Fleet owners and home time

[Humble2drive]

We would be very interested to hear what type of arrangements drivers have with thier fleet owners regarding home time??
This would be important for newbies to understand before they commit to a particular owner/carrier.

Our personal reason for seeking this information is below:

We have been driving for 4 1/2 months with no home time. We have only gone "out of service" for truck repairs, company training and occassional sleep catch-up.
As a result, our recruiter reports that our numbers are exceptional. (ex: 100% on-time,>80% availability, 80% acceptance and better than average revenue)

Here is the situation:

We finally scheduled a week at home for Doctors appts. We worried about how to get home (back haul etc.) but were surprised when we were offered a run taking us there. Pretty lucky huh??
During our Doctor's visit a problem was uncovered with my wife (details irrelevant) that will require surgery. We scheduled surgery ASAP and she will be unable to drive for two weeks while healing.
Total time out of service would be 3 weeks.
We notified our fleet owner and offered to drive solo status during her healing time then convert back to team.
This idea was rejected and we were given two options:
1) Me team up with another solo (someone they have waiting)and drive for two weeks or
2) Return the truck to HQ and then get another truck when we are ready to drive team again.
We turned down option #1 because I will not leave my wife alone to care for herself after surgery.
We agreed to return the truck.
This will be time consuming, labor intensive and costly for us during a troubling time.
We are surprised and disappointed by this situation!
Don't many teams go home every fourth week?? That would be 4 weeks of home time in four months.
Please voice any opinions or comments.


p.s.- Other than this situation, we have done nothing but brag on our fleet owner for the good treatment we have received.

 

[davekc]

Some of what your talking about may depend on the size of the fleet owner. He/she may feel they can't afford to shut it down in a peak time of the year for that long. Hard to tell?

For me personally, If you have been running 4 months straight and now are going to take three weeks off, that is 75 percent availability which I would think would be ok. If it is a elective surgery, is there the possibility it could be done during a slow month? Just thinking out loud.
If not, then both bite the bullet and deal with it. If you offered to drive solo for three weeks then I would take you up on that.
But, your wife is entitled to your time there if it is needed. Just something both have to work around.

 

[60MPH]

yea thats pretty bad I hope they take you and your wife back when she heals. I could see you getting ready to comeback into service and all the sudden there are no trucks available. If you don't mind me asking what fleet owner and carrier are you leased to. You can pm me if you don't want to put it out here. Or you can keep it a secret the only reason I ask is because I am seeking a fleet owner and i am trying to get the inside scoop. I don't want to fall into a trap if you know what I mean.

 

[pjjjjj]

We notified our fleet owner and offered to drive solo status during her healing time then convert back to team.
This idea was rejected and we were given two options:
1) Me team up with another solo (someone they have waiting)and drive for two weeks or
2) Return the truck to HQ and then get another truck when we are ready to drive team again.
We turned down option #1 because I will not leave my wife alone to care for herself after surgery.
We agreed to return the truck.

If you were willing to drive solo during the two weeks, then why did you turn down option#1 becuz you won't leave your wife alone?
Not being nasty, just playing devil's advocate.
If you weren't willing to drive with the other codriver, maybe he just has fears of the situation turning out to be longer than planned, and wants the truck at his disposal, just in case?
I think that kinda sucks on your owner's part, considering your good service up until now, and this isn't for a vacation or just cuz you feel like time off, it's for a reason.
But like Dave said, this is a business, and it's the busy season.. have to think of it from both sides.
For such a short time though, couldn't he have lived with the revenue from a solo? Or do you work for a carrier who doesn't have much for solos?
Also, if he has a codriver waiting in the wings to just take over, and you took him up on that offer.. what would happen if you weren't near home when it's time for your wife to get back in the truck.. have to wait 4 months til the truck got a load passing by? Would the owner pay for the new codriver to be sent home, and pay for you to dh home to pick up your wife?

If you return the truck 'and then get another truck'.. will it not be the same truck as before?

