Complaint Review: Prime Inc

Prime is going to put me through their training program for obtaining my CDL. They have been very up front, so far. Also, they said when I've been upgraded to Solo, after driving 30K with another driver, I'll be driving in a company status, not leasing a truck. Can any body send some facts/figures to me.

Thanks,

dude you never drove for Prime, you dont know s***. your passing on bulls** you heard. none is true.

I've worked for Prime a long time, never been lied to, treated very well, make lot of money.

First off let me say I worked for Prime for 4 years. They are very upfront with any and all fees and payments they charge you. With that said, in the end it is the one signing the lease agreement who is the one responsible. Yes, the amounts they charge are high as hell, and yes you will pay them a ton more than they give to you. Yes, they will micromanage everything you do. and I mean EVERYTHING.  After all they are a large corporation and what do large corporations do??  They take your money. as well as your life. So Prime is indeed a good company to work for, IF you don't mind never going home to see your family, well at least for more than a day or too. You can make very good money there, you will just have to spend it in the truckstop or a wal-mart along the way.  Rob Lowe is not driving a Cadillac, riding his horses, flying his jet to his casino in Biloxi by not turning a profit. If you truly want the american dream go buy your own truck and pull for yourself. If not Prime is not all that bad

I don't know the date of this report, however I've been with Prime for 10 Years and found they have remained behind everything they ever told me.

IT IS NOT TRUE when someone said that Prime hire drivers with a hazmat or tankers. I do not have a hazmat( I had in past and decided not to renev) and I do not have a tankers permit. I was hire as company driver.I did not renev hazmat because I did not want to be forced to pull hazmat as it is not profitable( too many hussless compare with amount they pay extra for). The requirments are base on your driving experience and driving record. I had 2 speeding tickets in 2001 and 2 chargable accidents in 2001(all in one month). Those two chargable accidents was durring backing.

Prime it is good for company drivers. If you are willing to work and have good attitude toward shippers and recivers( I know that this is the harders part) then you will make decent money. With average 2200 miles per week I had deposit on my commdate at some week up to $1100. I had a bad weeks(very few) where I made $500.

Trucking is not for everyone. I saw many people come and go. They just could not "take the heat".

Ok, first off. The two teams that said they didnt make it, you obviously had no idea how to run a truck at all. You were TEAM, meaning two of you and your whining about a what? 1200 mile load you had to do in a little over 24 hours. That shouldnt have been a biggie at all. I have been driving for 4 years. There has been one company I have been laid off from, and I did all I could try helping with fuel and everything else as far as being conservative to keep myself with a job. And I got paid hourly at that, not by the load, or by the mile. If the load only took 2 hours, and that was all I got that day, thats all I got paid for. But at this particular time, I was making more than I would have. Rates got cut super low, and when his customers asked him to take another cut to the throat he said to hell with it and closed his company down. No fault of mine.

Solo drivers can make money with Prime, or any other Lease. When you go out and only stay gone and expect that since your paying for the truck you can take 5 days off. Guess again. You CANNOT AFFORD IT! Unless you double up on the lease payment, the insurance, cover double for everything and keep atleast 3/4 of a tank of fuel in the truck while you got it parked as a yard piece, you will sink yourself right there. I personally would love to lease a truck from Prime simply because they actually run you all over. Their not like JB Hunt, Swift, or any other company that just ships you off to the Northeast and thats where you stay while you are out. Utilize your time well. If you are going through the house, instead of stopping at that Pilot, or whatever save the money and stop at the house and sleep there. So you arent idling the piss out of your truck. Some of you morons think "oh it only takes a gallon to idle all night long" try again. It takes a gallon PER HOUR to idle that truck all night. And hell, now they offer APU? And you are still whining and complaining you aint makin money on account of fuel? I bet some of you said ney to the APU because of a small weekly payment you would have on  that not thinking ahead to the times you might have to sit for whatever reason, weather, bad day, or bad week. That alone pays for itself, by saving you money not having to idle your truck. Sensitive to a little rumble on the side of your truck, to hearing it? Get some ear plugs.

