Location:
townsend, MA
Driving Status:
Rookie Solo Driver
Social Link:
I am From Mass I started trucking in 2011 with Prime came home went local Now in 2015 I am going back over the road. Before trucking I was a house framer and when the market crashed I had no work and no unemployment (self employed) so savings went to nothing . Now I Have a wife and 3 kids which 2 are in college.
Posted: 7 years ago
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OMG. WHEN are the mistakes going to end?
Yes city driving is hard I have done it in the past. you need to stop worring about what was happened and just think about what you are doing at that time . you putting to much thought into what you have done and what you think your going or not going to get at the shippers/receivers. you need to take your time get the big picture look ahead at the road and the things around you. Always check your mirrors and when you get to a shipper or receivers slow down pulling in take thos wide turns and look in your mirrors dont think about if someone behind you as you pull in or is going down the road slow looking for the place they can wait.
Posted: 7 years ago
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Question for the experienced drivers
I live in mass and drive for Prime. there are enough loads going to mass to get you home. But I dont drive the North East much due to the fact I have a full size truck because Iam a trainer and the loads are short hops that will still take you longer than they should due to traffic. so to me they dont pay much. so i get loads to get home and get out. I am heading back out from mass on monday was on vaction the last 10 days ahhhh felt good
Posted: 7 years ago
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Welcome Ham. Like Brett said there is always 2 sides to every story, What you need to do is look at each company what they offer, what you feel is the right fit for you and go and talk with them. the jump in run hard run safe be on time and after some time like 6 months to a year if you feel its still the right fit then stay but you feel that it is not then move on but be respect full and go to some other company you think will work out better for you.
Posted: 7 years ago
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You can get your hours quick and yes the dude is right you will learn everything else in the TNT phase. I am a PSD/TNT trainer I am also a company driver for Prime and I have a 2015 Freight
Posted: 7 years ago
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Yes you will have to do the PSD/TNT but you don't tested like a PSD you get evaluelated it will take about 3 weeks to do the psd part but with you it could be sooner.. Yes you can make more than the guarantee. Hope you get a trainer that likes to run and a fleet manager who can run you .. I know after my PSD student pasted my fleet manager ran us we left prime friday afternoon and I dropped him off thursday morning in Indiana for home time and he already had 4800 miles in that short time
Posted: 7 years ago
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Sorry about reposting so late after . Awhile back I posted that Wed. was a big day for my PSD student well it was he did pretty good but sorry to say he didnt past he was so nervous that he messed up the blind side parell.. That night I put him on the pad so he could do it and he did first shot and felt good about it. So Thur. when he tested he did Really good and passed his backing went on the road test and pasted. I was so proud of him and proud of what I have done, It felt really good to see how proud he was of himself and so happy that he got his cdl. On Friday I gave him a ride to the DMV and I paid for his licence then Sat we went back out and I started TNTing him he wanted home time last weekend so I droped him off in Indiana and I headed out someone else picked him up yesterday to continue his training because I leave for vaction this friday when I come back on the 27th I head back to Prime in springfield Mo. to get another PSD student and do it again.
Posted: 7 years, 1 month ago
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You might be a trucker if......
You make wide turns while in you personal vehicle you never use the third lane on the Hwy
Posted: 7 years, 1 month ago
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You should go company first and learn the ways so to speak a lot of companies will give you that nice new truck. Some will give a nice used truck at first but after awhile they will turn and give you that brand new truck. Once you learn the ways which will take awhile learn how to run when to run get good fuel mpg and never late. If you want to try the lease thing after awhile go ahead some companies have a walk away lease so if it doesn't work out you can always go back to company for them and they won't down you for it. You never know until you try right? Best of luck be safe out there
Posted: 7 years, 1 month ago
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Experienced Drivers, did I make a mistake?
You did the right thing. I would have done the same as you
Posted: 7 years, 1 month ago
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I've been in training for 6 months and I still can't get the hang of shifting
Contact the fleet manager that fleet manager is also your fleet manager and tell him/her about this guy and how inappropriate he is. Don't let one person and his rudeness determine your life and what you want to do. Did you try shifting the way I said?
