Prime Inc: Getting To N From Terminal During Training?
Topic 29662 | Page 1
I dont know about reimbursements for rentals if you need to go back home. Prime will pay for the rental TO Prime. My current student was provided a rental from Wilmington, NC. You should get a PSD trainer immediately after orientation. No need to go home. After PSD it could take a minute to get a trainer. Choosing no preference for smoker/non smoker will get you a TNT trainer faster. All the TNT students I've talked to out of Pittston have gotten their trainers within 4 days. Those days were paid while they waited.
After TNT, when you upgrade, you will talk to your Fleet Manager. They should ask you if you want to be routed toward home for some home time. If not, let them know you would like to be routed home for home time. There should be no issue about that. It is standard for recently upgraded drivers to go home immediately after getting their truck.
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.HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.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.
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.
Car rental is now set up with a car rental company, I believe Enterprise, for Prime direct pay. The confusion comes from different people's access to said company. If someone uses Hertz for example, they get reimbursed on their first pay as a TNT. As well.as fuel.
During PSD if no instructor is available to go OTR , you will stay at a hotel near the terminal which prime pays for. Prime also ADVANCES $200 per week for food (this has been true for years and on the website) which is paid back at $25 per week once hired. During this time you may be paired up with a local CDL instructor. This person may have several other students but you will still.get one on one training. He just spreads the students pad time at different parts of the day. However some believe watching the mistakes of others is beneficial, so it may be up to the trainer/student. I don't know of anyone going home during PSD.
After the exam, you do need to go home to actually get a physical copy of your CDL from your home state. Trainers usually take you from the terminal to a truck stop near home. This is also true for home time. I dropped Maureen off a few miles from her home. My previous one lived 10 miles to closest truck stop. One person on this forum I dropped at a bus station in NJ and he took the bus to NYC then drove his personal vehicle to FL to drop with family. I picked him up in Florida. My student from MS I dropped off literally at his front door.
My last student did PSD at the terminal.and was given the choice: get yourself home on your dime and dont get paid while home....or stay at the terminal getting paid. She chose to go home. I picker her up from a local truck stop for TNT.
Honestly I wouldn't bother taking your own car. You will only be there 1 to 3 weeks before going TNT which you wont be back for a long time. And then when you go solo you really want be back. Most people who have cars there live within a couple hours driving. Not 800 miles. Many northeast regional people park at Pittston cause they get every weekend or every other weekend off.
Going home for TNT is another location issue. Some people don't want to wait even two days for a trainer and want to go home. Some live nearby, others a thousand miles away. During TNT, yes you get a free hotel and $700 per week gross to sit there and wait. If one goes home you don't get paid.
Once you have your miles completed...you are still on the truck not at home. So this really confused me. You are then run into the terminal to upgrade. Covid caused a shortage of trucks for.awhile so people were on a list for a week while still driving with the trainer. Then brought to the terminal. If the trainer does not bring you into the terminal, he doesn't get the $500 upgrade bonus.
You are expected to.run 2 weeks after upgrade. Plan accordingly. Maureen and I went home before she upgraded. We ran a week.then got her back to the terminal. We got.rolling after she was done.
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.
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
Regional:
Regional Route
Usually refers to a driver hauling freight within one particular region of the country. You might be in the "Southeast Regional Division" or "Midwest Regional". Regional route drivers often get home on the weekends which is one of the main appeals for this type of route.
OTR:
Over The Road
OTR driving normally means you'll be hauling freight to various customers throughout your company's hauling region. It often entails being gone from home for two to three weeks at a time.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.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, Kearsey, The last part you mentioned about being expected to run for 2 weeks after TNT , have all your students been required to do this? My students have been able to go straight home after TNT (with a load to get them there) and I was routed back home from Springfield after my training period with Prime when I transferred. I guess it's at the discretion of your FM whether or not he/she will actually require a recent upgrade to run for 2 weeks prior to going home? So as a student, they should plan for the worst (i.e., running 2 weeks before getting home)?
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.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.
It was my experience that you were routed practically straight home after upgrading to your own truck. After 7 straight weeks of TNT I was ready to go home. My FM even suggested that I take a few days to get my truck set up the way I want.
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.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.
I just completed the PSD in Pittston and passed the CDL test. I was at the hotel for a week waiting to get a trainer. In the past week I have been from PA, Vermont, Nevada, Arizona. Now waiting in Salt Lake for our next load to start to run me back toward home (Maine).
I had them cover the rental car as I was not sure about parking and did not want to risk breaking down between Maine and Pittston. I know i will get home at some point, and am just trying to absorb as much information as I can.
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.
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.
