Comments By Kat

This DC has a file cabinet with every store's satellite image along with arrows marking how to get in and out and where the docks. It's one of the main reasons I decided to stick around a while. LOL Much of my anxiety stemmed from navigating around the stores, so once dispatch clued me in to the cheat sheets, I was ok. It's definitely challenging, but the backing isn't any worse than some of the places I've been OTR. Had a stop today with a really tight left turn to get behind the building and another with so much crap piled up around their docking area that there was barely room to turn around, but if there's one lesson I have learned it is to creep along and watch those mirrors in tight spaces. It's always an awesome feeling to make it into a tight spot, even if it takes a while.

As far as the people go, I'm always nice. If THEY aren't, then I am professional. I am an introvert at heart and after a year or so away from the classroom where I was forced to interact with lots of people, I have had no trouble re-establishing my hermit-like ways. It's just another change I will get used to.

Time management is quite different with this gig! So far, there haven't been any issues with having to wait at dock doors, and I am usually in and out of there in 30 minutes or so. That counts the time from when I get to their docking area to when I pull out. I have been pleasantly surprised.

Tomorrow, my run to Vermont will add state #48 to my list of places I have driven in. Went to Alaska on vacation a couple of years ago, so now Hawaii is on my bucket list. States are like Pokemon...gotta collect them all!

Yep... They went over the load map before I left and told me how many pallets each stop got, BUT it was a minimal education at best. LOL They said nothing about bulkheads, writing down temps pre and post drop, or much of anything else to be honest. After the first stop, I got it figured out.

Something I found really different was being on duty virtually every minute other than when I was driving. Had to stop on the way back to the DC for my 30 because I ran out of time. I am used to logging about 10 minutes on duty at a stop so that I can save my clock. Too, this type of run requires dealing with more people in one night than I might normally see all week. LOL That in itself is a challenge for me after being so solitary for the past year.

It was an interesting night and not as horrible as I imagined it would be! LOL So glad you said something about those bulkheads, G-town, because this first load was reefer with three temp zones. The guy at my first stop was very helpful and showed me how to put them up and down. Good thing too because I was totally on my own at the other 2 stops. It made it better that this tends to be a night run...or at least I can dictate my schedule if I want to. Less traffic, empty parking lots, AND I found out today that there are satellite pictures of each delivery point with arrows showing traffic flow.

Pay-wise, it's a few cents per mile more than OTR with stop pay. The guys in the office here told me more about the weather issues too, and up front, it doesn't sound any worse than dealing with winter across the US. I got lucky this past year driving OTR and only ended up driving in snow a handful of times.

So, right now, I am planning on staying up here a while and seeing how it goes. I was assured that if I decided that it just wasn't something I wanted to do, especially when winter hits, that they would allow me to switch back to OTR with no problem. I think the perks are good though! LOL Guaranteed parking at the end of each shift, ability to park/shop at Walmart as needed, our mini terminal at the DC, consistency in pay from week to week AND the ability to bobtail out of here if I crave lobster for dinner.

Thanks! That info helps some. Prime drivers coming into Lewiston with a load are required to do at least one store run before you get another OTR load, so this is my first time dealing with this. Was told that there is a shortage of dedicated drivers out of this DC, and the guy in dispatch here said I could hang around if I liked it. Just not sure I would want something routine...at least not long term. I enjoy the variety of places and loads with OTR. I wouldn't mind giving it a go if tonight isn't a nightmare, especially if there is an opportunity to make a little more.

Oh...one more...

5. Do they make you change fleet managers if you want to do dedicated? I really love mine and have no desire to leave his board. ❤️

Anyone here on this account? I have questions.... I am still OTR but exploring the dedicated option.

1. I'm running my first store load out of here tonight, and I have looked at the satellite views of the locations I will be going. Two out of the three have no place to turn around behind or beside their building, and the docks are in two sets...the one you can set up for depends on the way you go in behind the store. Do you just choose a spot or do they tell you which to pull into?

2. As an OTR driver, I am paid 0.425 per mile. I hear that the dedicated account pays something like 0.56 per mile. Is that accurate? Do OTR drivers running required local loads out of here get paid the dedicated rate for those loads? Also, is there a guaranteed amount attached to dedicated accounts since they obviously don't get the same mileage as OTR drivers?

3. Do you have to live near a DC to run dedicated?

4. Can dedicated be run on a temporary basis or do you have to commit to be permanent? I would love to run an account like this in months other than winter. Not sure I could do months of dealing with snow and ice up here.

I am scared of store parking lots and maneuvering through them. Please say a prayer for me tonight. It's time I got over this fear, but geez it's hard!

I don't think the failure rate is due to company training issues. I think many people don't realize how tough this is! I saw people dropping like flies through training and the first year at Prime. It's not Prime's fault they didn't make it. This career is like anything else in life. You get out of it what you put in. Not everyone has the fortitude to stick those hard days out.

The trailer is going to move the opposite of the direction you steer. Think o steering your trailer like pushing it on one si e or the other...turn TOWARD the problem. If you see it drifting toward the driver side, steer left to "push" it the opposite way. Reverse for the passenger side.

When I was going through TNT training, my first trainer didn't give me any storage space, but at Prime, we are told that whatever is taken to training goes in the top bunk with us. Since we were teaming, it wasn't a huge thing since the bottom bunk was the one being used most often. When we actually stopped and took a real break, the bunk was long enough that sleeping with a bag or two wasn't really an issue. My second trainer gave me the small cabinet that sits above the fridge. I am planning on training student drivers, so they won't be on my truck for months....probably three weeks tops. Just don't know if I can make myself team drive again. LOL

Congrats! And...welcome to Prime!