Comments By Eric G.

The pins would push in when I pressed on them then push back out as soon as I released them. I beat them with a hammer I rocked back and forth. Nothing was getting it to release and hold. Sorry I'm not sure how to word it as the pins would push in only if I was there holding them in. As soon as I let go the spring would push them back out.

As for the tandems I picked the trailer up and the tandems were in the second to last hole. So yes I was legal to drive, but two things here. 1. I had a 360 mile drive to get to the shipper, and I didn't really want to drive with the tandems all the way back like that since I never really had 2. It was a drop and hook, so I would have been dropping s trailer that would need to be repaired before the shipper could use it to load it. Thought that would be a bad thing to do.

As mentioned when I stopped fir the day I was 1085 miles away and had about 2 hours left on my clock. When I picked up the load I had maybe 3.5 hours left in the day. Me over 1100 miles to go in 31 hours.

I know I complain about the miles a lot. It's really just a place for me to vent a bit. I'm not a person that likes to be in deb. After being unemployed fir 5 months before TruckSmart by I got myself into what I consider a lot of debt ( roughly $5k). So I'm trying to pay it off as fast as possible. It's really eating at me to not be able to do it. I thought with me getting the 3k Miles's week that the recruiters say it would e easier. I also didn't plan fir the company to hijack a lot of my check fir equipment.

But it is what it is. I will make it through and I am learning everyday ways to push More and more. I average about 515 miles a day. That's a truck that can only go as fast as 62, and I rarely run that fast. But if I have to I do. I put down 640 miles the other day with only 11 minutes left on my drive clock.

Trailer tandem pins would not release I needed to get that fixed before I could roll and pick up this load

What if you would have picked up the load and then gotten the pins fixed? You might have been able to keep the original schedule.

Also, in my experience, there's no such thing as pins that won't move if you have a big enough hammer and you make sure the pins are centered properly in their holes. I always carried a three pound sledge and some WD 40 with me and there were times I had to beat on those pins to get em moving, but they always moved. By centered properly, I mean you have to make sure the tandems themselves are not jamming the pins either forward or rearward against the rail, and make sure the tandems aren't twisted from someone making a sharp turn where the pin on one side is jammed forward and the pin on the other side is jammed rearward.

Also, I haven't done the math, but after you were loaded were you not able to make the original appointment time legally?

See, all of this stuff will start to come together after a while. I know right now you think your lack of miles is purely the company's fault, but I can guarantee you it's not. Sometimes rookies step on their own toes when it comes to time management and other aspects of the job but don't realize it right away. Over time you'll get a lot more miles.

Here is mine...

I'm here in shepardsville Kentucky. I got a load of steaks (mmmmmmm steak). The pick up time was moved back 7.5 hours on Wednesday when I picked up in Texas. Trailer tandem pins would not release I needed to get that fixed before I could roll and pick up this load. However they never moved the delivery time back. Original schedule was 8/11 at 0230. I picked up an hour southwest of Amarillo on 8/9 at 1500.

When I did I messaged my FM, asking if the load was still a report. The fill in fir my FM the day before stated it would be before I accepted the load. Anyways they wanted me to provide a new ERA once I stopped for the night in 8/9. I did I have them 8/11 at 1400. Sales came back with 8/13 at 2300. I got here on 8/11 at 1500. Now I have to sit fir over 50 hours before I can go unload.

The place is not open on Saturdays or sundays until 2200.

Yeaaaaaas!!!!!! This is the only load I have so far fir the week. 1400 miles, I'm getting really frustrated with the loads I'm getting.

I'll. Real my answers up. I'm a prime reefer driver myself.

1. The $700 is during TNT not after. And it is the minimum you will make. If the miles you and your trainer are more including your bonuses then you get more. After training you earn 41 cents every mile you are dispatched. 29 cents taxed and 12 untaxed fir your per diem.

2. The unloading times depend. Walmart seems to be the longest. There are some drop and hooks for wal mart, but I haven't seen a whole lot of them. Usually Walmart I average 4-5 hours. That's why I'm glad I have my tv. Other than that the average time I've seen is about 2 hours. Maybe a little more on weekends or if the place is short staffed.

The permit rule is for Prime Missouri, and possibly Pittson. ( I don't know if it applies there, or if they train there or not) for Salt Lake City, which you most likely won't go to unless for some reason they send you there or you request it. You will need your permit first from your home state. Unless that policy has changed in the last 5 months st that terminal. That's were I went through training with Prime.

I'm looking to take online classes as well, however mine are set up on a go as you can basis. Classes and assignments don't have due dates.

