What it's like at Panther

[Bruno]

Well, I said I would share with everyone how it's been with Panther after a few weeks. To be honest it's great. The team loads may not be as long as they where at FedEx but our trucks are not sitting either. My brother and his co Driver did nine loads in the last 7 days. One load was a 1233 miles out of Fl to NY. We have found the agents at Panther are great to deal with. Now I'm not saying they are perfect but very close to it. I will keep everyone updated as the months go by. I hope it's the same a year from now. But you know what people say, They are running you good because your in your 1st 90 days. Now that has always bugged me when people say that. Why would a company run you like crazy for the 1st 90 days then make it slow? When your doing loads that pay's the trucks 36 cents to cents 61 a mile in FSC that helps too. I like the fact that we get all of the D-time too. $20.00 hr or $5.00 every 15 mins in D-time after 2 hours free is better than I got before.

I will say this, Adam in the safety department and the staff in the safety building are great. They don't treat you like a truck number either. I went to the home office yesterday and ask for Adam and the nice lady at the window called Adam and told him I was up at the window. Now I was really impressed when the lady knew my full name and I never told her. So if anyone is looking to make a change to another company Panther is a good company. I will say this, everyone that knows me knows I speak my mind and don't hold no punches.

Thanks DaveKC and Jaminjim for pushing us to go with Panther.

 

[jaminjim]

I think you have the "D" time wrong. And what about me I said everything was and still is peaches and cream at the two headed beast a year ago.

 

[davekc]

I would revisit the detention time issue. That should be in your manual. With regards to convincing you, it was rather easy I quess.
Like anything, the convincing is in the numbers.
With the way they operate, I don't think they feed new trucks any different than any other ones. One could easily visit dispatch on any given day and make up there own minds. I could however see a situation if someone started to develop a lot of turn downs that they may not be called as often because their performance ratings tanked. That could be related to constant on time issues, refusals, service failures, or safety issues.

 

[LDB]

That would be $20 per hour after 2 hours free, paid in 15 minute increments. I'm glad your trucks have been in the right places at the right time. That's the big part of your answer. Those .61fsc are great until you divide it over the $0.00 on the d/h from where you sat to the shipper and the d/h from the cons to where you're going to sit. That dilutes it pretty quickly.

 

[pelicn]

Good to hear that Panther is working out well for you. As Leo likes to say "all companies have warts", but it sounds like you've found a place that fits you.
We've been here 2 years (with a short break) and although we didn't like it at first, we are happy now.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I've been secretly thinking of switching to the Cat just for ole times sake....just to see what all the hub bub is....get the real scoop as to say...just plain curiousity maybe...It doesn't take long to switch a van over.

 

[davekc]

That would be $20 per hour after 2 hours free, paid in 15 minute increments. I'm glad your trucks have been in the right places at the right time. That's the big part of your answer. Those .61fsc are great until you divide it over the $0.00 on the d/h from where you sat to the shipper and the d/h from the cons to where you're going to sit. That dilutes it pretty quickly.

In your case running as a solo, that would have to be considered because the run lengths are shorter. It is pretty rare that we would DH over a hundred miles for a load and distance for the cons to a place to park is only a handful of miles. You still get paid depending on the contract your DH after 100 and sometimes all of it.

 

[LDB]

Yes, sometimes you can get full d/h but not always. You also get d/h pay after 100 free miles when it's a longer d/h. Whether solo or team the unpaid miles are still 5280 feet long and still eat up that big fsc fairly quickly. When the fsc is in the .4x range the hit is even worse. Just trying to point out that some things look one way as a snapshot and another as a panorama.

