Prime Ways | April 2026

2740 N. MAYFAIR AVE. SPRINGFIELD, MO 65803 417-866-0001

PRIMEINC.COM

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Clayton Brown

RECRUITMENT MARKETING MANAGER

Mitchell Coiner

MEDIA & ONBOARDING MANAGER

Jamie Miller

2111 S. Eastgate Ave., Springfield, MO 65809 417-883-7417 / 417mag.com

KATIE POLLOCK ESTES Editorial Director

JORDAN BLOMQUIST Editor

ELISABETH ANDERSON Art Director

SARAH PATTON Creative Director

BRANDON ALMS Senior Photographer & Designer

KATY ST. CLAIR Photographer & Designer

CONTRIBUTORS

Mikayla Brown, Mary Ellen Chiles, Juliana Goodwin, Sonia Guzman, Megan Price, Alyssa Roney

LOGAN AGUIRRE Publisher

MEGAN JOHNSON Vice President of Custom Publishing

FOUNDERS

Gary and Joan Whitaker

Lakesha Tooks won the Highway Diamond Award.

At the 10th anniversary gala, four female Prime drivers were recognized for their impact on the road, in training and across their communities.

After years in the U.S. Army and a corporate career, Jenn Wilken found a new sense of adventure and purpose behind the wheel at Prime.

Students got an inside look at life behind the wheel when Prime driver Beau McCarter rolled into Career Day.

Prime drivers Robert Kaufman and Jermaine Wells prove that discipline and healthy habits can thrive alongside life on the road.

See smiles and snapshots from an evening celebrating drivers and the community behind them.

Ardus and Sam Veillon have spent decades building a marriage, a family and now a trucking life that keeps them side by side.

Prime is expanding its footprint with a major new terminal in Georgia, bringing additional services, amenities and support closer to drivers in the Southeast.

THE LOW down

In this issue of Prime Ways magazine, we’re proud to recognize some of our award-winning Highway Diamonds and celebrate the important role female drivers play at Prime and across the trucking industry. We are also proud to highlight our million-mile safe drivers, who have shown what true dedication to safety looks like over the long haul. Reaching that milestone takes skill, discipline and a strong commitment to doing things the right way every mile and every day.

As market conditions continue to improve and opportunities across our industry grow, Prime is well-positioned for success by staying focused on the fundamentals that have always

set us apart: delivering exceptional service to our customers and maintaining an unwavering commitment to safety. When we execute at a high level in these areas, we will succeed together. Thank you to all our driving and non-driving associates for your commitment to ensuring Prime remains the leader in the trucking industry. I hope you enjoy this issue of the PrimeWaysmagazine.

Robert Low Prime Inc., CEO & Founder

Every driver and associate has a story. If you or someone you know is doing something worth celebrating, we’d love to hear about it. Reach out to jmmiller@ primeinc.com for a chance to be featured in Prime Ways

CONNECTIONS SPANNING COMMUNITIES

For Las Vegas–based Prime driver Tom Ozegovich, time with the company is often spent talking to others who inspire him to be better. These connections were important to him on a personal level when his wife passed away, leaving him with a support system of fellow Prime associates.

BY ALYSSA RONEY

Driving down long stretches of highway provides meaningful time to reflect on things you did right and things you did wrong, says Prime Inc. driver Tom Ozegovich. Somewhere between the starting point and the destination, you realize truths about yourself, your loved ones and your environment— what you can and can’t change. This is where drivers have the opportunity to choose a future of getting grumpy and old, Ozegovich says, or growing wiser and bridging the gap between themselves and others.

Ozegovich bridged the gap, always making connections and getting to know the people behind Prime’s operations. Because of this, self-improvement came naturally, harnessed by the words of wisdom of drivers past and present.

PRIME CONNECTIONS

Ozegovich began working for Prime nearly 20 years ago after working in the construction industry in San Francisco, California, where, he met his wife, Malinda. Later when his stepdaughter in Michigan had a baby, the couple moved to the Great Lakes State to step fully into their new role as grandparents. This was the start of Ozegovich’s family life on the waterfront, alongside his work life on the road.

This life on the road gave Ozegovich a lot of time in Springfield, Missouri, where he made an effort to get to know some Prime VIPs: Jim Wilkins, Brian Brown, Steve Wutke and even CEO and founder Robert Low, who became a mentor to Ozegovich. He says that he would come up with questions to ask Low, who was impressed with his willingness to ask. “He’s just an ordinary guy, if you will, to talk to,” Ozegovich says. This warm atmosphere differentiated Prime from the previous trucking company he had worked for.

