Tri-State or Conway now

[raceman]

I have run team and solo for Tri State. I highly recommend Tri State for any straight truck teams. I have never run as much as I did when I ran team for them.I do not recommend them for solo trucks. I do not know much about ConWay. Call Greg at Tri State and he will fill you in.

raceman

 

[romoore245]

This all happen on I-40 in tennessee. The wrecker driver told us he cleans up a wreck near that area at least once a week. It was at the 73 mile post just past the rest area.

 

[Lureveto]

During orientation at Con-Way I was told that a cargo van with a team could make 110k to 130k per year. During orientation at Tri-State I was told that I could make more money with them than any where else by running more miles at a lower rate thereby creating more loads at the lower rate. Needless to say the truth could not be found during orientation at either place.

Take a look around the truck stop parking lots and see who is parked and for how long.

 

[davekc]

110k to 130k for a van is a bit of a stretch for the average van owner.
If TriState told you that running cheap freight will get you success, I have a sailboat in the desert I would like to sell you.
Running cheap freight in todays market with higher fuel costs ect, you will surely go broke in a matter of time.

 

[terryandrene]

>During orientation at Con-Way I was told that a cargo van
>with a team could make 110k to 130k per year.

Let's assume you get 85 cents avg per loaded mile, and you only need to work 6 days a week so you can do maint on yourself and truck in order to earn an unbelievable, and likely unattainable, $130,000 per annum, all you need to do is:

152,941 revenue miles. Add a modest 20%, 30,588 deadhead miles for a total annual mileage of 183,529....WHEW

183,529 miles working 6 days a week = 586 miles a day.

We believe that neither you nor your van could maintain a schedule this intense. We also believe that neither Con-Way Now nor any other legitimate expedite carrier can reasonably offer you this level of activity.

Terryandrene' and
RichM

 

[RodeHawg69]

I've been with BOTH Tri-State & Con-way Now during the past year as a "D" unit O/O. Conway can't touch Tri-State's overall ability to secure run miles and has limited presence, geographically. Here's a copy of my recent lease termination letter to Conway. Take it for what it's worth...

Sent Via Facsimile (734)213-7745
Ed Conaway, Pres./CEO
Con-Way NOW
4840 Venture Dr.
Ann Arbor, MI 48108

Re: Termination of Lease Agreement

Dear Mr. Conaway:

In late-May I signed on with your company as an owner-operator,
based primarily upon the promise of optimum “communication”
channels. Unfortunately, my two (2) month experiences reflect
otherwise and therefore, represent the primary basis and
foundation for my lease termination.

As a contractor required to maintain a cell phone, home phone,
pager and Qualcomm, I have almost $300/mo. vested in
communication technology, which is useless if not placed into
proper context by dispatchers. Examples of misuse:

* Sending load offers to truck QC after I’ve been “home” for a
week and not occupying vehicle;

* Failing to note preference of PAGER as #1 contact medium after
repeated instruction;

* Unnecessary time delay in navigating the Con-Way phone network
after receive a page, thus contributing to “load cancellation.”

* Unnecessary and extensive delays in obtaining load pickup
directions when not initially included in load offer;

* Inefficient and wasteful Qualcomm macro system, with requests
either TOTALLY ignored or answered only after significant time delay.

In addition to these “communication” problems, I’ve also
experienced a disproportionate number of “discounted” loads which
fall below the per mile agreement, many with accompanying
substandard fuel surcharge incentives. These factors, when
combined with escalating fuel prices approaching $2.00/gallon
benefit ONLY Con-Way, not the owner-operator.

Another reason for termination involves the POOR geographic load
gathering ability of Con-Way. On virtually every load I’ve
subscribed to, I’ve been forced to experience significant DH
miles after delivery. Much of this problem can be traced to an
inefficient layover system and design. I’ll never forget a
layover in Tulsa, OK after dropping in Wichita, KS...a 6 hr./300
mile drive, where after arriving and waiting a day I FAILED to
get a load. What impact do you think this had on my
trust/confidence in Con-Way during my 1st week post-orientation?

The straw that broke this camels back occurred TODAY, where I
accepted a pickup in the early afternoon after being paged @
home. Not until I went to access my truck and viewing the QC load info. five (5) hrs. later did I discover that this was a cargo van TRANSFER originating in Rockford, IL
and requiring me to DH 120 miles to Springdale, OH and delivering
in the Knoxville, TN area. This load could’ve most efficiently
been transferred in my neighborhood of Louisville, KY, thus saving me 2 ½ hrs. of drive time/fuel consumption. Horrendously POOR load planning which only reflects a Con-Way lack of concern for the welfare of their O/O’s.

