East Coast Driver Solutions LLC in Bensalem, PA.

Discussion in 'Discuss Your Favorite Trucking Company Here' started by Truck-N-Tech, Aug 18, 2013.

  1. Truck-N-Tech

    Truck-N-Tech Medium Load Member

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    Through a chain of unfortunate events in a short period of time, I was Terminated by my employer on June 28 of this year. I started looking for work right away, using "PhillyHelpWanted.com", "Indeed.com", and even Craig's List. I applied to over 28 companies, and could not find any good paying jobs.

    Then I answered an ad for East Coast Driver Solutions, in Bensalem, PA., and things got better almost immediately.

    I didn't think too much of driving for a Driver Leasing company at first, but now I would prefer this way of employment over driving for a mega-carrier. There are a few downsides to the deal, like being paid by a 1099 at first, but the benefits outweigh the shortcomings by a long shot.

    I get paid by the hour now. Not mileage, or percentage, or any other way that can be twisted around on you. I simply clock in at the start of my night, and pet paid for every minute I work until I clock out. I make a minimum of $19 an hour, and get paid overtime for anything over 8 hours each day. If you work 12 hours one day, but only 39 hours for the week, you still get 4 hours of pay at time and a half.

    The job I am on now, pays $20 an hour. I start out at 6 PM or later, and head to New York with a 2 stop trailer. I run a single axel tractor most nights, pulling a 48 foot box. By the time I am done in the morning, many days I have 10 to 14 hours in. For a 14 hour night, I get $160 in straight time pay, plus $180 in overtime, for a total of $340 for a single night of hard work.

    Not every night is a long night, but there are plenty of good long nights to keep your pay up. I average over $1,000, working just 4 nights a week. If I do get a 5 night week, I can make $1,200 or more. If I have to sit and wait for a customer to clear their dock area, I am getting paid. None of this "$X an hour, after the first 2 hours" garbage that the big companies pull on you.

    If a certain customer doesn't like you, or if you don't like the customer, you can simply get sent to another customer. No need to change jobs to escape a bad situation. All the people I have dealt with so far have been great. They treat you with respect, and after a day or two, make you feel like one of the team.

    Don't mistake what I am saying about getting paid for long nights. You are expected to be well motivated, and not be dragging your feet while you work. One place I work at starts yelling on the walkie-talkie at you, asking where you are, if you don't get the 6 mile shuttle run done in 11 minutes, but that is plenty of time.

    If you do work here, you need to understand you are working in a 1099 situation, and have to save about 30% of your pay, so you will not be caught short when it's time to pay your taxes. After you are with them for a while, they will convert you over to a regular employee, having your taxes withheld, if you want them too. The reason they don't start you out that way, is because many drivers use this place for income, while waiting for other work. The company doesn't want to waste time setting you up as a regular employee, just to have you leave in a few weeks.

    Some places you do for these people are easy runs, doing drop and hook runs. Some are tough jobs, like running store merchandise to New York, doing multiple stop deliveries. Some places are 60 miles away from the office, but you get paid for miles driven for those jobs.

    This job is not for people who don't want to hustle a little, or people with bad driving records, but you can make a good living with them. After 8 weeks being unemployed, I was able to catch up financially with just 2 paychecks working here.

    The company serves the Philadelphia, PA. area, and the surrounding New Jersey, Delaware, and New York areas. I make better money than I did while working for the big companies, and I am home every single night. If you need a night off now and then, for some family event, they simply send someone else to cover your run that day or night. Just don't make a habit of missing work. Like I said, they want motivated drivers, not trucking hobbyists.

    Google their name, or contact me by PM, or through posts here. I do not get any money whatsoever for referring drivers to them, so I have no reason to be anything other than brutally honest.
     
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  3. Truck-N-Tech

    Truck-N-Tech Medium Load Member

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    Here's an update:

    Got my 3rd paycheck this past weekend. So far I have made $3,090 in 3 weeks, even though 2 of those weeks were only 4 day weeks. I just turned in my hours for the week ending on 8-24-13, and will get paid over $1,300. That will bring my average pay up to $1,100 a week, for a job where I am home every single night.

    I have been in the industry a long time, and lose the "new guy" status quickly when I work for someone. Now that the honeymoon is over, and I am just doing my thing, it looks like I have found a good place once again.

    There are plenty of good paying jobs out here these days. The trick is finding them. For every good job, there are hundreds of bad jobs, that twist the facts, and flat-out lie to you, to get you to sign on with them. Even in this forum, when drivers tell you how happy they are at a company, you have to decide if what makes them happy, would be enough to make you happy.

    Feel free to PM me, or respond here in this thread, if you need any more info from me. There is no "Driver Referral" at this company, so I am not trying to make money getting you to join this company. Just trying to help fellow drivers stay informed.
     
