Incompetence Incorporated

[darkunicorn]

Man Panther just doesn’t have a clue!!!! They tell you when your out of hrs your suppose to be out of service sleeping right? Well most the time you don’t want to do that you loose your position on the board but when in a busy market and tired as #$% you best go out of service sleeping I was not of service right now because I drove all night delivered this morning @ 6:45 when I got out of the delivery. Had have been messaged on the QC several times this time about a load PU at 2:00 87 miles away going 52 miles and I don’t get my hrs back till when? Common do the math? Oh yeah drove to a Wal-Mart to park so add 15mins to that. Yupp your right 17:00 soonest I can legally move and it wasn’t a new person each time that bothered me either. I think the new name should have been Incompetence Incorporated instead of Panther Expedite! Feast of famine wait 4 days for a load and cant get one then get offered loads before you even get hrs back to run the load its do to deliver before I get my hrs back gotta love that!

Was asked to give them time to fix the problems I don’t think I can afford to. 1 and 2 loads a week most the time is all I get and now in prime market I get offered loads far away going no where when I’m suppose to be sleeping. If in right mind I wouldn’t of stayed this long I must be nuts or just plain stupid or both? Think that was my last Load for Incompetence Inc.

Am I grumpy humm lets see a yeah!

Alvin
Tired and fed up in Indiana! Lets see where is that QC fuse?

 

[FAMILYEXPDT]

/YAWN

Please do what you are going to do and we wish you much luck. You are obviously unhappy, why stay?


my opinion, everyone has one.


-charlotte

 

[davekc]

I believe your priorities are confused. If dispatched errored in sending you a run, I would hardly call that a crisis regardless of what the run was.
Your bigger issue is why did you sit for four days? If they don't have anything, find your own load. With four days or "one or two loads a week" sounds like you have plenty of time.
If you don't want to do that, you should have moved to a better location. Sometimes you have to be alittle proactive.
If the small things are getting to you, it is time to move on as already mentioned.






Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[garman351]

(Darkunicorn)
Panther is losing drivers like dead leaves falling off a tree. (And that is no rumor, that is a fact!)

Panther is a rudderless ship heading towards rocky waters.

Garman351

 

[mcbride]

Dave, your solution for people getting out of a busy/non-busy location is always for them to find their own loads. My question to you is what are people paying Panther for? I do realize that I am beating a dead horse with regards to this issue with you. However, many people out here do not have the wherewithal or the inclination to broker their own freight…which is precisely WHY they most likely have chosen to lease with a company in the first place.

Friends of ours who were leased with Panther were stuck out north-west for eight days and finally met someone that gave them the number of a broker to call for a load. They got a load finally…. 42 cents per mile coming back east BEFORE Panther took their cut. They quit Panther yesterday.

You should point out that many of the “get loaded†site locations on the internet are a paid subscription service and the sites which do not charge offer loads with rates per mile that are ridiculously low. It is freight that generally no one wants…cheap garbage freight. You would have to carry two, three, or four of them just to come close to making a decent rate per mile. AND, just to find even one load for a straight truck which can only carry 9,000 pounds could be a chore in itself.

You also routinely imply that Panther “lets†you get loads from these boards, brokers and other various avenues etc., thus, enabling people to use their authority to carry freight. However, you fail to mention that most, if not all, of the other “major’ carriers will “let†you do the same as long as they get their percentage. I know when we were with Con-Way they “let†us do this as well but did discourage us from doing so. Their reasoning was to keep their trucks available so they would not have to put their freight on an outside carrier.

Bottom line Dave, Panther works for you as a fleet owner and it is no secret you have an allegiance to them. You like their system and are able to load your trucks when Panther can’t. As you have said several times…you don’t wait for them to get you a load for your trucks you find them loads. For many of us owner operators who have been at Panther’s mercy and have tried to adhere to their inconsistent rules; their system of preferential dispatch; and their lack of being able to obtain freight west of the Mississippi…it can be very frustrating.

-mcbride-
--What goes around comes around--

 

[darkunicorn]

indeed why? thanks for the advice I'll think it over!

Alvin

 

[darkunicorn]

Bashing who’s bashing I’m stating fact facts that are backed up by screen shots of my owners page online, digital photo shots of QC messages including some juicy ones from former night supervisor Scott Taylor using profanity even, log books going back 2 years, GPS screen shots showing position when Panther showed some where else, name it I been keeping track so can’t be called a basher or winner or baby etc. now any one wanting real facts about the company knows where to find it.

And they say if you not happy leave open to suggestions on just where to go I have some things that need done to my truck going to take the rest of the week off and then decide where I’m going to place my truck or leave it where it is!

There are people and things about Panther I like it’s a shame that my dislikes are more than my likes though!

