Enjoying SNI IC Choice Program...was considering Landstar but staying with SNI

Discussion in 'Schneider' started by GAPathfinder, Apr 18, 2015.

  1. GAPathfinder

    GAPathfinder Light Load Member

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    I came back on road in 2010 as a company driver with Werner then Swift. Bought a truck outright and contracted to Swift. Then in mid-2014 came to SNI as IC on Choice program. Have had plans on making move over to Landstar until I found SNI IC Choice program. But was still considering the LS move until I learned the following in case anyone else having thoughts.

    * LS pays on Comcheck card only, no direct deposit
    * Only fronts 30% of LHL and 100% FSR to fuel card for each load per request
    * Does not pay tolls, has to be negotiated upfront on each load with broker
    * Plus, each load requires call to broker to secure assignment and to have it removed if needed for some reason
    * Settlements weekly, but paperwork has to be turned in and received 2 days prior to settlement date to be on next settlement
    * Contractor pays for everything such as (drug screen $15.50, truck inspection at approved sites, tolls - requires setup of separate account on transponder, transflow $2 per load,
    * LS requires unladen liability versus non-trucking insurance which is more expensive, about $100/month versus $36/month
    * If tractor fails quarterly inspection, contractor cannot drive truck away without truck being repaired. If needed, has to be towed to another facility to fix, such as if say the TA or Petro cannot fix stated needed repair and truck has to be taken to a dealer.
    * Some brokers are available 24/7, but many are shutdown on weekends, which limits ability to take new loads on weekend. Better have runs setup through weekend, and heaven help you if one cancels.
    * If you have multiple loads assigned with multiple brokers and one cancels. And say you cannot find a filler, then to cancel the other load assignments you have to call each broker to modify or remove
    * Plates and Permits are $1,850 versus $1,650 per year
    * When looking at LS loadboard, you have to take out the LS percentage to figure what you as the contractor is being paid. And make sure when calling the broker that the broker does not lump all revenue as LHL, but insure broker breaks out revenue as LHL, FSR, Accessioral Pay such as scales, tolls, etc.... so LS does not take a 35% commission on parts that contractor is suppose to get 100%. All on you as the contractor.

    These are some of the reasons I am choosing to stay at SNI..at my age I like the simplistic and straight forward way the SNI Choice program works. Rarely have to talk to anyone, book my loads and find new ones quickly if something goes awry versus having to waste a lot of time on phone with a broker. And then only to learn that the load is multiple brokered with 2 or more brokers getting commissions thereby reducing the contractor revenue.

    Landstar is a great company so do not get me wrong, but just not for everybody...and I am one of those it is not for. I like the freedom and ease of the use that the Choice program offers while still having the opportunity to make good money depending on how hard i want to run at the time, when and where too.

    I think SNI has provided a great opportunity, and glad to be a part of it. Good luck and success to all, including anyone at Landstar.
     
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  3. 315wheelbase

    315wheelbase Heavy Load Member

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    At Landstar you pay everything,,that's why the show mega profits every quarter, then half of their agents get most of their freight off load boards ..in the end a lot of their freight only pays the truck about 60% of what the shipper actually pays,,landstar agents will broker loads to outside trucks before they will offer it to their leased trucks in many cases too.
     
  4. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    All correct OP.

    I'm 6 weeks in at LS.

    Glad SNI is a good fit for you.
     
    paul_4lp Thanks this.
  5. GAPathfinder

    GAPathfinder Light Load Member

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    Wish you well blairandgretchen....be persistent, work hard and you will prevail. I was pre-qualified and was being setup for orientation, but changed my mind after getting a few questions answered. I would still consider Landstar if something happened to the SNI Choice program, but the SNI Choice program is a good fit for me. I spent nearly 20 years as an auto finance manager negotiating loans, dealing with customers and dealers......and made the decision when I left that I wanted to do something that I did not have to interact with so many people on a daily basis like that any longer. Guessing I am getting to a point in my life that I like it simple, and that is what SNI provides. I have a financial philosophy that I believe and try to live by "It is not what you gross, but what you net", or "It is not what you earn, but what you keep".
     
  6. joseph1135

    joseph1135 Papa Murphy

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    That 35% to Landstar can be a tough pill to swallow. Giving up a lot of money there. On the loadboard they don't subtract that 35% that Landstar gets, so the actual price you're hauling for is quite a bit lower.
     
