Lease operator for act(american central transport)

Started ACT the mon before thanksgiving,only had to go to class 2 1/2 days due to the holiday.Did alot of research on the web and also talking to other drivers before joining ACT.I really liked the staff and the way they presented everything up front.There have been no surprises on any of the cost involved. I also want to address all the people on the forums here who hate lease purchase programs.I understand alot of them are ripoffs and are tilted way in favor of the carrier and not so much for the driver.I have leased 3 trucks in the last 3 1/2 yrs thru USxpress.At the time they offered a 1 yr. walkaway lease plan that I figured "why not give it a try" so I did and did about as good as thought I would.I worked very hard and put in alot of miles.I ended up making about 50k per year.Would have probably gone back to USX,but they changed the program,now they're only leasing high mile old freightliner centurys with autoshifts and the dreaded cat engine.I saw absolutly no future in that program for me.

The program at ATC offers different model kenworths with different lease plans.There were three of us in my class and I took a 2010 T660,the other two guys opted for a 2009 model.My lease pmt is for 46 mos. at a price of 573.00 per week.My truck had 210k miles on it.The 09's had around 325k and their lease period was 40 mos.I think the payments on the 09's were about 20 dollars less than mine per week.There is a buyout at the end of the lease and mine is 12,000 dollars.The 09's were 10,000 dollars.All the trucks are alsu equiped with tri-pak apu's,which cost around 12,000 new.ACT takes out .07 cents per mile that goes into a maint. acct,that is your money to spend on maint. and any repairs the warranty would'nt cover.The warranty from the factory is 500k miles and ACT also adds another 100k miles on top of that that is already figured into your pay.All the trucks I saw had the cummins engine,mine is a 465hp with a eaton 13spd.The trucks are nicely spec'd out and are set up for fuel milage.The lease trucks are governed at 71 mph and the co. trucks at 65 I think.I know that the pmt and payout is alot for the truck but its not ridiculous or anything.I do not have the means or the down pmt to go buy a new truck.Alot of guys in the forums advise to save your pennys,drive co and then go get your own truck.Thats good advise but Im 50 and by the time I saved that many pennys,I might be dead or retired.I saw this as a opportunity to make a decent paycheck every week and also own a truck that I will have put most of the miles on myself and know what Im ending up with at the end of the lease.

When I started at ACT,I planned on working thru the holidays and run as much as I could.I turned my USX lease truck in at the end of july and took 3 1/2 mos. off to relax,do some fishing and spend time with my folks,so I was ready to go.Now I know this is the worst time of the year for dry van freight ,so I expect it to be slow,always has been for me anyway.Im pleased with how everythings going so far.Its been hard not running the miles I used to but this co. just does'nt have them,not yet so far.ACT advertises 2300 miles per week avg. and thats been my exp. so far.I was used to running 3 to 3500k per week at USX, but Im making about the same now with 1000 less miles.Im actually happy about that because I take it alot easier on my truck and wont have near as many maint. issues as you do when you drive a truck real hard.

About the pay.If you have hazmat you start out at 98 cents per mile loaded and 90 cents empty (deadhead miles).If you dont have hazmat,you start at 94 cents.I already have hazmat so that was good.If I didnt I would get it soon as 4 cents a mile adds up to about 4000 dollars a year.I recieved a letter in the mail yesterday,that states starting march 1 the pay will increase to 1 dollar per mile for hazmat endorsed drivers.Also let me say they dont really haul alot of hazmat.Ive hauled one ld in 6 weeks and had a choice not to do it.The 98 cents is paid on all loads,they dont have to be hazmat you just have to have the endorsment.The thing that has been most hard to get used to is that you dont ever get preplanned on a load until you're empty.When you get empty you either get a choice of 3 loads or only one if theres no freight in that area.If there are multiple trucks in that area and freight is tight you get dispatched in order that you got empty.Its a little frustrating but hey thats the way they do it.Of couse over all of the holidays and the first of the year Ive had to sit more than I ever have since I started driving.Im just looking foward to spring when most freight really gets moving and I will know then if ACT is the home Ive been looking for.