It wasn’t always easy for Ozegovich to approach others for help, so he recommends that drivers be proactive about talking to associates to improve their work environment. “I really wish that

whoever comes in has their head on their shoulders and doesn't get disenchanted about how things are, because Prime really helps you,” he says. “You have to be a little bit more patient to see the outcome of what can and will happen if you just give it a chance.”

NAVIGATING LOSS

These connections proved especially impactful two years ago, when Ozegovich lost his wife to liver failure. Around this time, he was in the process of purchasing a truck of his own in order to have more freedom to see his family. He didn't own the truck outright until the month after his wife died, so he never got to enjoy taking it to spend time with her between loads. “That got taken away before I could own it,” he says.

Ozegovich’s colleagues and his dispatcher, Kelly, noticed a months-long shift away from his usual happy-golucky demeanor. He steadily began to get his spark back with their help. “It wasn’t just a company fake thing; they were legitimately, ‘Hey, whatever you need, Tom,’” he says. Ozegovich says that his associates, who were already like his second family, cemented their legacy in his life when they helped him through the grieving process.

BUILDING A LEGACY

One of the most advantageous takeaways from Ozegovich’s upper management Prime connections has been their advice, including to buy a truck of his own. “I should have done it seven trucks ago,” he says. According to Ozegovich, owning his own truck gives him the freedom to do what he wants—when and how he wants to do it.

Driving, to Ozegovich, is about family, but it’s also about saving up money to live comfortably in retirement, which he is accomplishing with the support and advice of others. He says that his mentors advised him so that he would be able to have a comfortable retirement as it approaches on the horizon. To Ozegovich, Prime has boundless resources—for those who make connections and ask.

“Prime really helps you. You have to be a little bit more patient to see the outcome of what can and will happen if you just give it a chance.”

—TOM OZEGOVICH

WHERE THE ROAD LEADS

Jenn Wilken once traveled the world in the Army. Today, she is finding joy in the miles closer to home.

BY MARY ELLEN CHILES

Over-the-road driver Jenn Wilken loved seeing the world while serving in the U.S. Army, including deployments to South Korea, Germany and four bases in Iraq. Well, she loved it in the way that difficult adventures feel better once you are home safe.

“They were fun in a sense of, ‘I’m glad it’s over and done with,’” she says. “I don’t want to do it again.”

She gets to enjoy the journey a little more at Prime.

STAYING CALM IN THE CHAOS

Wilken worked in logistics in the Army from 1998 to 2009, ordering parts for

military equipment and weapon systems. Her favorite memory makes hauling freight look easy.

While stationed in South Korea, she took a sling load course and learned to secure cargo to Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters. “You have to climb on top of the load, and you have to slam this big hook underneath the helicopter,” she says. “I tell you, it is such an adrenaline rush because you have all the wind from the rotary blades.”

She even got to attach a Humvee once. “You only have a few seconds, because the helicopter can’t hover that long,” she says.

LIFE IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT

Wilken learned to work well under stress. “That’s a big one, being a truck driver and being comfortable with discomfort, because we have such long hours and things change constantly,” she says.

She also learned the importance of staying alert, which helps her stay safe on the road. She says her No. 1 priority as a woman is situational awareness. Wilken teams up with boyfriend Ron Nogal, who joined Prime in 2021. A few years ago, she was burned out in her corporate HR job, and every weekend brought a feeling of dread: the Sunday scaries. Nogal encouraged her to try driving. “Eventually I wanted to retire and do the RV thing, and he says, ‘Well, we could see the country now while we’re still young,’” Wilken says.

Their children were grown, so off they went. She noticed the company’s commitment to veterans right away, from acknowledging them at safety meetings to wearing red shirts on Fridays. “I thought that was the best thing ever,” Wilken says. She recently celebrated two years with Prime.

Nogal is a lease operator, and the two work as a team. Wilken enjoys driving at night, keeping herself occupied with audiobooks and true crime podcasts.

The two even have a third wheel: Max is a 6-year-old dachshund-chihuahua mix who follows Wilken like a shadow. When Wilken is driving, though, Max likes to sit on a rug on the dashboard and soak up the sun.

Wilken and Nogal prefer driving on the West Coast, especially in their home state of California, and Wilken loves working on the road instead of in an office. “I no longer have the Sunday scaries,” she says.

MILLION MILERS AT PRIME

Qualifying for the Million Mile Hall of Fame is a significant honor and a goal to strive for. Here’s a look at what it takes to qualify and changes coming to the Hall of Fame.

