Comments By B_Dawg

Best of luck man! I bet everyone who gets into this business has those very same jitters. I was like you, kept putting it off. Now, it looks like things are finally falling into place. With a little luck (and a lot of hard work) I'll be driving by the end of the summer.

Good luck out there!

I was wondering about that also, since I just applied to Prime and am set to call the recruiter tomorrow. regardless of what the tractor weighs, you still have to be under 80k (12/34/34) right? does the LW make scaling your load more difficult since there's more load weight to distribute? also, I would think lighter tractor + heavier load = less control, so I imagine you'd have to be more careful going down grades etc. especially in bad weather.

Hey rainy! yeah I was talking to a guy who runs tanker for Prime out in Michigan and I know Prime has a NE regional for that division. I can't see there ever being a shortage of loads out here! lol! but nah, I'm pretty well set on being OTR. I think Prime requires the tanker endorsement anyway but I'm still going to get it just in case, like you say I change my mind later it'll be an option.

Thanks Brett! yeah, being from the northeast (NJ) I figure any regional/local job I'd be encountering the issues you mentioned. I recently took a trip to Breezewood and Carlisle in PA and had the chance to talk to some drivers about the industry. honestly, the way I am I think I'd find local a little too repetitive. I did briefly check into 2 and 3 man team driving but I just don't see myself ever being comfortable with the idea.

Hey Rainy, I'm also from NJ and just applied to Prime. going to call the recruiter tomorrow. does Prime start deducting the payback fees during your 30k or wait until you're solo? also, how long did you wait to get a trainer? were you given the option lightweight/full and how long did it take to get your truck? thanks!

newbie here. brief summary of me: 40 years old. single. no kids. was in the printing industry from 19-38 but been struggling the past 2 years. no college or skills. always been pulled toward trucking (grandfather drove) so decided to pursue a career. need a CDL but don't have a pot to **** in, so been researching company schools and I really appreciate all the great info available on TT! anyway, had it narrowed down to Prime, Millis, Roehl and Knight. found some good reviews on Abilene Motor Express, but I don't think they offer school training. I sent them an email so I'll find out soon enough.

anyway, need to get the ball rolling so I sent an app to Prime. wanted to go with Millis because you test in your home state, but Millis wants a bit more up front, and I just don't have it. went with Prime over Roehl and Knight mainly because they have APUs. it may not be a big deal, but I really didn't care for Roehl's EPU usage policy of 2hrs on/10 off. it seems one of the things you have to be prepared for as a driver are times when you're waiting around to be loaded/unloaded, waiting for your next load, or reset. just my opinion, but if you're going to ask people to live out of a truck, taking on the added cost to make sure they're in some measure of comfort speaks volumes of how a company views it's drivers.

I have no expectations. no plans to get rich. I've always had a passion for trucks and look forward to seeing different parts of the country, even if it is at 60 mph! but right now, I'm just focusing on studying so I can get my permit so I can get thru training and pass my CDL. hell, if I can't do that I won't have to worry about adjusting to the lifestyle! one step at a time.

I did have a couple few questions, since I will have to make a choice on what division to run if I get accepted. Prime has reefer, flatbed, tanker and intermodal. I recently asked a driver what intermodal means, and after telling me, he said: "stay away from it!". lol. apparently, the pay is low and there are a lot of extra hassles, but I was considering it because living in NJ there are a lot of train yards and ports I may be able to eventually get a regional or local run for, should I decide OTR isn't for me. he recommended I go with reefer, because it will give me the best OTR experience and the loads are more consistent because there's steady demand. I told him I wanted coast-to-coast OTR experience because I wanted to see the country and it seemed to be a requirement for getting hired, and he said that wasn't true. he said OTR experience is certainly helpful, but in the end it's the insurance carrier that dictates whether or not you need OTR experience and how much, not the company, and that you can find local and regional jobs without a lot of time OTR. is this true? I've had physical jobs, and actually enjoy them (UPS, warehouse, etc) so flatbed appealed to me as a way to get exercise and help avoid a weight issue (can't wait to eat! lol) seriously though, I am borderline stage 2 diabetic, not on meds thank God, but managing diet and exercise on the road is going to be my biggest challenge. however, from what I've read flatbed doesn't typically run west coast often and freight slows down quite a bit during the winter months. is this true? flatbed will also be a good foundation if I decide I want to try heavy haul down the line. as for tanker, with Prime it seems mostly regional/NE and not a coast-to-coast thing, and I would prefer running more areas of the country for the experience.

I'd really appreciate any input you guys have. I'm working on a list of questions and will probably call the recruiter in the next day or two. I'm leaning toward reefer but flatbed is really starting to appeal to me. feeling pretty excited about getting this deal started!