How Does Per Diem Work At Prime INC?
Topic 30120 | Page 1
I recently finished my TNT phase at Prime INC and I'm trying to make a budget for when I'm on the road. My trainer told me he would hire me to drive his truck that's in the Prime fleet. I was told that Prime has per diem for their company drivers and was wondering if I would still be getting per diem if I'm being payed by my trainer. From what I understood, I still get access to the benefits offered to Prime company drivers (I think), but would be receiving my pay from my trainer. Does that mean I don't get it since I'm technically being payed by someone else? Thanks in advance for the help.
This sounds super shady to me. What exactly did he tell you?
Per Diem:
Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.
Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.
Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.
We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay
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.
If hired by Prime as a company driver you should get everything company drivers get. The truck is leased to Prime and they have a deal worked out with the truck owner. Or at least that's how it should be. I am a company driver but the truck I drive is owned by someone in the office who leases his trucks to the company. Everything is the same for me. He gets the maintenance and fuel Bill's. I get insurance, per diem , 401k etc. I'd assume all companies do it the same.
Per Diem:
Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.
Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.
Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.
We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay
I've seen people on the FB page advertising to attract drivers to drive their trucks. Many of them I've seen offer a higher cpm than what a new company driver makes. With Primes per diem you actually make less CPM. The difference is made up in untaxed per diem pay.
Just ask your trainer to explain to you whether or not he's factoring per diem into what he's paying you in CPM. Also make sure you are still eligible for fuel, safety, and wellness bonuses.
Some folks advertise that they will split detention pay. Keep that in mind as well. If you sit at a shipper for 5 hours, not making money, you may have to split the detention pay you are owed with the truck's owner. Again, that might be factored into why he is offering a higher CPM rate. You will have to do the math to figure out if it is worth it.
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.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
Per Diem:
Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.
Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.
Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.
We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay
One major difference between being a company driver and being a company driver for the Independent contractor is that you negotiate pay with the truck.owner/lease Op.
Most fleet owners/lease ops offer a rate higher but do not pay all of the bonuses or 401k contribution. So a new person thinks they are getting a good deal, but its not always the case. The lease Op pays all pay, workers comp, and employer taxes as well as Primes portion of the health benefits.
No one has ever asked me about the per diem aka "Travel Allowance" on a lease truck so that is an interesting question. The best person to ask is your payroll person. You can find their name and number on your phone app under "My Contacts". Another resource may be "Driver Personnel" that you can call by calling the main number.
Normally for a solo it is 8cpm of your normal rate that is non taxed. 5cpm for a team that is not taxed. If your normal solo rate is 50cpm, then the "rate" line will say 42cpm, and the "Travel Allowance" line will add 8cpm x the miles driven.
CPM:
Cents Per Mile
Drivers are often paid by the mile and it's given in cents per mile, or cpm.
Per Diem:
Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.
Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.
Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.
We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay
I get 14 cents per mile of my pay as per diem.
Per Diem:
Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.
Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.
Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.
We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay
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I recently finished my TNT phase at Prime INC and I'm trying to make a budget for when I'm on the road. My trainer told me he would hire me to drive his truck that's in the Prime fleet. I was told that Prime has per diem for their company drivers and was wondering if I would still be getting per diem if I'm being payed by my trainer. From what I understood, I still get access to the benefits offered to Prime company drivers (I think), but would be receiving my pay from my trainer. Does that mean I don't get it since I'm technically being payed by someone else? Thanks in advance for the help.
Per Diem:
Getting paid per diem means getting a portion of your salary paid to you without taxes taken out. It's technically classified as a meal and expense reimbursement.
Truck drivers and others who travel for a living get large tax deductions for meal expenses. The Government set up per diem pay as a way to reimburse some of the taxes you pay with each paycheck instead of making you wait until tax filing season.
Getting per diem pay means a driver will get a larger paycheck each week but a smaller tax return at tax time.
We have a ton of information on our wiki page on per diem pay
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.