BY JULIANA GOODWIN

Safety Coordinator Pam Linhart puts her heart and soul into Prime’s Million Mile Hall of Fame Program. “That’s my baby,” she says. The program recognizes drivers who have been at Prime Inc. for seven years with zero preventable accidents. It’s not based on odometer readings.

The reason the program is based on time and safety record is because Prime has many business units, including flatbed, refrigerated, intermodal, tanker and hopper, and each division operates slightly differently.

It would be a monumental task to manage a program for each business unit, so one program was introduced to fit all drivers. To be eligible, a driver must meet the following criteria:

• A driver must establish a “permanent anniversary date.” The date is determined by three years of consecutive driving without a preventable accident.

• Once the permanent anniversary date is established, each anniversary with no preventable accidents adds one year toward Million Mile status.

• If an accident occurs between the last anniversary date and the next upcoming anniversary date, the driver must serve a one-year penalty.

Each level of Million Mile status includes core gifts such as a leather coat, truck decals, a lapel pin, a plaque and a recognition dinner for the driver and a guest.

The Million Mile dinner is an opportunity for drivers to be recognized for a job well done in a demanding environment where every customer location and every vehicle on the road challenges them to be at their best.

Once 3 Million Mile status is reached, there is also a monetary gift that increases with each higher level.

Prime is very close to having its first 6 Million Mile driver. This accomplishment signifies an impressive 42-year career with Prime with zero preventable accidents.

The program has been so successful that Prime has run into a challenge: There is no more room on the walls in Springfield for additional plaques.

Springfield has charter member plaques dating back to 1997.

“With the growth of this program, other options are being considered to display and showcase our Million Mile drivers’ awards,” Linhart says. “Prime doesn’t want to take any of the older plaques down, as Robert Low believes that each plaque on these walls helped make Prime the company it is today.”

If a driver thinks they are approaching a million-mile milestone, Linhart stresses they should check their safety and accident record, as there may be something they have forgotten. It has happened before. “Either stop by Safety or give us a call, and we will review it with you,” she says. Linhart wants each driver who has earned or will earn Million Mile status to take pride in the accomplishment, as it is an elite group that not all drivers reach.

ONE RIDE TO SCHOOL, ONE MEMORY FOR A LIFETIME

Some mornings start with coffee. Others start with a checklist. For Beau McCarter, one morning last spring started with a race against the clock, a truck fresh out of the shop and a 12-year-old girl trying very hard to act unimpressed.

BY SONIA GUZMAN

When Beau McCarter asked his stepdaughter, Brooke, if she would like to ride to school in his Prime Inc. truck, her answer came quickly. Her eyes went wide, and her “too cool for this” preteen demeanor disappeared in an instant.

“Even at 12 years old, a self-proclaimed and proud preteen, that childlike spark came right back to her eyes,” Beau says. What Brooke didn’t know was that this was not just a ride to school. It was

Career Day, and her stepdad was bringing a full-size Prime truck with him. The idea came from one of Beau’s co-workers on the training pad, who encouraged him to sign up when the school invitation came through. Beau had nearly a month to prepare, though life had other plans. In the days leading up to Career Day, Beau’s mother suffered a series of strokes. At nearly the same time, his truck broke down.

It would have been understandable to call it off. Instead, the truck was ready at

8 a.m. sharp. Beau made it just in time to pick up Brooke and head to school.

Once they arrived, anticipation was already building. Students buzzed with excitement as they lined up in small groups, waiting for their turn to climb into the cab, learn about life on the road and, naturally, pull the air horn. That’s when Beau got an unexpected co-presenter. “Brooke almost took over the show,” he says. “Because both her mom and I work for Prime, she knew all the safety aspects.”

She demonstrated three points of contact, showed classmates how to climb in safely and even handled air horn duties like a seasoned professional. For Beau, the best part was not answering questions about mileage, routes or life on the road, although the kids had plenty of those. One student asked if drivers really get to travel, listen to music and make money doing it. Beau smiled and answered simply, “Yes.”

Then came his favorite line of the day: “You actually can make a living staring out of a window.” The kids loved it, and so did Brooke. Having grown up around Prime, trucking was not new to her. What was new was seeing how others experienced it. “She noticed how excited everyone was,” Beau says. “That made everything special.”

After nearly 12 years with Prime, including eight spent over the road, Beau knows how quickly life moves. These days, as a CDL instructor, he is home more often, and moments like this carry even more weight.

