panther and owners pulling trucks out

iceroadtrucker · Oct 30, 2011

Here is the truth. Companies got New contracts that pay lesser Rates but gurentee x number of miles. . New Contractors Cost the CO less so it stands to reason, They cost less, they get . simple as that. Business is Business and All companies are out to make as much as they can. A few weeks ago Your carrier lost a bunch of trucks. They went to another carrier. Thats not new News. The Perks and Promises. Some have a miles guarentee to keep the new Contractors running at a lower Rate. If I can't down load enough money to pay for the fuel and the tolls for a run then I got to say no to the load offer. 40%. max is and always has been my rule. I seen shorter runs as well and runs that I have done in the past pay way less now then what they paid in the past . Fuel, Oil Changes, Tires, Maint has sky rocketed. But the Price of moven freight has fallen to an all time low. Expedite is not as lucerative as it was just a few years ago. Prices are now LTL in Nature. What realy dont help is more than one broker for a load 2 3 4 each getting their piece of the pie slice and dice before it gets offered to a Truck.

ChrisGa23 · Oct 30, 2011

Does panther still pay for all DH miles from point of dispatch to the time you hit the shipper? I been off the road sense July. Having a very hard time finding a local job that pays anything decent. So im thinking about heading back to the road. Had a chance to drive for a owner with load 1 but they required Canada and wasnt interested in that so I declined. I have 2 years with Panther and 90% of the time I was pretty pleased. Might see about buying a sprinter or a van like chefdennis and giving it a shot or trying another company .

ChrisGa23 · Oct 30, 2011

60MPH said:
Stay out of the midwest, Panther has the freight to keep u moving as a team str8. The midwest was good for you as a solo do to HOS, but now that you are a team the whole US and Canada (when you co-driver gets qualified) is open for business. Being from Buffalo means you ain't skeered of the snow which is a good thing. Plenty of freight from them running from N.E. to the west coast and a most places in between.

If I was on with the cat I would stay out of the midwest except for northern IL., WI. and MN. I would also stay out of Laredo unless I booked my own freight, which I do. Gotta get that Haz-mat back and do the NYC and your team should make good money.

Good luck the freight and money are there you just gotta think outside of the box (midwest). Happy trails

When I drove cargo van for Panther I always done pretty good in the midwest. I never went west of Denver. Everytime I went to Denver I would sit for no more than 2 days and was out of there most of the time to Kansas or Missouri. I went west of Denver and was the worst mistake ever and never done it again. NW of the USA is a straight dead zone for a cargo van and I would imagine for other expediters as well.

Bruno · Oct 30, 2011

Maybe the reason your not seeing trucks is because they are on loads. We plan to add a few more trucks before the end of the year to Panther. Mayfield Express LLC is happy with Panther Expedited Services as our trucks are moving freight. I just look at things different now and have a program our contractors run. We have no plans to move any of our straight trucks from Panther at this time.
Posted with my Droid EO Forum App

davekc · Oct 31, 2011

I am only aware of one fleet owner leaving, but lack of freight wasn't the reason. I would agree with Dave in that most trucks are likely on loads and not showing up on the boards. All of our trucks had loads this weekend with half having pre dispatches set for Monday pickups. The only place I believe they have a fair amount of trucks as of Monday is in TX. Might want to look a little closer at your load selections.
If you took a short load to IA, I would likely say why? Might have been better to take something to an area that has more loads. Doesn't mean don't go, just don't go on a shorty without a backup or full rate back to a productive board.

greg334 · Oct 31, 2011

It's sad Dave, Panther is going the way of FedEx.

davekc · Oct 31, 2011

greg334 said:
It's sad Dave, Panther is going the way of FedEx.

In what way?

Bruno · Oct 31, 2011

greg334 said:
It's sad Dave, Panther is going the way of FedEx.

Greg

I don't know where you are getting your Information from. Panther Expedited Services is no way going the route of FedEx Custom Critical. More like FedEx is going the way of Panther with going to a flat rate per mile for their trucks.

OntarioVanMan · Oct 31, 2011

Why in the world would anyone sell out to the flat rate system?....

Turtle · Oct 31, 2011

OntarioVanMan said:
Why in the world would anyone sell out to the flat rate system?....

there's nothing inherently wrong with it. You know what you're getting and it's consistent.

The major downside of a flat rate system is that miles and revenue become one in the same, so when people on the flat rate system ask others, "How many miles are you getting?" they have to endure comments like, "It's not about the miles, it's about the revenue!"

