Comments By Allan Burden

The orientation is, well it simply is what it is. If you really want to be a professional truck driver you will get through it no problem. If you feel that everything should be handed to you on a silver platter then it's another story. There was a lot of hurry up and wait. Tuesday is the official start of orientation for those without their CDL. If you ride the dog to Springfield on their dime you will arrive up to and including Tuesday morning just before it starts. I am very thankful that I saved up and got a flight and arrived early. Anyways, on Tuesday you will have to have your packet completed that they give you when you check in. You will have to account for at least five years of personal work/school history and its best to know your history back to ten years. The packet is not hard to fil out just takes about 45 minutes. DO NOT LIE ABOUT ANYTHING! They will find out and put you and your stuff on the curb. The background interview, a bit of a joke if you ask me, took all of 5 minutes as they were just checking to see that my computer application and paper application matched up. Oh, make sure you study hard for the most important test that day...the pee test lol. After that is done you will do your DOT physical, yes you have to have it by prime's doctor. If your BMI is over 39 you will have to do a sleep study. It costs $625 and will be deducted from your check once you have your CDL and are hired. Keep in mind that until you pass the CDL A tests you are not hired during the PSD (permit portion) of your training. The rest of the week is spent in the sim lab and on computers doing classes if you come with your permit. If not you will be doing classes to get your permit. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE SHOW UP WITH YOUR PERMIT. I got to start on my sims Monday at 4 thanks to having mine and finishing early with everything and getting more one on one instruction was a big reason I was able to get a good instructor. Be prepared to be annoyed, ****ed off, impatient, jubilant, happy, sad, pretty much all the emotions you can imagine. Sometimes people are rude, remember that you are being evaluated constantly. BE PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS AT ALL TIMES AND NEVER BE LATE. Early is on time, on time is late, late is get ready for the greyhound. It's as simple as that. I got bored, had fun and met some really good people. Orientation will end and you will get out on the road. Stay positive and feel free to ask me any questions you want. I wil do my best to answer timely. Please excuse any spelling or grammatical errors as it is hard for me to type and edit on my iPhone.

Good luck! Hope everything works out for you!

Sorry for the long delay, I have thankfully been busy. I finished up orientation on Friday and headed out with my instructor who will also be my trainer when I test out for my CDL. I went into the program wanting to do my best and be serious in everything that the company threw at me hoping to impress an instructor. It worked. I was asked on Wednesday by my now instructor if I wanted to learn with him. We talked for a while and so here we are! My first load has been delivered and we are waiting on number 2! So far, life is good

That's a lovely little town. I played my very last high school football game in the playoffs in Great Falls! Of course that was a few years ago lol. And yes, it is very cool to see one's chosen company's trucks back home.

Aint that cool! Yesterday I ran the hubby to work in Rock Hill and passed by one and then drove along side all the way to GF it was cool as heck!

GF as in Great Falls? Oh and I passed 4 Celadon trucks on I 26 headed to Columbia to fly or to my orientation.

Congratulations and good luck!

Good luck! I am pretty satisfied with my choice of prime so far.

Well, I made it! Sitting in my room at The Campus Inn. Thankfully we have free wi-fi and the rooms are more than adequate. I got here a day earlier than most, which turned out to be an excellent move. Yeah, I had to pay for most of my flight but that is where proper preparation comes in. I saved enough to not be hurting financially at this time. I get to move a day ahead of all the other PSD students tomorrow as well. I will do all my paperwork in the morning then get in the sims here at 4 pm. That is pretty much the rest of my week with drug testing and DOT physical in there somewhere. If you're coming to prime get your permit. It will get you ahead of the game.

Thanks for the well wishes everyone. Brett, I am going to start the logbook today when I get to Springfield. Houkie, good luck with your training. Not much to report yet. Sitting at O'Hare waiting on my flight to Springfield. Stay safe folks.

In two days I'm leaving on a jet plane, I don't know when I'll be back again...yeah, it's cheesy but admit it, when you read that you did it in the tune of the song ;) I start orientation/training/boot camp with Prime on Tuesday May 7th. I have worked hard to save money for this day so that I could have a nice back-up in the bank for the first few weeks.

So yeah, about that whole jet plane thing. I got the confirmation email from my recruiter with the grey dog info on it and hit the greyhound site looking up the itinerary for that particular bus ride...23 hours, about 15 stops, leaving on Sunday at 7:30pm and arriving on Monday evening. Hmmm...do I want to arrived disheveled and worn out, only to spend a couple of hours filling out that infamous golden packet that Prime hands you at check-in or do I want to spend a few dollars, arrive in a very reasonable amount of time, and have Sunday evening and all day Monday to fill out that packet. Yep, called my recruiter, was advised that I would be reimbursed up to a certain point on the ticket and also told that it would be ok to arrive a day early (on Sunday)! I found a pretty decent deal on a ticket ($240 from Columbia, SC to Springfield, MO) and I can't wait for Sunday to get here!

My duffel is packed with clothes, toiletries, etc. My carry on is packed with all my paperwork and my two e-readers. It's getting real, especially today for some reason.

I will do my best to update as much as possible. With Prime you spend 4 days at orientation before heading out for PSD for 2 to 4 weeks. You then come back and test out for your CDL and begin the TnT portion for the next 6-8 weeks. At that time you test out to upgrade to your own truck! I am following Prime's recommendation and arriving with my CDL permit in hand. This means that I can jump right into the simulator after clearing the paperwork, physical, and orientation without worrying about studying for my permit and passing the tests. A big thank you is offered here for Brett, and/or anyone else involved, and the development of the training program here. After just one time through the main areas needed for my permit (General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Combination) I absolutely killed the test here in SC. Please do yourself a favor and do the program. It will help you pass. When the time comes to get my hazmat, tanker, and doubles/triples I will be hitting the program again with full knowledge and faith that I will once again nail the test.

Stay safe out there everyone!