If you stop and hang out in truckstops, giggling like a chump waiting on that fresh case of herpes, or God only knows what from those "corporate fluzies" then guess what, I could only imagine what else you waste your time and money on. One person said earlier, "try setting the governer up on YOUR truck". Why the hell would you want  to do that anyway? I can already tell you would be a person who if the truck will run 80 you will try to make it run 90. Bye bye diesel in the tanks, and dollars down the drain. They pay percentage by the way not mileage. You need to think of R.E.V.E.N.U.E not miles. Forget the mileage, all that should matter to you is the revenue. I am sure once I do lease, I will see a couple bad weeks. Especially getting close to winter. You have to control your splurging, and really just dont do it at all. Set aside for unexpected expenses, etc. Fuel is a big portion I know. But never let the tank get below 1/2 and you should do much better than you must be doing. And keep your rpms at or below 1500rpms. Sure, thats only like 65mph at 1500rpms but can you REALLY afford to give it all the horses and run it all the way to the governed 75mph? I very seriously doubt it. Anytime that I personally feel like taking more than 2 days off at home, I will be making sure I double up on truck note,etc, etc for that week.

Prime DOES hire company drivers. That b.s. about them only hiring owner operator, or lease operators is a bunch of bologna. And pissing your FM off is never a good idea with any company. Doesnt matter if you are company or lease, everytime you do piss them off its like another nail in your own coffin with them. I dont do all the stopping everywhere and all of that. I will hold my piss in til my eye balls are floating before I finally stop to use the bathroom even. Usually only eat once a day, and thats normally when I have to stop for my 10 hour break. I have driven local, otr, regional, only place I will not go into is Canada. Been there done that, I can deal with the small hit in the wallet of not taking Canada loads.

I am married, and yes sometimes it is difficult. But all of you with wives leaving and you and stuff over it I am sure you did something out on the road she found about to help her make her decision. Would I be doing this if I had kids, probably not. But for the time being I have no kids.

Point being you have to manage your money, and your business so that you are profitable. Driving fast just because your truck can do it will only empty your little basket of fruit. Not doing everything you can to cut costs. And fuel isnt $2.50 per gallon or whatever street price is unless you stop at a fuel stop where you cant get primes price. By the time FSC is paid and all you end up paying 1/2 of that price. For whoever it was that said fuel is $2.50 per gallon. So, its all up to you. And as far as financing the truck at the end of the lease, there is a balloon payment. I am sure you can find someone who will finance the buy out on it with the proof that you have paid the payments during the entire lease. Plus they pay you lease completion bonus. Some places will even allow you to use your maintenance escrow (if you have enough and want to do this) to pay off your truck when appropriate. I would not really suggest that myself. But some will let you do that. I will even put my money where my mouth is. Once I am in and leased, and all. I will chronicle my income and trials and what not for all of you. You do not have to be teamed to make money. Hell, reading this, 2 of the what 3 teams who posted to this even said they didnt make it. Props to the one team making $300k a year. Taking home $180k. Not shabby at all. Have to be teamed is a myth. Cant make it solo is a myth. You control what you make, and you alone. Dont be hotheaded pissing your FM off, or wasting time and money and you will make it just fine. Plus have a truck at the end of it being paid off to boot.

P.S. Getting the one with 3 months left, or 1 year thats all beat up not the brightest idea either. You might spend the difference in payments in those months over just getting a brand new one in petty repairs and stuff. And DONT ADD to the truck. One person said it was $80 an hour. Why would you want to add stuff to it? Not only do you have to pay to have it installed or added, you also have to pay to have it removed. And if you are quitting the way some of you said you have, negative paychecks etc, then thats why you are getting bills in the mail from Prime. I would like to know my truck is brand new, or as close as possible, still under warranty, been maintained for the time its been operated, etc. Also estimate your income to be at company driver pay as far as home bills go etc. Dont exceed 1/3 of your gross monthly income for housing, etc. Sure, you might be able to afford more. But that way you can save what you would be spending "high on the hog" and bank it up to help pay that truck off quicker. Or have money for emergencies, or whatever else you might need it for. I am sure some of you have rent or mortgage to the tune of $1000 a month. Thats just ridiculous.

I mean after all, its your choice you live where you do and pay the high bills you do pay. Like you need a 4 bdrm house for wife and you. In my case I wouldnt care if my home had burglar bars, I wont be there half the time anyway. Chances are wife would be with me. Rent in my neck of the woods is pretty low, $200 low to $450 high. And $450 is for a nice big 3 bdrm brick home. But I also live in Oklahoma. Now anyway. Anyways sorry for long winded response, best wishes to all.

