PRIME INC. Positive or Negative Good company to lease with or not?

by Michelle
(Kent, Ohio)

Tenfo !! (LOL) Good Moring. This is honestly the best site I'v seen if you'r looking for the "real truth" If one is thinking about a career in the Trucking Industry.I am a happy wife and mother of a truck driver. At this time my husband has been driving with a local well known company for the last 16 1/2 years and a sad as reality is due to our economy he may lose his job, our income has been cut weekly by about 25%. Were a younger couple( mid 30's) with 3 gr8 children 18,13 and 11. We as a family have done the "Over the road for MONTHS at a time" years ago when he 1st got his CDL and yes, It was not easy nor fun for any of us so after a few years of gaining the experince he was hired with the Company he's with now. My Husband has been looking for another job, but he can't find one making even close to what he makes now as a local driver so he really don't have much of a choice and he's looking into the over the road/leasing and he's look at PRIME INC. which is the reason I searched your page, I have questions about the company themself let alone with there leaseing agreements, dispatch and the list goes on. So, can you tell me anything positive or negative about PRIME? I did READ alot on another page ~RIP OFF REPORT.COM and there was afew bad and negative comments about the company and their leasing agreements. I support my husband with the decision he makes and I know he would never make a bad choice when it comes to his family, BUT A COMPANIES ARE KNOWN TO MISLEAD DRIVERS IN SO, SO MANY WAYS AND THEN THERE FU**ED. Iam just doing what I feel is necessary as his wife and mother of his children and looking for any information that may help with the choice and if leasing is really profitable or not with PRIME.I also know you have to "Run" to make that money. I got on the computer this 3 A.M. with so may questions and concerns about o/o's and I was able to find most of my general question's and answered buy reading many of you'r helpful topix. Looking forward to reading you'r reply. God Bless and have a woundeful and safe day.
Michelle Kent, Ohio

Comments for PRIME INC. Positive or Negative Good company to lease with or not?

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Sep 13, 2016
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Prime Is it a good company
by: Anonymous

Ok I Sq where the man said you will take home 400-1200 a wk not true. If you run hard and they always pay me deadhead miles even layover if the customer won't. I will tell you this if you let them screw you they will if you put your foot down you will be fine. My net each yr has gone up first yr75k now 125k net .

Prime is like any other company as far as dispatch goes they run the runners and like the runners. If my net after taxes was 27 cents per mile I would have left 4 yrs ago. Do I work a lot I do but I can go home whenever I want and I usually take 10 days off . H3 was right a bout payout at end of lease and it's is really just the excess mileage you pay during your lease .

I will tell you this if you can buy a truck outside of prime or amy company then lease it on you will definitely make bread otherwise you will have to work hard . There are a lot of companies but only a few with earning potential like prime that is why when people email me about other companies I tell them what I male at prime on average and they can't even come close to my weekly pay and that's with the big companies.

It's a walk away lease I say try it if you don't like it walk away no penalty

Jul 03, 2016
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Mostly negative
by: Anonymous

I have been driving over 23 years and chose to do the "Success Lease" program in April 2015. The nickel and diming of lease drivers is true. Not much control as to where you run because if you start refusing loads, like most other companies, they will only give you crappie choices.

Truck payment is high and would be better off leasing through Lone Mountain. Your dispatcher (DM) is the person who determines how successful you are. I run team and am never late, zero claims against us and I see there is favoritism here no matter how good you perform. My dispatcher was gone for a week and that was the best revenue week I ever had here (over $11,000!). He came back and my average is $5,000-$6,000 consistently.

So that proves favoritism to me towards other drivers. Freight base is pretty good and get out of ME and FL easy, but those rates are cheap. D/Head miles have been up to 500 miles, ugh!

Currently looking to go elsewhere because we don't want to live out here as long as we have been anymore (6-8 weeks). We have lives at home just like my dispatcher does. Prime needs to send ALL dispatchers out on the road for at least 10 days to get a tiny idea of what we deal with.

Make them sit up next to the driver the same amount of time the driver is on duty or driving. Lumpers are paid by Prime and no trailer rental fees. Driver pays for reefer fuel and most of tolls. I seriously doubt that we really get 72%. I believe that rate is after other fingers have been in the pot because Prime has multiple divisions under them that are considered separate entities, but reside in same bldg. Smart on their part, but not good for us $$ makers.

The truck I'm leasing has had a lot of issues such as injectors, new batteries, new starter, new computer, new fuse box, ghost electrical issues etc. Some of those repairs I had to pay for plus eat the downtime. Our worst 2 problems was that it would COMPLETELY shutdown while driving down freeway (headlights and all) and the other recent issue is it has, for no apparent reason, stab braked on us all on its own while on freeway on a sunny day with no obstacles in sight and was almost rearended.

I'm a bit old school and do not believe in this new anti collision electronic stuff. Too dangerous, as was proven last week.

Sep 06, 2014
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truth about lease
by: Anonymous

no way in hell your getting 40 grand when your lease is done.

i am a trucker o/o FFE and KLLM both are a great lease your going to make money if you know how to run.

If you dont make money with them you need to go home driver. If you go trainer you can take home over 100k a year.

