“We actually hadn’t talked in over a decade,” Rowles says.  “I always thought about reaching back out to him after he had moved to New York City.  We went to a high school art magnet program in St. Petersburg, Florida, together, and we were really good friends.  We stayed in touch for a few years after he left, but over the years we lost touch.  So when COVID happened, I was reconnecting with people, and he was one of those people I reached out to.  We stayed in touch and had phone chats quite a bit over the last few years.”

The idea to take the journey together first came about during one of their phone conversations.  While they initially planned on just taking the road trip as a fun way to bond, Assiff realized he could use the trip as inspiration for his art.  These were more than just empty plans.  The two of them set out for their road trip form New York City to Los Angeles in spring 2022.  As they traversed through West Virginia, Tennessee and Arkansas, they watched the green landscapes of rural America come alive.

“He’s obsessed with what we know as weeds, but he likes to call them volunteers because he has warm feelings toward them,” Rowles says. “Which I understand.  He’s an environmentalist.  His previous work was focused on observing on a micro level, scouting out the different volunteer species within New York City, and in particular this overgrown graveyard in Queens.  Through this research trip, he wanted to expand his focus to a macro level and document the volunteer species along with the supply chains of America.”

Assiff has exhibited in cities such as Paris, Los Angeles, New York, Brussels, Rome and Mexico City.  His most recent body of work, Volunteer Flowers, debuted at New York City’s Ashes/Ashes gallery in 2021.  The exhibit gained extra attention after it made the list of the Ney York Times Critics’ Picks of art gallery shows.

After traveling with Assiff, Rowles has developed a new way of thinking about his view out of the dashboard.  “I always appreciated the landscape,” he says.  “One of my favorite things about my job is just seeing the countryside.  Now, I definitely have a better eye for detail.  If I’m parked at a truck stop, I’ll walk around and take a picture and send it to him.”

This trip was Rowles’s first time inviting a friend on one of his drives, and they’ve already started making plans for their next trip together.

Read more in the Prime magazine, Prime Ways!

Interested in driving for Prime? Apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.

Crosby, who joined the salon in February, offers deep-tissue and Swedish massages along with hot stone, injury, pregnancy and shiatsu massages.  She is also a certified lymphatic massage therapist.

With seven years of experience and a private practice devoted to older or hospice patients as wellas stroke and heart attack patients, Crosby says she has a unique perspective.  “I went to school so I could assist people with chronic pain,” she says, adding that several of her family members suffer with fibromyalgia or other painful diseases.  “It was my way of trying to help without pain medication.  It kind of helped me find out what I wanted to do with my life.”

Her background has prepared her to work with drivers with back, neck and shoulder pain from operating trucks for hours at a time, she says, yet she has also given therapeutic pregnancy massages to in-house associates and their family members.  As a cosmetologist, Crosby also does facials and body wraps.  The latter process involves exfoliation, hot towels, and sheets and blankets, “and then you get to take a hot shower in our sauna,” she says.  “it’s a very pampering experience.”

Open since March 2021, the spa offers a full range of services, and Crosby enjoys getting acquainted with the Prime family.  A self-described “military brat” and daughter of U.S. Coast Guard veterans, she says it has been great to hear the stories of other veterans at Prime.

With a passion for her work, the Syracuse, Utah, resident says she doesn’t mind her 30-mile commute.  “I want people to be able to feel good on a daily basis, and that makes me happy and that’s why I do what I do,” Crosby says.

Read more in the Prime magazine, Prime Ways!

Interested in driving for Prime? Apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.

During his time at Prime, Carden has helped sell thousands of retiring Prime trucks.  When they reach Carden, these trucks are almost 4 years old, but most have more than 400,000 miles on them—all have a service record from mile one, he says.

“At Prime, there’s an intense focus on ensuring that service and maintenance on every truck is done on schedule,” Carden says.  “That service record, the commitment to keeping the fleet healthy on the road, makes these trucks valuable for not just Prime, but those who buy them after they leave our fleet.”