Alvin
On vacation

 

[davekc]

I do agree Nancy that Panther isn't for everyone. It does take some time and effort to find decent loads. As an owner, that is something that I bring to the table that myself, drivers and Panther benefit from. It does take alittle time to learn the ins and outs but many do it. Panther itself has a backhaul dept. that can assist one.
You are correct in that some load services are subscription based. And, some aren't. Many of our loads are direct calls to the broker in which a load board is never looked at. Services like Getloaded are full of cheap freigh and some aren't. You are correct as well that we may put two loads on a truck to achieve a decent rate.
I can assure you, We don't run any loads at .42 per mile.
The biggest issue is it keeps a truck moving and eliminating excessive deadheading or sitting eight days as in your post. We have never had a truck sitting and waiting on a load for eight days since we have been at Panther.
You are right in that the carrier should find all of the loads regardless of time or location. The problem is, that doesn't exist. If so, everyone would be there.
Additionally, it would seem a tough sell to a driver that he must sit so the carrier has coverage. My opinion is if it doesn't happen in usually 12 hours, it isn't going to happen and we switch to plan B. With the exception of course on weekends ect. I should add, this isn't like a everyday or weekly occurance. Only when the need is there.

I am not saying that this is the best or only way, just an option that has worked for us. It is a changing business all of the time, and tomarrow might be something completely different.









Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[joebob1_30132]

well after starting out gangbusters with P11.. Ive neen ofered 9 loads 7 od them under 300mi Im a team. In the Chi town N Carolina area.. I made the joke..If a solo driver needs miles he needs to find a team member. Im not one to fly off the cuff and Dave you have been very helpful to me with my questions.and do not begrudge you.and am sicerly gratful. Im a business man and will live and ajust withit. This is not personal ..I saw an advertisment in a truck mag for P11 looking to pay straight truck drivers .$42/ per mi and it dawned on me they are now advertising for fleet owners. I dont blame the Business model but I would bet they are suporting the fleet owners with ads to fill their trucks and miles to keep them their. I believe they are now "culling the heard" Im a solid team,and was not critical of the move (not happY theway conway handdled it) But dave the meathods that you suggest will work if only the place you need to get too, will produce some miles..CHI MI NC KY. they are not. Are the conway people getting the trickle down..if so why, if why what info do we need to get our one truck operational in with the load getters? we pride our self with 100% on time 100% saftey and so few load declines with conway if I told you how many loads to turn downs you would tell me I was full of s###.
FRustrated..yes...I was pumped this August waiting to show PII what my old 99 Fl 70 could do during the "R" months..

 

[davekc]

I understand your point. We as well might take a 300 mile load depending on where it was going. We are also more picky if for example we are sitting in Detroit. Why? Because there are literally pages of loads out of an area like that. In otherwords, there is more freight than trucks. That will in most cases drive the rate up. The other side of that coin is say Portland. More trucks than freight. Instead of going straight east, we may settle for something close to LA. A 300 mile load won't break us, but we won't run a steady diet of them either.






Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[FAMILYEXPDT]

I am fairly certain noone referred to you as a winner darkunicorn, perhaps you meant whiner? If you spend half as much time trying to make YOURSELF successful as you do trying to "catch" someone doing something to you, I am sure we would be hearing more crowing instead of crying. No place is perfect. No carrier is perfect. No driver is perfect. No owner/fleetowner is perfect. I have said it before and I will say it again....Panther provides an opportunity for you to realize your dreams. They do not realize them for you, but empower you to go after it. 1.5 years with Panther. Started one truck......now have 7 trucks. No money from anywhere but what we make at Panther. Do our trucks sit? Absolutely. Do I think Panther caters to fleetowners? No, I think they help those who help themselves. What you fail to realize is that the people behind Panther are some of the smartest, cognizant businessmen I have ever met. They can THINK and they can REASON and they can take a step back and say hey...we blew it and they can move forward past mistakes....something that it sounds like you could learn from them. Believe me I have been ticked off at times too....I belive the difference is probably how we handle it. I will not place blame for my failures with someone else, no will they receive the credit for my success. It is 50/50. Some people might think someone that sits 8 days is incompetant, moreso than the company that did not pull a expedite load out of their (_!_) for them. I had a team had a awesome run to nw by Spokane....they unloaded on a friday and I sent them to LA for Monday morning....I ate the DH but they got another 2600 mile run out of LA. Choices. You make them.


-Charlotte

 

[LDB]

I would highly recommend you avail yourself of the open invitation to go sit in dispatch for a day or a portion thereof. The work load and stress level in dispatch are both high. That isn't to justify the errors but to help explain them. With 800+ loads a day to deal with they are going to make mistakes, look up wrong truck numbers, miss seeing someone is out of hours, etc. etc.. Another factor is that if you get a load offer during your recovery hours that is telling you you are the next available unit to call on. Sometimes those are loads you can accept and know that when your break is up you have a job waiting.