His advice to other Prime drivers thinking about doing something similar: “Do it,” he says. “Don’t think twice. Life passes you by in the blink of an eye. You only get one chance at this.”

For Brooke, it was a ride to school. For Beau, it was a reminder that sometimes the most important miles are not logged on the road at all.

GIVING TRUCKS A NEW LIFE

Before a truck is released for lease, many hands work together to restore it to its prime. This is a behind-the-scenes look at the Triple Crown Detail Shop.

BY JULIANA GOODWIN

The folks in the Triple Crown Detail Shop start their day “way before the sun comes up,” says Terry Wood, Triple Crown manager. Wood started at Prime in 1995 but left twice for personal reasons before returning. In total, she has been with the company for 22 years and transitioned to detailing because she liked the challenge.

About 46 associates work in the department, including in the wash bay, accessory installation, interior body repair, undercarriage steaming, paint, polish and detailing.

EARLY MORNING

The first associates to show up are the inspectors and office staff. Work is identified by coordinators and assigned for inspection. They run quality control

on completed trucks. “From there, we are looking at trucks that need to be detailed,” Wood says. “A complete assessment is performed, including pictures that go back to our coordinators, who then assign the needed tasks. We secure any property they may have left behind. We get estimates, so they are not waiting on us to get the billing done.”

DETAILING

Once the trucks are graded, interior body and accessory installation associates are next to work on them. Interior body repairs holes and rips in seats and installs or removes items that operators may have left behind.

Detailing takes anywhere from two to 30 hours. “It depends on how dirty they are,” Wood says. “You start in one area and go from there. It’s a driver’s home. It is their bedroom and kitchen. Some are smokers. Some have pets, and some are not as neat as others.”

They detail 110 to 130 trucks per week, cleaning interiors, painting and polishing and removing decals. “We do interior body,” Wood says. “If a driver has a hole in their dash, we can fix it. If you have a rip in your seat, we can fix it. We have huge cost savings to the operator instead of replacing it.” Once everything is fixed, the truck gets a wash, which takes 18 to 20 minutes.

LEASING

If the truck is being turned in, Wood says they do one last quality control check. If the truck passes, they notify Leasing so it can be made available for drivers to lease.

They keep trucks for three to four years before the truck is transferred to Pedigree Truck and Trailer Sales.

Wood loves her job. “I think the best part of our job is we can take something and bring it back to life and make it look beautiful,” she says. “Our main goal is to be a benefit and a service to our operators. Anything we can do to make their life easier on the road, that is our goal.”

WELLNESS ON WHEELS

For a lot of people, a 10-hour break means dinner, a shower and a little downtime before the next day begins. For Prime drivers like Robert Kaufman and Jermaine Wells, it might also mean lacing up running shoes, scouting out a trail near a rest area or knocking out jump-rope intervals under the glow of terminal parking lot lights.

BY SONIA GUZMAN

While most drivers are counting miles behind the wheel, Robert Kaufman and Jermaine Wells are counting them on foot as well, including marathon miles, ultramarathon miles and triathlon miles. Their stories are different, but the mindset is remarkably similar: Health is not something you squeeze in when life slows down; it is something you build into the journey.

For Kaufman, the road to endurance racing started long before he climbed into a truck. Nearly 20 years ago, he got involved in obstacle-course racing, eventually competing in world championship events from California to Canada. Family history played a big role in what came next. “Medical issues run in my family, so I picked it up for health,” Kaufman says. “Then once I started driving, ultramarathons actually became easier to train for.”

Now, after eight years in Flatbed, Kaufman has completed races stretching up to 100 miles. Training looks simple on paper: an hour of running most weekdays, usually 3 to 5 miles, followed by 10- to 20-mile weekend runs. But life on the road does not always stick to the plan.

Sometimes there is no safe place to run. Sometimes schedules shift. Sometimes the weather has other ideas. “When I cannot run, I jump rope for an hour or two,” Kaufman says. “If you have the desire, you will find a way to make it happen.”

Wells knows that feeling well. After nearly a decade of consistent running, he has completed more than eight marathons and multiple ultramarathons and recently

Robert Kaufman

“The only thing holding you back is fear. Go out and enjoy yourself.”

— JERMAINE WELLS

added triathlon competition to the mix. These days, he is training for both the Havasu Triathlon and a 100-mile race.

His training starts with one word: planning. “Your off time lands at different times, day or night, so your training has to be flexible,” Wells says. “Run 8 to 10 miles Monday through Friday, long runs on Saturday and Sunday, swim when available and long bike sessions during a 34-hour reset.”

