Prime inc I've read 90% of all the posts on this thread and I like what I hear. You have answered alot of questions I had. I live in Las Vegas but will be moving to Kingman Arizona on the 29th. Do you know if Prime will hire out of this area? It is 100 miles south of LasVegas. Or will I have to look somewhere else. Thanks and be safe.

 

The advantage of staying with a trainer for the last 20k is that you get it over with more quickly than driving solo. That being said, after that 20k many drivers want to jump directly into a lease without learning how to operate the truck and business first.

I'm finishing my 20k now, solo. I think it was a wise decision for me. I've taken everything I learned with my trainer, tested it and am tuning my driving technique so that I will be successful, if and when I decide to go lease. I've learned a lot on my own, and I think that many areas of my driving are much improved since I went solo.

Besides, I really needed to get away from him for awhile. I like the guy, got along with him, but... a truck is a mighty small world, and I needed the space.

Ironpony
Tractor #64061

 

Thanks for the advice, Ironpony. I agree with your comments about the benefits of going solo for the last 20K in a company truck before getting into a lease.

 

Im not sure if there is an area that prime does not hire out of. You will have to call but you are quite central there so should not be a problem

Glenn

 

Keep in mind that it is no joy for the trainer to be with another person as well. Those of us who will tell you the truth will let ou know that we do it for the $$$ and the ability to get out of the lease quicker to get that bonus $$$ Some will tell you that they just want to be able to teach others and feel good about knowing that they helped someone along the way. Well I help someone as well, ME!...lol...
I love just about everyone but I do not want a passenger unless it is worth having one. I am here to teach others how to maximize their income and run a business. And in doing so, I am maximizing mine as well. Wouldnt be much of a teacher on the subject if I wasnt doing it myself now would I? If you want a break from a trainer or a trainer wants a break from you then find out when the want to take a break to go home and then have them drop you off at your home as well. If it is a situation where you guys can agree to disagree and want a new situation then you can get a new trainer to bring you out and/or the trainer can get that option as well. I go home every 5 weeks so the trainee has to go as well or get on a different truck. Im not paying him to sit in my truck or hotel while I take a break. If they choose to stay with me as a trainee and I agree, then I will pick them up on the way out but it may be a waist of their time or they needed the stress release themselves. Regardless, Im going to go home.

Glenn

Prime 67133

 

Making money is the name of the game! My advice to soon-to-be trainees is to never forget that you're a guest and an "employee" of the trainer, and you're driving their truck. Respect is a crucial part of the equation.