Bolt Express

ds1450 · Jan 22, 2014

I need the Good, The Bad and The Ugly on Bolt. After a few years off, ready to back at it and the only question is where can I get the most miles... running idependent or running with a Company.. Any help would be appreciated.. but please stick to the question @ hand about Bolt.
Thanks Dave

danthewolf00 · Jan 22, 2014

That depends on what your going to be driving...are solo or team?

noneya · Jan 22, 2014

If you have a cdl, get in a big truck. I ran team st for them and they kept us busy. I would advise against running for a fleet owner in a cv though because you will sit more and have to split what little money you will make with the owner. On the other hand, if you don't have a cdl and the cv is your only option, get your own van.

SENT FROM YO MAMA'S HOUSE!

Dynamite 1 · Jan 23, 2014

ds1450 said:
I need the Good, The Bad and The Ugly on Bolt. After a few years off, ready to back at it and the only question is where can I get the most miles... running idependent or running with a Company.. Any help would be appreciated.. but please stick to the question @ hand about Bolt.
Thanks Dave

i know a few things about bolt, i think. if you are logging, they have mandatory e-logs. rates are a little low for my liking, leastwise on an all miles basis. the most important one to me though, this one i know for sure, they pay their fleet owners or one of them anyway a much better rate than their o/o. that for me is a big no, no. i know a lot of carriers do this but its something i do not agree with.

now, not on subject but you did mention it so here is my response or a statement about what you said. instead of wondering who will give you the most miles, why not figure out who will pay you the best for the miles you get !!!!!!

ds1450 · Jan 23, 2014

Thanks. I will be driving a van solo.. I am the owner, no more box or semi.. been there.

Bolt's rate is 85 Cents so they tell me... curious how other Van drivers are doing or have done.

Dynamite 1 · Jan 23, 2014

ds1450 said:
Thanks. I will be driving a van solo.. I am the owner, no more box or semi.. been there.

Bolt's rate is 85 Cents so they tell me... curious how other Van drivers are doing or have done.

that is more than likely the loaded mile rate only. find out what they pay for empty miles, do some math to convert it to an all miles rate and see where it come out. no matter how you look at it, it costs the same loaded or empty to run down the road. total pay divided by total miles [loaded & empty] = all miles rate. thats what matters. well, you do need to know what it costs you to run the van down the road so you know whats left over.

OntarioVanMan · Jan 23, 2014

Bolts rate is about % pay....never heard of the .85 per mile.....might be what they average....we have a group here that seems to like them....I hear they negotiate a lot of rates with dispatch...they will offer you cheap...hold your ground don't let them push you around...they'll pay that extra few cents..... if you run cheap...they'll give you all the miles they can...is that what you really want?...

ds1450 · Jan 23, 2014

Sorry, Bolt pays a percentage of line haul and I used the >85 cents as an average. Again, I am not new to this so just looking for opinions on the companies.. I'm all set on figuring out the business end. Thanks

OntarioVanMan · Jan 23, 2014

ds1450 said:
Sorry, Bolt pays a percentage of line haul and I used the >85 cents as an average. Again, I am not new to this so just looking for opinions on the companies.. I'm all set on figuring out the business end. Thanks

the ones I talk to are averaging about .95 BUT they are experienced negotiators and NOT scared to say NO if they don't meet their minimum needs. Remember you are the boss you have some control...don't let them lead you by the nose...they'll break ya....

ntimevan · Jan 23, 2014

OntarioVanMan said:
the ones I talk to are averaging about .95 BUT they are experienced negotiators and NOT scared to say NO if they don't meet their minimum needs. Remember you are the boss you have some control...don't let them lead you by the nose...they'll break ya....

Well said ....I would have to agree with .

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Big Al · Jan 23, 2014

So they say, then they offer you a .$.75 per mile load with fuel surcharge included. If they say $.85 per mile is that an average or minimum? Is the fuel surcharge included? We ran with them for awhile with mixed results, mostly bad to mediocre . I base that on experience with Roberts Express and Conway Now.

ds1450 said:
Thanks. I will be driving a van solo.. I am the owner, no more box or semi.. been there.

Bolt's rate is 85 Cents so they tell me... curious how other Van drivers are doing or have done.

flattop40 · Jan 24, 2014

I had an extended one ton cargo van on with them as a fleet owner. They pay a supposed 58% of the load but you ALWAYS had to hammer them to get a decent rate. They do a weekly FSC which was about .05/mile less than E-1's at the same time. They also pay only "Shortest route" not "Practical Miles". How do I know this? I was offered a load through E-1 and it was paying 515 miles. I turned it down as I was needing to go home. 1 hour later my driver calls me and tells me he had the same exact load that he accepted. After looking at the details they were only paying him for 477 miles. In order to even get close to those miles you had to take a lot of secondary roads.

In my opinion they are a driver factory. They take advantage of the newbie, as they don't require any experience at the van level, under pay them initially until you beat them up on a fair rate, and have never heard them NOT accept new vans or sprinters on. That should tell you something right there.

Just my 2 cents worth.

noneya · Jan 25, 2014

flattop40 said:
I had an extended one ton cargo van on with them as a fleet owner. They pay a supposed 58% of the load but you ALWAYS had to hammer them to get a decent rate. They do a weekly FSC which was about .05/mile less than E-1's at the same time. They also pay only "Shortest route" not "Practical Miles". How do I know this? I was offered a load through E-1 and it was paying 515 miles. I turned it down as I was needing to go home. 1 hour later my driver calls me and tells me he had the same exact load that he accepted. After looking at the details they were only paying him for 477 miles. In order to even get close to those miles you had to take a lot of secondary roads.

In my opinion they are a driver factory. They take advantage of the newbie, as they don't require any experience at the van level, under pay them initially until you beat them up on a fair rate, and have never heard them NOT accept new vans or sprinters on. That should tell you something right there.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Now I know why their rates are $**t and their turn over rate is sky high. What a joke.

SENT FROM YO MAMA'S HOUSE!

tknight · Jan 25, 2014

ds1450 said:
Sorry, Bolt pays a percentage of line haul and I used the >85 cents as an average. Again, I am not new to this so just looking for opinions on the companies.. I'm all set on figuring out the business end. Thanks

Figuring out the business end , were still wondering when they will do that ! It seems to change at their whim!