Just to get the story straight---Prime hires company drivers as long as you have a hazmat and tanker endorsement. And they do pay well. I as a solo driver make almost the same as a lease driver--but without the BS of leasing. BE CAREFULL OUT THERE!!!!!!!!

Prime does have a company driver division. They don't just do Success Leasing. I don't drive for them but I am in no means interested in Leasing anything, and I have spoken to numerous drivers and recruiters who have reassured me that they do have company driver division as well as an "Owner Operator" division which is the Success Leasing division.

Eric, I don't know if you have realized it yet but Prime is a Lease Operator company only. If you are interested in working there you will have to lease a truck from them. They can put you in touch with a fleet owner that has several trucks leased on there but other than that you're stuck with a weekly truck payment as well as the other charges that come with it as a lease operator. Just letting you know. Good luck with whatever route you choose.

I DO NOT WANT TO GET INTO THE LEASE PROGRAM........I WANT TO BE A COMPANY DRIVER.

After listening to some of your complaints, I am a bit cautious of going into the training program but, need a job. Do Company Drivers make money at Prime & if so, how much.....really????

I've been with Prime for 2 years currently on my second lease with it being my first new truck lease. My first lease I chose a truck with 14 months remaining on the lease with 370,000 miles on it already. It had been leased twice before apparently both parties not being able to run a business and walked away. I grossed $227,569 in 2008 and my net income per my tax return was $74769. I had a few lease weeks in 2007 and 2009 which was not included in above figures for those that don't know when the tax years are and are bad at math. lol I am a solo driver so a team could easily gross $300,000 plus!!! This year I have made an average $1500/week after expenses. More facts fleet managers pay is not just salary but also incentive based on how the individual trucks perform. If you're late, FM is hit with a $100 penalty. If you quit, $400 penalty. Plus is paid incentive pay on the truck revenue per week. So the FM is willing to lose money just because you made them mad!! Give me a break!!! My FM will work 6-7 days per week, not to mention working from home at times!!! The guarantee is $.85/mile for solo and $.81/mile for a team!! People need to grow up and take responsibilities for their actions!!! Thanks

Driverjoe needs to refigure his cost again. As an owner operator with only 1 old truck my anual insurance cost including bobtail, 750k cargo insurance, liabilty, trailer interchange, and collision was over 12,000$. and that was back in in '92. It has skyrocketed since. iI would love to sit down and compare actual operating statements with any of these naysayers who freak out out at the mention of the word lease. I sold all my trucks in 1999 and leased just 1 truck from Prime. and have never looked back since. I have completed 4 leases with Prime and made money on each and everyone of them. What breaks most drivers is they dont understand the word average. Your guaranteed an AVERAGE minimum of .85cpm as a solo and 81cpm as a team. Thats only the minimum. I havent met anyone who can show me that they dont meet or exceed that bare MINIMUM. There are also many additional sources of revenue that every one ignores. Fuel surcharge. Stop off pay. Pick up pay. Detention. Congestion surcharge. Unloading. Deadhead pay (occasionally). Passing an inspection. Training. They will even pay you to come to the terminal, stay in the hotel, and learn how to earn more money!
Oh by the way I turned in my 4th lease on Dec 22, 2008 and received an additional
$14,173.94 as my payout, on top off the $168,167.78 i netted over the 3 previous years. That is after truck payment, fuel, taxes, lumpers, cash advances, et al.
If you add in the $75,652.20 I took in advance over the course of the lease, I netted over 50cpm with a $14000 bonus. My gross revenue for the entire lease was $848,164.23 over 485,000 miles. Thats an average of $1.74879cpm. Quit looking at just the freight revenue. There are many more revenue streams to tap into here.

P.S the temperature here in Guangdong China today is 78f and sunny. Im enjoying my vacation in the southern part of china. Tomorrow we are taking a cruise to Hong Kong and then down to Manila. Enjoy yourself as you fill the company coffers.

to Matt Mccraney I have no idea where you are getting 1000/mo for bobtail and cargo and liability insurance. If that's what you paid you got ripped off royally!!!!! Now that fuel prices are back under control I am going to buy another truck and run as an owner op once again. My insurance costs INCLUDING 1 EMPLOYEE AS A CO DRIVER is going to be around 350.00 PER MONTH.

While they do tell you the big parts they are very vague about all the small nickel and dime charges you get hit with. It may be different today, but there was a charge on my settlement almost weekly that I had to call and find out what it was about and THEN it was explained to me.

