Comments By Jason

TNT with 2 different trainers and the response to Trailer issues has been universal- unless it’s ‘life/death’ don’t mention it.

Four trailers so far with ABS issues... and the one time I tried to mention it on a drop trailer report- I got caught and admonished. Seems the ‘messenger’ is punished for reporting trailer issues. Ofc they want you to take it in... on your time/dime.

When I get out on my own; I’ll report it. That said if it constantly costs me revenue...

Sure, reporting reefer fuel level is easy...to fix; but ABS, tires, electrical... not so much.

The ad for leasing was his 2017 W-2 from Prime. Gross pay $328,000. He readily admitted he only took home half....but still! He's been a trucker for only 2.5 years total...all with Prime.

No the issue is Prime acknowledging they screwed up when they refilled his tire fund, and then refused to refill his emergency fund which is substantially less than what he actually lost. (I didn't say he didn't have one). If anyone else had been at fault....host of support folks at Prime would've has his back, but now he's getting cold shoulder.

And you don't make an official request on Qualcomm to talk to the CEO unless you are damn sure of the facts/situation. He's still got 6 mos left on his 3 year lease.

I ran into Britton at the Campus Inn week before last; he was waiting for a TNT. He didn’t seemed OK.

My dispatcher wanted an update on my 2nd TNT trainer... I replied “0 of 2”.

At this point I don’t want to see what’s behind door #3... I just this over with! My new trainer isn’t a bad guy at all, but he’s preoccupied, angry, and (I suspect his obsessing over the situation is making him) sick. Three things that make poor trainers.

Prime really screwed him over. He took his truck to Prime Mechanic shop to get the ABS valve on his tractor repaired after it failed and they installed it backwards! [Essentially any braking that would trigger ABS caused all 4 of his service tires on the tractor to lock up completely] A mistake that cost him 3-4 settlements (almost a month of down time). Seems the Peterbilt dealership finally figured it out. Now Prime replaced the tires that were damaged; but down time? So sorry- SOL.

He’s lease...but 3-4 settlements would be bad for anyone; but because he’s lease- he can’t litigate. Prime’s hiding behind the arbitration agreement. Thursday he had me send a QC message to dispatch asking for a sit down with Robert Lowe.

Trainer’s never going to let this go; so he’s short tempered, impatient, and distracted leaving him little time for me. Twice now we show up for a delivery, wide open parking lot, no other trucks or activity nearby, and he’s kicked me out of the drivers seat because he feels nauseous and wants his bed.

I’ve got 10K miles left on my 30K requirement.

Hope Britton and others are doing better.

Certainly. Supposedly handles different, touchy? Different turn radius...backing too. Idk, find out on Friday.

Oops.... He didn’t want to pay while HE was on vacation.

Back at prime1...off truck. Trainer didn’t want to pay while I was on vacation. Got another lined up coming from Fla. Peterbuilt though; only driven Freightliner so far so another learning curve. 17K miles left in TNT.

Thanks for replies.

Heading back to Springfield soon for my permanent license; wonder if PSD staff will tell me if he’s still in the program?

Kinda curious myself; but it’s easy to get involved and think about posting, but never never actually doing it.

I’ve had a tumultuous 2 weeks myself. Worst was leaving my phone in the Shower Room at a Pilot in WI...and not figuring it out until I was in PA. To fix that I arrnaged a prepaid padded envelope sent to the Manager at the pilot who put it back in the mail for me. I opted to send it to my dispatcher vs home. As I mentioned my temp CDL expires soon while going home is not certain. Not the only way to ‘lose’ access to a phone and we rely on it for so much at Prime. Fortunately my trainer still has his for live load calls, etc. Thinking I may need to get a 2nd phone as backup.

(Right now I have a 2nd Verizon hotspot and a iPad without an air card...that’s it. Good for email and surfing, but can’t make calls, etc. The 15GB/mo limit goes on the hotspot disappears in days!)

Saw lots of crashed, rolled, and stranded trucks/trailers along I 90. Been lucky to dodge all of the big storms so far.

As I contemplate a trip home; I was considering my hazmat endorsement. I noticed or more accurately not noticed any hazmat trucks at any of the overnight parking since I started driving. Company driver...OTR...money in miles; but if hazmat is all short, done in a day? Would I be shooting myself in the foot by getting it?

I could see how short high value loads works out for Lease drivers; but company? Thoughts? I’m assuming hazmat would be on par or better than high value loads.

What else... developing a modest antipathy for QualComm; but I did figure out how to report errors! Trainer damaged a trailer this week... $500 deductivle taken out and all because he couldn’t be bothered to get out and look. If my trainer has a fault...it’s arrogance. Expensive reminder he’s not; but he just shrugged it off like no big deal. He’s lease...

Still trying to get swapped. We worked out this smoking thing; but now he planning a 2 week vacation this month...and that’s a long time for me to set at home I didn’t plan for without a paycheck!

So how’s PSD phase? Should be heading back to the pad/prep for Test after week or so.

My TNT trainer started great...and then he declared he was going to quit smoking and he wasn’t going to tolerate it from me around the truck. Hmmm....never going to happen. He literally fumigates the truck every time I get in trying to cover the smell that attaches to all smokers. Lol...and then he complains he can’t sleep well because the air is foul.

Sure I need to quit; but this is not the time for it...and to have my trainer try to force the issue? I spoke with his dispatcher already; 99% chance I’m going to swap out next we hit Springfield. I only have temp lisence still so a trip back is certain..and soon. He’s also forcing me to drive only nights. I figured 10 hour shifts...I’d rotate into days eventually; but he’s taking an extra 2-4 hour nap in the mornings before starting his shift (whenever he can).

Win some/lose some. So far MN farthest west; we keep circling the East. Florida was nice...but I packed almost NO ‘Summer’ clothing.

Hope you are doing better.

I was so focused on air break test missed a few obvious items on in pre-trip. Fortunately not enough to fail. Trifecta and done. Waiting for TNT.

Heard an interesting rumor tonight that might shed some light on the lack of trainers.

Heard this from a guy who finished his TNT over a month ago and opted to stay with his trainer because there aren’t any ‘new’ trucks to be had. Due to some kind of miscommunication there are some 2000+ fewer trucks available for lease this year. Trainees are being offered another $300/week (1000/week gaurunteed) to stick with their trainer as a team driver. There’s no reason to upgrade... there’s no trucks!

OR they could come sit in the hotel for $700/week for a month plus, etc.

Shortage should be rectified in 4-6 weeks. However trainers that are keeping their trainee vs taking new ones... well that’s definintely an X factor fewer available for the rest of us. Couple that with bigger than usual interest in Prime PSD...

Thought I’d share...