In 2010, more than 400 retired trucks were stacked up on the lower yard in Springfield, Missouri.  The market had suddenly stalled for trucks, but they were in good enough shape to carry more loads for an independent operator.

So Carden and Prime Truck Expert Josh Parker were given a task: create a protocol to get used trucks at a premium and share each truck’s manufacturing and service pedigree with every sale.  In the years that followed, Carden and his team of 18 have developed an extensive diagnostic, repair and inspection protocol that gives a used truck its pedigree.  On average, the Pedigree team sells 100 Prime trucks a month, with more than 90% of those trucks going to independent operators.

“These trucks have been through 100-plus hours of work and have been touched by 15 different sets of hands,” Carden says.  “We diagnose any engine problems; we detail the interior and exterior.  We add chrome to the exterior to shine it up.  I’ve seen our guys hand paint rock chips.  That’s the amount of care that goes into our process.”

It takes weeks for Pedigree to receive a retired truck and sell it to a new owner, but with fuel mileage reports plus service records and more, the truck’s next operator can keep their cost per mile low.  That knowledge combined with a premium used truck leads to repeat Pedigree customers, who often return in three years for another Pedigree truck or trailer.

More than 50% of Pedigree’s customers are repeat customers, says Rick Shortt, marketing manager.  “Every Pedigree associate is committed to helping make drivers more successful and #MakeThatMoney,” Shortt says.

Read more in the Prime magazine, Prime Ways!

Interested in driving for Prime? Apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.

When you hear Joseph Freeman and Stephanie Murdock speak about each other, it’s clear that the mutual respect and love they have for one another is abundant.  So it’s no wonder that when Stephanie found out she was pregnant in March of last year, the couple took whatever steps were necessary to ensure that Stephanie continued in her career as a driver while keeping their family as close as possible.

Stephanie had been a solo driver since August of 2018 and had recently acquired a new truck on a lease-to-own basis, which meant she finally became an owner-operator—a goal she had ever since she began driving.  So when she got the news of her pregnancy, she knew trucking wasn’t something she could walk away from.  “I had put so much time and energy into pursuing my career as a driver, and I knew we had to find a way to make it work,” she says.  And make it work, they did.  Joseph, who owns his own moving company in Ohio, put his business plans on hold, and Stephanie trained him to drive a manual truck.  Joseph earned his CDL license and joined Stephanie on her route in July 2021.

With Joseph joining Stephanie on the truck, she could continue driving through most of her pregnancy.  “Joseph would do all of the physical things, and it allowed me to keep driving for as long as I did,” says Stephania, who drove up until two weeks before giving birth to their daughter, Lorin, on January 7, 2022.  The unique spelling is a tribute to Joseph’s late father, Orin, who passed away in October last year.  After Lorin was born, the growing family was back on the road three months later with little Lorin in tow.  “We are loving life as new parents, and it’s been amazing seeing the world through Lorin’s eyes,” Stephanie says.  “Everything is new and exciting.”

When asked if they’ve faced any trials while traveling with a newborn, Joseph says, “Not really.  We are a great team and take everything in stride.  We are enjoying getting to spend this time together.  It will be hard when she goes back to driving solo.”

Stephanie and Joseph know they won’t be able to drive with Lorin forever.  “She’s going to start crawling and walking, and she will need space to grow and hit these milestones,” Stephanie says.  So they are in the process of purchasing their first home, and when Joseph’s contract is up next year, he will return to his moving business, and Lorin will stay with him in Ohio while Stephanie drives.  “It’s going to be so hard leaving her,” Stephanie says, “but I love my job.  I love Prime, and I know it’s what I’m meant to be doing.”  The family plans to stay in touch using FaceTime, and Stephanie will plan days off each month to ensure she has plenty of time at home with Lorin and Joseph.