I appreciate the opportunity that Con-Way bestowed, but
unfortunately it simply didn’t work.

In accordance with the Contract and Section 8 of the PBO
Procedures Manual, I’ll be returning the various remaining
paperwork, permit book and Qualcomm hardware.


Best Wishes.

 

[davekc]

While no company is perfect, it does appear if the above is true, that Conway has some issues that they need to address. It does make us appreciate were we are at.

 

[bluebird]

ROADHAWG i had the same thing run a load to give it off to a cargo van when where a team and could run it the commution is a joke

 

[RichM]

There are signifcant lessons to be learned by Roadhawg's resignation letter to Conway. I don't run for Conway but what happened to him could easily apply to any of us.

I am not defending Conway but I cannot find on any maping that it is a 300 mile trip from Wichita KS to Tulsa OK.The routings I looked at all came up to about 175 miles?? I even looked at the possibility you went to Oak City then back up to Tulsa,still a lot less then 300.

When I take a trip offer over the phone I always check on the Qualcomm as too whats going on.That way you can see if the trip is a transfer etc.I never wait 5 hours to check this.

Communication is the key,you should always double check via phone as too how their computer shows you available,such as pager,QC,cell phone etc.If there is an error it can be corrected then and you wiil not loose the load. Internal communications are another matter that Conway should address,there is no reason to stay on hold ,when a contractor is trying to get information as too directions and load information. Deadheading happens in this industry, when you accept a load think about where it will drop you off. Discounted loads are common,and while you earn less so do they.I am not saying you should take a discounted load, but realize it is shippers holding up all of the companies.Most of those runs come in over the Internet.

One time my Company was trying real hard to get me to accept a huge discounted load and I said to the dispatcher"Would you come to work if your supervisor said ,today we want you to do the same job you did yesterday but at 34% less pay". She laughed and said"absolutily not".
So there we go,whats good for them is good for us.

 

[ATeam]

Reading the resignation letter, it strikes me that at any carrier, the driver is always the last one in on the deal. A shipper calls, a salesperson (or dispatcher or agent) makes the sale, the price is agreed on, the load is entered into the system. Then the carrier goes looking for a driver to haul the freight. Discounts may or may not apply, special circumstances may enter in, competitive forces may be present, it might be a brokered load from or to another carrier, someone's mistake may be or become part of the picture, etc.

Drivers are seated at the table after most of the load-related business has been conducted. They're left with little more to say than "Yes, I'll take it" or "No I'll leave it." And once a driver has said, "Yes" far more can affect he driver's experience with it than the driver's performance alone.

At any carrier, no one will care more about you than you. You have to pay attention and look out for your own interests at all times.

Example (fictitious): After a half hour of driving around and a few cell phone calls, you discover that "3233 Second St" should have read "3233 Selond Street". The dispatcher that made the typo earlier that day has just put the kids to bed and is snuggling up with her husband to watch The Tonight Show. You're screwed. It will cost you gas money to get to the right address. The delay may mean the delivery location is closed by the time you get there and you'll end up sitting on the freight all night. You are going to lose the load you were pre-dispatched to pick up that morning. There may be some recourse if you call a supervisor in the morning, but that's little comfort that night. Your next questions are, "Where do I eat?", "Where do I pee?", "Where can I safely park and sleep?" Other questions that will enter your mind will be "What in the world am I doing here?" "Who do they think they are?" etc.

Such things happen. It's part of the game. It's not right. It's not fun. Such things shouldn't happen but they do. Can you roll with the punches? Can you suffer through the injustices of expediting? If not, resigning for another carrier or different line of work is the right thing to do.

On the flip side, having a job where all you need to say about work you're offered is "Yes" or "No" makes for a simple life. It's simply wonderful (for my wife and me at least) to say yes to a load, deliver it, be totally done with that project, and then to have the freedom to say yes or no again. It's also wonderful to say no to an offer for whatever reason and know no one will disrespect us for turning down a load (within reason of course).

Most of the time, our load offers come in just fine, the carrier support is there, and it's easy to get our part of the job done. If the nightmare loads and dispatch errors occurred more often than they do, we'd consider resigning too.