Dec 20, 2013
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mad spouse
by: Anonymous

What is wrong when they give an estmated $$ for a run then short your man $1100 a week before x-mas and turn around and say you might just have to eat it!!!

Ummm I don't friggn think so not $1100!!! He's out there away from home and not home tryn to make money and they tell him that what the hell

Feb 26, 2013
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True or False
by: Anonymous

my son in law says he will get 40,000 dollars after his lease is up.true or false.

he is currently leasing with prime.

Jan 09, 2012
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@midnight
by: Anonymous

Just to let you know midnight, its kind of hard for us to run 70 mph.... Company trucks are governed at 62,, and most lease trucks are governed at 65,, so next time you are stuck behind us as we struggle to pass grandma, just know that we are just as frustrated as you are! lol

Dec 07, 2011
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truck driving safety concerns
by: Midnight

Just wanted to complain about one of ur drivers on HWY 400 in KS East bound. 12/07/11 we were headed east when ur driver pulled out in front of a pickup and put him in the west bound shoulder.

Then after all that he didn't have enough speed to pass the vehicle so he slammed his brakes and the pickup behind him had to slam his brakes as well.

I think your company needs to teach all ur drivers how to use their turn signals cause that's what caused the pickup to hit the shoulder. The Truck # 629183 and he was pulling Trailer # 27666.

I hope your company does something about this problem or next time i will just call the law.

We need to avoid all the accidents we can. Since every time there is one they blame the truck driver. And one more request. Is there anyway possible they can drive at least 70 mph or learn to get out of the way.

Thank you and i hope someone with authority reads this.

Jan 05, 2009
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prime inc
by: jimmy

You will always hear good and bad about any co. Prime is an established co. that is a plus, but they are refrigerated and flat bed and tanker.

Me, I prefer dry freight. Produce and meat loads are a headache. waiting etc.

Dec 15, 2008
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PRIME INC
by: Jerry Blackburn

You asked so very important questions young lady. If you are ready to run and set the goals of making your truck profitable then yes, you will make money in a positive way.

You sound like you really might be wholeheartedly concerned and That is how your should be as a young wife as you are looking at priority, which is the best for your husband and family.

You also have to be able to set a straight budget and be able to manage it, Keeping money aside for the tire you blow out and etc. and keep the lights on at home.

Jerry (OK)

Dec 15, 2008
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driving for PRIME
by: Dan the ladies man

It's not a bad company, at least it wasn't when I was driving for them last year. Due to my blood sugar I can't drive anymore. JUST read ALL THE FINE PRINT IN THE CONTRACT AND STAY ON YOUR TOES, Can I ask what Local Company your Husband is working for now?

Dot your I's and cross your T's and do what is best for your family.

Dec 15, 2008
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Kinda in the middle
by: Anonymous

It's all in your dispatcher, which they make like min of 10% of all you're hauls anyways.

Oct 18, 2018
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a run down about my experience at Prime Inc
by: Company man

To give you a comparison company driver that goes home once every 3 to 4 months. My pay is per mile with no costs unless I getting an extra wash for the tractor beyond 2 a month.

Big differences are force dispatch unless safety or hours of service issue. Insurance and benefits. No maintenance at all oil 5th wheel grease, washer fluid etc. Lastly downtime pay if I am sitting due to weather or maintenance I get paid 150.00 per day and hotel if I can not sleep in tractor.

If I make a repair to equipment I get paid 85.

Pay checks avg 900 between 1500 most are 1100 to 1300 gross pre tax and deductions.

Sep 19, 2016
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High blood sugar fix
by: Fleabo

I. Had. To. Stop driving for awhile after I developed. High blood sugar to find out a lot of diabetes problems was low potassium your liver makes 100 times more insulin than your pancreas but you need potassium to balance it out you need more
And also cinnamon with chromium you can get it at Walmart it will fix the problem try it

Feb 26, 2016
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There's good and bad weeks but
by: Anonymous

My husband has been with them for a year now and its been good week's and bad week's not gonna always make a lot of money but its ok.

He doesn't really get to come home hardly its very hard but the company is good to him he has a good fleet manager.

You just gotta go with the direction god sends you that's what we do now hes planning to go local when this lease is up next year.

Jul 01, 2014
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Prime Lease
by: Anonymous

Some of these responses are well placed but as common to this industry never really answer the question. The average lease payout is between $15k-$24k after 3 years, their not giving you anything but what you put into it already. Is Prime a good company to lease with?

Depends do you like running all the time? Is a new truck a priority? If the answer to those is yes. Then, Yes. Depending on who your dispatcher is you can expect somewhere between 2900-3800 a week in revenue which will equal to about 400-1200 a week take home "on average" if you take more than 3days off a month less, even negative.

All said prime considers you successful if you can earn 22-27 cent per mile, well below industry standard. You pay all tolls and for reefer fuel and most of the lumpers. Also they pay no empty miles and my avg deadhead for me monthly is about 300-700 miles.

Almost another load. I've been with them about 2 years. It has not been verying rewarding financially with a $900+ truck payment per week. Far better deals in the industry.

They have top notched equipment but they will nickle and dime you to death. An there in house accounting firm is a rip off.

Do not use them.

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