I think with your other on the truck, it will make it easier to do the classes, that person would be there to help with all other things not job related.

I have been driving for 2 months solo and in the beginning it's all about working through the mistakes, learning, and finding your process fir getting the job done. This takes up most of my time, but once you hone those skills, you can open up more time to add in things like school.

I'm reefer btw, and in reefer you may have the most time to get classes done while still driving. All the loading and unloading times especially Walmart. Lol

I feel good about trip planning. I have had my mistakes. Sure I have taken loads knowing the window was tight, not shut down at the right times to get to places on time, arrived late because I thought the delivery time was an hour later. ( good thing I like to be st least an hour early so I wasn't too late) I have made lots of mistakes in a short 8 week period. But I have been learning from them, at least I think I have. I have repeated any of them.

I was not aware freight was light, that very well could be the reason. I know I'm looking forward to the colder months. I know some drivers take off so I'm hoping everything picks up. If not I will have the discussion.

Eric

Prime pays breakdown pay and for a hotel. You need to talk to your FM and get paid. Freight has been slow and many drivers are complaining of lower than normal.miles but that is trucking. It's picking back up now and soon you will be running so hard you have to ask for time to shower and eat lol.

I joked about this with my greedy FM after Penny and I decided to stay teaming together. I know he will run us really hard to tge point of insaniry. He replied "fine..I'll give u shower time when the customers call about your smell" lol IT WAS A JOkE.. Love that man

Eric have you asked for more miles? How do you feel about trip planning and time managent?

I thought I screwed up on a CA load but we got there an hour before the appt. That was TOO close for comfort for me lol I have to be there hours and hours ahead of time not to worry

As far as I know, I only call the shipper/receiver to get directions to their location; when Primes directions aren't clear.

The rest of the time I have to go through my FM.

Does Prime not do relays or allow you to call the customer? With that scenario I would pick up and get as close as possible. Monday morning I would be on the phone with the customer to try and get an earlier appt. Worse case they say no and you deliver Wed. It shows your planner and your DM you can run and they can give you more miles or tighter runs.

Well not all guys complaining are negative Nancy's. I have been solo for about 8 weeks now, company reefer driver. I have had maybe 3 weeks over 2400 miles.

In fact a rookie driver in my orientation class went lease. He has just as much driving experience as me. He makes in 2 weeks what I hope to make in a month.

It is frustrating, and I wa out 6 weeks straight. I only went into the terminal because my APU is having issues. So since they took me to the SLC one where my car is. I decided to get lots of outside the truck things done. So it ended p being home time.

Went back out and I'm back at a prime terminal waiting fir my APU to be fixed again.

I didn't get paid for any of the other days my truck was in the shop. I hope I get paid for this time. I'll be at Sprimo through Sat.

I have enjoyed Prime and the experiences, but the miles promised have not been delivered. In fact my pay today was negative 201 dollars. As soon as I leave they give me a load Sat night last week. 1700+ miles. I'm super excited. However it delivers on Wednesday. So no loads for last week at all. Frown face...

Thank you fir the advice. I have been planning to talk to him about the miles. I was just letting a few months go by. Kind of treating it as paying my dues showing him I can do it.

I have reached out to him as far as my performance and he said no issues that he sees.

Eric wrote:

Well not all guys complaining are negative Nancy's. I have been solo for about 8 weeks now, company reefer driver. I have had maybe 3 weeks over 2400 miles.

In fact a rookie driver in my orientation class went lease. He has just as much driving experience as me. He makes in 2 weeks what I hope to make in a month.

No comparison between your paycheck and his...except for the bank it's drawn on, none.

It's really unfortunate, not for you, but for him. Unconscionable how these big companies lure in unsuspecting young rookies with only a few weeks of experience to sign-on with a lease. Talk to him again in about 9 months. Madness... Eric you might want to read some of the threads contained in this link before developing a false sense of reality on the fortunes you are missing out on:

Leasing

As far as you mileage...8 weeks isn't very long. You are barely on the planners radar yet. Make it a point to have regular communication with your fleet manager/driver manager about your progress, that you are confident you are ready to do more. Ask him or her what else you need to do to improve, etc. Don't wait for something to happen...reach out to them, make yourself visible. I also suggest searching on Rainy and Old School (search bar in the upper left hand corner), the reigning King and Queen of effective clock management and planning. Your learning curve, has just begun. What you are experiencing is part of it and normal.

Good luck!

Also after every day of driving while laying down. Raise your legs up above your heart. They recommend this for airline passengers as well. It helps the fluid and blood drain out of them and the swelling to go down.

I'll do it from anywhere from 30 min to an hour. Or at night while sleeping have them elevated.