New survey/poll on carriers

[fortwayne]

I just saw the poll and the comments saying how the poll was flawed etc etc. Maybe we should just have an open thread here and we can leave our comments about each carrier WE HAVE WORKED FOR.

Now, EO may want to erase this or edit this which I can understand since these carriers provide revenue for the site, but if we keep it clean and professional - maybe it can be a productive tool.

I will start and see how this moves forward or if EO wants to delete it. (Perfectly within their right to do so).

Lets' rate the carriers on the following: pay rate to the truck, paid miles to the truck, quality of dispatchers, access to management, layover time after dropping your last freight load. Rate them from 1 to 5 with 5 being the best. So we have five areas we are rating with a possible score of 25.

Remember you must have driven for the carrier to comment and comments should not include any problems you have with an owner-operator while driving for a carrier.

Here is my list:

Nations Express: cargo van - 15, access to managment was limited and pay rate to van was low

Bolt: straight truck - 15, access to managment was limited and layover time was a little high for my liking

Tri-State: straight truck - 12, quality of dispatchers was below average, access to management was limited and there was a high amount of dead head miles which lowers the paid miles to the truck

Panther: straight truck - 13, paid miles to the truck was low based upon doing mainly short mileage runs being offered, quality of dispatchers was poor,and layover time was excessive

Tran Stewart: straight truck - 17, paid miles to the truck is low, paid mileage to the truck is high, quality of dispatchers is very good and managment is always available, layover is low as well.

Load One: straight truck - 23,pay to the truck is above average, paid miles to the truck is excellent, quality of dispatchers is excellent, access to managment is excellent and layover time is kept to an industry minimum.

Ok, that is MHO on the carriers I have worked for......maybe this can be a productive and positive tool for all of us and the carriers.

Its up now to EO if we can proceed with this or have it taken down.....it their right and their decision.

 

[greg334]

OK?

What does "layover time is kept to an industry minimum" mean?

What's the number?

 

[nightcreacher]

A pole on this subject really is impossible.What one person is looking for in a company, can be entirely different than another.I've actually been leased to one company for a significant length of time,I have my opinions on that company,non of them are bad,and now I'm leased to another.In my short time at this company,I would recommend this company to all my friends.When I look thru the other pole,this company I'm with is on the bottom of the list.You also have them on your bad list,but for me,they are as good as it gets.My pay is on time,my money per mile is high,and i get plenty of work.I've not had any problems to speak of,but I'm sure if I need to speak to management,it won't be a problem.When dispatch calls,I'm asked if I want to do the load,not made to feel that I have to.I realize I drive a tractor trailer,and there is much less competition,but that's why 26 years ago when I went into expediting,I made the move with a tractor,not a straight truck.I have no way of comparing my loads to what the straight trucks do,but I have done a few straight truck loads here,and they did pay better than the straight truck loads at my previous company.One other thing,fuel surcharge,we get what is suppose to be 100% of what the customer is charged,loaded miles only.The other company I was with paid a flat rate,and although many people here on E O complain about their flat rate,over all,my FSC now, isn't much different than what I had before.There was one other company I had a truck leased to,but that company has changed in many ways,so my experience there doesn't count,I was there for only 3 weeks,back in 1997.
Well this is my two cents,and like I said,a pole would really be difficult,there can be to many bias opinions,one way or another

 

[Steady Eddie]

Wow you have signed on with a lot of carriers....

I can rate only one.

Been with Express-1 5 1/2 years. Should I even say how they rate.

Point being, if I am/was unhappy I would be jumping ship every 4 months too.

Never had a need to talk with upper management- needs met on one level.

Pay could be better- Can't everyones?

Miles are good

Good times Bad times on waiting. Just like everyone.

Never a problem with pay.

 

[pjjjjj]

.........
Lets' rate the carriers on the following: pay rate to the truck, paid miles to the truck, quality of dispatchers, access to management, ...........

Why would 'access to management' be an indicator of a carrier's perceived status for an O/O choosing a preferred carrier? How often would an average O/O need to have contact with management? To me, you are really saying, how special does the company make me feel by allowing me access to speak directly to management since my issues are so unique that I need to do this on a regular basis.

Speaking to management at Fedex and Panther is going to be different than speaking to management at a much smaller carrier.

 

[davekc]

As much as you are jumping carriers, I see a bigger problem and it isn't any of the carriers mentioned.

 

[greg334]

Pjjjj,
You are right about access to management, I don't often see the purpose of it but it is a selling point to qualm the nervousness of some owners/drivers at time. As you said, it makes the owner/driver feel special. Many times it is some operational issue which involved the owner/driver (dispatchers lying, not being paid, etc...) where the access does help on the company end of things. But like a lot of this business seems to be, there is an emotional factor involved.

Access with Panther is a lot different than access with FedEx, the latter is almost non-existent for most. Landstar, a company larger than Panther but more integrated than FedEx also has access to their management but it seems to serve a different purpose and is open like Panther's.