 

[Humble2drive]

If you were willing to drive solo during the two weeks, then why did you turn down option#1 becuz you won't leave your wife alone?
Not being nasty, just playing devil's advocate.
If you weren't willing to drive with the other codriver, maybe he just has fears of the situation turning out to be longer than planned, and wants the truck at his disposal, just in case?
I think that kinda sucks on your owner's part, considering your good service up until now, and this isn't for a vacation or just cuz you feel like time off, it's for a reason.
But like Dave said, this is a business, and it's the busy season.. have to think of it from both sides.
For such a short time though, couldn't he have lived with the revenue from a solo? Or do you work for a carrier who doesn't have much for solos?
Also, if he has a codriver waiting in the wings to just take over, and you took him up on that offer.. what would happen if you weren't near home when it's time for your wife to get back in the truck.. have to wait 4 months til the truck got a load passing by? Would the owner pay for the new codriver to be sent home, and pay for you to dh home to pick up your wife?

If you return the truck 'and then get another truck'.. will it not be the same truck as before?

All good questions.
I would drive as "solo" driver with her in the truck as passenger. I think you may have hit the underlying reason. If someone told me they had a medical problem and would be out for two weeks. I might think of what would happen if they are not able to return. The logistical nightmare of adding a solo driver for such a short period of time would seem to offset the advantage of keeping it a team truck. We drive for FedEx who would have adequate runs to keep the truck running for two weeks. I'm sure we will be getting a different truck.

 

[pjjjjj]

Another thought that comes to mind.. and again, not being nasty..
But.. if you had a 'normal' job (hehe), and your wife were to have surgery, chances are you wouldn't be allowed to take 3 weeks off, 2 while she recovers. Jeez some workers are lucky to get a day off for an aunt's funeral!
I know this is different, but thinking again from the biz owner's perspective.
I realize you haven't been home, but he, in his mind, might consider your time off to be the times you are sitting waiting on a load?
That sucks that you will have to give up your truck

 

[Going Long]

If he had a normal job(local) he would be home everynight..thus he could see his wife..so he wouldn't have to take as much time off.

Humble it sounds like you and your wife are a good team..another truck/offer will come your way.

Hope your wife has a speedy recovery...Good Luck!

 

[Humble2drive]

yea thats pretty bad I hope they take you and your wife back when she heals. I could see you getting ready to comeback into service and all the sudden there are no trucks available. If you don't mind me asking what fleet owner and carrier are you leased to. You can pm me if you don't want to put it out here. Or you can keep it a secret the only reason I ask is because I am seeking a fleet owner and i am trying to get the inside scoop. I don't want to fall into a trap if you know what I mean.

I honestly don't think it would be helpful or constructive to post the name of the fleet owner. We have been paid accurately and on-time and the truck is well maintained.
This post is not meant as a slam to this particular owner. We would just like to hear what a normal acceptable home time is and how some other drivers manage that with their owners.

 

[fastman_1]

It's Been a while since I was a Fleet Owner(2 Truck) or in my case 2 vans, It was back in Expeditings Haydays, But if The Driver stayed out for 5 weeks he earned a week of Hometime or timeoff if he chose to vacation somewhere. But this was over 20 years ago and I'm sure it would be diffirent in todays world.

 

[nightcreacher]

I'm not a fleet owner anymore,at one time did have 3 tractors on with Roberts Express.At that time,I didnt tell the drivers when and how long they had to stay out.I know if you were working for me,and your statistics were as good as you have written,you could take all the time you would need,I'd make do with the other trucks.Good teams are hard to come by.Back in the day,we use to work 3 weeks take 1 week off,now we work 12 days take 3 days off.You know just because a team stays out for months at a time,its how prductive they are while they are out.Sounds to me you did this guy a good job,he should be taking care of you

 

[butterfly610]

Wish your wife the best, and you too, as it is hard on both people when one is sick. It doesn't seem like some owner's are sensitive to the fact that you give up so much of your life to do this job, and don't even see when you've been out for several months in service. It feels like as soon as they see you're at home a week, you start getting pestered about getting back to work. Sometimes you wonder if they would make it if they had to go in to their office without all the conveniences and real comforts of home and work long hours, wait for days sometimes, and stay in that office for 3 months and get told when you want to take 2 weeks off you can't.