Both Stephanie and Joseph express their gratitude to prime and especially their Fleet Manager, Mary, who has been so supportive and accommodating while they adjust to their lives as new parents.  Joseph’s advice for navigating life’s curveballs is, “Anything is possible if you take the time and trust the process. Never give up, and remember that hard work pays off.”

Read more in the Prime magazine, Prime Ways!

Interested in driving for Prime? Apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.

Christina soon began TNT training with her trainer, Nathaniel Drake.  She says Nathaniel was the perfect fit for her, “I emailed Robert Low and Chris Martin, in the TNT department, about him. I did so because he was so good to me. He was so professional.”  Christina says she learned everything she needed to know to be successful on her own truck from Nathaniel.  Her desire to learn sealed the deal, “I said I’m here to learn. So, every time you get out of the truck; whether I’m asleep or not, I would like to get out and at least observe what you’re doing.”

When Christina completed TNT training, she and her fleet manager, Brandon Austin, both felt she should be a lease operator.  There is good reason for this.  Christina’s wife, Dana, suffers from diabetic retinopathy and went blind four years ago.  She requires help with her day-to-day life and Christina was the one to step up.

Christina is no stranger to taking care of others.  In 2020, her mom had a seizure which resulted in the finding of her stage four brain cancer after she was life flighted to the hospital.  Christina took care of her at home until she passed away about two months later.  During this time, she was also helping care for her father-in-law who later passed away in 2021. The day of Christina’s father-in-law’s funeral, she lost her brother, and later that same year, lost her father to heart disease.  After being through all of this, Christina feels it’s important to keep her family close to her, which is why Dana’s 16-year-old son will soon be joining them on the truck to be home-schooled.

When asked if she would recommend Prime’s training program to others, Christina said, “of course I would recommend Prime to anybody, man or woman. My advice is just to pay attention. To listen, learn and observe everything. And don’t listen to the negative things that are said.”  Christina feels her success is driven by her strong work ethic and her positivity.  She feels that with the right mindset, anyone can be successful at Prime.

If you’re interested in becoming a Highway Diamond like Christina, apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 888-290-1568.

Interview completed by Dee Sova.

Bruffett loved working with the children at Prime’s Learning Center.  “Early childhood educators are often overlooked,” she says.  “The first few years of a child’s life can be impacted in such a positive way by quality educators, and the teachers in the Learning Center really excel in this area.”  Then, in 2019 an advertisement for volunteer firefighters caught Bruffett’s eye.

“A volunteer fire department in my area was asking for new members and mentioned that firefighters spend most of their time responding to medical calls,” Bruffett says.  “I thought I would be a good fit because I had no interest in actually fighting fires.”  Her interests changed quickly though after she had the opportunity to learn the skills needed to perform fire suppression.  “I was hooked,” she says.

In 2020, Bruffett received her fire training from Southern Stone and Western Taney County Fire Protection Districts and successfully juggled the training and her work at Prime.  “My manager at Prime allowed me to get off work a little early on the nights I had class,” she says.  “This flexibility helped me be successful.”  Along with fire suppression, Bruffett learned about hazardous materials and vehicle extrication.  “Once those skills are refined, there are written and practical hands-on skills that are evaluated at the state level,” she says.  Bruffett also obtained her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) license.

At first, Bruffett was able to stay at the Learning Center as a substitute, but after COVID hit, many parents worked from home and kept their children with them.  Though she wasn’t needed as a substitute anymore, Bruffett still wanted to work at Prime on her days off from the fire department.  “I looked ibto available positions and found the landscaping opening,” she says.  “It gave me the chance to work outside, stay busy and help maintain our campus.”  As a landscaper, Bruffett now helps plant all the flowers, and she pulls weeds and trims hedges.  “The landscaping and lawn maintenance departments do a fantastic job,” she says.  “It’s often the first thing you notice when you enter the property.”

After she was certified, Bruffett worked for the Fair Grove Fire Protection District for a while before moving to the Ozark Fire department.  “The Ozark Fire department is growing at a fast pace, and more firefighters were recently brought on to help the needs of the community,” she says.

