Our experience with C&M Transport so far...
- Thread starter Dedic8edDave
- Start date
Slo-Ride
Veteran Expediter
Your not the only one..
Im on track to not only the worst Jan but also the worst Month I have ever had,
with very little chance of salvage this late in the month. Haven't had any fresh freight on the truck since Tuesday and working my way home again empty from Philadelphia. There has been a few offers to use my truck as a city truck and a shot at one load going to Al. but I decided if I cant get out of KY with freight I sure ain't going any farther south right now until things p-up some.
Dedic8edDave
Active Expediter
I think I do remember seeing a red truck while in Painesville last time. Nice lookin rig!
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
True story from a couple nights ago:
A friend picked up a load in Dalton, GA going to Marysville, OH ... on I-75 up around Florence, KY he heard a loud bang like an explosion and sees the alternator light is on... whips the truck (Sprinter) into the Pilot and opens the hood to check it out and the serpentine belt is lying on top of the motor and the belt tensioner is missing it's pulley ...
After pulling it over under the lights, next to the fuel pumps, he determines that not only is the pulling missing but the piece that it's connected to is also gone (IOW the tensioner separated and came apart)
It was 19F degrees when he started (and 17F degrees when he finished), and it took him 2 1/2 hours (he is somewhat handicapped), but he replaced the tensioner - belt was actually ok.
Both the belt and the belt tensioner were relatively new.
Long story short: the load was delivered on time and the customer was happy, no service failure and no load revenue was lost ... and he didn't have to pay $750 to $1000 to a stealership to have his vehicle repaired ...
A friend picked up a load in Dalton, GA going to Marysville, OH ... on I-75 up around Florence, KY he heard a loud bang like an explosion and sees the alternator light is on... whips the truck (Sprinter) into the Pilot and opens the hood to check it out and the serpentine belt is lying on top of the motor and the belt tensioner is missing it's pulley ...
After pulling it over under the lights, next to the fuel pumps, he determines that not only is the pulling missing but the piece that it's connected to is also gone (IOW the tensioner separated and came apart)
It was 19F degrees when he started (and 17F degrees when he finished), and it took him 2 1/2 hours (he is somewhat handicapped), but he replaced the tensioner - belt was actually ok.
Both the belt and the belt tensioner were relatively new.
Long story short: the load was delivered on time and the customer was happy, no service failure and no load revenue was lost ... and he didn't have to pay $750 to $1000 to a stealership to have his vehicle repaired ...
Dedic8edDave
Active Expediter
A very beautiful story. I wept aloud at the part where you mentioned he was handicapped. I'm assuming this is some sort of stab at the fact that I didn't fix the tensioner in the van we drive?
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
If you knew the full story you'd be amazed ... (Turtle knows the individual that I referred to - and his story)
Nope - it wasn't intended to be that at all ... it was simply to point out that can be a variety of consequences (some fairly significant) to mechanical failures on the road ...
I understand that your situation is somewhat different than the story I relayed - in that you are driving someone else's vehicle - as opposed to the individual I mentioned, who owns his vehicle.
I assume that you are on this board to learn about the business of expediting ... my comments as to on-road repairs were offered up (to you ... and anyone else reading here) in that regard ... feel free to accord them whatever merit - if any - you see fit.
Speedwagen
Seasoned Expediter
One can never have enough Sprinter spares-
but oh, I do love these vans...
Only lost one belt in 65,000 mi since May;
down on the side of the freeway in Dallas for 15 minutes.
Diligent PMs and inspections keep these behaving properly.
My Sprinter knows that I have gobs of spares on board, so it "knows"
breaking on me won't hurt me or my customer's freight...
Mr. Lent knows the drill for sure!
RB
but oh, I do love these vans...
Only lost one belt in 65,000 mi since May;
down on the side of the freeway in Dallas for 15 minutes.
Diligent PMs and inspections keep these behaving properly.
