One step closer...Prime drivers, look here?

[Double R]

if you can sit up straight in the seat and hold on to the steering wheel they will take you in. He**, you don't even have to speak English.

Unfortunatly that is becoming the hiring process for many companies anymore.

[Evinrude]

you gotta love people with a GREAT attitude that you have. Tell me, have you ever pulled ONE load for Prime? If not, then why are you talking them down? If so, then explain WHY you hate Prime so much. What were YOUR experiences? Explain this to us instead of spewing your drivel that you heard at some truck stop.

When I apply for a job i ask what % is the turn over rate .

Why I hate prime and others, is because they don't TAKE Care of the employees with Re$pect, therefore they they permanently advertise for new drivers, making it hard for the good companies to pay there drivers.

[Radaremtjcw]

good points. I will NOT lease a truck. I am going to be a company driver for whoever I go with.
They stay away from PRIME. They will force you to become a lease/Operator. Get training as a company driver somewhere and then go from there. Who knows, you may like the company that you train with and stay for awhile. Just remember, OTR trucking is what YOU make of it.

I don't think the statement that they force you to become a lease operator is accurate, they don't "Force" anyone to become a lease operator, no one holds a gun to your head and tells you to sign the contract, now they are very slimy in the way they convince you that you are going to have a cut of Robert's money if you lease a truck from him.

Leasing a truck is Russian roulette with 5 of the six chambers loaded, a very small few will do well at Prime (I liked the Crime analogy BTW) but for every 1 driver that succeeds there are many drivers that won't

Here is what you risk at Prime over what You Gain

#1 if you are profitable and that is a big if on how big of a butt kisser you are to your fleet manager

running 3000 miles a week after expenses, fuel (and prime is definitely dishonest on the fuel surcharge, they try to convince you that is part of the revenue and how they get away with tricking you into hauling $0.60 CPM freight is add the $0.30 CPM fuel SC and say you made $0.90 CPM which in my opinion is utter horse S&*^.

So after you pay the $1300 a week in fixed costs, workers comp, insurance, pre pass, payroll fees, the working at prime privilege fee, etc

Well you may average $0.41 CPM if you are lucky.

Now those fees are taken out no matter what, if you break down, get sick, die, have a family member die, a nuclear holocaust, whatever...
well they still take out those costs, and if you go home, well when u come out you owe them (In the Hole) and that money will come out before you even get a paycheck.

Now in orientation this is the closest thing i call to brainwashing, it is like one of those pyramid scheme seminars, if someone dissents in class they are bombarded with counter arguments, embarrased as being an idiot, or quietly weeded out of class, and i think they put something in the water that causes prime drivers to steadfastly defend prime and attack anyone who questions the company.

I was there, we did well, at first, but got out before it got disastrous, some people were not as lucky, they lost homes, bankruptcy, IRS liens

Prime has freedom, they treat you well, but in reality you have a better chance of winning the lottery than being successful there

[DD60]

http://primedrivers.net/forum/index.php?topic=63.0


These folks might disagree.

[Radaremtjcw]

sure they would disagree, and again they have been in Bill Oreilly's words Sipping the Kool Aid in orientation, there are some drivers that have success stories at Prime, I still have friends at prime.

Prime Drivers will preach the prime gospel, and why because they are promised a free years lease if they recruit a bunch of people.

Look I liked Prime for some things but i needed a more consistent income base and the good paying loads they said were there just did not materialize, prime was not a good fit for us.

there is a lot of freedom at prime, but it is not all a bed of roses, driving for prime is a 24/7 365 Commitment and to tell drivers it is a bed of roses is doing a diservice to a would be driver.

[century451]

No job is a bed of roses but making Prime work for you is something you have to work at to succeed, it doesnt just fall in your lap.

