Prime INC!
 

Ok, I've pretty much gotten a pre hire from Prime INC. Can anyone tell me some good bad about them? Their training pay is very good 500wk. . And its for 90 days..And starting me out at .34 for reefers..Much better then swift that the school wanted me to go with.. Anyone have any knowledge?

RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN. They are known for the FLEECE PURCHASE SCHEME were they basically let you buy a truck for the company make sure you can not afford it then when you have it repopossed they then hit you up for 8-12k in the fees that you owe then they release the same truck to another driver. That is how they stay in business.

Prime's training program works like this:

They help you get a CDL, then they stick you with a Flease Purchase Driver for 3-6 months (all depends on how your "trainer" thinks you are doing). While you are on the "trainer" truck you are running as a team from day 1 or 2.

Also from the day you step foot on Prime property they will be pushing the L/P program to you. They will show you a bunch of fuzzy math that shows how you can make $2,000 or more after expenses if you sign on the bottom line. Of course if you do the actual math yourself using real numbers you will see that this is next to impossible, and almost next to impossible to make any money at all unless things go 100% perfect 100% of the time, which any experience driver will tell you NEVER happens.

Its obvious that neither of you handing out advise have any knowledge about Prime. First of all there is no lease to purchase, If you lease a truck and you turn it in and you get stuck with a 12,000 bill then you werent doing your maintenence. You have to turn the truck in at the same state of repairs as you leased it in. They dont push the lease program, they have company drivers as well.

Ok. I dont care to ever lease a truck. FYI. Now talk about the company...

OK, I've already had my first glass of wine this evening (I'm on off time...have been for 3 days, and don't go back to the 5th of July :P )you've already been warned by others, and apparently have your mind set on driving a fast truck for them. Whooooop, whooooop!! I thought Uturn made it quite clear....but you apparently are wearing "rose colored glasses", or have perception problems... :?

So here's my suggestion.... GO TO WORK FOR PRIME, HAVE FUN, BE SURE TO HAVE FUN, THEN COME BACK LATER AND ADD YOUR TALE OF WOE TO THE MANY WHO HAVE BLOGGED AND PASTED THEIR MISERABLE EXPERIENCES AT PRIME....

Of course, someone with a "lick of smarts" would use the "search function" on this site and others to get some pertinent information....unless of course you're some dolt recruiter at Prime.... :P :P

Oh, by the way.... I didn't know that "Prime" had company drivers.... Seems I remember something about all company drivers working for RTC, not Prime..... SO.....maybe you are think about a fleece purchase deal, eh?

There never was a "lease" to "purchase".... 8) As to the rest: Really? I guess all those court decisions against them and their mounting legal bills finally got them to rethink their business model?

If Prime has company drivers....who are the RTC drivers pulling Prime trailers?

Those RTC are Primes company driver division. Go to their web site if you need reinforcement.

Recruiter?......the only recruiting I did was in the Marine Corps 81 thru 84. I could care less if anybody drove for Prime or their dear old Grandma but I think if your gonna give someone advice you need to be factual.

Prime has their problems like every trucking company out there as well as their leagal problems, personality clashes, driver turnover, etc..... thats the cost of doing business no mater what areana....hell even the military has their fair share. Thats life.

I cant tell you how their training is conducted now but as a Company driver you will get the miles and the pay isnt too bad for a rookie. You will be treated with dignity and respect. Its a good place to start and you are wise by not wanting to lease. You need to learn to make a living in the business and learn that business before you stick it in the wind to see what happens. Good luck no matter where you go.

Skywalker...you still living on the boat or did you sell it and move ashore?

And how do you know if I am or am not being factual?

FYI: The info I posted is based on reports from 9 people who have went through Prime's so-called training program in the last 7 months.

All 9 of them were hit up by Prime to enter into the lease purchase program at least 4 times before being assigned a "company" truck.

First time was during initial orientation.
2nd time while in "school"
3rd time before being assigned a "trainer"
4th time when they returned to Springfield to be upgraded to solo status.
Now if this is not pushing the LP program I do not know what is.

All 9 of them were placed with LP operators. All 9 of them were ran as a team from day one. Real good training there. I am impressed that someone can teach when they are asleep in the bunk.

Now as far as what Skywaker posted about being people charged thousands of dollars when they turned in their trucks prior to lease completion I can, if you want, provide proof in the form of several former Prime lease operators who went through this. Two of the ones I know for a fact are so anal about truck maintenance that when they went O/O for real their trucks were on 12,000 mile PM schedules, tires were changed out at 5/32 nd's with virgin tires, ans this is the same cycle they maintained when they attempted the Prime program and still got charged several thousand dollars in maintenance and repairs for work that did not need done and repairs for non-existant damage.

Post it and make a believer out of me. I went through 3 leases with Prime and never got charged for a repair that didnt need to be made. And Skywalker didnt post about the multi thousand dollar repairs......again facts.

Ya no. I did use the search function. It's terrible. I read the posts..But they were not all very specific about prime. Now, I'm Inexperienced and only some company's will take me because I'm 21. You're telling me pretty much in a sarcastic way not go with prime. Fine.. But If I was to read about the other company's Werner,Covenant,Swift, That my school wants me to go with.. I can digup about 200 threads alone about them. Prime I had more trouble with. So I'm sorry if I upset the whino.

Werner or Swift would be 1000 X's better than Prime.

:lol: :lol: They are all different name,same you know what.

Caveat Emptor

Its quite common for CDL mills to get kickbacks from the OTR companies. I know several of them in Reno try to steer their grads towards the OTRs for the bonus.