My Sprinter knows that I have gobs of spares on board, so it "knows"
breaking on me won't hurt me or my customer's freight...
Mr. Lent knows the drill for sure!
RB
cujosowner
Active Expediter
i dont mean to bring conversation to a thud..but been driving for 33 years tractor trailer..looking to get into straight truck or the sprinters..will be living in port huron, mich in middle march. tried talking to blog writers but no answers. how or what do you have to do to get on with reputable company for a solo driver?? any help would be greatly [email protected]
My advice would be to utilize EO and research the companies that appeal to you. That includes the good and the bad. Type a company in the search and start reading. Going back six months is sufficient so you are looking at current information. Then ask your questions about that specific carrier to other drivers in the forum or PM them. If that sounds good, then approach the actual carrier for current information armed with whatever questions you have.
Kind of like shopping for a car. Have to look under the hood in expediting as well.
That was me...been a bad week and im actually back at that flying j.
Sent from my MZ609 using EO Forums mobile app
I know one person with C&M who did over $70k last year and that was with going home regularly. It might take some time, but you should do better. Three/four weeks in this business is not very long. I know another team with a different company, that runs well for a few weeks and then might get one or two crappy runs in a week. This business is more like a boom/bust kind of thing. When you are booming, you save a little for when you are busting.
MissKat
Expert Expediter
Sent u an email and posted here on eo in another topic about fleet owners. Plz read.
Dedic8edDave
Active Expediter
I know its been a while since I posted. I thought I'd bring everyone up-to-date by posting our February numbers. February was better than January.
02/04 - Huntsville, AL to Louisville, KY (292 paid miles)
02/05 - Jeffersonville, IN to Blythewood, SC (520 paid miles)
02/08 - Durham, NC to Kansas City, MO (1070 paid miles) This load delivered on Saturday (02/09) and we were dispatched from KC on that same day. Very nice!!
02/09 - Kansas City, MO to New Augusta, IN (498 paid miles)
02/14 - Indianapolis, IN to Manchester, TN (352 paid miles)
02/18 - Huntsville, AL to Melrose Park, IL (611 paid miles)
02/19 - Holland, MI to Bowling Green, KY (457 paid miles)
02/20 - Jeffersonville, IN to Asheboro, NC (505 paid miles)
02/21 - Sanford, NC to Auburn Hills, MI (676 paid miles)
02/22 - Warren, MI to Belvidere, IL ( 359 paid miles)
02/27 - Chicago Heights, IL to Flat Rock, MI (272 paid miles)
Total paid miles for February 2013 = 5612
Considering our total paid miles for January was below 2000, February was quite an improvement. March isn't going so well...today's the 5th and we haven't received a load assignment since 02/27.
We like the dispatchers a lot. Most are very friendly and always willing to help.
02/04 - Huntsville, AL to Louisville, KY (292 paid miles)
02/05 - Jeffersonville, IN to Blythewood, SC (520 paid miles)
02/08 - Durham, NC to Kansas City, MO (1070 paid miles) This load delivered on Saturday (02/09) and we were dispatched from KC on that same day. Very nice!!
02/09 - Kansas City, MO to New Augusta, IN (498 paid miles)
02/14 - Indianapolis, IN to Manchester, TN (352 paid miles)
02/18 - Huntsville, AL to Melrose Park, IL (611 paid miles)
02/19 - Holland, MI to Bowling Green, KY (457 paid miles)
02/20 - Jeffersonville, IN to Asheboro, NC (505 paid miles)
02/21 - Sanford, NC to Auburn Hills, MI (676 paid miles)
02/22 - Warren, MI to Belvidere, IL ( 359 paid miles)
02/27 - Chicago Heights, IL to Flat Rock, MI (272 paid miles)
Total paid miles for February 2013 = 5612
Considering our total paid miles for January was below 2000, February was quite an improvement. March isn't going so well...today's the 5th and we haven't received a load assignment since 02/27.