RodeHawg, it hurts to read your resignation letter. I'm sorry you had a series of bad experiences that led you to take that action. It's no fun to be unhappy in your work. You're wise to move on. I hope you find a better place for yourself in the expediting industry or better work outside of it.

 

[davekc]

Back to someones earlier quote; "businessman first, and driver second"

 

[InfoWarrior]

Blah Blah.. what you refuse to mention is the amount of freight that your truck can haul as a D unit ( which is really a C unit.. 6k lbs? ) I have never seen a D unit that could carry as much as a cargo van!!!

How many loads did you refuse?

Thanks.. done

>I've been with BOTH Tri-State & Con-way Now during the past
>year as a "D" unit O/O. Conway can't touch Tri-State's
>overall ability to secure run miles and has limited
>presence, geographically. Here's a copy of my recent lease
>termination letter to Conway. Take it for what it's worth...
>
>Sent Via Facsimile (734)213-7745
>Ed Conaway, Pres./CEO
>Con-Way NOW
>4840 Venture Dr.
>Ann Arbor, MI 48108
>
> Re: Termination of Lease Agreement
>
>Dear Mr. Conaway:
>
>In late-May I signed on with your company as an
>owner-operator,
>based primarily upon the promise of optimum “communication”
>channels. Unfortunately, my two (2) month experiences
>reflect
>otherwise and therefore, represent the primary basis and
>foundation for my lease termination.
>
>As a contractor required to maintain a cell phone, home
>phone,
>pager and Qualcomm, I have almost $300/mo. vested in
>communication technology, which is useless if not placed
>into
>proper context by dispatchers. Examples of misuse:
>
>* Sending load offers to truck QC after I’ve been “home” for
>a
>week and not occupying vehicle;
>
>* Failing to note preference of PAGER as #1 contact medium
>after
>repeated instruction;
>
>* Unnecessary time delay in navigating the Con-Way phone
>network
>after receive a page, thus contributing to “load
>cancellation.”
>
>* Unnecessary and extensive delays in obtaining load pickup
>directions when not initially included in load offer;
>
>* Inefficient and wasteful Qualcomm macro system, with
>requests
>either TOTALLY ignored or answered only after significant
>time delay.
>
>In addition to these “communication” problems, I’ve also
>experienced a disproportionate number of “discounted” loads
>which
>fall below the per mile agreement, many with accompanying
>substandard fuel surcharge incentives. These factors, when
>combined with escalating fuel prices approaching
>$2.00/gallon
>benefit ONLY Con-Way, not the owner-operator.
>
>Another reason for termination involves the POOR geographic
>load
>gathering ability of Con-Way. On virtually every load I’ve
>subscribed to, I’ve been forced to experience significant DH
>miles after delivery. Much of this problem can be traced to
>an
>inefficient layover system and design. I’ll never forget a
>layover in Tulsa, OK after dropping in Wichita, KS...a 6
>hr./300
>mile drive, where after arriving and waiting a day I FAILED
>to
>get a load. What impact do you think this had on my
>trust/confidence in Con-Way during my 1st week
>post-orientation?
>
>The straw that broke this camels back occurred TODAY, where
>I
>accepted a pickup in the early afternoon after being paged @
>home. Not until I went to access my truck and viewing the QC
>load info. five (5) hrs. later did I discover that this was
>a cargo van TRANSFER originating in Rockford, IL
>and requiring me to DH 120 miles to Springdale, OH and
>delivering
>in the Knoxville, TN area. This load could’ve most
>efficiently
>been transferred in my neighborhood of Louisville, KY, thus
>saving me 2 ½ hrs. of drive time/fuel consumption.
>Horrendously POOR load planning which only reflects a
>Con-Way lack of concern for the welfare of their O/O’s.
>
>I appreciate the opportunity that Con-Way bestowed, but
>unfortunately it simply didn’t work.
>
>In accordance with the Contract and Section 8 of the PBO
>Procedures Manual, I’ll be returning the various remaining
>paperwork, permit book and Qualcomm hardware.
>
>
>Best Wishes.

 

[RodeHawg69]

LOL - Typical "corporate" response to issues they can't (or won't)address...must give you a "highway star" for continued communication
problems, though!

Bla bla bla...sounds like a U of M fight song

 

[biggun]

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO THE ATEAM? NEVER SEE THIER POST ANY MORE