Prime Lightweight Fleet Drivers

Other than the smaller sleeper, lack of storage, etc... what, if any, are the downsides to driving a lightweight for Prime? I understand the truck allows you to pull more freight... but, does it limit your lanes, shippers, type of freight?

Thanks, in advance, for you insight.

You didn't ask for advantages, like 44.5 CPM for a rookie, where some carriers are 30CPM or less for a rookie. BUT

Limitations- From this forum: smaller truck, smaller engine, of course less HP, therefore ascending a mountain is slower; also wouldn't be used for overweight/ oversize loads.

A brilliant idea, the LW- truck weighs less than full-size, therefore can carry more freight, making more money for Carrier and Driver.

Thanks Jetguy...

I get/understand the advantages, sounds like a good thing for Prime, their customers and their drivers... just curious as to the downsides, if any. How long have you been in a LW... how long in a full sized truck?

Other companies pay even new drivers more then prime and your not in a coffin just an fyi

I'm a rookie at prime and in the condo..you are not forced into the LW.

Supposedly they have more freight options. I was told having the condo would limit me cause some shippers insist on certain weights the condo can't take. I have yet to get the "freight is soft" line I hear from others.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. I have offers from multiple companies and so I'm just trying to part it all out.

I've never heard anything bad about the LWs, except the obvious, and I am just trying to learn as much as I can about them, from sources other than the recruiter.

Again, thanks for the insights.

My thought was always this, 80k is 80k. If I know I'm going to be running heavy loads consistently, I'm going to want a truck with a bit more motor that isn't going to struggle on the climbs where you will lose precious time and fuel economy. Most of your fleet trucks out there are going to weigh in around 34-35k with an empty trailer and full fuel load, giving you 45-46k of payload capacity. Very very rarely will you be picking up loads from shippers weighing more than that. The restrictions you hear about fall more on some of the older KW's and Pete's (especially the 379) which can be porkers.

I was wondering about that also, since I just applied to Prime and am set to call the recruiter tomorrow. regardless of what the tractor weighs, you still have to be under 80k (12/34/34) right? does the LW make scaling your load more difficult since there's more load weight to distribute? also, I would think lighter tractor + heavier load = less control, so I imagine you'd have to be more careful going down grades etc. especially in bad weather.

I drove a Prime lightweight for over a year, and now I'm in a condo because I team with the wife.

It is a smaller engine but I could always hang with the big boys once I got into 9th gear. Had lots of guys try to pass me on grades and get next to me and not be able to pass once I shifted down. Some of that is Prime has the trucks geared very tall.

Going downhill is quite an experience and it does feel like the load is shoving you down. Jakes aren't quite as powerful.

In the lightweight you can carry about 48,000 in the trailer if it's perfectly loaded (assuming lightweight trailer too). I can think of several loads where I was hauling 47,000+, Reed city General Mills that would be common.

Never had much problem scaling, Prime has weigh rite air guages on truck and trailers and they are pretty much always spot on. If I grossed over 79,000 I would hit a cat scale to be sure.

I wouldn't worry about the power of a lightweight, I'm not sure that it's much worse than our evo cascadias. I always pass those on grades in my non-evolution.

Wherever you decide to go, good luck!

Something I've wondered is, aren't the Prime LW's governed at a lower speed than the full-sized? So wouldn't that offset the additional income you receive, since you can't cover as many miles in a day that a full-sized can cover?