My Prime PSD Experience

I must say I think the people and program are better than I expected. Im at the end of my first week and only one time was I frustrated. not with the instructors but with other employees. I was in the sim today Backing up...which I really wanted time to do. We EACH had a sim...but outside drivers. ..trainers and even tnt students entered and offer to "help" by controlling my wheel and telling me how to do it. When the 3rd guy asked. .I flat out told him. ."go away. .thanks but no thanks". He wouldn't leave so I went to the ladies room and did not return to my sim until he got the point. I really felt it was cause i was the only woman in the room. .none of the men tried to "help"the other men. we started with about 76 and are down to half I'm sure. Many lied about physicals, DUI's, or worse. The drug tests came back today which caused more to leave. Some couldn't pass the written exam.

I don't feel like a number as I saw a couple people suggest. They know my name. ..they smile and laugh. .and they seem to care. Even the cafeteria staff knows or name.

I would have liked a meet and greet with trainers. You are not assigned. .the trainer receives phone numbers of trainees so it is the luck of the draw. If you are lucky enough to meet someone outside who is a trainer. .good for you. Most hanging outside are smokers. .so not really where I want to be.

With respect to comments about rude instructors and lack of class time. .that has not been my experience. ..anyone who wanted extra sim time got it... I think 3 days for one to three hours. Of course maybe I'm just less sensitive than others. ...or from a rude part of the country. Lol

Also..thanks to this site. I passed all 4 written exams the first try. .that gave me more free time and less stress than some of the others.

They seem to give allot of bonuses for mpg..safety and training. .all great. They also seem to take safety seriously. They also encourage husband wife teams add it helps with home life.

One week down. ..prime seems great so far. Now I need to find a trainer and I'll be on my way ;)

I feel I need to warn,you about Prime. This is from experience as an owner-operator leased to them. Prime staff and drivers may be nice and all, but, the corporate part of Prime literally sees you as little more than a living breathing log book. I had some wiggle room as my own boss, but, my dispatcher had a 100mph pen and my truck, by Prime's rules, was governed at 65mph. If you feel unsafe with a situation, they will try to pressure you into doing whatever it is. Some of their loads are misplanned. Example of this, at Newly Wed Foods, I have a pick on 5/19/2015. The shipper had me scheduled for the day after. Prime vehemently refused to accept responsibility for this mix-up and this lack of culpability ultimately lead to me terminating my contract with them. They charge a huge amount for their lease,program as well. From several of their lease drivers, average payment just for the tractor is $850/wk for a 2015 Cascadia Evolution. $1,050/wk for the Peterbilt 587. Also, if they EVER send you to 8118 Bunkum Rd. Caseyville, IL, DON'T go! It is illegal from a tractor-trailer to be down that road that ISN'T a Henderson truck or the rail company next door to them. $3,000+ fine for it. Those 2 have special permits,from the city to operate on that road. Don't risk it.

I feel I need to warn,you about Prime. This is from experience as an owner-operator leased to them. Prime staff and drivers may be nice and all, but, the corporate part of Prime literally sees you as little more than a living breathing log book. I had some wiggle room as my own boss, but, my dispatcher had a 100mph pen and my truck, by Prime's rules, was governed at 65mph. If you feel unsafe with a situation, they will try to pressure you into doing whatever it is. Some of their loads are misplanned. Example of this, at Newly Wed Foods, I have a pick on 5/19/2015. The shipper had me scheduled for the day after. Prime vehemently refused to accept responsibility for this mix-up and this lack of culpability ultimately lead to me terminating my contract with them. They charge a huge amount for their lease,program as well. From several of their lease drivers, average payment just for the tractor is $850/wk for a 2015 Cascadia Evolution. $1,050/wk for the Peterbilt 587. Also, if they EVER send you to 8118 Bunkum Rd. Caseyville, IL, DON'T go! It is illegal from a tractor-trailer to be down that road that ISN'T a Henderson truck or the rail company next door to them. $3,000+ fine for it. Those 2 have special permits,from the city to operate on that road. Don't risk it.

Thanks for the heads up. I'm a long way from o/o ....I think most are heart less..

No problem. It what we experienced drivers should be doing for new drivers. Yeah, we're gonna make fun of you when you try to park at a truck stop, or a tight back at the receiver. Gotta be thick skinned. Most of the time, we are just messing around. Ths is a job that will beat your mind into submission. Hearing the engine at 1350rpms for hours on end. The tires can sing you to sleep. You get tired. Your dispatcher is having a bad day and you're today's target for BS. Gotta learn to duck a$$ things. Let it go. If you need help, by all means, ask one of us vets, we'll help.

Rainy, please disregard everything Jason has said. Believe me, you don't want to learn from him.

Im runnin on my second week here at prime as well. I didnt get to go out for the 1 on 1 training with a driver for 75 hours instead they have me and a bunch of others on a night program mixed with sim and pad time.. if you see a bunch of people at the truck in the campus parking lot with engine compartment open at 3 am walking around with flashlights thats us lol ... sim is nothing like the real experience of backing up but does help on driver awareness and shifting/braking controls a lot

[Edit - let's just say Daniel wasn't impressed with Jason's post]

Rainy, please disregard everything Jason has said. Believe me, you don't want to learn from him.

Please explain your response, Daniel. I don't work for Prime, I'm not an O/O. Heck, as of two months ago, I got off the road to be home for the kids. So, I don't have a dog in this fight, but... I'm curious why Jason's comments were "retarded".

[Edit - let's just say Daniel wasn't impressed with Jason's post]

Rainy, please disregard everything Jason has said. Believe me, you don't want to learn from him.

Please explain your response, Daniel. I don't work for Prime, I'm not an O/O. Heck, as of two months ago, I got off the road to be home for the kids. So, I don't have a dog in this fight, but... I'm curious why Jason's comments were "retarded".

From the dispatchers to the truck lease payments - what he wrote was wrong.

I must go to sleep now. It's been a long day. Tomorrow I'll write my explanation that you seek sir.

I'm not Daniel, but I work for Prime, so I hope you don't mind if I add some commentary.

1. Never ever have I heard anyone nor heard of anyone at Prime try to tell a driver to run when it was unsafe or illegal. I talk to a lot of drivers. Not once have I heard of a dispatcher pushing someone to run a load illegally, whether on the log book or on a route that was not permitted.

2. I've never heard of a problem if there was a mixup with pickup or delivery dates. It happens. They work with you to come to the best resolution possible. I was sent a different load the one time it happened to me so I didn't have to wait.

3. Not every driver will make fun of you if you have trouble backing, only the insecure *******s who have no other way to feel good about themselves and their limited skills. The professionals will make an attempt to assist you to get your truck parked safely. Now, you might get a ribbing afterward, but the jerks on the CB are not worthy of rational consideration if they're not willing to help.

Hope this helps!

Daniel B. I'm sending you a private message.