Unload or NO Unload.

Curiosity for your more seasoned drivers! Currently working for the slowest company out there, yep prime, running tanker. We have a few off loads were we have to pump off. Would I be better off going to a company that has 100% no touch? Prime paying .48/mile I have looked at bynum and heard starting pay was .35/mile. That's a large step backwards. But may end up being a necessary step due to Prime's "safety devices" added to the truck making it dangerous when the onguard sees a shadow slamming all the breaks on on the truck. So far they aren't wanting to have it fixed but it is now messing with my logs and is going to be put in the shop asap. So would it be worth the step backwards to go no touch? I know from what I have seen bynum does not have all the extra bull crap on their trucks.

 

I wouldn't go backwards.
Do you have a year in tankers yet?

 

Are you complaining about the on-guard system or your not making enough money. Part of taking is offloading, that's the job. Honestly, I'd rather pump a load off then air, only because it goes much faster.

 

Same here, plus you can always see if there is any heal left, while with air you have to wait for good 15 minutes untill you can open dome safely

 

I used to work for Prime on the Reefer side:

So you are asking whether you should move on because you don't want to have to get out and pump, or you don't want to deal with Prime's "safety" features? Which is it?

I would say, stick with Prime for a year no matter what. After that look around for a company that suits your wants/needs.

And yeah, I hear ya on them not wanting to fix their safety stuff at times. My lane departure thing never worked right the whole time I was there. Another thing I'll say is that there are a lot more companies using said safety devices now than there was when I started almost 1.5 years ago.

 

. No my complaint is Prime not wanting to get the system fixed like they should. It's a unnecessary piece of equipment on the truck that when malfunctioning is more dangerous than it is safe.

 

Prime's "safety" equipment is the issue. It has been reading shadows and street signs in the middle of turns and I have been telling them it needs to be fixed but the only time it has been into the shop is when I had to pick up my twic card from Springfield. It came out of freightliner with he same issues it went in with they just didn't present until I was a hour away from the shop already committed to a load. I already have a year experience I wasn't making any money with the last company so I left. I have been happy with he money here at prime just not the lack of wanting to fix the equipment. If it's a trailer they hop on it on the tanker side but not the truck. It's goin into shop after this load regardless.

 

I got into taking about a year ago and I honestly really like it. I just got offered a car hauling position and I turned it down because I actually like tanking. This is the first time I actually feel appreciated when I show up and I get paid for everything I do, unlike swinging doors where you're treating like crap.

I understand your frustration with not getting a truck fixed. There used to be a fix for the on-guard system, but I can't remember how it went. Schneider trucks were having the same issue when I worked there.

 

Simple if you dont caew for Prime move on. I would not go back to square trailers, liquid or powder thats all. load in 6 minutes unload in 15-30 minutes....Your not even in a dooe with squares and me and my tank are gone down the road...

 

Yeah I hear ya buddy on the truck fixing issues. They fought me on getting an alignment and balance done on my truck for 5 months before I finally parked my ### at Springfield and bugged them IN PERSON for a whole stinkin' week, several times a day.

The problem is, nobody in the shop actually drives the trucks to test them, so they all say whatever the issue is, it's fine. If they do drive it, they only drive it around the yard and not in town and definitely not down the highways. I know this for a fact! I've set my logs to log any miles driven while it was in the shop, and they didn't trip it once. I don't think some of them have CDLs or at least no Air Brake Endorsements - both in company shops and dealers.

If you already have a year-plus I'd stick some feelers out to maybe some smaller companies and see what they say. You'd be surprised at what you'd find. @Chinatown might be able to give you recommendations. Prime pays well, but it just depends on what BS you are willing to deal with, but that goes for any company.

I may or may not have disabled some of the wiring to some safety features in my truck.

Good luck to you buddy!