Posted: 7 years, 1 month ago
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I've been in training for 6 months and I still can't get the hang of shifting
Don't think so hard about shifting before you do it. Just rev the engine listen to it look at the rpms take your time don't stomp on the throttle like a car. Build up speed slowly until about 1300 rpms then clutch shift clutch. Its not a race. If you are sitting at a light and the cars next to you take off don't try doing what they are doing just take your time building speed slowly don't worry about the cars behind you if they want to go fast then tuff they can go around you. While your building up speed slowly that will also give that lead time you need to stop because the cars in front of young will take off. When down shifting you don't need to down shift thro every gear skip shift. Like when coming off the highway let the truck slow down even if you use a little break.let that motor bog down to 1000 to 800 rpm and below 35 mph then down shift to 8th then if you need to do that again let it bog down to the same and below 15 mph then down shift into 6th. With down shift its almost the same its clutch shift tap throttle clutch shift into gear. The key to it all is take your time your not drag racing or in a car. Do not stomp on the throttle
Posted: 7 years, 1 month ago
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Wednesday is a big day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you everyone. I will let you all know how it goes. I found what I really like to do and its being a PSD instructor. On my off time with him I am in the simm lab helping new students to learn how to shift.
Posted: 7 years, 1 month ago
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Wednesday is a big day!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey everyone I know I haven't been on here much since going back to Prime in April. but since I have been back and running hard and with the record I have with this company in the past. I became a PSD instructor and have my first student testing out on Wednesday I have worked very hard with this guy got him shifting good and his fuel mpg up to 8.75.. had him on the pad today and he did awesome. Got the backing down real quick his parallel parking was perfect on the first shot blindside and site side. I know he is nervous. I told him how good he is and how great he is doing. I feel its my kid going to get his driver lic. For the first time. He will make a great safe driver. I hope he passes the first time out. I know I am nervous also but I am not showing it. Wednesday for those couple of hours he is testing will feel like days to me since I am not allowed to watch and have to sit in a office with no windows. oh boyyyy
Posted: 7 years, 1 month ago
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1st Year Anniversary at Prime... Accident Free
Congrats Ken. I. am here at Prime in Springfield Mo. just finished taking the PSD instructor training course. Picked out my student who already has 57 hours under his belt his last instructor and him didn't get a long . He is pretty good . Waiting on a load for tomorrow to get out of here. So today did lots of backups on the pad and drove around.. so I like being a PSD instructor. Lets see how it goes. I feel sorry for all the kids here who don't have instructors right now tho.
Posted: 7 years, 2 months ago
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I will either sweep it out or use a little battery powered blower it works really good. I am reading this post as I sit at a wal mart dc in door
Posted: 7 years, 2 months ago
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In cab cooking and nature's calling
My wife makes me home cooked meals and puts them in throw away tins freezer raps them and freezes them. When I am home on my home time I get them out of the freezer and put them in my fridge they defrost slowly and I cook them in my lunch box cooker while I am going down the road. When I run out of those I will go shopping and cook my own food. I love grilled cheese sandwiches with ham and tomato In fact I think I will make one now hehehe. . I try to get home every 3 weeks to stock up tho
Posted: 7 years, 2 months ago
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I went thro a private school my self. The main reason I did is because I didn't want to work for one company I wanted to choose who I work for and Not get stuck in one company for a period of time if it didn't work out. I wasn't able to shift well neither. It took lots of drive time with teachers to get it down enough to pass for my class AS. I really didn't get everything down good until I went to a trucking company and they sent me out with a Trainer who was awesome and a great guy to be with. He showed me how to be a strong driver. If this is what you want to do I myself would go to a private school or college and get that class A and while there research different trucking companies apply to them talk to them ask them Questions and take my Time to see which company would be the best fit for me. Best of Luck to you
Posted: 7 years, 2 months ago
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Wanting to get into the truck driving job
Congrats!!!! I love trucking its the best job I have ever had. It is a different kind of life style.
Click Anywhere To Close
Posted: 6 years, 10 months ago
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NEED ADVISE!!!!! Made to drive while sick and dangerous conditions.
I dont understand why you continued to drive when you knew how sick you were. You put yourself and others in danger by being behind the wheel with a temp of 103. Most adults hullcinate over 101 and their brains and organs start to fail over 103. So your fleet manager who cant see you and isnt a doctor is to blame ??, I think not you should have gotten yourself to the nearest hospital. You need to be able to stand up for yourself and tell dispatch or your fleet manager "NO" it might be "NO" cause there is a massive blizzard, it might be "NO" cause your too sick, or it might be "NO" for anyother reason that would make it unsafe to drive, but you need to learn to say "NO" and stop looking for others to give you permission. Safety first what if you had caused an accident that left people hurt or worse.