[Radaremtjcw]

Sure working at it may possibly make it worth while but for every one prime driver that succeeds there are 30-50 that will never succeed, and if you succeed what do you really gain in return

if Prime works for you fine, but to steer 100;s of naive would be drivers with promises of instant wealth when they do not even have that much experience driving, then have them haul cheap freight is the company store mentality that should be gone.

we made it well at prime, but the commitment to make money that is required for prime was not worth the stress.

so i posted my response's to this thread in an effort to present the realities that many prime drivers will not tell someone

if i recruited someone i would want to be as honest as possible about the realties

[dollarshort]

Sure working at it may possibly make it worth while but for every one prime driver that succeeds there are 30-50 that will never succeed, and if you succeed what do you really gain in return

if Prime works for you fine, but to steer 100;s of naive would be drivers with promises of instant wealth when they do not even have that much experience driving, then have them haul cheap freight is the company store mentality that should be gone.

we made it well at prime, but the commitment to make money that is required for prime was not worth the stress.

so i posted my response's to this thread in an effort to present the realities that many prime drivers will not tell someone

if i recruited someone i would want to be as honest as possible about the realties

To anyone reading this post.....This is the real deal. This person as well as myself have been down the Prime path. I too did well with Prime, but nearly killed myself in the process. (not literally) just physically.

You will also find out that most of Primes' (success) stories are from people that were homeless or maybe work a minimum wage job before, so of course Prime would seem like a step up.

[century451]

HOMELESS OR WORKED A MINIMUM WAGE JOB? Your so full of it, that doesnt even provoke an intelligent responce.

[unclehotte]

Hey dollarshort? I think that counts for many drivers in general, the minimum wage job. The homeless is a little bit harsh maybe.....Trucking tiger? You hear many voices against companies and for it for two reasons. The ones who like driving for this or that OTR company mostly came from a lower expectation background, no education or the minimum wage job.Or like you can read here very often the fellon story. The ones who HATE the OTR companies might have come from a good job and wanted a change or wanted more in life or just wanted to drive a truck. I got laid off from a $15/h job because I was the HIGHEST paid. To safe my lifestyle and my MORTGAGE I went OTR, since the big companies just outbid each other with HOW MUCH you can make a year. Since I had a CDL in Europe for 16 years and I took the school in the US to get the US CDL ANY company would have taken me, but of course at the pay for a BEGINNER. Since I had no choice at the time I did it anyway and after 3 years OTR with 2 companies many claim to be GOOD I saw myself what somebody posted in here already......ALL the BIG OTR companies are bad. After 3 years OTR of just juggling bills and the UGLY expenses living on the road I was ready to quit this nightmare. I went to a local company 10 min from me and applied for a job, only here only one time. All the other resumees I sent to companies for a job in the field I have an education in. And when I got called in for an interview at this local company I got told they have a linehaul job for me. Drive 6h in the night Mo-FR. Paid vacation, good health insurance. My now new boss told me, If I would have come a week, a month or a year ago he wouldnt had a job for me. After I got hired no other drivers got hired(so far)after me. I was at the right place at the right time. And my financial average is THE SAME as when I went OTR and I am home and dont have OTR expenses. I was lucky and do this job now almost 6 month, and I LOVE IT. But most of my co-workers are bored and unhappy and think they can make more money somewhere else or OTR. Any you know why? Many of them never went OTR. OTR is not paid good enough for what the job is all about. People are warning you because the WENT through it, and many are burned out and CANT GO BACK to whatever they did before. I met many guys on the road who told me they are out of their job too long to go back and now they keep on going because they are TRAPPED. The many voices warning you against PRIME and similar companies are just that, a WARNING! You dont have to listen, I WOULDNT HAVE, either. But I would have saved myself 3 years of misery. I am sure in one year you might be a guy on this board who WARNS the next generation of cannon fodder for the BIG OTR companies. I am 99% sure about that. But maybe you will say this is the best job you ever had? Maybe, we will see. I wish you luck in all the things you want to do anyway.

[steelhauler2007]

Truckingtiger,G/L with whichever company you drive for.The company that works for you,may not work for someone else.Praise the Lord we live in a country to where we can make our own decisions.You aren't going to please everyonebut if you are happy,that is what is important.

[mighty3]

I hear so many people complaining about the big carriers, Swift, Prime, Schnieder, etc. My husband has been with Transam for around 8 months. Money is o.k. not as good or as consistent as I thought, but not bad. Home time is o.k. Usually gets home when he requests, 14 days out at least. He has had a mostly positive experience with them. He really would like a local or regional route, even homes weekends would be fine. We live in central Florida. If anyone has any leads on good companies that fit this criteria, please let me know. Thanks for all your tips!

[ohio joe]

DONT B IN SUCH A HURRY!! U ONLY WILL STAY MAYBE THRU TRAINING ONCE U REALIZE WHAT THEY R ALL ABOUT!! :shock: GOOD LUCK!!