I do understand the only reason they are in it is for money, and they don't make money when you're not running, but hey, people need time sometimes. You have things to catch up on at home. I don't even have a home except for the truck, so it doesn't really apply to me too much. I do still need to check my mail, and just be away from the hassles of loads sometimes though. We all do.

I don't think it's a crazy arrangement if someone stays out a month, they can take a week off. Since that's equal to what people with regular jobs get. 2 days each weekend. So, why is it a problem if someone saves it up? If you're not going home that week each month, can't the owner see that you've been out longer than other people who do go home, and they wouldn't care so much?

 

[Humble2drive]

. . . not being nasty..
But.. if you had a 'normal' job (hehe), and your wife were to have surgery, chances are you wouldn't be allowed to take 3 weeks off, 2 while she recovers. Jeez some workers are lucky to get a day off for an aunt's funeral!

A normal job? Hmm, OK, lets say I was an accountant and wanted 3 weeks off. I would probably take unpaid leave for part of that time. That seems pretty easy.

Now, what if my boss asked me to clear all of my belongings out of the office, take my desk 700 miles away to HQ and then fly back home. Then at the end of the 3 weeks travel back 700 miles to get a new desk and then move all your stuff back into the office and resume work. That's a little different.

Keep up the good work as Devil's advocate Pjjjjj, I love it!!!

 

[LDB]

My teams were told they were expected to run 4 weeks for 1 week off which is 80% availability. It didn't matter when they took the time off. They'd be encouraged to run during the busy time and take off at slower times like beginning of the month rather than end of the month. That said, after running 4 months continuously that would be 4 weeks off and in a case like this certainly would be entitled to take 3 consecutive weeks off.

 

[Bruno]

Our fleet runs a little different but that is just us. Sometimes it works the way we do it sometimes it doesn't, but for the most part it does. We run a 13 day out program and home 72 hrs. Our drivers are home every other weekend and go back in service on Tuesday's. By running 3 weeks out and one week off you are taking 12 weeks off a year or 25%. I'm sorry your wife is sick and hope she gets better.

But I wouldn't ask you to bring a truck back because your wife is sick. Four months of running with no time off should mean something.

 

[cheri1122]

The owner for whom I drive doesn't have many rules, mainly just that I do my best to be profitable. I believe he would be more understanding, were I in your shoes, than the owner for whom you drive, because you didn't choose the circumstances you are stuck with.
I hope you have better news soon.

 

[scottanhelen]

With as long as you have been out and the reason you need off in my oppinion this shows a lack of appreacation on the fleet owners part. I am sure there are a lot of good owners that would want a team with youre commitment and if I were in your spot I would take the time off return the truck and find a owner that wants a good team.

My wife and I drive for a owner and there rules are out three and home one. I have herd owners say they require less home time because they have good truck and need the money to pay for them however my owner also has new trucks.

I wish both of you the very best

good luck

 

[ATeam]

I have long recommended (and still do) that new people start in a fleet owner's truck. While running a fleet owner's truck has its disadvantages, so does running a truck of your own. Minimizing the risks of running your own truck when first starting out is a benefit that outweighs the risks of owning and operating a truck of your own at that stage of the game.

That said, we found that one of the most difficult aspects of running a fleet owner's truck is that you are serving two masters -- yourself and your fleet owner -- and the needs of the two do not always coincide.

When we drove fleet owner trucks, we turned in good numbers and seldom went home. But when we did go home, it troubled us to see the fleet owner's truck sitting idle in our driveway. While we wanted time off, and our fleet owners seldom expressed concern about the time we took, we knew they would prefer to keep their trucks rolling and making money. Because it was someone elses truck sitting idle in our driveway, we could never enjoy our time off like we now can when our truck is parked.