Do you have any idea how much a truck can cost to operate? I just checked Slime,Inc. out and the 500.00 a week and 90 day training pay is for fleece purchase training,NOT company driver training. After that so-called 90 day training you will be expected to lease a truck for 630.00 to 680.00 a week. SUXESS Leasing is actually where they get their junk fincanced thru. Your lease payments will be 2500.00 a month and that doesn't even include fuel and tires. You will be better off delivering pizza than to lease a truck from Slime. :lol: Do the math and look at the numbers yourself. It will not add up. Since you seem to have no driving experience I would not even consider buying a truck until you have at least one year under your belt to get an idea of what you will be getting into. See if Prime will hire you as a company driver but STAY AWAY from their fleece deal.

What you talking about,you idiotz? I have truck at Prime and it go 120mph. "I make good money and drive fast. My last check was,EH,275.00 for one week. That is very good money you idiot. :roll:

Hi Sixth :lol:

SERIOUSLY. What are you guys talking about.

I HAVE NO INTEREST IN LEASING A TRUCK. I never once said I did in ANY POST.

I just want to know about the company driver!

PRIME=Truck Leaseing
YOU would never be a company driver for PRIME. They say that you can be BUT they will RAM the truck leasing deal down your throat until one of two things happen:
1) YOU lease the truck
2) you quit because they slashed your miles since you will not Lease a truck

PRIME has always been known as a company that Leases thier trucks to drivers, not as a company that employs drivers.

WRONG guess. :lol:

Skywalker I have gained a whole new respect for you..Dolt..Love it I use Doltamite for my football pool name...love it

We sold the sailboat, and are presently hiding out in our RV in an undisclosed wandering location....but we are steadily pedaling to find a trawler to live on.

What really bites.....is having to kiss so many toads to find a sleeping beauty, but such is the nature of the search and the quest for the right boat!

If you had problems finding durogatory comments about Prime....you are using a defective computer.... Me a "wino"....hardly. I have a limit of 2 glasses of wine, per nite, if I have anything at all...and only when I'm home. Not that I care....but trust me....upsetting me is not even an issue. Its you I am concerned about because Prime has a rather ignoble track record, one to be well aware of, and it seems like you are headed down the same path as some of the others who have come here asking for information.....after they have already made up their minds.

Go work for Prime, its not like it makes a lick of difference to me. You asked for the information/advice. It has been given. Now, go thee and throwest thyself upon the sword of thy choice..... 8)

Oh, and if you're one of those religious wackos who has grossly mis-interpreted the bible regarding the taking of "libations", here is the cure for your problem: Jump in your car, drive to the hardware store of your choice, go in an purchase a 5 pound bag of sand, now take it home, sit on the couch, and pound sand. 8) 8)

I thought it was "Dolamite", but hey...whatever works!!! 8) 8) And thanks for the "kudos"..... :D

I hope you are kidding that is good money? I make double that if not triple as a company driver. And that is NET.

If you knew BOB, that is good money. :wink:

if your truck only goes 120 please stay out of my way

Bummer...but it is fun to look. And better to dig deep rather than endure buyers remorse. I read that with all the baby boomers retiring, trawlers are a hot commodity these days. Also heard a good tip...visit marinas and ask boat owners or the marina management there. They might know so-and-so who wants to get rid of their boat but haven't done anything about it.

Good luck and now back to our original programming.... :)

This is utter nonsense. Having drivne for Prime myself, that simply is not true!! During orientation they present both options, and no one ever pushed me to go into a lease purcahse program. I did so, agaisnt the advisement of my fleet manager. Yes, my fleet manager at Prime told me to not go into the lease program because I was not ready. He wanted to run me as a company driver. I didn't take his advise, and I did the LP, and I wasn't ready. Had I taken his advice, I might still be at Prime. While the training is not the best you will recieve, it certanly is not the worse either. And you can go solo and straigt into a company truck. RTC is the company division of Prime. Prime does treat you with respect. It's not a bad place to start off. There are worse. Have you looked at Crete? They are a better option because they ahve better training and start you off at .40 a mile.

Say a Prayer:

You answered your own question in the first sentence of your first post.

You think $500 bucks a week is pretty good money.

If you honestly think so than you are perfect for Prime.

Realize you will be running as a team and racking up probably around 5,500-7,000 miles per week. $500 a week is peanuts.

I know everone here is talking about the lease deal and you say you don't want to go that route. But until you attend orientation and set back and have it basically forced down your throat you won't understand.

As a previous driver for Prime I think I know what I am talking about.

And if you do go the Lease route you would be happy to make $500 a week.

Did you notice it was written in RED..... :lol:
That's exactly where you will be if you lease a truck.

Scary,isn't it? Unless a person is single 500.00 a week isn't even enough to survive on no matter where you live.

The dude that ran the pool said the samething and I asked why he corrected the spelling???

Training pay is 500 a week. They are starting me out at .34 cpm. Most places offer 325 a week training pay... ?

If you had your Tanker and Hazmat endorsement...

You could try hiring on with either Superior Carriers in our Axis, AL yard or our food-grade sister company, Carry Transit out of the Decatur, AL yard. Either way, you'd make far more than .34/mile and, be home much more frequently :wink:.

Can you say: AMEN!! or YOWZA, YOWZA, YOWZA!!! 8) 8) 8) 8)

That is lease operater training pay,NOT company driver training pay. It is a 90 day so-called training program.

Did you note the age of the OP? Very few companies hire 21 y/o's. My suggestion would be to wait another year when your options will increase exponentially.