 

[nightcreacher]

I'm happy Bruno is enjoying his relationship at the Cats,but I'll be more interested at the end of his first year,next August,the difference in his bottom line.There is a saying a new broom always sweeps clean,and right now we are all in a relativley busy season.Let us know more when we hit the slow periods

 

[ATeam]

Well, I said I would share with everyone how it's been with Panther after a few weeks. To be honest it's great. The team loads may not be as long as they where at FedEx but our trucks are not sitting either. My brother and his co Driver did nine loads in the last 7 days. One load was a 1233 miles out of Fl to NY. ... When your doing loads that pay's the trucks 36 cents to cents 61 a mile in FSC that helps too. I like the fact that we get all of the D-time too. $20.00 every 15 mins in D-time after 2 hours free is better than I got before.

And the rest of the story is?

If your intention is to imply that you are making more money at Panther, or that you are treated not like a number at Panther, you succeeded.

If your intention is to provide facts about actual compensation and actual pay, more information is required for readers to actually know how much money you are making on the loads.

You give miles of a long run. You give a range of fuel surcharges. You talk about D-time. But there is nothing in the information you provide that says how much a load actually pays per mile including deadhead.

Such information would be of great interest to me, and I think other readers too. Diane and I are actively updating our Plan B file and considering our options for the future. We are talking to recruiters, studying load boards, talking to other drivers with other carriers, researching own-authority service providers, etc.

Every weekend for the last few weeks, we have been reading news about one crisis or another. And so far, everything the government has tried failed to keep things from getting worse.

No one is saying the economy is fundamentally sound any more. No one is saying the bailout plan will prevent a recession. Major investment houses have failed. Major banks have failed. At best, a massive bailout will blunt a panic. It will not change the underlying conditions that brought the crisis on in the first place. It may keep the markets from siezing up and slow the speed at which things bottom out, but bottom out they must before a true recovery begins.

A recession means negative economic growth, slower freight, downward pressure on freight rates, and more competiton to haul the stuff as trucking companies struggle to stay afloat.

I don't know how this will play out in the expedite market or carrier to carrier. I do know that we want to be paying close attention to what is going on around us and be ready to make a move if conditions warrant.

For the last five years, we have believed that FedEx Custom Critical is the most profitable and best place for us to be, given the desires, lifestyle and goals we have. Today, we still believe that to be true. But the times, they are chang'n and we are staying alert and on our toes. Part of that process is to research the expedite opportunity anew; thus the above activity.

To say it is all sweetness and light at Panther is one thing. Most people say that about their new carrier after leaving their old carrier behind. People would not move if they did not think the new carrier was better. Once moved, they want to be right so the sweetness and light song is often sung.

But if you are going to talk about the money and runs, it would be helpful, to me at least, if you were more specific and told the whole story. That is the information I am looking for as Diane and I review our Plan B options.

You mentioned nine loads. May I ask you to pick the three best team loads and provide the truck type deadhead miles, loaded miles, and total pay per mile for each (no need to break down the pay line by line, just the total please)? Thank you in advance for your response.

 

[jaminjim]

Now Phil, I don't remember you ever giving those numbers, why would Dave? So in all fairness how about you first. I have some numbers that I will share.

For a better comparison, how about the total miles driven for the month of August and the total pay. along with the type of equipment required. I think that would provide a much more clear picture.

In that number people would need to include their in service numbers as well.

 

[ATeam]

Bruno is the one that set out to say "What it's like at Panther" so I thought it appropriate to ask him for more information about the runs he talked about.

I used to give numbers about runs and months. All it got me was a ton of grief from people who accused me of lying or saying my numbers are misleading or not realistic. But OK, since you asked, here it goes (against my better judgement).

We are currently dispatched on a straight-truck reefer load that picks up on Monday and delivers Tuesday. The deadhead is 71 miles. Loaded miles are 1,234. Total miles are 1,305. The pay for the run, including fuel surcharge, tolls and all accessorials is $2,915. This works out to $2.23 per mile for all miles driven.

Your turn.

 

[dabluzman1]

Hey jaminjim,
i have shared my earnings, just a few weeks ago, so i guess i am qualified to ask
Bruno what he is making................so Bruno give it up, the facts, not retoric, three runs with specifics, you know, total miles, total run pay, DHPU, FSC, so we can all be jealous.

Be Informed.

