OTR regional, 5 years trucking, now o/o, looking for a new job

I am shocked at what you find out there when you start calling trucking companies in Ontario, Canada. Quick intro: I have been in the industry for 5 years. 3 as a company driver. 2 as an owner operator. All at the same company. I made the jump to an O/O not because of the potential money that you can make, but more because i wanted to try something new and did not want to forfeit the truck i was driving when it was time for my boss to trade in for newer trucks. Hussled and pushed through and payed off the truck and put it on my name. Now looking on the down low for another job.

I work for a carrier that supposedly pays 72% of the freight, but doesn't show you the rate con for outbound/inbound. You only know how much it pays when you get your paystub two weeks after. They also cause a stink when you go and fuel up somewhere else other than the yard because "we give you the best price, so why would you fuel elsewhere?" (you also don't know the price you are paying until you get your paycheck. Realistically, you are subsidizing the fleet to a portion by using his fuel. Detention is a joke also. You rarely get it. The good thing is that they pay for your tolls and you do get fuel surcharge, but it's also not listed the amount and again you have to trust them. After talking to other drivers, making my research and seeing what's out there i now realize what i always suspected. I am getting royally shafted. My highest paycheck in these two years was 12k CAD clear, in one month. Average pay is between 5-7k biweekly. (Theoretically you could clear 16/18k if you ran hard (but they never allow you to make too much money) and sucked on dispatche's d***.... Also one good thing is that this is flatbed, otr-regional and i am never gone too much/too far. Midwest/East coast.

Still.... some outfits manage to pay even worse. Like any contrans related company or the brown boys. (Fleetway pays 68% of gross and you are gone for 5 days. Tolls, bridge crossings and ELD fee all out of your pocket and more LOL)

What's a good company that you would recommend for Flatbed/stepdeck primarily, that is really focused on owner operators and quality work? I have my eyes set on Grace Transport / Titanium Transport. I would love to do/have:
-open board flatbed/stepdeck - midweast/east coast and that includes NYC, Chicago, etc. Really love being in the city. Running through Canada would be cool too.
-be able to see rate cons. Use the company fuel card if the discount is good but also be able to fuel up wherever i want to.
-24h or late hours dispatch would be awesome to keep me rolling.



Am in asking for two much? Type away.

 

You're making up to 12k clear every 2 weeks?

 

He’s also paying insurance, repairs, maintenance and a ton of other expenses. Probably clear what a company driver makes. All the risk.

 

No. That's monthly. Edited the post for clarity.

 

You bet..... I don't fork everything, but we do pay a huge amount out of pocket. Seems to be the norm across most companies

 

Clear to me means after fuel insurance registration etc. (Profit). If that was the case every two weeks he's got it good. 10-12k REVENUE after their cut a month is not so good...

 

ON A 72/28 SPLIT, what is the ''actual'' percent the OO is getting after all expenses?
EG the company collect 100% of expenses but only gives the OO 72% of said expenses that the OO pays.
If fuel is $100 LITRE THE OO is actually paying $128.00 and if fueling at the yard even more profit for the company.
Seems to me any contract should read % ''after all expenses''.

 

I don’t think any contract in the history of trucking has ever benefitted the O/O. Ever.

 

AGREED, But the cycle continues.

Another famous con, getting paid in US funds but paying O/O IN CAN FUNDS WITHOUT CONVERTING them.

 

Yes. That's what I meant. 12k max revenue a month after all expenses. What's achievable and considered good? spoke with a guy from titanium transport that was also doing US tandem open board and he was getting that bI weekly... Crazy to think about.