Profile For Matt M.

My wife and I got those letters but it didn't say for how much. We responded that as residents of another state we didn't owe taxes to Missouri (as truck drivers operating in multiple states).

I assumed it was for the class action settlement regarding Prime underpaying drivers in training or whatever. But if they are asking for $1200 that can't be it, I think I only got like $1800 from that settlement.

Hopefully someone more recent than me will respond but it was only urinalysis for my orientation in 2014.

I have been tested just about every year since for randoms (even one earlier this year) and they were all urine as well.

I think you will be just fine. You appear to have a great attention to detail and if you are really a night owl you are gonna love reefer work. I like the hoot hours myself.

I felt the same way when I went solo. I didn't really feel ready, but I knew I wanted off my trainers truck.

I only backed twice (literally two times, no joke) in my TNT, had to learn it all solo. There was a couple of times in that first few months I was ready to hang myself in the truck. Now I can back circles around people. I even blindside back on the regular, doesn't phase me at all.

I just hit my "million miles" with Prime and I'm still learning new things. I think it's a rewarding career and a fine company. Sure as heck beats staring at spreadsheets in a buying office.

Good job figuring it out. I didn't know being assigned a truck was different in Pittston. Anytime you are unsure of who to speak with or what to do your fleet manager can tell you or find out.

I think this will be a good job for you, in the sense that all the different shippers and receivers and their different processes will break you out of your shell so to speak. I have often found myself waving down yard dogs or random workers or even other drivers to figure out where offices are and such. Some are nice, some are surly, but I always get the info I need.

Good luck to you.

Actually I was reading up on this and it looks like it can save a trailer that's starting to come around. It can also make a bad situation worse by causing more of your trailer tires to break traction.

I've only had one trailer get out of line on me and I accelerated the truck until it got back in line. It was at moderate speed (~40 mph) in icy conditions. I didn't have a trolley brake to worry about. I guess if accelerating the truck doesn't work give it a shot, ha.

Usually refered to as trolley brake and I sure as hell wouldn't pull it in a jackknife. Wheels that break traction want to lead, the wheels that are still rolling are not the problem.

You need to talk to your fleet manager about that. If you got a truck he should want you rolling. This is my 8th year at Prime, when I get assigned a truck the process goes:

- inspect truck - turn in inspection to shop - tell my fleet manager I'm ready to roll

It's slightly different in Springfield because there is a driver lineup to get outbound loads but I usually ask my fm if he wants to get me a load or he wants me to get with lineup. I don't think there is anyone in Pittston to get loads from, but if there is your fleet manager will you that when you tell him you are ready to roll.

Wife said the message on the live loaded call last night said no more driver unloads on flower loads at Prime. It also said there may be some "kinks" as that gets worked out, but hurrah anyway for drivers.

Man those were some miserable loads. Definitely a young man's game.

Oh, also mind the truck route if you go through Carrizo Springs. Couple hundred bucks if you don't, lots of guys miss it even though there's pretty big signs.

Safer than any metropolitan in the country. It used to be bad there, and you definitely want to keep your wits about you if you go into Nuevo Laredo, but it's pretty safe on this side of the border.

Sometimes you will get holdups there if you are getting transloads as the driver bringing it across can get held up in customs. Also i have found many border receivers only take cash as far as lumpers/unloads go if you are in the reefer world.

Make sure you keep those tires properly inflated, it gets real hot down there.