THE SECOND CHANCE THAT PAID OFF

Jesse Hearndon didn’t have much when he came to Prime, but he did have dedication and a dream. Seven years later, he has joined Prime’s Million Mile Club, and he’s on his way to his next million safe miles.

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Told To Sonia Guzman

Istarted with Prime a little over seven years ago. I took a bus from Florida to Springfield, Missouri, with $100 in my pocket that I had borrowed from my parents. The bus I was on malfunctioned, so we didn’t get to Missouri until 2 a.m., and I had to be at training at 6 a.m.. It was a rough start, but I earned my CDL, and eventually, I completed training. I’m now an owner/operator and recently became a million-mile driver.

It’s exciting to hit this milestone because I’ve worked really hard to get where I’m at today, and truck driving isn’t always an easy career. I credit much of my success to the fantastic trainers I had at Prime. I can stay accident-free because I stick to the rules they have taught me. I always check my mirrors, and I take things slow. There are so many things that can go wrong when you are rushing around, and I tell anyone who asks that there is no load worth risking your record or your life over. Safety should always come first, and that lines up with Prime’s mission. The easiest way to stay safe is to slow down.

I also wouldn’t have made it to this point without the support of my family, girlfriend and fleet manager Mark Odle. It’s essential to surround yourself with people who have your back. Trucking can get lonely and frustrating, so if you don’t have someone in your corner cheering you on, it can be hard to keep going. But I’m lucky to have that support, and I’m grateful to work for a company I know I can rely on when I need them.

It’s a combination of all those things that make me grateful for my time with Prime. It’s my family, the attention I pay when following safety protocol and taking my time, and the support of Prime that got me to the million-mile mark. Now I’m looking forward to making it to two million miles.

Dennis Davis has big shoes to fill. Now that Steve Fields has retired as Director of Safety, Dennis is taking over the role.

“My predecessor embodied the culture of safety at Prime,” Dennis says. “I want to build on that legacy and make sure safety is always our first goal.”

That’s not all Dennis is working on. He’s also on the board of Prime Good Dads. The program provides dayto-day strategies and activities that help truck-driving dads stay connected to their kids even when they’re on the road and away from home.

Membership in the program is available to Prime drivers for free. As a dad himself and a previous dispatcher at Prime, Dennis knows it’s hard to stay in touch with family.

“He might not be able to put his kids to bed, but Good Dads can help provide resources, and coaching on how to be present even at a distance,” Dennis says, and being part of that effort feels good.