New Grad: Decision - Prime Or Covenant ?

Trying to weigh the pros and cons ... hard to tell if recruiters are 100% giving the whole story. Pay seems similar but Leaning towards covenant because training is a little shorter and they have a trainer matching program and would allow me to bring my dog along . Any body able to chime in either way ? Thanks ( I already read form Topic 26326 and didn’t see what I was looking for )

Welcome to Trucking Truth, Jake. I'm surprised no Primeates have shown up in the last 6 hours. Must be too busy rolling them miles! :D

Yes, Prime is a fine company to drive for. Also, I looked into Covenant a few years ago, Covenant would pay drivers a commission if they made a new-hire referral. That's a hint they are doing something right if they aren't afraid for their drivers to talk up the company. But they seemed a pretty decent company when I was looking.

I'm assuming you're new/no permit or anything. Here is some reading for you:

• Truck Driver's Career Guide
• Brett's Book: The Raw Truth About Trucking (free online version)
• High Road CDL Training Program
• CDL Practice Tests

Also help in deciding a company:

• Trucker's Career Guide: Choosing Your First Truck Driving Job
• Article Category: Finding The Right Truck Driving Job
• Forum Topics Tagged "Choosing A Trucking Company"

And yo can look up Trucking Company Reviews.

BTW, up at the top left is a three-bar Ξ menu. Touch on that and look at all the stuff we have on this web site. Bring your questions for straight answers.

Hey thanks Errol! Those resources are invaluable ....I am excited to sift through them.

Yea, I graduate class in a couple weeks....have all my endorsements; paid for class out of pocket.

I am a biology teacher by trade ....still on payroll...but I dont see us going back to normal ...even in the fall --so here I am ! Fufilling a childhood dream!

So Ive been digging questions of out Werner, Prime, and Covenant via phone calls because they all seem to have good training platforms and decent employee reviews.

Heres what I am looking for:

- OTR training experience that is not a teaming gimmick to bind me and hold me back from solo hauling. - Proximal to North Carolina-- which I guess doesn't matter since they let me take the truck home -The best way to negotiate tuition reimbursement that is truly a reimbursement not a pay doc. - and a pro/con list of any or all (3) of those companies. -

You will have to team with covenant for awhile after your training. But I think they give you a bonus for it. I think Werner will let u go solo after you get out with your trainer. I don’t know anything about prime.

The best way to negotiate tuition reimbursement that is truly a reimbursement not a pay doc.

Clarify. Negotiate tuition?

Also, if you mean reimbursement as in deducting their payment from your paycheck, that's the way it's done.

BTW 11 year in a middle school grade math class here.

I did work for one of those you listed, I don't like to endorse one over the other because I think they all have merit. Let me put it this way, do the research and review each company. Find the one that fits what you want the best out of a career and then make your decision. I'm a believer in don't be lured by the sign on bonus because if there is a large bonus they possibly can't keep drivers. I looked for a company that would keep me rolling and had lots of freight options, I also took a look at their CSA score and safety record. I spent a lot of time researching and found it to be worth while because I for a company that I was very happy driving for.

One note I was also a Refer trainer for that company and thought they had a good program. I like to talk to people (Important idea) I found out that all trainers are not created equal, guess I knew it all along, and there are good and bad one. I count myself as either lucky or a good trainer because most of the trainees I had were successful in their jobs. But I also hooked up with trainees that had bad trainers and those trainers weren't concerned with trainees success.

Good Luck, make sure to do the hard work and complete your research you'll be much happier if you do and it'll keep you firmly planted in that company which will lead to greater feelings of Success.

William says:

I don't like to endorse one over the other because I think they all have merit. Let me put it this way, do the research and review each company. Find the one that fits what you want the best out of a career and then make your decision. I'm a believer in don't be lured by the sign on bonus because if there is a large bonus they possibly can't keep drivers. I looked for a company that would keep me rolling and had lots of freight options, I also took a look at their CSA score and safety record. I spent a lot of time researching and found it to be worth while because I for a company that I was very happy driving for.

BING BING! Yes! This is the attitude we take and offer to people who ask which trucking company is best. View the long term because training and even sign on bonuses are only for a short while in the big scheme of tings. Thank you!!

I drove for Swift for three years, and taught at their Academy for more. However, Prime, Schneider or Western Express may be someone else's best fit. I'm more interested in the "question asker" making the right decision for themselves.

I'm still a rookie and know nothing about covenant but I will say Prime treats me great. My truck has all the bells and whistles trailer even has a scale on it so never worry about leaving shipper overweight. Training was long and you will appreciate that only when you go solo cause training is rough I'm sure anywhere. In this big maze you learn the most by doing and being out here it helps to have a trainer for awhile. That said I will never share a truck with anyone by choice again. Prime gives me the miles to afford all the things I wanted on truck, fridge, microwave, t.v, CB, hotspot, etc.. if I can fit it and want it. And an APU is a nice thing to have. Just my pennies.

Shipper:

The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.

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.

I'm still a rookie and know nothing about covenant but I will say Prime treats me great. My truck has all the bells and whistles trailer even has a scale on it so never worry about leaving shipper overweight. Training was long and you will appreciate that only when you go solo cause training is rough I'm sure anywhere. In this big maze you learn the most by doing and being out here it helps to have a trainer for awhile. That said I will never share a truck with anyone by choice again. Prime gives me the miles to afford all the things I wanted on truck, fridge, microwave, t.v, CB, hotspot, etc.. if I can fit it and want it. And an APU is a nice thing to have. Just my pennies.

Hey 40 days — glad to hear another happy Prime driver . I heard another guy discuss the great training platform . Which I’m down for . - Can you tell me how yours was start to finish ( ie. Orientation + Miles and days driven = to get into your own truck ? )

- I take it prime does not have a trainer match Survey ?

- will prime let you request a manual ? Can’t remember if they boast auto — but I prefer manual

Thanks !

Shipper:

The customer who is shipping the freight. This is where the driver will pick up a load and then deliver it to the receiver or consignee.

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.

The best way to negotiate tuition reimbursement that is truly a reimbursement not a pay doc.

Clarify. Negotiate tuition?

Also, if you mean reimbursement as in deducting their payment from your paycheck, that's the way it's done.

BTW 11 year in a middle school grade math class here.

Errol ! How cool is that — what made you leave the classroom ?

Also , yea I feel it’s oretty standard ... but one of my instructors was like “ save your receipt .... some schools reimburse you and it’s a true payout not a pay doc “ Which I was thinking somewhere must be true Because my school was on the cheaper side . ???