Bruno · Oct 31, 2011

OntarioVanMan said:
Why in the world would anyone sell out to the flat rate system?....

I'm happy with the flat rate per mile we get at Panther plus the 100% FSC we get. I have been told that the flat rate per mile at FedEx is like $1.31 with the FSC. I really don't think that is the case, but I don't know. FedEx Custom Critical is still a great company, but there is to many hoops you have to jump threw when contracting with them at this time. Maybe they will change.

morningstar55ny · Oct 31, 2011

davekc said:
I am only aware of one fleet owner leaving, but lack of freight wasn't the reason. I would agree with Dave in that most trucks are likely on loads and not showing up on the boards. All of our trucks had loads this weekend with half having pre dispatches set for Monday pickups. The only place I believe they have a fair amount of trucks as of Monday is in TX. Might want to look a little closer at your load selections.
If you took a short load to IA, I would likely say why? Might have been better to take something to an area that has more loads. Doesn't mean don't go, just don't go on a shorty without a backup or full rate back to a productive board.

i hate turning down to many loads... i mean how many loads can one turn down , until one suits them?? i understand sometimes to do short loads.. another will follow, right after, at least thats what one would hope to happen, with teams anyways.
i dont want my acceptance numbers to go down........ cuz wouldnt they eaz off on offering more loads ??

Moot · Oct 31, 2011

Bruno said:
I'm happy with the flat rate per mile we get at Panther plus the 100% FSC we get.

Dave, if you are on the structured f.s.c. plan, I guess you could say you get a 100% f.s.c. But if you are on the variable f.s.c. program how do you know you are getting 100% of the f.s.c.?

morningstar55ny · Oct 31, 2011

well...... we are hangin here in davenport iowaawawa......
zero trucks here , zero in des moines, zero in springfield ill.....
1 in chicagoland........... i got a EM from panther to move to chicago....
well i just bet....... as soon as i start rolling east...or get most of the way to get on chicagoland boards.. i will get a load offer bk where i just came from.
it always seems to happen that way......... WHY?? lol
just hate to spend the fuel.

jjoerger · Oct 31, 2011

Bruno said:
I'm happy with the flat rate per mile we get at Panther plus the 100% FSC we get. I have been told that the flat rate per mile at FedEx is like $1.31 with the FSC. I really don't think that is the case, but I don't know. FedEx Custom Critical is still a great company, but there is to many hoops you have to jump threw when contracting with them at this time. Maybe they will change.

FedEx Flat Rate for a straight truck is $1 per mile + FSC (currently $.289) for all miles.

OntarioVanMan · Oct 31, 2011

jjoerger said:
FedEx Flat Rate for a straight truck is $1 per mile + FSC (currently $.289) for all miles.

I am sorry..IMO $1.289 a mile is terrible...even at ALL miles..

layoutshooter · Oct 31, 2011

OntarioVanMan said:
I am sorry..IMO $1.289 a mile is terrible...even at ALL miles..

I would not run for that, even all miles.

OntarioVanMan · Oct 31, 2011

layoutshooter said:
I would not run for that, even all miles.

Well...IF and that is IF all these so called experts are correct...

What happens IF CSA does create a driver shortage?

What IF..HOS gets its way and shortens hours of drive time?

I don't see very many NEW trucks entering the market...more recycled trucks yes....

Supply and demand....some say there is a shortage now of straight trucks...pushing up the rates.....

Flat rate operators will see none of them increases....IF any happen....

Do you think the carriers "experts" "Projections" are counting on this to happen? Maybe the reason to push more and more to flat rate....more profits for them? Do you think they are doing this for the operator? to make things better for operators?

davekc · Oct 31, 2011

1.28 average for all miles isn't that bad if we are talking a van.

No interest in it for a straight truck gig. I believe running under my own authority would appeal to me before that would.

With regards to Panther, I wouldn't worry about acceptance rates. Worry about whether a load is profitable to run or not. Kinda like first outs, I pay little attentin to either one. Not even sure what our acceptance rates are. Panther doesn't have enough trucks for me to worry about that.
On FSC rates, if you are on the variable, ask them for copy of the bills. They legally are required to show them to you. We have asked on occassion and haven't had a problem. Some customers put it right on the freight bills when you pick up the load. On loads where the FSC isn't broke out, (one rate load), they use the DOD rate for that week.