I do understand what your saying as far as what prime considers a "new truck" to be and how they value it, BUT they don't pay 101,000 for a new truck. Big fleets like swift, werner, covenant, prime inc, us xpress get HUGE discounts because of the volume of trucks they purchase. They are making close to 40K the moment you sign the lease, and that's not including interest and all the other little BS charges they hit you with. Hell swift will even tell you that when they are done with a truck they sell it for what they paid for it.

Check out some other companys and find out what you pay for there. The company I am currently working for pays for ALL TOLLS, LUMPERS, REEFER FUEL, BASE PLATES AND PERMITS, LOAD LOCKS, and there is more, but that's all I can think of off the top of my head.

Maybe they have changed some, but when I was there in 00-01 I had a 99 century with a year and a half left on it and I was paying 869.99 a week for my lease. now I DID make money with prime for about the 1st 14 months until this truck started breaking down every other week, and it was always a non-warranty issue, or the warranty had expired because of milage.

The final straw for me came when my truck was down for over 3 weeks at frieghtliner in Tampa, FL. Part of the insurance I WAS PAYING FOR was supposed to guarantee that if your truck was down and not driveable that your base cost (869.99 per week) would be paid for. That never happened, and they just gave me one excuse after the other why I didn't qualify for the insurance to cover those 3 and 1/2 weeks.

After this I turned the truck in and left. The money I would have gotten back from the lease completion a few months down the road wasn't enough to warrant the money I was losing because it couldn't stay on the road. The fact was that they had made enough money off this truck to pay for it several times over and they didn't care. I tried getting help from my FM as well as anyone else who purported to care, but it didn't do any good.

Also for the record. I stay out 6-8 weeks at a time. I don't stop in casinos or play those stupid cherry machines. I do keep my left door closed and I AM NEVER LATE for a pickup or delivery unless it is beyond my control.

I am content for now being a pion company team driver making about 1200.00 per week. I have already done several spreadsheets on buying another truck, and with this company based on a 6 MPG and a 4000 mile week I will clear AFTER PAYING MY FUEL AND EMPLOYEE about 2500 per week with fuel surcharge. Truck payment (used) AND insurance will run me about 2000 per month. maybe another 2000 per month in taxes, federal income tax, fuel, road ect. So I will CLEAR AFTER EVERYTHING about 6K per month. That figure will only go up after winter when things pick pack up and we run 6000 miles per week again. Those are realistic figures that I can easily meet consitiently week after week. You can't do that leasing a truck at prime or anywhere else. I don't care what you say.

OK, I have only beed with Prime since April 08' but, at orientation I recieved just as all the other posters recieved a detailed breakdown of all expenses fixed and variable you may incur with your lease. As far as your lease payment goes, I have an 08 Century with a lease payment of $724/ wk thats 37,648/yr or 3137.33/mo. Now you must consider insurance is also included in this (cargo and Liability) an easy $1000/mo on its own. (do some checking if you disagree, I owned my own truck in 2003 and thats wat it cost me them) so that brings the actual "Truck Payment" down to $493/wk or $2137/mo. This was a "NEW" truck when i got it. Prime values a new truck at $101,000.

So even at 60 months with a 7% rate if you were to goto Freightliner and buy your own 08' Century equipped the same, your rate would be $1999.92 per month add on your insurance and you get $2999.92/mo a difference of $137.41 and that is at only 7% interest. I think my $724 a week is fair giving that I can walk away at anytime with no penalty or risk of credit damage. As for the .045 cpm mileage fee, yes you do get back .0325 of it when you complete your lease and nothing if you quit early but what do you get back from the bank if you turn your truck back in early? Hmmm A repo on your credit and you still owe the balance of the loan after they sell it at the at the auction.
I guess the bottom line is if you can't handle the lease obligations you can always be a company driver, they make good money at Prime too....

