Lol I KNOW this is a loaded question... I know every company is different and that they ALL have good&bad points and the 'perfect' fit is a figment of our imagination BUT..! I've taken the Great&more important RIGHT advice given to me (PM&also here on the forum) and drove fleet owner's truck for 6 months green to learn the ins&outs of your business... (We realize there's Still SO MUCH to continue learning!) and we've now purchased our own truck and want to be BUSY!!!!! Not for $ ONLY but to be Out there and Rolling!!!! I would Very Much Appreciate a comment or PM or two from those of you who have the knowledge of several companies... We aren't looking for white glove to start and don't have tval just new clean dry box 22ft. Thank you!!!
We have our Own Toy & Need Advice on Good Company to Drive for!
- Thread starter jackieg
- Start date
You didn't actually ask a question. Lotta statements, but no question.
Sorry, I was wondering how to decide what company out there has enough freight to keep its drivers busy...? (now that the winter months are over) We have heard pros and cons concerning FedEx and Panther concerning freight... So how does one know where to invest valuable time&$ looking for a Good Company to drive for? Thank you for pointing out my error.
paullud
Veteran Expediter
Yeah right.
I would be looking at FedEx between the 2 that you mentioned, my opinion is NOT based on personal experience but just from what I have heard from their drivers. Once you get a year of experience total it will open your options up to some quality mid-size companies if you are not happy with FedEx.
Edit: There are mid-size companies that would take you now with 6 months experience. Are you wanting to be lost in the system with a big company as you learn or go with a smaller company?
Sent from my SCH-I535 using EO Forums mobile app
Last edited:
FedEx has already expressed great interest in having us as I have schooling and co driver has several years in bus Plus the 6 months for smaller company... Heard they can keep us busy and that (plus being paid!) is what we are now looking for...! Do they call cell phone to offer loads?
Sounds like you have answered your own question.
No - it just makes one even more appreciative, is all.
Speaking of FedEx, I just saw an ad for power units to pull company owned reefers, it said you will go straight into White Glove. I bet that makes a lot of people [besides ATeam] angry.
Accepting people with no track record into an 'elite' unit pretty much makes the 'elite' title nonsense, IMO.
MissKat
Expert Expediter
Hi Jackie. Hubby and I started with FedEx Custom Critical White Glove TVAL. We drove for two different owners, two totally different business styles. We had driven TT for 5 years prior to expediting. FedEx was VERY businesslike, dispatch was demanding and unwielding, bidding on loads with other trucks that became painfully apparent that depending on the owner of the truck and MANY other factors, you may or not win a bid for hours or days. We were not impressed with being locked out of the building if we were early for a class (10 minutes in Winter in Ohio), we were not impressed that you had to be escorted anywhere past the magic door. The coordinator constantly told us that it was "not her job." We were harassed constantly on the Qualcomm about where we were, time to delivery, etc. The good parts - the FedEx brand is generally extremely well respected in the shipping and receiving sides, crossing into Canada was handled fairly well, if the dispatch had remembered to schedule the crossing before you arrived. No one hands you the packet of forms you need to get into Canada, you learn the hard way to ask for them. You need the branded uniforms, but you have to go home to get them or have them sent somewhere you know you will be in the future. They have strict dress codes in White Glove. I violated them with purple shoelaces and purple bras (just kidding).
Then, after running LTL Tractor Trailer for two years (we left the Fed in 2009 when we couldn't make a decent living driving for the owner on a 60/40 split, us paying the fuel in the down economy of 2008-09) we then decided to go back to expediting.
We chose Panther Expedite, Life Sciences Division, with Mayfield Express driving Bruno's classy chassis - the beautiful show truck, a Kenworth w900 and a 53 foot reefer trailer. The beauty of Panther's business is that you are allowed to broker your own loads (as long as they are approved by Panther first) to keep you moving. Dispatch is friendlier and problem-solving. The Life Sciences division (which some of the staff came from the Fed) are professional, fun to work with, and help the drivers achieve the goal. When my mom was ill everyone worked their fingers to the bone to try to get me where I had to be in time, from my owner to my dispatch to their bosses. There is always someone in Driver Services who will listen to your concerns.
The difference in Orientation is night and day. Very laid back at Panther. Very sit up straight at the Fed. You have to go back for additional classes at the Fed for hazmat, Airport, TVAL testing (but I think some of that has changed since we were there). We did not experience that at Panther. No dress uniforms at Panther, although we managed to score some nice shirts and hats while we were there. We mostly hauled pharmaceuticals in Life Science, and we enjoyed it.
The longest time we were empty in a straight at the Fed - 4 days. At the Cat, three days.
Both worked off Qualcomms and Texts. With Panther you get a text and call in to hear the load offer. You can negotiate over the phone with a live person for more money. Never happened with us at the Fed. Our second owner could call and get attention (he had been there 19 years0. The first owner at the Fed had no ability to help us in any way other than to criticize our every move. (One truck). You can read about that first owner on Ripoff Reports and back in the archives here.
Anyway, hope this gives you a little food for thought. There are several very good members on EO that enjoy their relationships with their specific carriers and I am sure they will chime in. Best of luck! Miss Kat
Then, after running LTL Tractor Trailer for two years (we left the Fed in 2009 when we couldn't make a decent living driving for the owner on a 60/40 split, us paying the fuel in the down economy of 2008-09) we then decided to go back to expediting.
We chose Panther Expedite, Life Sciences Division, with Mayfield Express driving Bruno's classy chassis - the beautiful show truck, a Kenworth w900 and a 53 foot reefer trailer. The beauty of Panther's business is that you are allowed to broker your own loads (as long as they are approved by Panther first) to keep you moving. Dispatch is friendlier and problem-solving. The Life Sciences division (which some of the staff came from the Fed) are professional, fun to work with, and help the drivers achieve the goal. When my mom was ill everyone worked their fingers to the bone to try to get me where I had to be in time, from my owner to my dispatch to their bosses. There is always someone in Driver Services who will listen to your concerns.
The difference in Orientation is night and day. Very laid back at Panther. Very sit up straight at the Fed. You have to go back for additional classes at the Fed for hazmat, Airport, TVAL testing (but I think some of that has changed since we were there). We did not experience that at Panther. No dress uniforms at Panther, although we managed to score some nice shirts and hats while we were there. We mostly hauled pharmaceuticals in Life Science, and we enjoyed it.
The longest time we were empty in a straight at the Fed - 4 days. At the Cat, three days.
Both worked off Qualcomms and Texts. With Panther you get a text and call in to hear the load offer. You can negotiate over the phone with a live person for more money. Never happened with us at the Fed. Our second owner could call and get attention (he had been there 19 years0. The first owner at the Fed had no ability to help us in any way other than to criticize our every move. (One truck). You can read about that first owner on Ripoff Reports and back in the archives here.
Anyway, hope this gives you a little food for thought. There are several very good members on EO that enjoy their relationships with their specific carriers and I am sure they will chime in. Best of luck! Miss Kat
Thank you miss kat! The decision is perplexing indeed! BUT we have narrowed it down to Panther and Fed... We WANT to be Busy! Don't like to be hassled like a child. We like phone calls for instant load offers... Not crazy about Canada... Just adding it up! 'Food for thought!'
one question no one has asked, do you want to be busy or do you want to make money. the two dont always accompany each other. personally, i would much rather set a couple or three days a week than be busy all week for the same money. just be cautious and dont confuse the two. you can run 4000k miles a week every week and still not make money. to make money you need to be profitable every mile the truck runs down the road, EVERY MILE.