Panther expediting - anyone have any info

[tblount]

First, ignore those suggested moves... they are based on $2 per gallon fuel and everyone knows that.

Second, tell them you want full deadhead before you accept the load offer and tell them how much you want per mile. If they don't want to pay it then don't take the load. Remember they need to cover the load or they would not be offering it to you.

Third they will hold your money and make changes / mistakes in their favor. You have to set up a spreadsheet and catch them and fight for your paycheck. It shouldn't be like that but I suspect it's the same way with every trucking company.

Forth, the directions come from customers, not dispatch. It's true that most of the young people they hire to work dispatch don't have a clue about geography, road conditions, traffic and construction.... but they do know how to use Google and help you find an address that a GPS can't find.

The main complaint about Panther is they promise twice as many miles per week to drivers than they can deliver. The don't own any trucks but right now there are at least 40 that are parked at their training location and their storage yard that owners can't get drivers into.

You can see my spreadsheet at XXXXXXXXXX if you want to know the reality of working for this company and taking almost every load offer and staying available 100% and delivering 100% on time.

Originally Posted by roadkill439342

I had a truck leased with Panther many years ago. I left them because they were very dishonest in the way they paid.
In my experience; They had a policy of paying DH after 250 miles. What they would do though, is after delivering, they would move me several hundred miles....199 miles at a time to get out of paying DH. Averaging ALL miles, I figured that the paid/unpaid mile ratio was almost 1:1. Some weeks, I drove MORE unpaid miles DH than I drove loaded. Plus when we left them, they still owed us $1800, which they have never paid.
Plus, I doubted if any of their dispatchers ever studied geography or looked at a map. On a load from Grand Rapids, MI to Atlanta (US131-I94-I69-I65-I24-I75....right?)
Somewhere near the MI/IN State lines on I69, I was paged and stopped to call them. The dispatcher asked me "W-T-F I wasn't over in Ohio on I75?"

[tblount]

He didn't know how to use line 5 on the log. It gives you 30 minutes of personal driving time for every 8 hrs in sleeper. Go BACK to sleeper on log before 30 mins is up and it won't start your 14 hr clock.

He should have been able to move .7 of a mile before log kicked into driving time line on log.

Also, on paperless log it is ESSENTIAL to MANUALLY go to "on duty" or "off duty) when your wheels aren't roaling or it will automatically stay on the driving line and eat up your driving time while you are fueling up, taking a break, washing clothes, etc. You can't do anything about the 14 hr clock once it starts but you can save your driving time if you are stopped.

Originally Posted by LMB

I just heard a friend with about 5 years service quit them. He said it had a lot to do with thier paperless logs. His complaint was if he was in the back row of a truck stop at the time he went to sleep, when he woke up in the morning and there was a spot nearer to the TS, when he started his truck to move up a few hundred feet, his time would start on his log. No way to stop it

[Powder Joints]

Whats the problem with 15 hours on a 11 hour run. Thats more than enough time.

[Scott101]

Originally Posted by Powder Joints

Whats the problem with 15 hours on a 11 hour run. Thats more than enough time.

The way I read it he had 11 hours to get 15 hours down the road.

[Sixwheeler]

Panther to my knowledge has no Company-owned trucks.

[skibum_63]

i was shut down the other night in West Memphis at the J, and i saw 4 Panther vans sitting out front, all of them idling due to the low temp.+15 I just hope they have a good ventalation system in those vans, or the drivers who are sleeping in them, may not wake up do to carbon monoxide poisning. Why can't Panther pay for hotel rooms, if their drivers are having to sit around for days for a loads.

Cheaper buying a motel every night, than paying full on funeral expenses.

I for one can't afford to sit for days. Glad i pull a reefer

[RickG]

Originally Posted by skibum_63

i was shut down the other night in West Memphis at the J, and i saw 4 Panther vans sitting out front, all of them idling due to the low temp.+15 I just hope they have a good ventalation system in those vans, or the drivers who are sleeping in them, may not wake up do to carbon monoxide poisning. Why can't Panther pay for hotel rooms, if their drivers are having to sit around for days for a loads.
Cheaper buying a motel every night, than paying full on funeral expenses.
I for one can't afford to sit for days. Glad i pull a reefer

Panther doesn't employ the drivers . They are O/O or contracted to a fleet owner . The choice to run the trucks is the driver's choice . They are aware of the dangers though and many have CO detectors in their trucks .

[shikha]

My husband & I drive team for Panther now. We started 11/09 when the economy really took 180 turn. Many problems with this company.
First finding a decent truck if you're going to drive for an owner which needs to be arranged before you even go thru orientation & you may never even see the truck until after you're finished with the class. They keep hiring drivers & they dont seem to have enough owners with good trucks or the freight at the present time to keep everyone moving.
2nd gettin paid. Takes about 3weeks to get your first check.
3rd They dont help you when you're new to learn how or what to do(if you're new to expedite). Hopefully you will have some friends to guide you.
4th You may sit for days waiting for a load because there are so many other drivers that got there before you or cuz there is no freight. Sure they give you some options if they have them but they havent been handing out DH$$ to get you in a better location.
5th Their dispatch has alot to be desired. You dont have one ut for you..basically any of them do the job and dont care if you're sitting somewhere for days on end. I've also heard of one getting fired because she wouldn't 'lie' to the drivers.
6th The terminal is closed @ night & weekends. No overnight parking there.
Now for some facts: They do pay well. You can make alot of money if you keep rolling. Dependening on what your truck is equipped with determines your pay. You will get more if your truck has a reefer & liftgate. (strait trks)That 3rd axle comes in handy sometimes too. If you have 2axle, no reefer you're lookin at 1.05- 1.15/mi & thats if you own the truck. Depending on your owner they split that w/you 40/60. Some will let you pay the fuel & get the fuel surcharge then its 60/40. Some owners are now trying to get 65%.
We were not really surviving very well driving for someone else. We recently had our truck break down & was never able to be repaired which put us in an 8wk hole. 3wks waiting for the truck(which was not ours) 2weeks looking for another owner with a decent truck(which we never found). So looked into purchasing one which we weren't at all prepared for but we actually got lucky and stumbled onto a repo. Then that took some time to get the loan (no $$ down tho was nice) & company approval..then registation. & at least 2-3wks to get that next check.

[shikha]

And another thing.. Forget about hometime!!! Unless you want to pay for the fuel plus (whatever your contract says w/your owner). O/O have it better as they (we) can now decide for ourselves if we want to go home or not.. we usually dont want to go home tho. Until business picks up its impossible for them to get you where you want to go..you're pretty much at their mercy.
You are able to find your own LTL loads(must be authorized & but be prepared to give Panther 15%.You will be lucky if you get 1.00/mi on thoz
If I think of anything else i will be sure to add it.

[yendor_65]

I have never worked ofr Panther but I will tell you this, I drive for Express-1 and I enjoy working for them. The load planers don't hound you and I feel treated as a pro.
Think about giveing Express-1 a call.