We like the dispatchers a lot. Most are very friendly and always willing to help.
Tennesseahawk
Veteran Expediter
I've experienced a lot of dispatchers, and none can beat the crew at C&M.
You're sitting way too long in the Detroit area. I would talk to Dan, Cal, Mike, or Julie, and find out where freight is hopping, then head there. Just my opinion.
You're sitting way too long in the Detroit area. I would talk to Dan, Cal, Mike, or Julie, and find out where freight is hopping, then head there. Just my opinion.
Dedic8edDave
Active Expediter
I like your signature! Big Trouble in Little China is one of my favorite movies from the 80s.
When we got to Detroit last Thursday morning, we were 3rd out. By early Friday afternoon we were 1st out. It's now Tuesday afternoon and we're still 1st out but there are 3 other vans in the area and it seems that more often than not, the van closest to the shipper is the van that gets dispatched.
Dayton and Cleveland have several vans in those areas.
Couldn't ask for better dispatchers and load planners. Good group of people! We just need more miles.
guido4475
Not a Member
When I was at C&M the dispatchers were pretty good. One little thing that really made a difference, made you feel like you were appreciated, was when you call in a POD they would say something like, "Job well done" or something to that nature.It's nice to hear that after being up all night.But, keep in mind, they do not have the quallcomm, which takes that personal warmth away instantly. But, Messages can do the same thing on a q-c, I guess.But it is not the same.
@Dedic8edDave
I drove for C&M for seven years before getting out of the Expediting Business entirely in 2010. I keep up with a few good friends who work there as well some of the old timer drivers. The management Cal, Mel and Mike are great people and back in the day, Tom. Never dealt with Mark too much in all the years I was there.
As someone who drove everything they run, Vans, Sprinters and Straight Trucks I can honestly say C&M is a good company but there is something you need to be keenly aware of when it comes to Sprinters and Vans with C&M.
Regardless of how much they claim it isn't so, there is a conflict of interest involving Vans and especially Sprinters due to dispatchers operating their own fleets of Sprinters at C&M. When I realized it was happening I switched to straights and everything was fine.
Never had this issue with straights but I can absolutely assure you that you will always be a second class citizen and sit behind others as a Sprinter driver there. I know for a fact they will indeed move other Sprinters in front of you, justifying it as "there wasn't enough time to get you there" line of BS.
Lastly,
FYI, speaking from years of experience, sitting from Monday to Saturday even in February is ridiculous.
Get yourself into a Straight Truck at C&M if you can, you'll love it then.
best of luck
J
I drove for C&M for seven years before getting out of the Expediting Business entirely in 2010. I keep up with a few good friends who work there as well some of the old timer drivers. The management Cal, Mel and Mike are great people and back in the day, Tom. Never dealt with Mark too much in all the years I was there.
As someone who drove everything they run, Vans, Sprinters and Straight Trucks I can honestly say C&M is a good company but there is something you need to be keenly aware of when it comes to Sprinters and Vans with C&M.
Regardless of how much they claim it isn't so, there is a conflict of interest involving Vans and especially Sprinters due to dispatchers operating their own fleets of Sprinters at C&M. When I realized it was happening I switched to straights and everything was fine.
Never had this issue with straights but I can absolutely assure you that you will always be a second class citizen and sit behind others as a Sprinter driver there. I know for a fact they will indeed move other Sprinters in front of you, justifying it as "there wasn't enough time to get you there" line of BS.
Lastly,
FYI, speaking from years of experience, sitting from Monday to Saturday even in February is ridiculous.
Get yourself into a Straight Truck at C&M if you can, you'll love it then.
best of luck
J
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guido4475
Not a Member
The same was apparent, even though not as bad, when I was there in a S/T. Too many in-house fleet owners for me, it should not be allowed, even though it is there. Basically, I was competing against the office people that had trucks there as well.It may of changed there since than.That's one of the many reasons I love it where I am at, no unfairness in that way here.