Intro And A Few Newbie Questions
Topic 32409 | Page 4
Hey Chief! Thanks for the advice! As far as what I want to drive- I’ll be honest, I really haven’t thought too much on that other than I need to get my foot in the door and learn to drive something. I’m not against any particular type other than I feel flatbed may not be for me. Without going too deep into detail, I got hurt while in Iraq and earned myself what we call the enemy marksmanship award (Purple Heart). Because of the injury to my knee I’m wondering if the labor required for a flatbed driver might be too much. Again, I won’t know until I actually get some real world experience and find out. I would just hate to start at flatbed only to find out I’m physically unable to do it this wasting mine and the companies time. I place a high premium on loyalty so if a company is willing to take me on knowing nothing and train me, then I owe it to them to make sure they get the best out of me.
I feel the skills I learned in the Corps (PI ‘97) and in the Fire service will make me good at dealing with difficulties that can and will come up in the trucking world and how to work through all the hurry up and wait. Semper Gumby, right? Lol
Etch,
I drive for Prime in the tanker division, inedible side, but drove flatbed for Prime for two years. If you want to know about flatbed read my training diary and rookie solo year.
As far as Prime, I’ve been here over two years and actively searched for other opportunities, but decided to switch divisions rather than leave Prime.
As far as avoiding rookie mistakes and training, my main advice involves taking your time. Just like the boot camp (San Diego 1985), trucking involves a lot of hurry up and wait. Expect a frantic environment in PSD and TNT. Push back against that. It took me a good year to recover from the frantic pace I learned in PSD and TNT. If you go flatbed, efficiency comes from a good system not from a hurried pace.
I have a couple of questions for you.
Do you want to drive reefer , flatbed, dry van , or tanker?
Did you consider Maverick?
If you have any questions for me ask away.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
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.
I can only go by what they told me and that was they were not hiring out of my area at this time. I mean I could send them these screenshots of their website and scream “Liar liar pants on fire” but I don’t think that’ll help my chances…..
Those maps are not 100% accurate. Hiring areas are based on zip code. It's possible that where you are located in NC, being that you are not near a major Interstate , is the reason. Another possibility is that it's because of Hurricane Ian.
Interstate:
Commercial trade, business, movement of goods or money, or transportation from one state to another, regulated by the Federal Department Of Transportation (DOT).
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
Havelock is a small coastal town north of Camp Lejuene. I can see why it would not be in the hiring area. Most likely a hometime where to park the truck issue.
I know that there are a few drivers for Prime with addresses in Havelock. We seem to have a meeting of trucks at the Slocum Gate Walmart during holiday home times. I just never have managed to catch the other drivers there!
I'm one of them 🤣 I just haven't been home to my friends couch since Thanksgiving. Darn cancer, and not wanting to add stress and whatever germs I get drug through on the daily.
Havelock is a small coastal town north of Camp Lejuene. I can see why it would not be in the hiring area. Most likely a hometime where to park the truck issue.
I know that there are a few drivers for Prime with addresses in Havelock. We seem to have a meeting of trucks at the Slocum Gate Walmart during holiday home times. I just never have managed to catch the other drivers there!
I'm one of them 🤣 I just haven't been home to my friends couch since Thanksgiving. Darn cancer, and not wanting to add stress and whatever germs I get drug through on the daily.
Havelock is a small coastal town north of Camp Lejuene. I can see why it would not be in the hiring area. Most likely a hometime where to park the truck issue.
My comment directed at TMC. Prime, Swift, Knight etc prob not a problem.
Yeah, I’m see a lot of Prime parked around here. In fact Prime is one that is on my list. Me and recruiter keep missing each other’s calls. I’ve been busy with storm prep (very disappointing storm) last few days. Hopefully can get her on the phone Monday.
I know that there are a few drivers for Prime with addresses in Havelock. We seem to have a meeting of trucks at the Slocum Gate Walmart during holiday home times. I just never have managed to catch the other drivers there!
I'm one of them 🤣 I just haven't been home to my friends couch since Thanksgiving. Darn cancer, and not wanting to add stress and whatever germs I get drug through on the daily.