I worked for prime inc for two years. It was my first driving job, and I trained with a family friend who was an ACTUAL OWNER OPERATOR not a lease operator paying over inflated truck payments. During my training we ran between 6000 and 7000 miles per week. They took the straight .80 mile instead of the percentage because even prime will tell you that if you run teams your much better off that way. On a good week with light loads and good fuel milage we would net about 4K per week after fuel, and standard weekly deductions AND THIS WAS BACK IN 2000 WHEN FUEL WAS A DOLLAR AND CHANGE PER GALLON. THIS DID NOT INCLUDE HIS TRUCK PAYMENT OR REPAIRS. As stated earlier he was an actual owner operator. He normally ran teams with his wife, but she came off the truck while I trained for whatever reasons. So his net was 220K BEFORE he paid his truck payment to Kenworth, and any repair bills, and once again HE OWNED HIS TRUCK IT WASN'T AN OVER INFLATED LEASE. so there is no way in hell a lease operator is making more money in 2007 than they were in 2000 with the same milage rate, and especially not in todays age where fuel is so outragous. ACTUALLY now that I think about it they were getting .81 or .82cpm because they had been there for 7 or 8 years at that point.

the guarantee is .80 cents and what that means is if you run 1000 miles at .75 cents a mile then run 1000 miles at .85 cents you'll average .80 cents. if not prime pays the differance. the fleet managers job is to make sure that difference comes out of your money not thiers. if they're only making 28% how long would they be in bussiness if they paid all those people at the terminals wages, paid expenses on the trailers and made up the difference on those under paid loads. oh wait they're slapping the meat to you on that truck YOU'RE buying for them!!!

people do good until their fleet manager decides he don't like you! his job might be to move freight but all he's got to do is file a bogus report with Robert. then he throughs you scraps until he puts you under. all you drivers bragging about prime try pissin your fm off to many times and see what happens to you.

Just to respond to what the steering wheel holder who couldn't make it with Prime,
Son it is obvious that you are in expierenced in the industry, but dont be discouraged, you learn buy your mistakes, and remember that just because you leese a truck from prime doesent mean its gonna make money by itself, in away its a good thing that all that EXERATED BULL happened to you, now you know, its a job , its your bussiness.

Good Day I got caught up in the general discussion pretaining to leasing a truck from Prime Inc.. Well last spring 2007 My wife and I took the Prime Inc challenge.. We are not saying we are the best or worst team drivers out there... We have seen plenty of road time and can handle the road with the best.. NO Truck stop site seeing on our time we do the job and want to enjoy the rewards fruits of our labors common.. Well we got to orientation and realized there sure was a room full of enthusistic drivers.. 4 days of orientation my wife was soo overwhelmed with the constant Prime Prime do not ask any questions during the orientation plenty of reading materials I have to admit was quite the challenge.. The day comes to find a truck wow what a deal these are the cheapest condos you can imagine any thing you want to add is a minium of 85 dollars an hour.. Hmmm leasing was suppose to 540 a week turns out to up to 830 a week ours we took an 2005 at 730 aweek with 140,000 mile already truck without curtains heck this one was in a wreck and replaced the rear and right side of the cab of yeah I could tell alright... The loads were dispatched at one rate and at settlement were totally different rates... yeah and this is a team now, first load flash hurry up you have a load delivering in LA Monday morning before 0700 and you in Springfield MO late after 7 pm Friday Hmm no time too sit on that one.. did we try to conserve fuel as instructed... yeah sure what does Prime care they expect the load on time they not paying the fuel cost negociate this load sure with who the night dispatch great. oh I can call my manager at home I should have haaaaaaaaa, well kick it in gear.. Get there and am not sitting for 36 hours good old TA East you know the place.. Finially about 3pm Tuesday got a load dead head of course on my dime to Yuma Dole and pick up by 2000 sure piece of cake except they give us the wrong address go figure.. and of course its a ball buster have to get this load to Dayton by thursday 1200 and its already 1am Wednesday... wow are we feeling good now... well the long and short we dropped off the truck drove 3600 miles paided for fuel and all the bills and recieved after settlement 500 usd or soo for our 6 day lesson.. yeah right best of luck with this outfit there are always going to be some shooting stars.. in every company in my humble opionion Prime has a very nice facility and the owner is enjoying his hard work I am sure they must be doing something right too much a rush job for me.. Heck I can drive day or night doom or shine I just do not see busting my arse... they have the "show Me" backwards in this company I love to have them show me how and as far as the garunteed 85 cpm I have the paperwork to show they do not garuentee that... I wrote down exactly the load message info and its not same as the settlement either.. Stay off the Qualcomm those messages will eat your lunch too.. they send sooo many messages its aweful OMG I paid for all those stupid messages I did not need all that info... My fuel mileage was inaccurate.. Warning to make 300,000 for a company, driving is quite a fet and I suppose is some odd ball way there are going to be 1 or 2 of 3500 drivers making that kind of money sure they should show loyality too long term drivers we all know we have to earn our places thats expected.. these companies need you for those posters.. What is the turn around average for Prime? I seen at least 50 t0 70 drivers every week going tough orientation. that room was packed.. Best of Luck you other Drivers, keep the painted side up and the wind too your backs..