That kind of discipline doesn’t just shape race-day performance.

It changes how you approach everything. “Plan, execute, recover,” Wells says. “Trip planning, pretrip, drive, deliver, post-trip. The more you repeat it, the more it becomes second nature.”

Both drivers are quick to push back on the idea that health on the road is impossible. Kaufman cooks most of his meals in his truck using a microwave, air fryer, fridge and freezer. For him, sugar is off the menu.

Wells keeps it even simpler in his response. “To that I say: excuses,” he says with a laugh. “Healthy choices are out there.”

The bigger lesson is not about finish lines, but about showing up even when it is hard, even when you are tired and even when mile 40 feels impossible. “You always want to quit,” Kaufman says. “You just keep taking the next step.”

Wells puts it this way: “The only thing holding you back is fear. Go out and enjoy yourself.”

At Prime, wellness does not always happen inside a gym. Sometimes it happens one mile, one meal and one choice at a time, wherever the road leads next.

ONE-OF-AKIND RIGS

If you see one of Alan Godfrey’s trucks at a stop, you will know it. Each one is unique, and there is a story behind every design.

BY JULIANA GOODWIN

Alan Godfrey has been with Prime for 13 years and, during that time, has purchased an array of trucks. Godfrey works in the Refrigerated division and is known for his unique designs. His trucks have pizzazz, personality and meaningful stories behind them.

Godfrey’s latest truck, his ninth, is driven by Joan Thompson and Reyanna “Rey” Wisteria. Thompson’s previous truck was purple and featured wolves and the aurora borealis, reflecting her personal interests. For the new vehicle, Thompson invited Wisteria to design it. The truck is red and features cherry blossoms, a mother dragon with two younger dragons and water lilies.

Thompson and Wisteria have been driving together for two years and have developed a mother-daughter relationship. Thompson’s biological daughter is Sasha, so the two younger dragons represent Wisteria and Sasha, and the matriarch represents Thompson.

“They get a lot of compliments when they are loading or unloading,” Alan says. “I want the driver to feel like this is their truck, not just another brown truck. It makes it more personal and I want them with me for the long haul.”

As he began to acquire trucks, his accountant advised him to set up an LLC to protect his assets. Godfrey launched Kokomo Xpress LLC, inspired by the Beach Boys song “Kokomo.” Godfrey and his wife, Anne, love to travel, es-

pecially on cruises, so it fits well with their passion for exploring the world. They have been “almost everywhere,” he says, from the Caribbean to Sweden, Iceland, Greece, Italy, the Baltics and more. They also have two large cruises planned around Asia and another around South America in the next year.

All his decals are made at Stripes & Stuff Graphics in Springfield, Missouri. It costs about $3,000 per set, but Godfrey says it is worth it because the drivers take pride in and ownership of the trucks. All the trucks carry his Kokomo Xpress LLC logo. “It is not just another truck,” he says.

BOTTOM LEFT

This truck features a mother dragon and her two daughters in front of cherry blossoms. It represents the close bond among Thompson, the lead driver; Wisteria, the co-driver; and Thompson’s daughter, Sasha.

BOTTOM RIGHT

This truck represents Godfrey and Anne and their love of cruising. They snorkel, scuba dive and love the sand. Kokomo Xpress is the name of their company, inspired by the Beach Boys song. “I just want to relax one day on a beach,” Alan says.

EVERY MILE MAINTAINED

Why routine inspections, training and terminal stops are key to keeping Prime’s fleet road-ready.

BY MARY ELLEN CHILES

The first stop a driver makes at a Prime terminal is known as “The Plaza.” It is where Tire, Plaza and Road Assist Manager Doug Tamm and his team inspect each trailer. “Here in Springfield, we see right around 1,100 units a week, plus 2,300 bobtails,” Tamm says.

Drivers should simply leave the key in the ignition so the inspector can quickly test it with a dummy key. After that, the inspector leaves the key in the driver’s side door.

The service takes just 15 minutes and includes a full DOT inspection on the reefer and trailers, plus a courtesy inspection of every tractor’s tires. They also try to handle quick repairs, such as replacing lights and

rubber air lines on the trailers. One major task is swapping tires. “Around 25% of the trailers that come through need at least one tire,” Tamm says.

As the weather warms up, tires wear out. “They’re a little softer and are running hot in the summertime,” Tamm says. “They’re more susceptible to picking up nails or getting cuts.”