 

Forgot to post the numbers Ive run so far.
Also on the pay they take 75.00 dollars out for 13 weeks to put in an escrow acct. that totals 1000. dollars for your insurance deductable.

These are my totals for 6 weeks paychecks.I will update weekly

Total miles (empty and loaded)=13,396

Total revenue (paycheck)=6168.39

Total in maint. acct.=925.00

Avg per mile=.46

 

Good questions,hope I cover all of them here.

Fixed Expenses

Truck payment 573.74
Truck insurance 55.58
Plates and permits 35.58
Bobtail insurance 6.23
Workmans comp. 28.02

Total fixed expenses 699.16

These expenses are per week and The only thing I have no control over.
The figures I showed on previos post on earnings are pre tax.
As a lease operator you are considered self employed,so I have to save around 25% to meet taxes at the end of the year.Everything you spend on the road and repairs on equipment,fuel ect. are all tax deductable.

The question about turning in your truck early or because of something that has happened is a good one that I also asked.You can turn your truck in at any time,but you are responsible for the truck payment only until the truck is released to another driver.All the times Ive been to the yard in KC there are never extra trucks just sitting around.They seem to fill them very quickly.The money in your maint. acct. is probably plenty to cover this,unless you only drove it for a month then you might owe them out of pocket money.

ACT does not really run 48 they have a map on their web site that shows hiring area and thats kinda where they run.Im out of Ft Worth and thats about as far west and south as they run.They do run out west and the NE but not all that much.Have to run Im empty here in DeKalb IL and their waiting on me.Will post more later.

 

Had to deliver a live unload in DeKalb, IL.Soon as I was empty got a choice of 3 lds.One going to Missouri 500 miles,one going to SC 700 miles and one going to TX 910 loaded 43 empty.chose the TX load,It has 3stops on it for mon am,Hurst 0400,Arlington 0600,Irvng 0800.Stops after one pay 50.00 dollars,so I will make extra 100.00 on this ld.This is a petsmart ld from Ottawa,IL.All the lds. delivered mon.Got to Ottawa around 1500 pm,went to shipper but ld was'nt ready.Thats cool,had some errands to run anyway.Went across the hwy to strip center that had a goodwill store.Went in and bought a few paperback books to read on down time.I always go to goodwill or a thrift shop wherever I can to buy books ,because they're cheap (50 cents per book) saving about 95% off of the cover price.I like reading in the truck because it puts me to sleep after a little while vs. watching tv,so I seem to be more rested when I need to run.Got a flat screen in the truck tho,for a good football game,nascar race or golf game that I want to see.There was a sports bar and grill across the street,so I went in and had dinner and watched some sports and Visited with some of the locals.Met a group of people that worked at petsmart and were throwing a party for one of the workers that was moving away to a different job.It was funny to be around the people that ld your truck,but you never see or meet them.Had a really good time and met some nice folks.The place was called shakers,and they dont mind if you park in they're back lot(no trailers).I had already dropped my empty at petsmart.Im trying to kinda tell you guys what I do while Im on the road.I hate truck stops and the B.S. that goes along with them.The food usually sucks and if you plan ahead and do a little research you can really avoid them altogether except for fuel.Find nice resturants,grills and enjoy being around regular people and having some fun.Im sure my ld will be ready around 0400 ,so its 1900 now and Im back in the truck,going to hit the sack and head for TX in the am.

 

Stoney,mpg's are great,avg 7.3 right now on both heavy and light lds.With it being slow,I try and run pretty slow around 61 to 63.Was'nt used to doing that but man It makes a huge difference on the fuel bill.The fuel of course is my biggest expence so Im learning to slow it down and put that money in my pocket instead of out the stacks.Yes we get the current fuel surcharge,this weeks is .41 cents per mile.Like your picture on your post!