I just completed the PSD in Pittston and passed the CDL test. I was at the hotel for a week waiting to get a trainer. In the past week I have been from PA, Vermont, Nevada, Arizona. Now waiting in Salt Lake for our next load to start to run me back toward home (Maine).
I had them cover the rental car as I was not sure about parking and did not want to risk breaking down between Maine and Pittston. I know i will get home at some point, and am just trying to absorb as much information as I can.
Did you request a non smoker for TNT? I'm just wondering why it took so long for you to get your TNT trainer. I mean, it is obviously not unheard of to wait that long, but a male with no smoking preference usually doesn't have to wait that long at Pittston from what I've heard. Also, what division are you? That could make a difference.
I assume you have to go back to Maine to get your Maine license? Your paper copy will expire soon. You're probably getting daily messages at this point saying as much.
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.
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.
And let me guess, you got a Ben N Jerry's load from Vermont to Henderson, NV? One of my favorite loads to run😉
Yeah non smoker Everything got messed up with the snowstorm right after I tested out (Sunday morning). I figured i would not bug dispatch too much about a trainer and waited a few days for things to settle back down.
I did get trainer who was just starting his home time after dropping off last trainee, so that was a few days as well.
Running refer.. that was a nice drive down to Henderson. The warm weather was nice for a change but now back up in the frozen north.
I just completed the PSD in Pittston and passed the CDL test. I was at the hotel for a week waiting to get a trainer. In the past week I have been from PA, Vermont, Nevada, Arizona. Now waiting in Salt Lake for our next load to start to run me back toward home (Maine).
I had them cover the rental car as I was not sure about parking and did not want to risk breaking down between Maine and Pittston. I know i will get home at some point, and am just trying to absorb as much information as I can.
Did you request a non smoker for TNT? I'm just wondering why it took so long for you to get your TNT trainer. I mean, it is obviously not unheard of to wait that long, but a male with no smoking preference usually doesn't have to wait that long at Pittston from what I've heard. Also, what division are you? That could make a difference.
I assume you have to go back to Maine to get your Maine license? Your paper copy will expire soon. You're probably getting daily messages at this point saying as much.
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.
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, Kearsey, The last part you mentioned about being expected to run for 2 weeks after TNT , have all your students been required to do this? My students have been able to go straight home after TNT (with a load to get them there) and I was routed back home from Springfield after my training period with Prime when I transferred. I guess it's at the discretion of your FM whether or not he/she will actually require a recent upgrade to run for 2 weeks prior to going home? So as a student, they should plan for the worst (i.e., running 2 weeks before getting home)?
Plan for the worst is right. My FM always did 2 weeks, even with me. so I always took my TNT home before upgrading. Others coming from lease FMs to company FMs...i have been told by the FM that they like running them to gauge their abilities and get to known them a bit before they go home.
It may also.be about location. Some areas may be easier to get people home.than others
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.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.
New Reply:
New! Check out our help videos for a better understanding of our forum features
Preview:
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook
Hopefully allowed to drill down on one company here:
Their recruiter not much help in this regard, I've watched and asked those in training and get mixed advice.
Prime will pre-pay for a 1 way rental to bring you to training. Or, can drive your car. Either way they reimburse for fuel sometime in the future. Seems they don't always reimburse the fuel, not sure why not, perhaps have to achieve or pass some milestones 1st
After orientation, if no PSD trainer available, you can go home or stay at the terminal rent free, meals not free. Some say your return home expense is reimbursed, some say its on your dime. Then it's on you to get back to the terminal to start PSD, yet some say PSD trainer will pick you up, some say you must travel on your dime to meet the PSD trainer (90 miles away in one case) for the 3-4 weeks, then the PSD trainer route you to the terminal for the CDL Exam
Pass the CDL and on to TNT phase of training. If no TNT trainer available then same scenario as (above) PSD. Stay free, no free meals, or go home. Some say they pay travel expense, some say its on your dime if you go home.
TNT is over, 50k miles or 30k miles with team option. Some say to drive your car to the terminal to get your assigned truck, some say TNT will route you to the terminal. I
The Prime Pittston PA parking lot does not appear big enough to accommodate all those in training. Assuming they would send me there.
Confused yet, I am. I live in Raleigh, this is a mega carrier. I'm not expecting a door to door service, but seems they could do some load routing to pick me up along Hwy 40 nearby. I don't mind driving my car to the Pittston terminal (not SLC or St.Louis), even leaving it there a few weeks, but not multiple trips or parking it there for months
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
Terminal:
A facility where trucking companies operate out of, or their "home base" if you will. A lot of major companies have multiple terminals around the country which usually consist of the main office building, a drop lot for trailers, and sometimes a repair shop and wash facilities.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.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
On-the-Road Instruction / 10,000 Miles
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.