Havelock is a small coastal town north of Camp Lejuene. I can see why it would not be in the hiring area. Most likely a hometime where to park the truck issue.
SAP:
Substance Abuse Professional
The Substance Abuse Professional (SAP) is a person who evaluates employees who have violated a DOT drug and alcohol program regulation and makes recommendations concerning education, treatment, follow-up testing, and aftercare.
Etch,
As far as the physical requirements of flatbed, they are not as demanding as you would think. My TNT trainer was a disabled Army veteran, although I don't know the extent of his disability. With flatbed you'll be climbing on loads, but the most physically demanding tasks involves lugging the tarps around, including carrying them up on top of loads. But most of the time, the forklift operators will put them on top of the load for you. While I don't know exactly what you did in the fire service, I would expect that if you can do that work, you can do flatbed.
Of course, I no longer drive flatbed because, obviously I didn't like something about it. Essentially, I got tired of a steady stream of tarping metal loads. And Prime in particular seems to tarp more loads than other flatbed companies. I quite often heard other drivers say "you are the only guys that tarp those loads." And Prime flatbed generally hauls anything and everything. Even though I drove flatbed for two years, I was still going to new shippers. That is why I had asked if you considered Maverick. They have certain dedicated accounts where you are haul the same customer. I actually ran a dedicated account with Prime for a while. It makes life a whole lot easier when you are going to the same places, hauling the same product.
That is the case with hauling inedible tanker with Prime. We have two primary customers: one shipper out of Aurora and O'Fallon, Missouri; and one receiver in Spencer, Iowa and Verona, Missouri. I delivered to Spencer, Iowa Friday, drop and hook , and I'll pick up more eggs for that same customers delivering Tuesday. And I run by the house a lot so I get home quite often. I'm on a 34-hour reset at the house.
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.
Drop And Hook:
Drop and hook means the driver will drop one trailer and hook to another one.
In order to speed up the pickup and delivery process a driver may be instructed to drop their empty trailer and hook to one that is already loaded, or drop their loaded trailer and hook to one that is already empty. That way the driver will not have to wait for a trailer to be loaded or unloaded.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.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.
Etch,
I drive for Prime in the tanker division, inedible side, but drove flatbed for Prime for two years. If you want to know about flatbed read my training diary and rookie solo year.
As far as Prime, I’ve been here over two years and actively searched for other opportunities, but decided to switch divisions rather than leave Prime.
As far as avoiding rookie mistakes and training, my main advice involves taking your time. Just like the boot camp (San Diego 1985), trucking involves a lot of hurry up and wait. Expect a frantic environment in PSD and TNT. Push back against that. It took me a good year to recover from the frantic pace I learned in PSD and TNT. If you go flatbed, efficiency comes from a good system not from a hurried pace.
I have a couple of questions for you.
Do you want to drive reefer , flatbed, dry van , or tanker?
Did you consider Maverick?
If you have any questions for me ask away.
Chief, the advice to take your time is invaluable. You are tanker, so I get it that you have to go slower. I’m reefer van and when I take an exit ramp I know I have to be at least 5 to 10 mph slower than the posted limit. No matter how many vehicles are behind you getting frustrated, maintain your safe speed.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
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.
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Etch,
I drive for Prime in the tanker division, inedible side, but drove flatbed for Prime for two years. If you want to know about flatbed read my training diary and rookie solo year.
Flatbed Training
Rookie Solo
As far as Prime, I’ve been here over two years and actively searched for other opportunities, but decided to switch divisions rather than leave Prime.
As far as avoiding rookie mistakes and training, my main advice involves taking your time. Just like the boot camp (San Diego 1985), trucking involves a lot of hurry up and wait. Expect a frantic environment in PSD and TNT. Push back against that. It took me a good year to recover from the frantic pace I learned in PSD and TNT. If you go flatbed, efficiency comes from a good system not from a hurried pace.
I have a couple of questions for you.
Do you want to drive reefer , flatbed, dry van , or tanker?
Did you consider Maverick?
If you have any questions for me ask away.
Dry Van:
A trailer or truck that that requires no special attention, such as refrigeration, that hauls regular palletted, boxed, or floor-loaded freight. The most common type of trailer in trucking.Reefer:
A refrigerated trailer.
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.