Though the main mission of the fire service is to protect life and property, the fire department responds to many medical calls and very few fires.  Bruffett’s favorite part of the job is helping people in emergency situations—even the loved ones who aren’t experiencing the emergency themselves.  “When we loaded an elderly woman into an ambulance because she broke her leg, I felt it was important to make sure her husband had someone on the way to drive him to the hospital to meet his wife,” she says.  “He isn’t the patient, but it’s important to make sure he is taken care of as well.”

When she is not out responding to local emergencies, Bruffett and the firefighting crew are often training aggressively for the high-risk fires they only encounter occasionally.  Another side of the fire service that Bruffett says is often overlooked is Fire Prevention and Community Risk Reduction.  “We ensure are homes and businesses have working and properly installed smoke detectors and educate area families, especially children, about what to do in the case of an emergency like a fire,” Bruffett says.

Bruffett works a rotating shift of 48 hours on and 96 hours off at the fire station, which gives her the flexibility to be home with family and work for Prime on her off days.  “The days I am on shift at the station can be hard,” she says.  “I miss my family, and I have missed birthdays and holidays, but I thoroughly enjoy the co-workers I have in both professions.  Both Prime and the firefighting community are like family.”

Read more in the Prime magazine, Prime Ways!

Interested in driving for Prime? Apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.

Moore’s pink and black casino-themed truck stands out from the crowd.  With pink and white dice rolling up the front end as if the wind blew them, it’s no wonder Moore can’t make a stop without being asked for a picture.  “I get plenty of compliments and tons of honks and thumbs up when I’m driving,” Moore says.  In fact, she gets so many requests for pictures that she created her own TikTok and has amassed more than 30,000 views on her posts.  Of course, Moore’s vibrant wrap isn’t the only unique thing about her truck.  She also added custom lights underneath, which shine in multiple colors and can be set to put on quite a show.

While Moore occasionally enjoys gambling, it’s not her primary hobby.  She says the casino theme has a more personal meaning behind it.  “Trucking is a gamble; heck life is a gamble.  We’re all still lucky to be rolling.”  Moore couldn’t be happier with the wrap her son designed, and she has enjoyed customizing her truck so much she has plans to continue adding to the truck’s design with new features, including rhinestones to add that extra sparkle.

Read more in the Prime magazine, Prime Ways!

Interested in driving for Prime? Apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.

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Interested in driving for Prime? Apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.

As a woman, driving during this time was difficult.  No one wanted to give her a chance, until her neighbor came along.  Mavis’s neighbor had his own truck and decided to let her drive for him.  She drove for him for about six weeks to get some experience under her belt before driving for a company out of South Dakota.  She also drove for several other companies after this, but she wasn’t being treated fairly.  Companies were withholding pay and sometimes not even giving her a truck to drive.  That is, until she found Prime.

One of the guys she’d met at a previous company asked Mavis if she would team drive at Prime with him.  She was hesitant at first, but ultimately decided to take the leap.  They drove together for three years before they decided it was finally time for Mavis to get her own truck.  When Mavis began driving on her own, she was assigned a fleet manager named Steven Wray.  At one point in Mavis’s life, she ran a dairy farm and Steven’s dad used to get milk from her!  It’s safe to say her and Steven have a great relationship. “The partnership with your fleet manager is very important,” she says.  “You get to understand each other’s needs. You find what they want out of life from their business. It is a business.”

Mavis understands this business mindset.  She has been an independent contractor since her start at Prime.  In fact, when Mavis started at Prime, they didn’t have company drivers at all.  Mavis says she used to run all 48 states, but now only does the western states so she can stay a little closer to home.  She loves the flexibility at Prime and that you’re not just a number here.  When she comes into a terminal, people know her by her name and she never leaves without a hug.  Mavis says that Prime Inc. is a great company for women to go to and if she could go back and start her career here, she would.