During the winter, the reefer condensers can become clogged, so technicians wash them out to improve airflow. Drivers can also clean them on the road if they are having problems. One simple safety reminder: Turn around, don’t drown. “The driver should never drive through any flooded roadway,” Tamm says. “If you submerge that hub, it is

going to fill up with water and mess up your bearings.”

Another good investment is taking the Pro Maintenance Class every time a driver gets a new model truck, or even as a refresher. “Drivers can learn how to do repairs on our own trucks to save themselves money,” Tamm says. “And we pay them to do trailer repairs.”

Pro Maintenance Classes are available at 1:30 p.m. Monday through Friday in Springfield, Missouri, and at 1 p.m. every Thursday in Pittston, Pennsylvania, and Salt Lake City, Utah.

Drivers can find maintenance reminders on the app. “On average, 90% of our trailers come to a major terminal every 90 days,” Tamm says.

shining bright

The 10th annual Highway Diamonds Gala was a memorable night for female Prime drivers, especially the four award winners who were recognized for being part of the heart and strength behind Prime Inc.

BY ALYSSA RONEY

Lakesha Tooks

HIGHWAY DIAMOND OF THE YEAR

The winner of the night’s biggest award, the Highway Diamond of the Year, is Lakesha Tooks from the Refrigerated Division. Tooks has trained around 20 drivers for Prime, taking them all the way from being a Prime Student Driver through the Trainer and Trainee phase of training, doing so while also serving on the Highway Diamonds Committee. Here, she makes sure female drivers’ voices are heard and plans the gala with Brooke Phares.

Tooks says that she first became interested in working for Prime

when looking at ways to increase her income without long-term schooling.

As someone who loves driving, she researched Prime and saw that the “training program, equipment and pay were second to none,” leading her to work for the company. She says that Prime has taught her the importance of resilience, something that was highlighted when she won the Highway Diamond of the Year award.

“I take pride in how I show up,” Tooks says. “Being recognized for my work as a trainer, being a resource to others and my professionalism in

dealing with customers mean everything to me.” Moving forward, she plans to continue this legacy by consistently showing up, training with intention, supporting other drivers and leading by example.

This professionalism is important to Tooks personally, but she says it is also important to set the bar for other female drivers. “Representation matters!” Tooks says. “As a woman in a male-dominated industry, I understand the importance of showing up professionally and confidently so others can see what is possible.”

Frankie Faulk

EMERALD AWARD WINNER

The Emerald Award is given to a driver who gives back to her community, and there is perhaps no better example of this than Frankie Faulk.

Faulk, a Refrigerated driver, saw the need for reform in her North Carolina community firsthand in 2008, when her brother was killed after returning to society from prison, unable to secure a job. She says she watched people in her community struggle, with many ending up incarcerated or caught in cycles that limited their opportunities.

Years after Faulk’s brother was killed, she joined Prime as a single mother looking to advance her career. It was during this time that she found the time to start an LLC, soon-to-be nonprofit Behind the Walls Talk.

Behind the Walls Talk helps formerly incarcerated people get second chances in society through advocacy work at the state level. It also offers preventative programs for youth, like a community youth fishing day.

Faulk says that her ability to balance motherhood, driving and advocacy work comes from time management and communication technologies like email and virtual meetings. “When it comes to speaking with senators and representatives of North Carolina, most of it is Zoom meetings, telephone meetings and emails,” she says. “Lots and lots of emails.”

She says that Prime has been supportive of her LLC, with some drivers offering to support the youth community fishing day and watch her YouTube channel, @timez311. “It’s a balance,” she says. “I do a little bit of everything.” To support her efforts, follow Behind the Walls Talk on Facebook.

Semone Jones

RADIANT AWARD WINNER

This year’s Radiant Award winner is Semone Jones, a successful trainer and driver in the Flatbed Division. Since beginning her work with Prime in 2021, she has mentored around 22 trainees. In the Flatbed Division, female drivers are hard to come by, so Jones’s hard work within the division through both driving and training is notable.

Jones says that although the Flatbed Division has a reputation for being physically strenuous, one thing that

she tells her students is that demanding tasks like lifting tarps can always be alleviated by asking for help from other drivers if need be. When that's not an option, personal systems and flows can be developed. “The tarps are heavy, but I never gave up,” she says. “I treated it like it was a workout, and that’s how I was able to build my strength.”

Jones particularly enjoys training drivers because “every day is a new day,” as opposed to driving, which

can be repetitive. “Just to see somebody come into the program with little to no knowledge and just watch them grow up right in front of you or improve or build their confidence right in front of you, that’s why I do it,” she says.

