Prime DOT Physical

I've herd things about prime and singling out bigger people with sleep apnea testing. Just wondering if you are over weight and test positive for sleep apnea. Do you fail and they send you home. I've already passed all my permits in Texas and taken the DOT physical on my own just to have one where ever I decide to go to stay ahead of the game Any info would be helpful Thanks

I don't know the answer for sure as I don't work for Prime (I want to in near future) but from what I have read here and else ware it doesn't disqualify you, they just make you use one of those machines in your truck, in some company cases that can be advantageous (some companies only provide apu's if you need it for something like those machines or if you lease, so in that case it would be helpful)

once you're on the road using the machine or not is your choice.

Not everyone overweight has sleep apnea as well. I'm overweight and took a sleep study to see if they could find out why I snore and moan (mostly moan) in my sleep. tests came back negative for sleep apnea and only answer doc could give me for my issue was due to my weight... pretty generic option, but it wasn't sleep apnea so no health risk, just an annoyance to my room mates in AmeriCorps.

I think they make you buy / lease the machine though, refusal might be terms for disq. Sadly the list of ways to get paycheck deductions adds up with prime, but I think their pay is still better for new drivers even after that fact.

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.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

APU's:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

I don't know the answer for sure as I don't work for Prime (I want to in near future) but from what I have read here and else ware it doesn't disqualify you, they just make you use one of those machines in your truck, in some company cases that can be advantageous (some companies only provide apu's if you need it for something like those machines or if you lease, so in that case it would be helpful)

once you're on the road using the machine or not is your choice.

Not everyone overweight has sleep apnea as well. I'm overweight and took a sleep study to see if they could find out why I snore and moan (mostly moan) in my sleep. tests came back negative for sleep apnea and only answer doc could give me for my issue was due to my weight... pretty generic option, but it wasn't sleep apnea so no health risk, just an annoyance to my room mates in AmeriCorps.

I think they make you buy / lease the machine though, refusal might be terms for disq. Sadly the list of ways to get paycheck deductions adds up with prime, but I think their pay is still better for new drivers even after that fact.

No- u wrote it's your choice. No, it is not. If you're required to use machine- either you use it or you're fired. Anyway, that is what I was told.

Machine when used has automatic notification to your company. They know if u don't use it.

What happens if u don't use machine, are tired when driving and wreck?

Seems like loosing weight is a good solution. There's a lot I don't know about this.

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.

OOS:

When a violation by either a driver or company is confirmed, an out-of-service order removes either the driver or the vehicle from the roadway until the violation is corrected.

APU:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

APU's:

Auxiliary Power Unit

On tractor trailers, and APU is a small diesel engine that powers a heat and air conditioning unit while charging the truck's main batteries at the same time. This allows the driver to remain comfortable in the cab and have access to electric power without running the main truck engine.

Having an APU helps save money in fuel costs and saves wear and tear on the main engine, though they tend to be expensive to install and maintain. Therefore only a very small percentage of the trucks on the road today come equipped with an APU.

Guys and gals, don't want you to think it's just Prime doing this. Just about anywhere you go now days the company physical will require you to have a sleep study if you are overweight, and or you have a neck measurement of 17" or more. This has now gotten to be a huge CYA situation for these companies due to trial lawyers laying the blame on the companies for not finding out that their drivers couldn't get the proper rest before they caused an accident.

If you get prescribed a C-PAP machine you will be required to use it and the D.O.T. requires that it has to be one that can be monitored by the company for the proper amount of use.

And just because you passed a physical at your school, and they didn't say anything about your need for a sleep study, it doesn't really matter - any time you get a new job at a trucking company they are going to require you to go through a new physical with their chosen physician.

Guys and gals, don't want you to think it's just Prime doing this. Just about anywhere you go now days the company physical will require you to have a sleep study if you are overweight, and or you have a neck measurement of 17" or more. This has now gotten to be a huge CYA situation for these companies due to trial lawyers laying the blame on the companies for not finding out that their drivers couldn't get the proper rest before they caused an accident.

If you get prescribed a C-PAP machine you will be required to use it and the D.O.T. requires that it has to be one that can be monitored by the company for the proper amount of use.

And just because you passed a physical at your school, and they didn't say anything about your need for a sleep study, it doesn't really matter - any time you get a new job at a trucking company they are going to require you to go through a new physical with their chosen physician.

Ok I was just wondering thank you for the input. I'm leaning hard to go to prime. As I herd that they do have good pay and decent equipment. It's a new career change for me. As i have been in the oilfield over 24 years just tired of the ups n downs always wondering when I'll b laid off again.

Having worked for Prime, I can say with certainty they do and will test larger folks for sleep apnea. If found, they will require you to purchase & use CPAP machine. If you don't, they will send you home on your own dime.

They do allow for payroll deduction, so you don't have to shell out a large chunk of change (these machines are rather costly so I have been told) to get started.

Ernie

I can tell you yes they do. I've got to schedule mine this week after just getting back from my PSD with my trainer. During your first week and your physical, by the way it doesn't matter of you just had one you will take another if you're PSD, they will send you to a small meeting. They let you go out with the trainer on the road for your first phase but require you to test when you return.

I can tell you yes they do. I've got to schedule mine this week after just getting back from my PSD with my trainer. During your first week and your physical, by the way it doesn't matter of you just had one you will take another if you're PSD, they will send you to a small meeting. They let you go out with the trainer on the road for your first phase but require you to test when you return.

Hey, can you give us some detailed report once you go through it? This is a big question here that doesn't seem to have a lot of answers when it comes up.

What i meant when I said your choice on weather you use it or not was whether it was on your face... i mean does the machine just report when it is turned on or not or does it actually report you physically using it?

Phox- You wrote:

What i meant when I said your choice on weather you use it or not was whether it was on your face... i mean does the machine just report when it is turned on or not or does it actually report you physically using it?

Phox- I'm not sure what you're getting at. I think Oldschool answered your question in the quote below:

If you think you're going to "outsmart" somebody by not using it, I would not.

Guys and gals, don't want you to think it's just Prime doing this. Just about anywhere you go now days the company physical will require you to have a sleep study if you are overweight, and or you have a neck measurement of 17" or more. This has now gotten to be a huge CYA situation for these companies due to trial lawyers laying the blame on the companies for not finding out that their drivers couldn't get the proper rest before they caused an accident.

If you get prescribed a C-PAP machine you will be required to use it and the D.O.T. requires that it has to be one that can be monitored by the company for the proper amount of use.

And just because you passed a physical at your school, and they didn't say anything about your need for a sleep study, it doesn't really matter - any time you get a new job at a trucking company they are going to require you to go through a new physical with their chosen physician.