Comments By David F.

I shouldn't base my decision on this one video as I really don't know the entire story. However, it does seem very fishy for someone wanting to switch jobs. So, is this guy telling the truth that Prime fires people for no reason?

All it takes is one she said/he said argument, or a "joke" that was inappropriate and you're out the door. When I was a dispatcher, we used to hear why drivers were let go, and then we would hear the version that the driver told his co-workers. Rarely did they match up.

If you are not 100% professional, you are leaving yourself up to being blindsided by things. Sometimes, even when you are in the right and did not do anything wrong, the preponderance of evidence might be in the other person's favor. The company is usually going to take the "better safe than sorry" position when it comes to situations like this.

So, do not make your decision based on one video with one side of the story. There is always a second story, and sometimes a third or fourth. The truth is somewhere in the middle, usually.

Not ALL companies are this 'strict.' (Yet, they deserve to be!) A YEAR of driving will BARELY a driver, make ya! What's ONE and done, if you choose, with ANY said company ?!?!?

Interesting letter. That reminds me of the show biz phrase, "you'll never work in this town again." Is there any sort of buy-out provision in the contract?

In Arizona, it is the law to turn into the inside/left lane. Left lane to left lane.

ARS 28-751.2.

Left turns. The driver of a vehicle intending to turn left shall approach the turn in the extreme left-hand lane lawfully available to traffic moving in the direction of travel of the vehicle. If practicable the driver shall make the left turn from the left of the center of the intersection and shall make the turn to the left lane immediately available for the driver's direction of traffic.

...The one thing I will definitely not be missing in a hotel at night is a reefer, parked right next to our truck :-)

That reminds me of the time my A/C compressor went out on July 4th. The truck went into the shop and I went into a motel next to the shop. The all night fireworks in the motel parking lot made sure I didn't get much sleep that night. I would take the next door reefer over that experience any day of the week and twice on Sunday. But, obnoxious noise is still obnoxious noise.

Congratulations! I had a great experience with me TE. The trip planning class is very long days, very detailed, but very long!

As a map geek, the trip planning training with SNI was a blast. I loved the detail and information provided.

That was my initial thought as well. I figured I would need to do the school route just like the first time around. I'll see what happens and go with my gut instinct. If I have to do school and commit to a year contract, so be it. If that happens, I'll be spending lots more time going through the Diaries and posts to see who is the best to go with.

I'll post either way, however it goes.

Is your company going to hire you with a new CDL and no training certificate, then have you pulling HazMat tanker loads?

I had 10yrs of driving experience, including 7 in gasoline tankers. When I moved into Dispatch, I let my CDL lapse. I then left that company and went to work in a call center (yuck). Not for me. One of my old drivers is a lead driver at the new company and they are willing to hire me. I just need to get my CDL back and go through their orientation/training/road testing. And some intensive practice before the CDL Road Test.

I picked up my tractor in the Fontana OC on 03/10/2003. I had to wait 2 days before I received my first dispatch (truck inspection/cleaning, meet my STL, etc.). My first dispatch was to pick up a trailer in Riverside, CA, drop it in Fullerton, CA (I think at Kimberly Clark), pick up a loaded trailer there and then make two deliveries in Tucson, AZ.

I had to go back and look at my notes, but it seems that the main road out of Riverside to the freeway was closed due to emergency road repairs, and they routed me into the Ontario Airport! I was able to get turned around and went the other way to I-10. That was the only excitement on that run.

And now I'm working on getting my CDL again...just so I can go through my "first dispatch" all over again!

AZ seems to be going out of it's way to make it frustratingly hard to get my CDL again. The company I'd go to work for hauls HazMat tankers. Well, AZ won't let permit holders drive tankers (must be empty) that have hauled HazMat unless they've been purged. There goes the plan of having a company truck for the Drive Test. Hmmm.

Unless the company happens to have a purged tanker sitting in the yard, I'm pretty much out of luck on that option.