Wow...some diehard Prime fans here. The last poster grosses almost a million dollars every 3 years....outstanding!! Let's do some math to arrive at the figures.

To gross $ 300,000 in a year one would have to drive 250,000 miles @ $1.20 per mile. Oh yeah, this is a team so that means each driver does 125,000. That breaks down to each driver putting in 342 miles every day....EVERY DAY ( 365 in a year). Now the net reported was $185,000-200,000. Let's look at fuel expense. We have established in order to make 300k they have to each drive 342 miles each day or 684 combined. If the truck does 6mpg (lol) that breaks down to 114 gallons of fuel each day. 114 times $2.50 per gallon is $285 per day or $104,025 for the year...this does not include idling. The math was rounded but close enough. 300,000 minus 104,000 equals 196,000. Let's see, there is also the weekly truck payment. We will put it at $500 a week for 52 weeks. That comes to 26,000 dollars. Now our net is at 170,000. Of course we all know that truck payment is a couple of hundred shy and the mileage claim was probably stretched a bit...right prime drivers. And every mile paid was @ $1.20, which I am sure that Prime drivers make that and more for each mile. Gee, what other expenses are their in leasing a truck?? Guess I wouldn't know because I wouldn't lease a truck.

Even if there are no other expenses, that comes to each driver making 85 k a year.....oh yeah...how could I forget Uncle Sam??? For good measure, lets say our great Uncle only taxes these drivers 10k each because they work every day of the year. 75K a year....wow!!! That's $205 a day in pocket.

Many o millionaire drivers from Prime!!!

Now for a bit of reality. At 1.00 a mile to gross 300k the team would have to drive 300,000 miles per year. Each driver doing 150k or 410 miles every day of the year.
Now the fuel cost is at $124,708 using the 6 mpg @ 2.50 per gallon. Uncle Sam is going to take roughly 1/4 of that gross or $75,000. Just those two expenses equal $199,708. Take the truck payment which I will leave at $500 a week which I know to be less than what an actual Prime lease payment to be, and our expenses are at $225,708. Add all the other operating costs ( Qualcom, insurance, permits, repairs, etc) and tell me again how one nets 180K out of 300K per year. Just the three expenses I show nets the truck roughly 75K per year or $ 37,500 per driver. That is $102 in pocket each day, keeping in mind that truck ran every day of the year. To make a million dollars at that rate it would take 9,803.92 days or 26.86 years of working every day.

GO PRIME MILLIONAIRES!!!!!!

I have to agree with David, Prime has been an EXCELLENT source of revenue for me over the last 7+ years. When I came to Prime in 1999 I was hiding my car in an impound yard to keep from getting it repo'ed(3 mo's behind), I was fighting to keep from getting evicted and having my kids live on the streets(2 mo's behind). in 2001 I bought a house 1 block off the beach in florida. In 2002 i bought my wife a brand new Chevy Cavalier. In 2004 I bought me a brand new Caddy. In 2005 I bought a 42 foot ocean going catamaran. In 2007 I bought a brand new Dodge Ram D350 with all the bells and whistles.

Yeah I guess your right, You cant make money at Prime. HOGWASH!!!!

Wake up and smell what you are shoveling man. I have completed 3 leases here and make money on every one of them. Yeah there are bad loads/bad weeks/ 2007 has been a bad year overall. But that is not Prime's fault. Look around you,there are companys folding everyday, because of drivers like you. Learn to be profitable or you will end up being nothing more than cheap labor. the tools are out USE THEM!

John

I have to agree with David, Prime has been an EXCELLENT source of revenue for me over the last 7+ years. When I came to Prime in 1999 I was hiding my car in an impound yard to keep from getting it repo'ed(3 mo's behind), I was fighting to keep from getting evicted and having my kids live on the streets(2 mo's behind). in 2001 I bought a house 1 block off the beach in florida. In 2002 i bought my wife a brand new Chevy Cavalier. In 2004 I bought me a brand new Caddy. In 2005 I bought a 42 foot ocean going catamaran. In 2007 I bought a brand new Dodge Ram D350 with all the bells and whistles.

