What can I expect to run...

blindman · Apr 26, 2004

I'm buying a ten wheeled straight truck w/24 ft.box. I will be leased on to tri state. I would like to get a feel from some of the drivers out there on just what to expect in terms of the ammount of miles I can reasonably expect per week with them. I will be running solo. I've been driving for ten years now and I NEVER believe what a recuiter tells me to be fact. (based on actual fact...maybee..losely)
So will they starve me out or what?

Thanks blindman

Be nice and don't steal. [the govt.hates competition]

davekc · Apr 26, 2004

we had a poor experience with them a couple of years ago running as a team. There were alot of problems with the single drivers there as well. In their defense, I understand they have made great strides in trying to turn themselves around through management and pay plans. If you have some business sense about you, I think they should be able to keep you running. The most inportant thing you can do is talk to other drivers and then form your own opinion.

blindman · Apr 27, 2004

Dave thanks for the speedy reply. I've been crunching numbers all day and find that if all i can expect is 2K miles a week I'll starve to death in a slow agonizing process.

If there are any solos out there running a d-unit, who work really hard (as I will) I would appriciate any input on how many miles per week you get from tri state. the log book will let me run 70 and I plan to run 55 to 65 her per weekif at all possible.

thanks again for the input
blindman

Be nice and don't steal. [the govt.hates competition]

blindman · Apr 27, 2004

I think after reading a few hundred threads here, (all good reading BTW) I have a pretty good Idea of what I'm about to do to myself. I think we can safely kill this thread as being terribly redundant and I'll post a thank you note to all on another topic...

thanks
blindman

Be nice and don't steal. (the govt. hates competition!)

davekc · Apr 27, 2004

remember that most companies use a average of 45mph to 50mph to caculate a run. The only exception would be if they are paying HHG miles. The mph would average higher because they are screwing you on the actual miles. Example; you run a 500 mile trip but actually run 550 to complete it. That would bump your mph average up a little.

blindman · Apr 27, 2004

HHG: just plain and simple, bites!
It is on of the prime reasons I got out of the losing business of hauling freight. When I started driving ten years ago for Schneider they taught us EXTENSIVE trip planning skills to minimize out of route miles and by using these skille very carefully I was able to get within the 5% range most of the time . Of course that meant taking every little backwoods bunny trail you could legally travel and adding hours or days to your trip. HHG is as you said Dave "antiquated" and a rip off to every driver subjected to them. I will not apply my talents to ANY company still using them. Another ten percent (priveledge of driving for you) tax on top of all the others I can't escape I do not need nor will I tolerate. 'nuff said!

tri state may be a good company for some people to work with, I suppose it depends on where you live and what your expectations are from your business partner are. also I guess on your mode of operation.

As I live in N.E. Texas and they have little freight coming to this area that a solo will be likely to get, I'll have to pass on their "generous" offer. I need to find a company that works this area of the country more.

As a d/e unit (Full tandem, 24k capacity, 24ft.) running solo I'm thinking that fed ex with their sheer size might be the ticket I'm looking for. Will have to check more and crunch the digits s'more

!!

As near as I can tell fuel will probably hit the $3.00 mark before the war effort and other excuseses are exausted and some of the companies dont have the gonads to enforce a mandatory surcharge on the shippers. I think fed ex may be one who does. (input anyone?)
I have run some limited projections using these costs and a 7 mpg (not sure here: '97 stretched Int. 9800, cummins m-11 @ 400hp ) figure and find the 1800-2500 mile per wk. figures to be distressing indeed! If i can achieve 10-12 mpg or run 25-3200 paid miles then maybee I can make this pig fly...

will take any input from others who live near this area ( Dallas - Shreveport ) who may be running with the fed-ex brand on their pony.
Or others...

sorry I'm RANTING again (dang that Miller fellow, he really is a bad influnce on me

)
blindman

Be nice and don't steal. (the govt. hates competition!)

BigBusBob · Apr 27, 2004

2 posts in one here... one is about Tri-State, have heard rumors in truck stops and on the radio that Tri-State isn't doing so well and rumors of them closing up shop are flying around. Again, Rumors I've only heard. Another Tri-State tale, Panther would not take a woman I "almost" teamed with 'cause of 7pt.'s on her license, but Tri-State did. That's all I will say on that. and the Final Tri-State remark, rolling northbound thru Toledo, a Tri-State driver in front of me I noticed was having difficulty staying between the lines, let alone "in" his lane. The time was about 11pm or so, I got on the CB and asked if he was alright and I got the super intelligent response of: "Ya driver, we're smokin' a bowl, you wanna stop and smoke a dubie with us?" I asked if he was serious and he said "ya, sorry about the lane swerving, we couldn't get it to light up". I passed this driver giving him plenty of room.
Regarding Fed EX, I've heard a few times from solo's for them having great difficulty with them, teams come in and Fed Ex gives 300 to 500 mile loads to teams that roll into truckstops next to a solo FedEx that's been sitting for 6 hours. Just thought I'd mention that.
May wish to ask about that rumor on FedEx, they seem to have a reputation for setting their teams up on a pedalstal.