CR England variable mileage payment ?!

The awards program is still in effect. Recent changes to it are that paid mpg average goes from 5.0 to 5.8 in order to be on the fuel cap program.

Paid miles still go to $1.53 per mile on short runs just as they did before. The range of 400 to 501 miles (if I remember correctly) is now at $0.95. The rest remains the same.

As of 1/01/10, lease ops will have to pay for their own permits, plates and FHUT. The payment set will come to $45.50 per week out of the settlement.

Yes, all of this sucks. However, from a business standpoint I can see England's side. I thought about turning in my truck, but the fact remains that I see alot of trucks from other companies parked while I'm running all of my hours each week and getting new loads before my restart.

Pros & cons to everything, folks. Decide for yourself what you're willing to agree to. For me and my particular situation, staying with England for a while works for me. There are worse companies to ride out this economic lag with. Just my .02 cents.

 

You must believe everything you hear. The variable mileage is strictly for depreciation of the lease vehicle. The 1.25 is not a good deal. I am on the rebate and I am averaging .99 a gallon. The book keeping service is garbage. It would take almost 7 years to get your variable mileage payment that low.

 

I don't believe everything I hear ESPECIALLY if I hear it from a phase one trainer. I believe what I put forth an effort to track down in writing as factual information.

Are you seriously saying that the variable mileage payment isn't used at least in part for admin services?

The fuel cap isn't for everyone, just as the rebate isn't for everyone. I will say that the rebate will typically bring greater savings - but, again, not for everyone.

If you don't like OFS (bookkeeping) then you probably shouldn't use them. I have 2 friends who use them, each of whom had a cpa check their figures/returns, and the cpa agreed with everything OFS had done. Again, it's personal choice whether you use them or not.

And perhaps it may take "7 years" to get your variable down to .08 through awards, but even once you get it down by one cent per mile... don't you think it would make a difference? Even by your own estimated mileage per week (taking the median) you'd save $52.50 per week or $210 per month. And yet all you have to say is, "it would take almost seven years to get your variable mileage that low."

Pretty negative, there, trainer.

 

I was not being negative. Just stating my opinion and a little fact. I have tried OFS for 2 months. They rarely answered their phones and were running 1-2 months behind. For the amount of money they charge you can go somewhere else and get much better service. I just do not understand why you would state that with the $1.25 program that it is worth paying $1.25 for diesel. Your correct the rebate is not for people that do not want to take the 5 minutes a day it takes to find the best place to get fuel. I have had settlements that were $527 better then the $1.25. Well worth a couple of minutes. Most trucking companies pay their O/O a fuel surcharge. Why would you not believe what a Phase 1 trainer would say? Someone who has experience. Yes England finds the freight etc.. that is why you are only paid .90 a mile and not the full amount the shipper is paying. How long have you been a driver? How long have you been with England? Are you a trainer? What kind of miles are you getting a week? How much are you making? Lets compare these things and I am sure you will see that I know what I am talking about. Just my .02

 

Okay, ya got me on this point: can't really say that OFS is great at answering their phones (or returning calls in a timely manner.) And I honestly don't know how far behind they're running, though I wouldn't be surprised if it was as long as (or even longer than) you say. What I personally see as a benefit is the convenience and the fact that they do know the ins & outs of taxes as related to trucking.

I want to make a couple points as well (and answer your questions) but I want to preface this by saying that, obviously, I don't know you personally. I really don't have a feel for what type of person you are or how accurate your statements are. For all I know you may well be a stand-up guy who actually gives a ####.

That being said... I came to England several months ago with no previous experience, so, yes, I'm a driver although a new one. Fortunately for me, I already had intelligence before I ever got my CDL so the length of time I have behind the wheel of this truck has absolutely no bearing on my ability to pursue, acquire and comprehend information. Too, I'm observant enough to know that just because someone does have experience, be it two years or ten, does not mean that they know their ##### from a hole in the ground in terms of the inner workings/policies of the company the work for. I'm pretty sure you'll agree (given your time at England) that there are phase one and two trainers (as well as non-training drivers) who really don't know what's going on and only want to pull other drivers/students down with incorrect, negative information. Hence my statement about not believing someone simply because they are a "trainer."

(Yes, I'm a phase two trainer. Becoming one is part of the upgrade process. That is not at all to say that I believe myself qualified to be a trainer with my lack of experience, which is why I've not picked up a student and, instead, currently drive solo. England may force me to pick up a student in the near future, but until then I plan to continue building my own experience and education so that, hopefully, I'll have something to pass on when the time comes. I know that most people do not agree with this because they feel I should get a student right away in order to make more money. While I understand their point, that's not my own philosophy - even if it makes me an idiot.)