Some of the negative coins have a positive side as well if you'd just turn them around and look. If you only see negatives then perhaps you need to try a different coinage.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5507, 5508, 5509
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
----------
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[RonnieJ]

Maybe I can quite the naysayers on finding loads. We don't drive for Dave, but he has found us loads twice in tricky situations. We were stuck for several days in Kansas, and after reading some of these posts, I decided to send him a message and asked for his help. He asked what seemed like a thousand questions about our truck but said it was necessary. So we are out there measuring our box in the pouring rain and getting soaked. We gave him all the information and I'll be damned if he didn't find a load 10 miles from where we were sitting several hours later. The load paid 1.27 a mile after Panther took their cut. We didn't think it was too bad and off we went to Atlanta, Georgia. It was a light load with several pallets. A bunch of light fixtures for a new shoe store.
Many thanks to Dave for helping us out of a jam. We do admit, it beats days of just sittin and wonderin.

RonnieJ

 

[mcbride]

Charlotte,

You commented on your team getting a great load to the northwest and then you eating the dead head for them to go back to LA which I’m guessing was approximately 1150 miles.

So, given that we, an owner operator truck, had taken that run to Washington State and let’s say it paid $1.45 a mile for 2500 miles-or $3625.00. We dead headed 50 miles to get the load. Now it paid $1.42 a mile with dead head. Fuel cost $780.00 for the run-- $353 for the deadhead to LA---or $1133 for total fuel---Now I am at $2492 for the load after fuel. With dead head to LA—Load paid 97 cents per mile or 67 cents per mile after fuel costs. This figure is not taking into consideration the overall costs of running the truck…. Not a real good rate per mile in my opinion.

Team in my prior post are told to layover in Portland, Oregon with no empty move pay. Panther did not authorize an empty move. After 48 hours they get a suggested ‘possible’ reposition to LA which pays nothing. They are owner operators and don’t have an owner to subsidize their dead head back to LA. Backhaul department notified but nothing heard back from them.

I can only surmise the reason you ate the dead head with regard to your team is because they did not get authorized to move with pay either.


-mcbride-
--What goes around comes around--

 

[darkunicorn]

Charlotte reading any thing you have posted, positive or negative nothing you say means a thing to me at all and as you can see to any one that knows better! Maybe when you’re older you’ll understand but doubt it.

Alvin

 

[darkunicorn]

Leo I’m not new at this or new to Panther I have sat in dispatch before I know what they deal with on the flipside not many of the dispatch has had the opportunity to drive a truck! Or ride in one even so a new excuse for dispatch isn’t needed at this point if it was a new dispatcher I would of not got upset but it’s a seasoned one and yes I was tired and irritable when I posted but don’t change how I feel or the facts!

I know you have done well at Panther as has my good friend Gene Dunlap I though am at the other side of the coin Panther has not been good for me at all. And I’m not bashing here I’m venting like I have stated there are a lot of people at Panther I like and am convinced they are good people, others I think don’t have a clue and don’t care and a lot of Panthers polices are not good for the majority of the solo owner/operator’s I’m sure they’ll get it right some day but I think I’ll go broke waiting for it. As stated in past Panther does fix their problems but they take a long time to do that.

Alvin

 

[darkunicorn]

Good for Dave nice to know he’s helped you out, I have not been so lucky nor have most the fleet but then again Dave would be real busy too busy to handle his own trucks! Then again I’m resourceful my self but is only so much I can do and had been told in past I had to sit in middle of no where a few days and give them a chance to find me something so I let my subscription to the load boards drop when shanghaied back to Panther and like was already stated if I wanted to spend my time looking for my own loads why would I need Panther to begin with?

Alvin

 

[chuckwagon]

Gee, I know I am a rookie and all with only a few thousand miles on the ole' tires but why all the complaining about Panther or for that matter any of the other companies.

I have not nor will I mention which of the companies I drive for as it serves no purpose but if I ain't happy with the way the treat me then I would simply move on.

But before I do that or before I get on some site seeking advice or just to - I think I would make sure I was doing everything I could do to improve my own situation (location, in service hours, etc) before I started going off on my dispatchers etc.

Then again sometimes it is just easier to blame someone else for ALL of our own problems.

 

[JustUsTrucking]

Alvin: Why don't you just move on? Life is too short to be as miserable as you seem. I don't think you would ever have a different opinion of Panther, regardless of how things go in the future for you with them. Do us all a favor and see if the other side of the fence is better for you. Tired of seeing all your Panther Bashing/Whining.

 

[darkunicorn]

Chuckwagon thanks for your input, but think I’ll pass on advice till you get rid of that rookie stripe ok? As to your trying to pass it on to me, my in service is 100% I was home 12 days last year my on time again 100% my acceptance even when it was at 100% wasn’t doing any better than at 70% which is still above average. And that’s part of the the 70% is mostly loads I could not run or deadhead was unreasonable all though I’d still accept those as being a refusal the ones that are while on your break or impossible to get to ontime are not so should be more like 90% oh well. Any thing else you want to know before you decide I’m the bad guy here?

Alvin