Being A Trainee At Prime Is An Awful Experience.
Topic 21820 | Page 5
I'm jealous of Banks! A day with G town? Good on you G, good on you!
I must admit that I'm jealous but happy that Banks is using such a golden opportunity! I'll be like Brett & only see the inside of a rig when I get to Springfield. But even if I had the same opportunity, I couldn't take advantage of it since I have to work almost everyday until I leave to get my finances in order. Good luck Banks, thank you G-Town for being such a good person!
Dm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.
So none of you guys are jealous that G gets to spend the day with me? 
lol
I'm really excited about the opportunity and to really get to pick someone's brain is the icing on the cake. I'll definitely update you guys on everything that happens.
So none of you guys are jealous that G gets to spend the day with me?
I'm really excited about the opportunity and to really get to pick someone's brain is the icing on the cake. I'll definitely update you guys on everything that happens.
Ummm Banks? Be careful what you ask for! Have you read G-Town's responses on here? That man can rip you a new one & make you like it! HAHAHA. His memory about so many details that folks post on here is awe inspiring. Does he make mistakes? Absolutely. But you have a leg up on many of us who are in your shoes right now.
He once asked me to consider a dedicated route. My response was half hearted but I really want to have daily new experiences a much as possible. For me, a dedicated route is great for folks with families or those that want lots of home time. I want to wake up in a new state everyday. I want to see many parts of the amazing country we live in. I won't even have a physical home for the next 1-2 years of driving. Maybe later I will change my mind but for now this is the route I'm prepared for. Well, as prepared as I can be. Nothing in life is guaranteed, especially after reading many diaries in that section. I'm just going to use all the material I've learned on here & apply as much as I can.
I wish you a great time with G-Town. God Bless. Good luck & stay safe.
Dedicated Route:
A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed routes. Normally it means a driver will be dedicated to working for one particular customer like Walmart or Home Depot and they will only haul freight for that customer. You'll often hear drivers say something like, "I'm on the Walmart dedicated account."
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Mr. Banks wrote:
So none of you guys are jealous that G gets to spend the day with me?
I'm really excited about the opportunity and to really get to pick someone's brain is the icing on the cake. I'll definitely update you guys on everything that happens.
I like the "moxie" there Banks.
I feel very lucky and fortunate to have the opportunity to positively influence and inspire as you progress through this process.
I also feel lucky to have the chance to learn from you as well. No doubt I will.
Looking forward to it. Peace.
Mr. Banks wrote:
So none of you guys are jealous that G gets to spend the day with me?
I'm really excited about the opportunity and to really get to pick someone's brain is the icing on the cake. I'll definitely update you guys on everything that happens.
I like the "moxie" there Banks.
I feel very lucky and fortunate to have the opportunity to positively influence and inspire as you progress through this process.
I also feel lucky to have the chance to learn from you as well. No doubt I will.
Looking forward to it. Peace.
I only live 70 miles from pittston and about 50 ish miles from the walmart dc, I want a ride too damn it! Just kidding G town I did enough walmart dedicated in Lewiston and Olney for awhile. I am curious thou, is swift keeping the account? We lost both of ours.
Since Rainy brought me into this lol I will say training SUCKED! At the end of the day its just circumstantial thou, I mean two people in confined a space is gonna grind some gears. In hindsight its a blink of an eye compared to everything else. I am on my 11th month with prime and its been a wild ride! Prime is a great company, but trucking is alot of different circumstances from your attitude, common sense, and ability to think on your feet. Things change out here constantly and the road grinds on you when your out on your 5th week running every day on recaps, but for the positives I get paid a respectable living with no college degree and I am left alone. That didnt come easy, I had to persevere through orientation, psd , tnt , earning my fleet managers trust and respect by running efficient and Safe. Me and Rainy have the same fm and she made me smile this morning when she told me "see Matt messaged you first thing in the morning he only messages his good drivers first thing in the morning! Welcome to the big leagues!" Lol thanks Rainy! All im saying is with anything in life you have to make your mind up and take the leap of faith. Analysis paralysis wont get you anywhere and luck is a fallacy.
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
― Seneca
Shiny side up
Christian
Fm:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.Fleet Manager:
Dispatcher, Fleet Manager, Driver Manager
The primary person a driver communicates with at his/her company. A dispatcher can play many roles, depending on the company's structure. Dispatchers may assign freight, file requests for home time, relay messages between the driver and management, inform customer service of any delays, change appointment times, and report information to the load planners.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.
TNT:
Trainer-N-Trainee
Prime Inc has their own CDL training program and it's divided into two phases - PSD and TNT.
The PSD (Prime Student Driver) phase is where you'll get your permit and then go on the road for 10,000 miles with a trainer. When you come back you'll get your CDL license and enter the TNT phase.
The TNT phase is the second phase of training where you'll go on the road with an experienced driver for 30,000 miles of team driving. You'll receive 14¢ per mile ($700 per week guaranteed) during this phase. Once you're finished with TNT training you will be assigned a truck to run solo.
Hey g town another question for you, How much do you make on average running pottsville dedicated? I have alot of Prime walmart exp and I am looking at my future options of local opportunities?
Hey g town another question for you, How much do you make on average running pottsville dedicated? I have alot of Prime walmart exp and I am looking at my future options of local opportunities?
They start at 46cpm, up to a 5cpm safety and performance bonus after 3 months. 1cpm bump every year on anniversary date. For each dispatch, a flat rate of $20 is paid, $15 paid for stops 2-x (I've had up to five). $10-15 per trailer for extra moves. Since you have previous Walmart experience you might make a higher CPM. Doesn't hurt to ask.
Since you have experience you'll have no problem knocking out a 5-stop, 350 mile run on a regular basis; earning $241 for a day's work.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
Being a trainee anywhere can be an awful experience. Being a trainer anywhere can be an awful experience. I wouldn't train anyone who wasn't family or a friend for much less than double my regular pay, and I tend to question the motives of those who would do it for the paltry incentives I've been offered to do so, or that I've heard other companies offer. At the last major carrier I worked for, my rough estimate was that trainers gained MAYBE 15-20 percent over what they made solo. I don't think companies get too many of their actual brightest and best drivers to take on all that extra responsibility and risk, AND share their tiny cubicle of living space with a pot luck complete stranger, for such little reward. I think it's more likely to attract the guy who barely gets by paycheck to paycheck because his wife is back home spending it all, and who needs the ego boost of being ''the boss'' for a change. And/or, like my trainer years back, likes the idea of getting paid for a few thousand miles a month to watch porn in the sleeper berth.
Sleeper Berth:
The portion of the tractor behind the seats which acts as the "living space" for the driver. It generally contains a bed (or bunk beds), cabinets, lights, temperature control knobs, and 12 volt plugs for power.
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.
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That is so awesome!!!! G that is very great of you, but getting to know you a bit through your posts doesn’t suprise me in the least. Daniel B helped me out on my way to cdl school years ago and that is an experience I will never forget.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles: