Prime Orientation..
Topic 11606 | Page 1
Your recruiter probably sent you a list of things to bring to orientation. Double and triple check this list, and make sure you bring everything. You do not want to be "that guy" that forgot to bring something very important to orientation (medical cert and social security card come to mind) and gets sent home on the first day to retrieve it.
Be on time, preferably 10+ minutes early. Do not be late, even by a minute. If they send you out for a break/lunch, don't be late coming back either. First impressions count, treat the entire process like one long interview. You will have people in orientation who dress shabbily, play on their phones during a lecture or video, and openly cuss in front of management. Do not emulate them. I can have a mouth like a sailor, but I know when I need to put a lid on it. Some people don't.
It sounds like you're a student. When you go out with your trainer, pay attention to everything they tell you. Take notes if it helps. Try not to argue; if your trainer instructs you in a way you disagree with try to let it go. You can do things differently when you get your own truck, if you like. Recognize that because you are complete strangers, you may not get along with your trainer. That's okay. Try to stick it out, it's only a short period of time relative to the time you will spend once you are assigned your own truck. At the same time, don't put up with a blatant disregard for safety or hygiene because you feel like you have to (the recent thread about a trainer with bleeding sores/urine bottles comes to mind). If it's necessary they can put you with a different trainer.
Appreciate the information. I read the post about the guy with the pee bottles and bloody mattress, its kinda made me a little freaked out lol. But I'm kinda scared I'll falil and not make it, cause I want to do this so bad, the biggest stuff I've driven is a hevy duty 3500 with a 14 ft flat bed pulling a 16 ft trailer, I've drive plenty of stick shifs too. Just kinda nervous of the whole process cause it something new.
Appreciate the information. I read the post about the guy with the pee bottles and bloody mattress, its kinda made me a little freaked out lol. But I'm kinda scared I'll falil and not make it, cause I want to do this so bad, the biggest stuff I've driven is a hevy duty 3500 with a 14 ft flat bed pulling a 16 ft trailer, I've drive plenty of stick shifs too. Just kinda nervous of the whole process cause it something new.
I feel the same way and I still have about 4 months till I start CDL school. I was going to go to a local school through my college but I can't afford the physical and permit and other costs due before class starts, I have a trust fund to pay the tuition but not the other stuff. So just gonna go company sponsored route.
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.
Here's a little tip for if you do not get a trainer right away for the PSD portion. They will send you to Prime East, watch the trainers showing their students how to back up and how they are doing it. On Friday's the new PSD trainers will be brought there and shown pointers to help their students to make backing the trailer easier and will make your backing skills test much easier.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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.
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Hi. I'm new to this and I'm supposed to go to prime orientation Monday, does anyone have any tips or know anything I should be prepared for?