  7. DougA

    DougA Road Train Member

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    You are incorrect on a lot of your info.You can set up comcheck pay for direct deposit very easily.You want more advance than 30% of total linehaul?If you're working on 65% that's a little less than half of your pay.Is your company going to advance you more than half your pay?If your paper work is scanned in by 2:00 prior to your payday,you are paid the next day.Not sure what you mean by drug scan,I've been with Landstar over 15 years,have never paid for that.They pay for your truck inspections,not contractor,provided they are done on time.Landstar unladen liaibility is less than 80. a month,not 100.License plates are financed to you,over 3 months with no charge.Lots of other perks at Landstar including huge discounts on tires,which again are financed without charges.Huge fuel discounts.I have been leased to some great carriers over the past 41 years and Landstar ranks right at the top.
     
    damonarnold816 Thanks this.
  8. dieselfuelonly

    dieselfuelonly Road Train Member

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    Couple things keeping me on Choice right now are this:

    #1:

    I roll in to Dollar Tree in Savannah, GA yesterday with my relay load I picked up from PA. I have no load on me after I deliver this one.

    I drop my load, hook up to my empty.

    I still have plenty of hours left and plenty of driving left in myself so I grab my laptop, and within 5 minutes (including the laptop booting up and logging in to the load board) I find and click assign on a load from Savannah, GA up to VA.

    Within another 5 minutes the load shows up on my MCP.

    I drive 4 miles down the road to California Cartage, check in, drop my empty, pick up my load, check out, and I'm gone.

    Today I drop my load in VA, scan my transflow sheets for my loads this week on my cell phone, throw it on line 5, and bobtail home to NC.

    No phone calls, no waiting, no sitting around getting loaded, seriously about as easy and fast as you can get.

    There are a lot of things SNI needs to (greatly) improve upon that are really frustrating me right now. But from an ease-of-use standpoint... it's real hard to beat.

    #2

    That right there would be a huge issue for me if it's true. I do a lot of work on my truck myself and if something needs to repaired that I can do, I'll be ****ed if some moron at the Petro wannabe mechanic shop is gonna lay their hands on anything more than changing a tire on my truck. When I do need to get work done that is more than stuff that I care to do in my driveway, I get it done at a local shop I trust, who also does my quarterly inspections for me, which I scan and email to SNI and they happily accept.
     
  9. rda2580

    rda2580 Heavy Load Member

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    DFO sounds like your riding the fence with SNI right now. Mind sharing some
    of your frustrations? Besides the chasing mpties we are all aware of and the
    weekend nonhelpers. Just curious if the IC program has gotten so big that
    Its cutt throat now or theres plenty of good paying loads? Or other not
    real obvious issues that can really piss drivers off? Not trolling just curious.
     
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  10. drvrtech77

    drvrtech77 Road Train Member

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    I think there's plenty of loads...sni has a huge freight base...now that being said....yes the sni choice program is very popular and a lot of drivers want to get on there...now of course freight rates will fluctuate as anything that does...simply put..if you have more trucks in an area than freight ..the rates will drop and area begging for trucks rates will jump...nature of the business.
     
    damonarnold816 Thanks this.
  11. dieselfuelonly

    dieselfuelonly Road Train Member

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    Chapel Hill, NC
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    I don't want to derail this thread but I do want to answer your question, so here goes, lol.

    What I'm seeing right now is exactly what you mentioned about the program growing and growing fast. It's not to the point where it's cutthroat or anything, but it is obviously growing very very fast (they are REALLY pushing the lease program and getting lots and lots of new drivers on the board). I am in my second year of running on the choice board (started November 2013) and have noticed that the competition is definitely growing - a sign that the number of loads aren't increasing proportionally to the number of drivers they had on board.

    I have seen some drivers complaining about rates, but honestly the rates are lower because fuel surcharge is lower due to the huge drop in fuel prices. That's not my concern. Rates may "appear" lower because the good paying freight is grabbed up much quicker, leaving the cheaper scraps behind for those that aren't as quick on the draw.

    Now, I do have to be more picky about my loads due to my heavy tractor, and the fact that I have zero interest in running in the Northeast. But, I have every right to be picky - that's the whole point lol. Had very few issues last year being picky - this year, it takes a lot more sitting and a lot more camping on the load board looking for those good loads. Good thing I don't have that $1100/week lease payment any more.

    That's kinda the point that I'm at right now - will the amount of freight available to us ever rise to meet the demand of all the drivers coming on to the board? We'll see. I plan to wait it out at least until the end of the summer if not the end of the year then make a decision on whether I want to stay or look elsewhere.
     
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