I'm currently averaging 2400 to 2800 miles per week solo. Last week I netted around $900, this coming I will net around $600 since my miles are gonna be lower. My Cascadia had to sit at Freightliner for 2 days so they could perform recall work on the rack & pinion. Still, I fail to see how comparing my miles or income to yours determines whether the information I have on company policies is less accurate than yours or anyone else's. It's not like that information is posted on mile markers.

As for the rebate not being for everyone, I only meant that a factor to be considered is driving/idling habits. Where your experience does give you an edge is that you probably know how to get a higher paid mpg average than I do. Also, I'm still trying to learn alot of things that you probably don't even think about anymore, so fuel cap may serve me better at this point. Could I be wrong about that? Wouldn't be the first time. Will it change to rebate being better? Hope so. I'm still trying to get the specifics worked out, but I do know the basics since I not only paid attention but also continue to ask questions about it.

I say all of that to say this: I may be new to driving, but that doesn't mean I'm stupid or that I believe everything I hear. I verify information and I certainly do not come on this forum and post information that I do not know to be accurate. If I do post something I'm not certain about, I make sure say that it's "how I understand it." And my short time around this industry and around England has shown me without a doubt that just because someone has been here longer does not mean that I should bow to their "wealth of knowledge and experience."

Again, you may be a great person and someone I could learn a lot from. And maybe we could run into each other and I could buy you dinner somewhere and have a great conversation. But please don't try to intimidate me with how many miles you get each week or how long you've been at England or the fact that you're a Phase One Trainer. Believe me, I had a Phase One Trainer who got great miles, especially when I was with him. And I would go out of my way to not hear or believe a word he says (except for when he says that my purpose is to put miles on his truck and keep him from having to drive at night.)

(Sorry for the long-winded post.)

 

OK Sorry ED but do You really think that company trucks are CR Englands only source of revenue??? Lets take Your $0.90 per mile, in the early 80's I was leased to Mitchell Bros. and making $1.30 to $1.40 a mile so You beleive that the rates have dropped for the last 30 yrs, You can bet they are making money on every load. Then they have the brokerage dept. and the lease dept. the training dept. and have Government Funding to train Drivers. If that $0.14 per mile was supporting all those people they sure could'nt afford to cut it down after time... I think they are pretty smart, I dont like how they treat drivers but thats just Me...

And sorry I didn't have time to read the second part yet...

 

ED. Good to see that you are looking into things. I am sorry that I misjudged you. I took you for these guys that believe everything they hear. If you have any questions on anything let me know.

 

No, no, no. I don't imagine that the variable mileage payment is the only way they make money. Just as I'm sure they're charging more per mile to their clients than what they pay us per mile. England is a business, not a charity and I'm sure they make money on every level, including the fuel cap and rebate and everything else. My point is that what I've been able to find out is that the variable payment is primarily to offset England's cost even further. Take the number of lease trucks they currently have on the road and multiply that by .14. I don't know exactly how many lease trucks they have, but I would imagine that variable mileage brings them in excess $550 PER AVERAGED MILE PER DAY. Averaging 500 miles (per truck) in a given day, that would be $275,000.00. Per day.

So, no - I don't think company trucks are even a primary source of revenue, much less the only one. But I do believe that the variable mileage goes to cover their payroll for planners, DMs and probably the vast majority of every non-driving positions within the company. My math be off since, again, I really don't know how many trucks are currently leased. I'm guessing about 4,000 which is probably high.

England is making money hand over fist, no doubt. And I don't mean to imply that it's the best or fairest deal going in the industry. But it is one I've obviously agreed to in order to get started and I can't pinpoint anything they've done underhandedly to me. (Yet.) My original point was that, if they were up front about the variable mileage (which they were) and I agree to it because it allows me to get started in the industry and have a little more freedom than a company driver (which I did) then I can't really complain about it being "unfair."

I did look at other companies similar to England and while none had what they specifically called a "variable mileage" payment, they each seemed to get the same amount or more through different terms (some here, some there) when all was said and done.

But to answer your question, DC10... no, I won't even try to argue that point with you. We (lease trucks) are absolutely a source of revenue for England. Again, it's something I agreed to and don't see it as being unfair. But I'm not naive enough to think for a moment that England is doing something for me out of the goodness of their heart. It's business all the way.

 

Same here, bro (in terms of if I misjudged.) And I'm full of questions (though some seem to think I'm full of something else.)

Log on and find me sometime. #94044. If we're gonna cross paths, let me know. We'll grab something to eat and b.s.

 

What do you find to be the fuel mileage you'd need to get to benefit from the rebate program? I'm 3 weeks into my lease truck and I'm avging about 6.7 mpg. Unfortunately, I'm not getting the miles you guys are. I'm only getting at most 2000 a week and less. I'm hurting out here right now. Negative settlement this last week. Not sure how long I can go on like that. But need to find ways to save money as much as possible. If rebate will save me more money, I'll happily switch to that.

CJ Marley
Truck #94219 - Wave if u spot me!