  4. Kevin horn

    Kevin horn Medium Load Member

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    Jun 2, 2013
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    Did u not like miller had to offer?
     
  5. Truck-N-Tech

    Truck-N-Tech Medium Load Member

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    The pay was not good enough at Miller, for me to go out of the way to work there. I hear both good and bad about Miller, but this new place took away my need for employment.

    The main office at East Cost is literally less than a mile from my house, which is great. The jobs I do for them are 15 miles or more from my house, but if an issue comes up at the office, it takes me about 3 minutes by bicycle to get there to take care of it.
     
  6. mpow66m

    mpow66m Heavy Load Member

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    I just hired on w/ ECDS im making 19 + ot after 8 after being laid off.im hauling auto parts for Mopar out of ny w/ about 8 stops a night.not a bad gig or a bad comp(ECDS).
     
  7. Truck-N-Tech

    Truck-N-Tech Medium Load Member

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    All I can say, is that 2013 started out bad, and got worse, but ended great for me. When I first hired on with East Coast Drivers Solutions, I was broke. I didn't even own a car. I rode a bicycle to work, because I could not afford to have a car.

    In less than a month working at E.C.D.S., I was on my way to see my wife in The Philippines. The flight cost me $1,300. While there, I spent money flying family members in to Manila, to see my Niece take part in a ceremony at her school. Then we all flew home. I spent about $2,000 while visiting my wife and daughter. When I got home, I paid off a $3,500 debt that had been hanging over me for 10 years.

    I went from broke, to financially stable in less than 2 months. Now, 4 months into this new deal, I could not be happier. My lowest paid week was still over $1,000, with my average pay being about $1,200. Even during the last 2 weeks, with Christmas and New Year's Eve shortening the weeks, I still made $2,500 for the two weeks combined.

    I will not say that every single moment here has been perfect, but I would say that 95% of the time is great. The owner gave me a nice bonus for the holidays, and has told me how happy he is with my work. I have worked hard, but have been well compensated for it. With the New Year, comes hopes for an even better year than 2013 was, since I am not starting it off broke. God willing, this job will continue to help me support my family, and allow me to retire with a comfortable lifestyle.

    I hope everyone else can find a job that fits there needs, and give them a good life. If you are not happy with where you are, check out East Coast, and see what you think. Maybe this coming year could work out better for you than you thought.

    God bless all my friends, and even my foes, during this Holiday Season.
    Jim Smith
     
  8. Emtrob215

    Emtrob215 Bobtail Member

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    Jun 8, 2014
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    What are there req to work for them? I live in Philadelphia .
     
  9. Truck-N-Tech

    Truck-N-Tech Medium Load Member

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    They want at least a year driving experience, and an acceptable driving record. The better your driving record is, the more accounts you can be placed on. If you have a few bumps on your record, they can usually find something for you, then move you to something better as your driving history gets better.

    Just Google "East Coast Driver Solutions Bensalem PA", and follow the link to their website. They do work all over the place, and have plenty of stuff in the Philly area.
     
  10. Phoenix Smasher

    Phoenix Smasher Bobtail Member

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    Jun 18, 2009
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    Are you still driving for them? I see them every do often on Craigslist. Working for a mail carrier now and overtime would be nice.
     
  11. Truck-N-Tech

    Truck-N-Tech Medium Load Member

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    Yes Phoenix, I am still with them. About 4 months ago I moved to the Hazelton, PA. area, but they still keep me busy here. I do have to drive an hour to and an hour home from some of the jobs, but the pay is worth it at most places.

    I went to a place near Elmira, NY a couple weeks ago. I got paid for driving my car to the job, plus $46 a day for being on the road. I stayed at a Comfort Inn, which the company paid for. I arrived at the hotel around 3 PM, and got some sleep. Around 11:30, I drove 10 minutes to the job. Then I did a 2 stop run over to Lake George, NY, and returned empty. Since I put in a 14 hour night, I slept at the hotel again, before driving home. When it was all said and done, I got paid over $500 for one day's work. Yes, I had to drive 2 hours to get there, and then 2 hours to get home, but even when you add that driving time to the whole job, I still made over $30 an hour. Not bad for a day's work.

    That day was not an average day, but I usually make between $250 and $300 a day at most of the jobs I do.

    Just remember though, I am one of those silly drivers who does crazy things, like show up for work ON TIME, and dress to present a positive image of the company, so I get sent to the good places. Also, there are some stretches where one job will end, and it might take a couple days for them to find you another place to work, but in the end, you get paid very well here.

    Give them a call, and see what they offer you. Those Mail runs are a pretty good deal, if you can get them to put you on one of them. Either way, it won't cost you anything but a phone call to find out.
     
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