Newbie Needs Guidance! Need info on companies.

mstephensr · Mar 9, 2008

Hello,
I drove a T/T OTR and have been out of the truck for 6 years. I am looking for a job as a straight truck driver. I have talked to several O/O on here recently and I am starting to get confused and not sure what to believe. I am looking to drive for an O/O. Most O/O have told me that they pay 60-65% and I am responsible for my own fuel. I had one lady that leases trucks to Tri-state and she said she pays 50% and that if anyone told me that they will pay 60-65% that they are lying. Please helpo me. Does anyone know who the best companies are to get decent miles and would it be possible to get decent amount of hometime living between Dayton, OH and Indianapolis, IN on Interstate 70 ? Also any O/O need a driver for straight truck or cargo van? Maybe you know of a straight truck carriers that don't specialize in expedite freight and they run OTR or regional? Thanks for your help!

Dazed and Confused

davekc · Mar 9, 2008

You sound like you may be going just a little too fast.
First off, you are in a good area. But, that may or may not translate into getting home all the time. Assume that it won't initially.
As for pay, if you are paying the fuel is usually 60 percent plus 100 percent of the FSC.
You will starve at that 50 percent rate unless I am missing something.
With regards to companies, I would do a search through EO and it archives to get a feel for each company.
Again, take your time. Too much rush equals too many dollars wasted in all the wrong places.

mstephensr · Mar 9, 2008

Thanks davekc. I have really crammed alot of info from this website and others in the last week. I had an offer from a fleet owner at Nations Express that sounded pretty good. He offered 60/40 split in a 2007 Sprinter. After that I talked to a guy from panther and he offered 65/35 split. They both said I could get plenty of miles ( no guarantees of course) but then I started reading things that people were saying of Panther and others so I started looking elsewhere and talked to more people and now I feel confused. The guy from Nations told me that his top fleet driver made 52k last year but couldn't tell me how many miles of the top of his head. Is that high, average, low? It sounded good but I figured 6-10K in fuel costs come out of that and another 6-8K for taxes? Am I on track here or am I missing something?

Thanks

davekc · Mar 9, 2008

I would still slow down and not consider just a one source as your only point of information. It takes much more than a week to gather ALL of te information to make an informed decision.
Also, I would visit a few truck stops in your area and talk to drivers that are there.
Why? Because everyone's circumstances are different. Even from company to company.
Additionally, you may want to consider attending the MATS in Louisville this month. You will have all of the recruiters and drivers in one place. Thats the Mid America Truck Show.
I highly recommend it in your situation.

terryandrene · Mar 9, 2008

That lady that leases trucks to Tri-State and her drivers must be in a virtual world if they think that no others get 60-65%. Of couse, if she pays 50% that would be a good deal only if she buys all fuel and tolls. I'd also be a bit leery of of the $86,000 to a solo van operator except for those that don't get home as often as you'd seem to like. 86K in a van is very doable but, I think, only after some experience in the expedite business. I've not done it in 18+ years, but I go home more than most. Keep looking and asking and you'll possibly find something that'll suit you.

Keep in mind that independent contractors have little or no benefits that you may enjoy in T/T driving as an employee. No health care, no insurance, no 401K, no retirement fund.

nightcreacher · Mar 9, 2008

As Dave said,take your time.Expedite is not like regular trucking.Yes most of the owner opps pay 60 to 65 % with you paying for the fuel,and your co-driver.The lady you talked to,may have you running solo,then the 50% might be right,and shes right,there wont be many,if any paying 65% to a solo.With what ever you decide,if you are responsible for the fuel,make sure you get 100% of the fuel surcharge,and the % of the load before the fuel surcharge is added.
Personally I dont believe you will make 50k per year driving a sprinter,there are to many of them,to much competition.Your best bet is to run with your wife in a straight truck,if not married,you might wnat to consider another form of trucking.A solo in expediting with the new hos rues is very difficult.

LDB · Mar 9, 2008

A 60/40 split is the most common split you'll find I believe. The side getting 60% should be paying for the fuel and should get 100% of the fuel surcharge money. Additionally, I believe the operators should receive 100% of all hand load/unload pay as well as 100% of any other accessorials that are paid for "people" activity, unless of course the truck owner happens to be on the loading dock helping do the work in which case the owner is entitled to part of the pay. I believe "time" pay, such as detention or layover, should be split 50/50 because it's paying for the time of the operators and the truck being held up at shipper or cons. The last time I checked minutes were all the same regardless of what they were timing.

I agree with the advice to slow down and really research things before jumping into anything. MATS would be a good place to talk to a lot of company people. Be sure you get everything in writing from whoever you sign on with. That means owner as well as carrier company.

RichM · Mar 10, 2008

I have to disagree with my friend Leo on the handeling of the freight. If the owner of the truck has invested in a lift gate,pads,straps,etc he should get at least 20% of the accessory charges. But it is also the owners responsibilty to make sure you know what you are doing because if the cargo gets damaged the owner will get the claim.

LDB · Mar 10, 2008

If the company pays a separate accessorial for the use of the liftgate, and some do, then the truck owner should get 100% of that since the labor is being paid in the hand load fee and the equipment is being reimbursed in the liftgate fee. As the owner of the truck, I am making my cut from the 60/40 split. If I didn't equip the truck with certain items like a liftgate or minimum required number of pads or whatever, it would be sitting idle rather than being assigned to that job. That's my source of revenue, not part of what's being paid for manual labor I'm not doing. If I'm not on the dock loading skids into the cargo box then I'm doing 0% of the labor and that's how much of the labor pay I should get. My .02 on it.