Yeah I guess your right, You cant make money at Prime. HOGWASH!!!!

Wake up and smell what you are shoveling man. I have completed 3 leases here and make money on every one of them. Yeah there are bad loads/bad weeks/ 2007 has been a bad year overall. But that is not Prime's fault. Look around you,there are companys folding everyday, because of drivers like you. Learn to be profitable or you will end up being nothing more than cheap labor. the tools are out USE THEM!

John

I have to agree with David, Prime has been an EXCELLENT source of revenue for me over the last 7+ years. When I came to Prime in 1999 I was hiding my car in an impound yard to keep from getting it repo'ed(3 mo's behind), I was fighting to keep from getting evicted and having my kids live on the streets(2 mo's behind). in 2001 I bought a house 1 block off the beach in florida. In 2002 i bought my wife a brand new Chevy Cavalier. In 2004 I bought me a brand new Caddy. In 2005 I bought a 42 foot ocean going catamaran. In 2007 I bought a brand new Dodge Ram D350 with all the bells and whistles.

Yeah I guess your right, You cant make money at Prime. HOGWASH!!!!

Wake up and smell what you are shoveling man. I have completed 3 leases here and make money on every one of them. Yeah there are bad loads/bad weeks/ 2007 has been a bad year overall. But that is not Prime's fault. Look around you,there are companys folding everyday, because of drivers like you. Learn to be profitable or you will end up being nothing more than cheap labor. the tools are out USE THEM!

John

I have to agree with David, Prime has been an EXCELLENT source of revenue for me over the last 7+ years. When I came to Prime in 1999 I was hiding my car in an impound yard to keep from getting it repo'ed(3 mo's behind), I was fighting to keep from getting evicted and having my kids live on the streets(2 mo's behind). in 2001 I bought a house 1 block off the beach in florida. In 2002 i bought my wife a brand new Chevy Cavalier. In 2004 I bought me a brand new Caddy. In 2005 I bought a 42 foot ocean going catamaran. In 2007 I bought a brand new Dodge Ram D350 with all the bells and whistles.

Yeah I guess your right, You cant make money at Prime. HOGWASH!!!!

Wake up and smell what you are shoveling man. I have completed 3 leases here and make money on every one of them. Yeah there are bad loads/bad weeks/ 2007 has been a bad year overall. But that is not Prime's fault. Look around you,there are companys folding everyday, because of drivers like you. Learn to be profitable or you will end up being nothing more than cheap labor. the tools are out USE THEM!

John

Like it or not, Prime,Inc is like any other company. If you roll you WILL make money. I have been a lease-operator with Prime for 4 plus years, and it was the best decision that we ever made. I trained at Prime, as a spouse, and never had to pay a dime, and was never obligated to stay. We have total freedom to do what we want, when we want, and haul what we want to, and don't haul what we don't want to.
As a husband/wife team, we gross over 300,000.00 a year, and net from 185,000.00-220,000.00 a year. Since coming to work at Prime, I have grown close with everyone who works "in-house", and feel like we are all a big family.
There are people who drive for Prime, that have worked there for 15-20 yrs and are millionaires......we haul NOTHING that pays less that 1.00 per mile.
Recently, my 43 yr old brother-in-law had a major heart attack. I picked up the cell phone and called my fleet manager. Within 30 minutes, they had 2,not just 1 but TWO plane tickets waiting on us at the Indianapolis Airport. So talk all the crap ya wanna talk.......been there, still there, and will continue to be a loyal,greatful Prime, INC lease-operator......did I mention that at the end of your lease, you can get as much as 25,000.00 plus?
The bottom line is this.........if you wanna sit around in a truck stop, being a CB cowboy, you are not going to make money anywhere......if you can't make it at Prime, then more than likely it is due to poor planning on the drivers part...they do everything they can to help you succeed.......including paying you 400.00 to come and take a business class.......and if you have been trained poorly, and do not know how to live on the road, and how to run properly, then you are NOT GOING TO MAKE MONEY ANYWHERE! More than likely, you are not cut out for driving a big rig...
Robin
truck#67244
p.s.................we have no mortgage..our house is paid for, and so are our vehicles......all thanks to our dedication, and Prime,INC

