Prime
Topic 22223 | Page 1
What do you want to know I'm with prime in the tanker division and I love it here
Regarding the tanker job, I'd suggest on passing on it. It would be best to get your experience in dry van or reefer before taking that leap as a tanker is alot more dangerous and requires alot more attention. Just please don't tell us it's HAZMAT chemicals......
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
Regarding the tanker job, I'd suggest on passing on it. It would be best to get your experience in dry van or reefer before taking that leap as a tanker is alot more dangerous and requires alot more attention. Just please don't tell us it's HAZMAT chemicals......
No here at Prime we only do food grade tanker.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
You know I love Prime and its great for women, lots of us feel very welcome. the atmosphere is awesome, very friendly.
as for trainimg, coming in with your CDL you must do 40k truck miles as a team. It can be grueling and seems like forever but well worth it. we have tuition reimbursement.
My opinion, start with reefer then change to tanker down the road a bit. you would have to go back out with a trainer for 30 days to change divisions but having both reefer and tanker would make you more marketable IF you ever decide to leave. the 30 days will be easier cause you would only be learning tanker after having been solo.for.awhile. that would make it more relaxed and less stressful and easier to deal with the surge of smooth bore.
i came to get my license then go local a year later...look what happened, im.working on 3 years.
and welcome hopeully all goes well.
The trainers here cant be all bad...I stood in a parking space and told my trainee to back.in and run me over. I figured hating me might give her motivatiion to get it in the box. Im still alive. Had my trainer did that, i would have learned backing very quickly!
i have an incredible trainee right now! He's amazing me how quickly he is learning.
When were you thinking of coming?
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
However, if you go to Prime and get Rainy as a trainer, hopefully you won't end up in her dungeon.
Hi GD! Here’s my advise. If you’re accepted into Prime & decide to go, fly Allegiant air out of Sanford, Fl. I paid less than $150 & flew into Springfield, MO. I don’t remember how far away you are but flying beats the “Dirty Dog” (greyhound) any day.
PSD training will consist of passing a physical/drug test, pass a simple agility test, complete a bunch of computer based training videos (get those done ASAP) & pass simulator class.
Once you complete all that, you’ll go out with a TNT trainer who’ll teach you the ropes. Better shifting techniques, procedures at shippers & receivers, trip planning, budgeting your hours of service. Basically, it’s a crash course on day to day life out here over the road.
I’m very happy here. And would recommend Prime wholeheartedly. I started on 3/5. In one month I passed my CDL & am now earning. I’ve driven from Sprimo to Flagstaff then down to Dallas/Ft. Worth area & now I’m headed back to Kansas City, MO area. While training, I went from Sprimo to Salt Lake City, up to Idaho then across to Wilmington, IL & back to Sprimo.
If I missed anything else you wanted to know, please feel free to ask away. Good luck & be safe!!
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Shipper:
The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.
Over The Road:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.PSD:
Prime Student Driver
Prime Inc has a CDL training program and the first phase is referred to as PSD. You'll get your permit and then 10,000 miles of on the road instruction.
The following is from Prime's website:
Prime’s PSD begins with you obtaining your CDL permit. Then you’ll go on the road with a certified CDL instructor for no less than 75 hours of one-on-one behind the wheel training. After training, you’ll return to Prime’s corporate headquarters in Springfield, Missouri, for final CDL state testing and your CDL license.
Obtain CDL Permit / 4 Days
- Enter program, study and test for Missouri CDL permit.
- Start driving/training at Prime Training Center in Springfield, Missouri.
- Work toward 40,000 training dispatched miles (minimum) with food allowance while without CDL (Food allowance is paid back with future earnings).
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles
- Train with experienced certified CDL instructor for 3-4 weeks in a real world environment.
- Get 75 hours of behind-the-wheel time with one-on-one student/instructor ratio.
- Earn 10,000 miles toward total 40,000 miles needed.
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
However, if you go to Prime and get Rainy as a trainer, hopefully you won't end up in her dungeon.
Im never gonna live this down am i?? lol
No you won't. You will FOREVER be known as the dungeon mistress of SPRIMO.
Thank you all for your replies.
40k does seem a long time but what I have a whole total of driving a semi like 28 times. I am sure that 40k is needed. It sounds daunting and a bit intimidating but in reality it’s an extension of my learning. Of course, as a noob I have my healthy fears and some humorous ones as well, like accidentally passing gas, what if I got to go right now, what if I forget everything (as little as it is) I have learned. 😂😂😂
As far as when I want to start, well I guess that is up to Prime. The sooner the better. Maybe I could be sucked into Rainy’s Dungeon. 😂😂😂 I would think I was learning from a celebrity of TT.
Thanks for the thought about flying. If this happens I will check what Raleigh/Durham had to offer. A thousand miles on a Grayhound sounds like hell on earth. But on that note could I drive my own car?
It is sounding like everyone is in agreement that tanker should be down the road. The recruiter said I had to have my tanker. I do have tanker, twins, as soon as my paperwork comes in I will test for my hazmat , and my TWIC is in the mail on it’s way.
I am waiting for a certified copy of my birth certificate as it appears that after 48 years the copy I have is no longer a legal document as it can be duplicated. It is in the mail. I saw many companies want this thank goodness I went to get my TSA screening as that is how I found out about the rule change on New Mexico’s birth certificates. They were able to pull it up but not issue me a copy.
I will keep ya’ll updated snd again thank you.
HAZMAT:
Hazardous Materials
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts of especially hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under HAZMAT regulations
TWIC:
Transportation Worker Identification Credential
Truck drivers who regularly pick up from or deliver to the shipping ports will often be required to carry a TWIC card.
Your TWIC is a tamper-resistant biometric card which acts as both your identification in secure areas, as well as an indicator of you having passed the necessary security clearance. TWIC cards are valid for five years. The issuance of TWIC cards is overseen by the Transportation Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security.
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I have placed an application with Prime. I have an application in with another tanker company but after a month the TM is saying there is a hang up with HR whether or not I am in the hiring area.
I am a recent Graduate and know I need to be hired within 90 days.
I have heard great things about Prime from an old family friend. I placed on the application undecided on division. Tammy in recruiting has started running repots.
Can you all give me some realistic advice on training at Prime as a new driver?
I am going in this industry as a total noob and know I have barely a pin point of information in my education. I have so much to learn and not a disillusion otherwise.
Any information, criticism, or advice welcomed.