Jones says winning the Radiant Award gave her a mentor mindset, and she now has the motivation to speak to other women at Prime to encourage female driver representation. Her words of advice to female drivers: “We need each other… just don’t ever give up.”

Summer Gibson

Summer Gibson is this year’s recipient of the Vera Low Legacy Award, which is given to a female in-house associate whose work with Prime drivers embodies the caring nature of Vera, Robert Low’s mother. Gibson, the company store’s assistant purchaser, has been with Prime for 10 years, meeting the needs of drivers on a daily basis. As the mother of four boys, this comes naturally to Gibson. “My drive is to take care of people,” she says. “I’m a nurturer. I’m a caregiver by nature, and I just thrive at it.”

The feeling is mutual, though. Gibson says she was drawn to Prime after working at a dry cleaner’s because family members told her about how Prime cares for its associates. She has stuck with Prime through the years because of the flexible family-like atmosphere, which has allowed her to accommodate the needs of her austistic son with, including taking time during the workday to drive him to therapy appointments.

One of the ways that Gibson cares for Prime drivers is by always being

responsive to questions, regardless of what she may be working on in the store. “I never say I don’t know, and if I don’t know, it will definitely be followed up with, ‘I will figure it out,’” she says.

Winning the Vera Low Legacy Award is very important to Gibson. Although she has never personally met the award’s namesake, Gibson embodies the same compassionate spirit. “I am very humbled by it because I know what it means to these drivers to have someone who's on their side,” she says.

HIGHWAY DIAMONDS PEOPLE PICS

Behind every mile is a story, and these are the women drivers who stepped into the spotlight at Prime Inc.ʼs Highway Diamonds Gala in April.

LIFE IN TANDEM

The Veillons navigate marriage, trucking and family life one shift, one meal and one mile at a time.

BY MARY ELLEN CHILES

Ardus and Sam Veillon got married a year after high school, and 31 years later, they call the road home.

Ardus drove in the late 1990s for other companies, but when their five children started arriving, he needed to stay closer to home in Branch, Louisiana. “When the kids all turned 18, I told her, ‘I’m going to go back over the road,’ because I loved it so much,” Ardus says.

Sam’s response? “I’m coming with you!”

FAMILY MATTERS MOST

Ardus joined Prime in 2023, and Sam was a “passenger princess” for three years before deciding to become a driver as well.

Two of their daughters, Chrissy and Cutrina, drive together for Prime. The family stays in touch through video chats and phone calls, and Ardus plays Xbox with the grandkids. They also get together a couple of times each year.

Ardus and Sam bring along a family member on the road: Coconut, a dachshund–toy poodle mix. “It’s the family on the road, and you got to have something to keep you grounded,” Sam says.

CAJUN COOKIN’

At 8 years old, Ardus developed an interest in cooking, and his mother and grandmother told him to pull up a chair and learn how to make traditional Cajun dishes. “To this day, I still use my grandma’s recipes,” Ardus says.

Their favorite? “Étouffée, which literally translates to ‘butter gravy,’” Ardus says. It is traditionally served over rice, but because Ardus has diabetes, the couple uses cauliflower rice instead. At home, they use a wide variety of spices, but on the road, they stick to Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning mix.

The truck has a 4.5-cubic-foot freezer and refrigerator combo, and the two shop at Walmart every two weeks. They also have a microwave-air fryer-convection oven combo, along with a skillet and a slow cooker. The Veillons share recipes on their YouTube channel, Cajun Couple Trucking.

MEALS, MILES AND MARRIAGE

They have a system. When Sam drives, Ardus wakes up early and keeps her company during the final hour of her shift. Once they switch, Sam spends an hour in the passenger seat before heading to the back. The routine gives them a couple of hours to connect, along with time to themselves.

“We wake up with good conversation, and we keep the other person awake at the end of their shift,” Ardus says. “Then we switch, and whoever’s in the passenger seat is making sure the driver is fully awake.”

They also have one date night each week and let someone else do the cooking. In a truck packed with spices, stories and shared routines, Ardus and Sam have turned life on the road into something steady.

ÉTOUFÉE

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup yellow or red onion, chopped

¼ cup green bell pepper, chopped

¼ cup celery, chopped

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1 pound seafood (crawfish, shrimp, scallops, etc.)

¼ cup butter

1 quart heavy whipping cream

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning or Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning

2 tablespoons cornstarch

⅛ cup water

4–6 cups rice or cauliflower rice

Green onions for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the onions, bell pepper and celery in a skillet until the vegetables become tender.

