"Prime Inc"

Sounds like Mr. Low has more than a few bats in his belfry. Personally, I think there should be laws against these "lease purchase" schemes, especially when it seems like some of these companies are pushing these programs onto rookie drivers who have just finish training.

 

I agree, ....
There's always something wrong with the picture when people like this are more excited about improving your life than you are.... The rookies are basically unsuspecting victims of their crafty schemes..... The sad part is watching someone finally realizing they have been had and their dreams are crushed, while these slime balls live a happy prosperous life off the backs of these humble hard working young men / women

 

I was wondering the same thing. Where are they? Ironpony? Dr Zebra?

 

As with virtually all "carrier-sanctioned lease programs", the numbers are set to keep the contractor "well-motivated" to work. They have to find a number that is not too high so as to allow the driver to have a decent family life and still earn a comfortable living, but not too low so as to make the contractor destined to fail, regardless of work ethic, efforts applied, and prevailing good luck.

They (the carrier) could pay a lot more to the contractor and still be happy but they'd do so at the risk of having the contractor be "too successful", and perhaps to only want to work 2,200 miles/week and still live with a comfortable margin, while reducing the carrier's bottom line.

So the numbers are very carefully managed and modified periodically to account for rising insurance and maintenance costs, but not much else (wage, depreciation, etc). Don't offer too much and don't offer too little. It's a fine line, the carrier sets the rules, and they will always err on the side of their benefit as opposed to contractor benefit. Once you understand this dynamic, many programs will start to make more sense.

The business of "leasing" is a whole other animal all-together and is completely separate from the carrier/contractor relationship. This is a nice racket to be in, too. Get someone else to pay for your assets, perhaps 2 times over, that are yours to sell/trade in the end, all free and clear? Sweet.

 

Once I delivered to a lumber yard and the forklift operator told me the same story about the lease deal he quit because he never got a dime in four weeks and they kept telling him he didn't make enough after expenses. I was surprised to hear it because other Prime drivers had told me they were doing okay except for never getting home.
Sure glad I hired on with a company that puts you in a late model truck and pays you good to boot......and gets you home almost every weekend.

The OP brought up a good point....if you sign with a company, they pretty much control the loads you get and can give you whatever they feel like giving you. Better know you can trust the people you're dealing with before you sign the lease on a big fancy rig.

 

That is a crying shame what happened to the driver in the hospital. But you know, lease or company driver, most of the bigger companies would have done the same thing. They don't care about you. It's just a fact you should know going in. They don't care. If you are not generating revenue TODAY, you are useless to them.

 

Did you really do the dollar down on the cab over? Me too..... took it right back too. That was probably one of trucking's first LP deals. And they do...even today, think we're that stupid.

 

The sad part is watching someone finally realizing they have been had and their dreams are crushed Guess you never wittnessed a REPO in the truckstop parking lot , it happens to those that ATTEMPT to buy a truck and have no clue what they are doing just like it happens to L/O's

 

Dang its a small world! I did it when they were Midwestern Express!! ###### old Blue and Grey Freightliner C\O! 250 Cummins and 10 sp ranger!! Lasted about 6 months!