No fleet owner did this, and we never asked, but it would have helped if the fleet owners told us what kind of revenue and expenses the fleet owner needed to see to be profitable with us in the truck. If we knew from the numbers that we were pulling our weight, we might have felt less guilty while taking time off and more motivated to exceed the minimum.

But that may be unrealistic. We have a one-truck perpsective. Fleet owners have multi-truck perspectives. We might have been strong enough to keep a truck in the black but weaker teams or the fleet owner's own bad management practices may be put the fleet owner's overall results in the red.

When all trucks are running well, a fleet owner can afford to be more tolerant of unplanned or extended time off. But when some trucks are idle or run by problematic and unprofitable teams the fleet owner becomes more dependent on his or her productive teams. If the fleet owner is falling behind instead of moving ahead, the need to keep the overall fleet numbers up may prompt him or her to replace a team that is good but cannot keep the truck running right now.

As I said, the reduced risks of running a fleet owner's truck when you first start out are an advantage that outweighs the risks of running a truck of your own. But one of the great reliefs we felt when we got into a truck of our own was the freedom and clarity that comes from serving one set of goals (ours), and not two (ours and our fleet owner's).

 

[davekc]

Phil wrote
No fleet owner did this, and we never asked, but it would have helped if the fleet owners told us what kind of revenue and expenses the fleet owner needed to see to be profitable with us in the truck. If we knew from the numbers that we were pulling our weight, we might have felt less guilty while taking time off and more motivated to exceed the minimum.
================================================
Actually a very good point that Phil brings up. We actually do provide what revenue is needed to keep a truck running.
Ours are lower than most because our trucks are paid for.
But, with the fleet owner that has payments, this can become quite a complicated issue depending on the driver, company, and a host of other issues.
When I have helped other distressed fleet owners, one of the issues I spot right away is when drivers require a specific date to be somewhere. Location is a somewhat of an issue here as well.

Example
If a driver wants home in the second week of a month, the revenue starts to drop because that driver is looking for directional run towards his home and refuses decent load offers not going that desired way.
Then, they take the second requested week off.
That is followed by some time days to get a load out. Especially if someone is located out of their carrier freight areas.

The end result is that the owner is trying to operate that truck with a week or two of revenue for the month, and the hemorrhaging begins. This can be devastating to a owner if he has multiple trucks doing this month after month. I get some breathing room because we do directional runs and operate and lower than usual costs. But, for the owner that has payments, this can turn into a ugly situation real quick.
For many it is just the week. It is the process and time to get to it.
Keep in mind also, any other time whether for a breakdown or just plain waiting on a load, works against that number.

 

[Tempest]

I have 3 trucks (I am lead driver in one) and 2 vans and I sent a solo driver home to recover fully from a bout with pneumonia and I am feeling it. But it was the right thing to do. My brother on the other hand has 12 trucks, doesnt drive anymore and likes his teams out 4 weeks before going home. Last year my stepfather had a stroke in mid december and my sister had to go home to help mom care for him. My brother sent her home and jumped into the truck as a co-driver with my Brother-in-law until Faye could return to the truck in mid january. While I dont like most of my brothers policies (the reason I bought trucks for myself), I respect him for doing this. I dont know your owners situation, bit it seems like some allowances could be made. A good owner takes care of his drivers, and if one of your options was to surrender the truck at a time when you cant afford to loose all your income, I have to ask how good an owner he really is. Good maintaince and pay are only part of that equation IMO. I sincerly hope all goes well for you and your wife and she recovers quickly and another stated perhaps your time at home could be used to check out other owners.

 

[jaminjim]

I must not not be reading that correctly. Did I read that you have >80% available. Does that mean between catching up on sleep and your truck being down for repairs comes to 19% of the time?