I DRIVE FOR PRIME AND SOUNDS LIKE SAOMEONE SPENT THEIR EARNINGS OR DID TO MUCH TRUCK STOP SHOPPING . I MAKE REAL GOOD MONEY AND YES I RUN STEADY OUT FOR 4-6 WEEKS BUT WHEN I GO HOME I DONT SWEAT IT ON A PAYMENT BECAUSE I MADE ENOUGH TO COVER IT PLUS MY TIME AT HOME .AND THEY HAVE BEEN GOOD TO MAKE UP FOR ANY LOAD UNDER 85 PER MILE SO TO MAKE 50 IS JUST PLKAN BS THEY GARUNTEE 85 AND I AVERAGE 1.50/2.00 SO HOW CAN THIS BE .STOP WHINEING BECAUSE YOU DONT NO HOW TO RUN YOUR TRK RIGHT. KEEP LEFT DOOR CLOSED AND GO .IF YOU AINT MAKING MONEY NETHEIR IS YOUR DRIVER MANAGER THEY GET PAYED OFF YOUR LOADS NOT ON SALARY WOULDNT BE IN THEIR BEST INTEREST FOR YOU TO NOT TO BE RUNNING HARD AND MAKING COINS.BY THE WAY 5 YEARS AND ON MY SECOUND TRK LOVE THIS PETE.

I never drove for Prime....never will. Glad you do good with them but how much are you home and how much more do you make than a company driver?

Rodney neglected to say how long he drove for Prime. I've been with Prime for over 9 years. They have never broke their word with me. We all bad days, and even bad weeks. We all get flustrated and look to move. I've done the research, I've hauled the same freight from the same dock going to the receiver as Drivers leased to other compainies and their rates aren't even close.

I have been in this industry over 20 years. I have seldom heard good things about Prime and when I have it is from someone who has been with them for a short time.
Leasing a truck . hmmm.. you pay the bills and Prime makes money. Great deal for Prime. It is NOT your truck. if it is. take it to another company or set the governor up. oh wait. Prime wont let you do that to YOUR truck.

Go buy a truck and see what the payments are. then look how much you are paying for YOUR truck at Prime. Employees will generally defend their company until it is their turn to be screwed. and I guarantee. you will be screwed. give it time. You may not think so now, but remember this when you do.

Good Luck.

I'm sorry that someone had such a bad time with Prime, but my husband has been with them for over 2 years and he makes a crap-load of money. I mean an almost obsene amount.

We have been married for 8 years, and he has been a driver for over twenty, he has consistantly made more money with Prime, as a lease operator than he has with any other company. (And trust me there have been many other companies.)

I have to totally agree with David about Prime. They have been good to me too and I make more with them that I ever have with anyone else. Sure in winter things slow down but that happens with every company. If they say they don't they are lying. This sourpuss that's complaining about Prime obviously did not know how to manage his money properly. That is what I have seen with most that sit up in the smokers room griping and complaining. They spend every penny they make and then can't cover their bills or taxes.

Maybe best thing for that guy is to either find another line of work or try being a company driver instead. When you lease a truck the bills are yours not the companies to deal with. Plus I have seem plenty that are doing the compliaining parked on their butts at a truck stop. You can't make any money if you can't keep that left door closed. I have had very few loads pay less that 80cpm and the company will compensate to bring that up to the garauntee of .85 cpm. So this person needs to take a step back and rethink his position.

First off i've been here for about 2 years and have been makeing money, as for you're 50cent a mile only one thing can be said BULL$#!*.

I average 1.45 a mile, AVERAGE that is sure some are .88 and some are 2.30+. My checks are from $600 to $2300 a week takehome AFTER taxes.

And of course they are going to charge you for everything for the truck YOU are leaseing it. The truck is yours, it is your bussiness and how you run it is how much money you make.

If you didn't read the contract, company manual of how things r done that iot is your fault that you went broke. You never did say what you took in advances a week or how fast you drove. Did you ever talk with the "People upsairs" about your problems or were you the one in the smokers room bitching all the time about how you make no money.

If your DAC is messed up and it shouldn't be there are ways to remove it from your DAC. Their web site tells you how.

The money you owe prime, well as with any bill you are the person that made it and the person to pay it. the overlength ticket hmmmm can i say didn't do a pre-trip. You are the person out there not dispatch if there is a prob why didn't you call asap or would it have interfeared with cherrymaster time.

I'm tired of ppl blameing everyone else for there prob. Suck it up and take it like a man.