Started Training With Prime
Topic 26799 | Page 2
The more you do it, the easier it will get.
I promise!
Good luck!
Awesome and thank you for sharing! I am scheduled for PSD on 11/11. I look forward to hearing of your success!
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.
OK got a little crazy and it’s time for an update. Friday I met my trainer and we went out on the pad for a short time. Basically just a straight back. I was a bit rusty and felt a bit bad about my performance. We ended up taking the weekend off and went home for a couple days. We started out fresh on the pad Monday morning. I could totally different person come Monday.Straight line back was perfect. Then proceeded to do the offset and parallel.Just learning the set ups and the particular moves to perform the parking. And then we just quickly did a couple alley docks. I still need a little bit of work on that which we will do tomorrow Friday.
Just to let everyone know especially if it’s somebody new who is reading this. You’re backing maneuvers that you learn and the techniques are just to pass your CDL test. When you go out with your TNT trainers, that is when you will start learning to back and over time will get better.
On Wednesday I went out with my trainer to shuttle trailers around and to go to the dump. Actually my very first load was to the dump. So become a professional truck driver and see the country visit new in exciting places and I get to see the dump, LOL. Funny thing is it smells exactly like it did when I went to one xx years ago. So basically right now I’m building up my hours so I can test out.
Thursday, would like to say it was kind of a day off. Actually, while my trainer took his other student out to drive, I went down to the pad to observe other students backing. It’s actually good to watch so if you do have free time go down to the pad and watch. The rest of my time you guessed it, I pre-tripped.
So now it’s Thursday night I will be meeting with my instructor to go out to the pad Friday morning to finish up my alley dock. Most likely, will go over the offset in the parallel one more time. I should have my CDL test time for Saturday before the day is out.
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.
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.
Great update, Liz.
As you wrote: practice and more practice.
Update
I’ve been quiet for the past week, I passed pretrip and backing on Saturday but failed the driving portion. Ok I missed a stop sign. I retested on Monday (a different route through town and took a turn too tight. Yup whacked the curb.
Crap two strikes and I stink. I was really beating myself up. I had two days to beat myself up, so Thursday I did the first route again. Nervous AF, I got in the truck with the examiner. I think I was feeling shaky, I told him I was nervous, he said he was too. We both laughed. So I go to start after his instructions, release the brakes and poof the trailer brakes are locked up. A great start lol. So he hopped out walked the trailer and hopped back in and said try again, trailer started to move but it felt heavy. Stopped for a second and started again success! So that took my mind off the nervousness. Anyway, I just kept my trainers advice in my head, relax and you’ll be fine. So as we went along I got more comfy. Turning as he asked, maybe a little wide on some but there weren’t going to be any curb shots today. If I have the room use it if it’s a little much I won’t instant fail. I finally got up to where he said the stop sign was on my first try. I swear it wasn’t there on the first go around. Sure enough there it was! The sign that alot of people are missing at least 5 since I first tested. We went around the industrial park. Up and down hills watching my speed and taking the turns wide. I got one warning for speed but we turned off a 35mph road and there were no speed limit signs. I told the examiner there wasn’t a sign but slowed down to 25. Just a note you don’t want speed, but don’t go too slow, one student failed for doing 17 in a 35. When we got back to the training pad he said congratulations you passed! I asked how many points did I get he said 11, which is about average! I’m use to excelling at things but am really happy with average! LOL
So all said and done I passed. So now on to tnt with a new trainer. We’ve talked on the phone and he’s a few days out. We’ll meet at the terminal and see if we are somewhat compatible. He does otr coast to coast and usually gets the mileage bonus. So now the next challenges await. Again, I find myself excited, nervous, thrilled. At least I was able to stop back home for a couple days before going out on the road.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
OTR:
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.
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.
Thank you for the update thats freaking awesome! Lol at the magically appearing stop sign. I mean, it is Halloween time and all so maybe it just did apear? Lol. Keep us up to date when you can! I was originally slated for 11/11, but thats been pushed back for sleep apnea , but I remain hopeful! So in the mean time, I am just living vicariously through all of you!
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
Thank you for the update thats freaking awesome! Lol at the magically appearing stop sign. I mean, it is Halloween time and all so maybe it just did apear? Lol. Keep us up to date when you can! I was originally slated for 11/11, but thats been pushed back for sleep apnea , but I remain hopeful! So in the mean time, I am just living vicariously through all of you!
I think I saw Shaggy hopping in the mystery machine as it was taking off.
I would have passed the first time, if it wasn’t for those pesky kids!!
Don’t live vicariously through me, I’m scary!!! Happy Halloween 🎃
Sleep Apnea:
A physical disorder in which you have pauses in your breathing, or take shallow breaths, during sleep. These pauses can last anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. Normal breathing will usually resume, sometimes with a loud choking sound or snort.
In obstructive sleep apnea, your airways become blocked or collapse during sleep, causing the pauses and shallow breathing.
It is a chronic condition that will require ongoing management. It affects about 18 million people in the U.S.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.New Reply:
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Thank you for the big welcome. So far training has been great. I did get my trainer Friday and been working pad and pre-trip and driving tomorrow. Backing is my biggest fear but that is easing. But it seems to get a lil easier the more I do.