Start With My Training In A Few Weeks
Topic 32521 | Page 2
Gr8t write-up, Etch! Good luck with everything!
Congratulations Klutch and good luck with Prime in Springfield.
You were fortunate to have 3 companies make you offers to attend Orientation.
In my case Prime was the “best company for me” because they were the ONLY company out of 11 applications to companies with paid CDL training that would give me a chance due to being retired for 5-1/2 years.
Now I have to do it again with them hopefully in late November or early December.
Orientation and PSD (Prime Student Driver) training is a long job interview. Like it or not, it is a competition early on to attract attention from the best trainers to be selected by them. They are watching to see who is at the Plaza early practicing pre-trip before scheduled classes.
Never be late for a roll call. They often start roll call 5-10 minutes early, “On time is late”.
Do what you can to stand out from the crowd, show them that you are determined to be successful at this.
From everything that you’ve written I’m confident that you will knock it out of the park.
G-Town offers the best advice to be humble and coachable.
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.
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.
Oops, I meant congratulations Etch, not Klutch!
Etch, Dennis brought up being coachable and humble as you go through schooling and training. Couldn’t agree more; also applicable once you are running solo as well. Here is a blog article focused on that very point:
Ego is the Downfall of Many Trucking Students
Etch there are numerous articles on the blog (upper left menu bars, click it and scroll down), that discuss school and subsequent road training. Stay in close contact with Kiersey, hopefully she can train you. Might also want to check out Kiersey’s training diary.
Good luck in your journey.
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.
I'm only in training but concur with the advice to be coachable. I struggle with my backing skills, and one of the instructors specifically mentioned to me that I'm remaining coachable, while he tried to explain something to me. I can only assume this is why they haven't given up on me. I can't imagine them wanting to spend much time on someone who doesn't know what he's doing but thinks he does, or won't listen to the experts on how to improve. Sounds like you will be going into this with the right attitude.
Mwahahahahaha welcome to the Right Lane Gang! We are kinda Bougie over here!
In all seriousness though, good luck to you. You have been given the biggest keys to being successful in this career. Be coachable, listen to the person training you, not random drivers you meet all over the premesis. Most of the PSD trainers will stay out of giving advice in this crucial step. You want only ONE VOICE in your head coaching you through your backing maneuvers on test day.
Search the Prime Inc official YouTube account, and familiarize yourself with the pre trip inspection as Prime wants it. There may be small differences between model years of the truck, and between brands, which your PSD trainer should go over with you.
I still, to this day, go over the pre-trip verbiage as I'm inspecting. Why? Because I know it, and use it like a mental checklist.
Good luck man! Super exciting.
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.
NaeNae you said Prime Drivers are bougie? Oh boy. I hoped that term would never be related to trucking. Of course it would be you "bougie" Prime drivers. 
Just giving you a hard time. When I was researching companies circa 2003-05 Prime was considered one of the worst training companies as per half a&& online reviews. Now its one of the best and probably was back circa 03-05.
Before "bougie" was cool.
Etch you made a good choice. You will succeed. And you will be "bougie" !
Nothing but love!
GB
Well duh! Have you seen our giant terminals? I had to drop a trailer next door to one of the meat shippers, and it was a Hirschbach lot. Holy Hannah was I surprised at the difference.
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.
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.
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Heh heh heh my pretty.... (In my best wicked witch voice). Be good in Springfield and do us proud, or Kearsey will lock you in her dungeon and throw away the key. 😂