2. Add the minced garlic and seafood, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the seafood is done.

3. Melt the butter in the skillet, then stir in the heavy cream and seasoning. Cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

4. In a separate bowl, mix the water and cornstarch until the cornstarch is fully dissolved.

5. Bring the skillet to a low boil and slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture until the sauce thickens.

6. Serve over rice or cauliflower rice and garnish with green onion tops.

GEORGIA BOUND

The word is out—Prime’s next terminal is in progress, and it’s just outside of Atlanta. Mark Piley discusses the project and what drivers can expect.

BY ALYSSA RONEY

Strong roots make for a sturdy tree. Prime Inc.’s roots in Springfield, Missouri, have grown into a tree with branches spanning the country. Its latest branch is in previously uncharted territory: Prime is set to launch a new terminal in Spalding County, Georgia, around 40 miles south of Atlanta.

Mark Piley, Director of Facilities Maintenance, says the Georgia terminal will be constructed in four phases, with Phase 4 tentatively wrapping up around 2032 or 2033.

Piley says the move to Georgia was a long time coming. “We have a lot of drivers who drive through this area, more so than even Springfield,” he says. “So we feel this is an ideal location to meet our driver needs and the driver base in the southeast and eastern states. It’s a very strategic move for both our customer and driver base.”

The terminal, just off Interstate 75, is close in size to Springfield head-

quarters, clocking in at around 135 acres of land. This makes it larger than the Salt Lake City, Utah, and Pittston, Pennsylvania, terminals. Once completed, the terminal is expected to have plenty of amenities familiar to Prime drivers. Within the amenities building, for instance, there will be bunk rooms, driver showers, a café, a company store, a gym/fitness area, a mailroom, a salon and a doctor’s office, just to name a few.

The amenities building is expected to be completed in Phase 3 of construction. While the schedule is subject to change, Piley says Phase 1 is supposed to be completed by the end of 2027 and includes a plaza building, a truck wash/detail building and an EcoShred building (tire-shredding facility producing rubber mulch and other materials from used tires). Phase 2 ends in the fall of 2029 with the completion of a trailer repair/rebuild shop and a paint/body shop.

Phase 3, set to end in the fall of 2031, consists of the new amenities building and a tractor shop. Finally, Phase 4 brings the project to a close with a pedigree sales office.

With the completion of Phase 1 in the fall of 2027, drivers can anticipate more amenities, such as temporary bunk rooms, showers, laundry facilities, a company store and café facilities to be available in the plaza building until the amenities building is completed in Phase 3. Likewise, trailer rebuild and paint and body shop work will temporarily take place in the truck wash/detail building until Phase 2 is completed. Tractor and trailer repair work will take place in the plaza building until these shops are completed. Some unique perks of the facility are that each of the bunk rooms in the new amenities building at the Spalding County terminal will come with a halfbath, making bathroom access easier for drivers.

OFFICE WITH A VIEW

A Prime Inc. truck makes its way along Interstate 70 through the Colorado Rockies. For many drivers, routes like this offer a front-row seat to some of America’s most breathtaking landscapes.

by

Driver Referral Program

$100

Earn $100 when referred driver hauls first load.

$500

Earn $500 when referred driver stays 30 days.

$500

Earn $500 when referred driver stays 6 months.

$1,000

Earn $1000 when 3 referred drivers stay 6 months. 1/4cpm

Earn ¼ cpm on every mile referred driver runs after 6 months.

Earnings Example:

Refer 3 drivers who stay at least 6 months at Prime, and you would earn $4300, not including the additional mileage pay!

Program Rules:

The person that is referred must run under Prime’s operating authority (A, B, C, or D Seats) as a company driver or independent contractor.

Single or multiple fleet owners are not subject to referral awards on the same truck/fleet. If referred to the general asset fleet, all rewards are applicable.

All active Prime Driver Associates under Prime’s operating authority (A, B, and C Seats) are eligible to receive Prime Inc Driver Referral Program pay.

To earn bonus at 6 months longevity pay and mileage pay, referred driver must be an A Seat. No driver referral bonus will be earned for referring a rehire (previous Prime Driver).

To earn referral, referred driver must list Prime Driver’s name or driver code on online application or be provided to Recruiter prior to processing application for approval.

For more information, contact Prime’s Recruiting Department at 888-664-4473.

Program is effective as of June 10, 2024 until further notice or cancellation. (Prime reserves the right to modify the program at any time.)