“I am so proud of all the female drivers coming in and making a career out of it. I just love it for them and I opened the door for them to come in. I feel that I did so fighting the guys off. That was a big challenge for me coming into this industry,” says Mavis.  Through it all, Mavis is a true example of what a Highway Diamond here at Prime Inc should be. She’s poised, articulate, professional, and resourceful. If you run across her during your travels, give her a well-deserved hug. It’s women drivers like Mavis that have paved the way for our Highway Diamonds.

Interview by Dee Sova

If you’re interested in becoming a Highway Diamond like Mavis, apply online at www.primeinc.com or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.

The award is given out by the Truckload Carriers Association and CarriersEdge each year, and this is the seventh year in a row that Prime has been in the top 20.  While that alone is reason to celebrate, this year’s award ceremony was extra-special.  That’s because CarriersEdge introduced a new award in 2022—induction into the Best Fleets to Drive For Hall of Fame.

Eight companies were included in the Hall of Fame at this year’s ceremony, which took place in Las Vegas, Prime was on the list.  Out of 2022’s inaugural list, Prime was the largest trucking company by far.  “The next largest fleet is Bison,” says Jim Guthrie, director of operations at Prime.  “And Bison is about half our size.”

That’s a big deal—mostly because the Best Fleets to Drive For awards are based on driver feedback.  The happier your drivers, the more likely you are to b e on that list of top 20 fleets.  The awards have been going on for 14 years, and the Best Fleets to Drive For is an annual survey and contest that recognizes trucking companies that provide the best workplace experience for their drivers.

Surveys are sent to drivers who then rank their fleet based on a range of criteria including: programs for drivers, driver satisfaction and results in safety and retention just to name a few.

This year’s introductory Hall of Fame recognizes carriers that have been names a Best Fleet for 10 consecutive years, or seven consecutive years plus they’ve won an overall award.  Prime made the cut for the Hall of Fame thanks to seven years on the Best Fleets to Drive For plus its 2019 win as Best Overall Large Fleet.

“To win these awards, your drivers evaluate every aspect of your company,” Guthrie says.  “We know it’s important to have a culture that respects our drivers, which is why we make investments in our drivers each and every day.”

Amenities including in-house doctors, spas, fitness trainers and childcare are all part of Prime’s commitment to its drivers.  “Even programs like Highway Diamonds and Prime Good Dads are ways we show our drivers support,” Guthrie says.  “Those programs plus events like our holiday parties, company picnics and smaller team events are all designed to build a community and culture with our drivers.  Everyone at Prime from our owner Robert on down to our fleet managers and shop crews demand that we show respect and appreciation to our drivers on daily basis.”

Another way Prime shows respect to its team of drivers is by making sure drivers aren’t siloed and separated from the rest of Prime’s in-house team.  “A lot of other places have separate facilities for drivers and in-house teams,” says Mitch Coiner, director of marketing at Prime.  “But our facilities are built so drivers can come into our buildings anytime and talk with literally anyone.  That starts with Robert being here everyday and walking around and talking to folks, and it goes down to our spa, our salon, our mailroom, our theater, our showers, bunkrooms, cafes and our driver health and fitness centers.  All of those facilities are used by both drivers and in-house team members.”

Obviously, being inducted into the Hall of Fame was a sign the Prime’s commitment and investment in its drivers is paying off, and even after seven years as a Top 20 Best Fleets to Drive For, the win felt big for Prime.  “For a carrier of our size to get this kind of positive feedback from our drivers, and to get positive reviews each year, it’s really an extraordinary achievement,” Guthrie says.  “It also shows that we’re committed to being at the top of our industry.  We want to be the best fleet in the nation, and we’re going to keep improving so we can be at the top of the pack in every category.”

Read more in the Prime magazine, Prime Ways!

Interested in driving for Prime? Apply online at www.primeinc.com/?r=blog or give our recruiters a call at 866-290-1568.