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Smithy69

Smithy69

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Greeting All!

20 year business owner embarking on my last business venture and this time it doesn't require employees or subcontractors. I'm looking for OTR loads, what's the best company/broker to get with, what's the going rate or percentage and do you make as much intrastate as you would interstate depending on the company? Thank you in advance!
 
LDB

LDB

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
The A-List of companies has to include Load-1, Landstar, FedEx and Panther. Probably a few others but those would definitely be on my short list.
 
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Shotcallerj

Shotcallerj

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
Smithy69 said:
Greeting All!

20 year business owner embarking on my last business venture and this time it doesn't require employees or subcontractors. I'm looking for OTR loads, what's the best company/broker to get with, what's the going rate or percentage and do you make as much intrastate as you would interstate depending on the company? Thank you in advance!
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Do you have any expedite experience? If not, before you invest in equipment....go run for a fleet owner as a driver for at least 6 months to a year to figure out what to do, where to go, and how to live on the road. You will be better off doing it that way. You can contact some of those stated companies....and they will likely have contacts for fleet owners.

Stay away from panther. They went to crap after ABF took them over.
 
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Turtle

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
danthewolf00 said:
"Stay away from panther. They went to crap after ABF took them over."

Panther bought abf I thought.
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Arkansas Best Corp, parent company of ABF (Arkansas Best Freight), paid $180 million and change to acquire Panther. ABF and Panther operate as separate sister companies.
 
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Shotcallerj

Shotcallerj

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
No. They were bought by ABF. 6 months into it they started making changes. Bonuses became non existent, rates went down, general attitude to contract drivers and owner operators went to crap, pay for less miles. Then if you refused too many crap loads, they retaliated against you because they just wanted you to take whatever they wanted.
danthewolf00 said:
"Stay away from panther. They went to crap after ABF took them over."

Panther bought abf I thought.
Click to expand...
 
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Smithy69

Smithy69

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Shotcallerj said:
Do you have any expedite experience? If not, before you invest in equipment....go run for a fleet owner as a driver for at least 6 months to a year to figure out what to do, where to go, and how to live on the road. You will be better off doing it that way. You can contact some of those stated companies....and they will likely have contacts for fleet owners.

Stay away from panther. They went to crap after ABF took them over.
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Not working for a company but running my own cargo van from Orlando to MD for my current business, so running the highway and living on the road isn't new to me but delivering to companies/warehouses will be.

Lord, I wish I had seen your post before doing all the paperwork with Panther as I already have my own cargo van. Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to look into another company now.
 
Smithy69

Smithy69

New Recruit
Owner/Operator
Shotcallerj said:
No. They were bought by ABF. 6 months into it they started making changes. Bonuses became non existent, rates went down, general attitude to contract drivers and owner operators went to crap, pay for less miles. Then if you refused too many crap loads, they retaliated against you because they just wanted you to take whatever they wanted.
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Thank you for the heads up!
 
Shotcallerj

Shotcallerj

Rookie Expediter
Owner/Operator
Smithy69 said:
Not working for a company but running my own cargo van from Orlando to MD for my current business, so running the highway and living on the road isn't new to me but delivering to companies/warehouses will be.

Lord, I wish I had seen your post before doing all the paperwork with Panther as I already have my own cargo van. Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to look into another company now.
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Well if you're signed on with them already, go ahead and give them a shot. You should experience it first hand. Just know that you are going to get undercut every chance they get. They will send you the areas they know you won't be able to get out of.... And if you refuse to many of their crap loads you will be retaliated against if your acceptance rate is below 70. I once turned down a garbage run, and 2 minutes later got phone called for a drug test. I don't believe in coincidence.

Oh..... And if you're on a load they determine you're not going to be able to make on time because of their BS clock(even though you'll make it with plenty of time to spare).... They will take that load from you and give it to someone else. Sometimes even someone from a different company. Of course they don't care about the clock if they are desperate for you to cover a load they can't get anyone else to cover.
 
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