 

[ATeam]

For a better comparison, how about the total miles driven for the month of August and the total pay. along with the type of equipment required. I think that would provide a much more clear picture.

In that number people would need to include their in service numbers as well.

I am not asking about anything other than what Bruno's three best runs pay. The clear picture I am after is about run pay and nothing more. Driver variables make everything else cloudy. Run pay is something that can be compared apples to apples.

Granted, there is more to comparing expedite opportunities than run pay, but I am doing that offline. Run pay is one piece of the larger picture and that alone is the piece I am after here.

My interest is sincere. Bruno's response (and data shared by others if they are so inclined) will be included in our decision-making process. So far, we have learned nothing that motivates us to leave FedEx Custom Critical, but we are open to information from all sources. If Bruno knows something we do not, or is hauling better paying freight than we are, we want to learn more.

Finally, a word about driver variables. Diane and I are in this for the money, but only to a point. If we were in it for the money only, we would be driving an ER-unit. Lifestyle considerations and non-business goals led us to our CR-unit and determine the way we equip and use it.

Because of driver variables, you could put a different team in our truck and leave it with the same carrier and the results would be different. Because of driver variables, you can compare our production one month to another and the results will be different.

Newbies, are you listening? This is why one carrier may be better for one team and bad for another; not because of the carrier or the compensation method, but because of driver variables. People vary. Carriers vary. One size does not fit all. Find the carrier that is the best fit for you and work it as best you can.

I am, at present, convinced that FedEx Custom Critical is the best fit for us. But as I said, the times are a-changing. Econoimic changes outside our carrier may prompt changes inside. There is no telling what may happen (or not happen). Wanting to be ready for anything, we are researching the industry anew.

 

[jaminjim]

Okay give me a minute.

Now everyone don't go getting goofy and lets try and have a fair exchange of information.

Secondly I still think a months worth of numbers would be a better comparison.

Okay, after a quick look for a 1,000 plus load I have about 2 miles Dead head (Laredo) 1626 Loaded Zero to a good Layover (Detroit area) $2,812.98 or $1.73 per mile all miles. Should be noted that it is with what you people call a Non specialized regular ole surface "D" unit.

 

[nightcreacher]

I have given up pay information myself.As far as I'm concerned,he hasnt been at Panther long enough to really have a good comparison.Ive been off for a month now,I had my new co-driver run the truck for 1 week,and because of circumstances,I had him dead head home this week,and thats the reason for just 1 week work. I'll be back on truck Thursday,but it was a productive week for a solo tractor,4 loads,just under $3000 and with the 300 mile DH home, he still averaged over $1.90 for all miles loaded and empty.

 

[davekc]

I think Phil would be better served to talk to one of his former fleet owners that moved his trucks to Panther. I believe that would provide a clearer picture rather than a snapshot of a few days.

 

[jaminjim]

I'm not knocking one Company or the other, both have room for improvement. But If we are talking about money, then you have to look at the picture, the whole picture. That can only be done by looking at the average that you do for the company you are with, compared to what a truck of similar type does during the same year.

I believe that The Fed pays more per loaded mile, but I think we can agree that the Fed also has more deadhead. Plus the few that I have talked with that I believe, say they don't average the same miles per year that we enjoy at PII.

 

[davekc]

You would know better than anyone since you have been both places.

 

[ATeam]

I think Phil would be better served to talk to one of his former fleet owners that moved his trucks to Panther. I believe that would provide a clearer picture rather than a snapshot of a few days.

Nothing could be further from the truth. That fleet owner is someone who talked volumes to us about his circumstances and resons for leaving. I am not unfamiliar with the man and his circumstances. They are not circumstances that enable an easy apples-to-apples comparison.

You fail to mention the fleet owners that move from Panther to other carriers. You fail to mention the fleet owners that run trucks with both carriers. That is just a bit one-sided, don't you think?

Diane and I are not fleet owners. We are one-truck owner-operators with very specific lifestyle and income goals. Basing our decisions on what fleet owners do would be foolish.