Things I do not like about ATS

I can speak for the Specialized (Flatbed) side. The van division does their own thing.

If you hustle and catch all the breaks and are proactive you can make a decent living, you will not get rich.

This is what I get paid for, I am on a mileage contract, it will be different for the percentage contract:

Empty miles. $.81.
Loaded miles, on a graduated scale. Less miles more pay, more miles, less pay. For me $1.26 to $.82. I have a penny raise for being with ATS for one year.
Fuel Surcharge, firgured weekly. Currently at $.34.
Tarp pay. 100% Each load is different. Lowest was $75.00 Highest was $300.00 for me. Some loads can be over $750.00.
Detention pay, rarely 65%. Most I ever got was $750.00 for one day.
Canadian Arbitraton pay, 65%. Usually, $500.00 up to $1,175.
New York City pay, 65% varies by load.
New York City Bridge pay, $75.00.
OD pay, 65%, varies per load.
Overweight, A couple of pennies per loaded mile, I think.
Stop pay, 100%, usually $50.00 to $75.00.
Other fee you can ask/negotiate with your FM. I'm sure I am missing a few.

Deductions:

Fuel, deducted against a load you are on.
$1.25 per use of fuel card.
Tax service, optional $16.15 per week.
Truck payment, per week.
Drivertec, monthly, $60.00
Trippak, monthly, $11.25
Prepass, monthly, $10.00
FHUT, weekly, $11.00
Maintenance Fund, $07.5 per loaded mile, I think.
Tire Fund, $02.5 per loaded mile, I think. (I am on a different program now and $.10 comes out per loaded mile for maintenance, nothing for tires.)
Promissory Note (if you bought equipment from them), $.04 per loaded mile, I think.
Reserve account, $75.00 weekly.
Insurance:
Contingent Non-Trucking, $40.00, monthly.
Physical Damage, $120.03, monthly, I opted for the higher amount.
Occupational Accident, $155.00 monthly.

These will be taken out whether you run mile and make money or not. It could be easy to go in the hole and not receive any money on your settlement.

You have to treat this like a business and run your miles.

You are responsible for paying your own taxes. Most will suggest setting aside 25% of what you make per settlement.

 

That's pretty interesting, now I've been told to take the percentage side.. Do you have any experiance at it or know anyone that does? I mean at my last company.. Just my fixed cost were at 1700mi.. So my questions are.. Since your mileage.. What kind of miles you been seein here lately? If you don't mind me asking.. What kind of truck do you have? Did you get good tires when you came aboard? I'd assume 5k is a good estimate for equipment? How much is your truck note a week?

 

Truck payment varies, depending on what truck kind of truck you get. I think they should be in the $400 to $500 range.

I have a '05 Pete 387. I am on a different lease program than you will be. My payments are $298.00 per week.

My Capitol Lease Lease was $5,000.00 down, 50 weekly payments of $298.00 and a $1,000.00 buyout at the completion of my lease, for a total of $20,900.00. I am paying this off this week, eight months early and will save a few hundred.

I average over 3,000 miles per week. Sometimes less, sometimes more. I have done over 4,000 many times. I usually take longer runs and some weeks are counted short on miles, because I don't turn in paperwork until the following week.

Percentage or Mileage has been and will always be debated as to which is better. When I started with ATS, mileage was madatory, a few weeks after I went through orientation, percentage was mandatory. When I was with TMC I was on percentage, it was much better than mileage. Mileage is better in a poor economy, deadhead miles are paid and it allows you to bounce to where ever a load is. Percentage drivers have to take this out of their pay. I do have the option to switch whenever I want to. I may as the economy pick up.

This is what I am telling you, look your truck over carefully. If it needs tires, get them before you leave the terminal. You will be paying a Tire Maintenance Fee, anytime your tires wear out get them replaced.

$5K, may be a little high. It think it will be closer to $4K, less if you get used equipment.

My best advice, if they give you a choice, is either right now, we seem to be at the break point of whether to go mileage or percentage. If you believe the economy will continue to improve, go percentage, if you think we are still in a soft economy with the chance of it getting worse again, go mileage. I do talk to percentage drivers and they are not making more money than me, in fact I am making more money than most. That comes down to your work ethic, good luck, and your ability to be proactive.

 

anyone who thinks they have to drive less than 60 to make money needs a new job

 

Do you pay for your own fuel? For every mph you slow down you save .1 mpg. From 70 mph to 60 you save 1 mpg. That is a tremendous savings in fuel cost.

On average you have to run thirty days more per year to make/save the same amount of money.

It is much easier for me to average my 57 mph than you to average your 70 mph (I don't know how fast you run.) I have less stress, less maintenance on my truck, less likely to get a ticket and I get to where I am going in about the same amount of time.

Put it to paper sometime and you will see exactly what I am talking about.

 

Oh most definitly.. I'm hoping to roll asap.. So ill be looking over my trk with a fine tooth comb.. I'm cheaking from the cotter pin in the castle nut for the steering knuckle to my fuses to heater and defroster. Hopefully I can get a pete.. I like long noses but mpg equals money.. And that's why were here, I need around 400 a week bring home to get back on my feet..

But if I have too.. Ill take the smaller freightliner.. I'm just gunna look over what's there and choose from there. Anyone comming thru arkansas and need a partner to st.cloud? Lol.. Either way, I've found some much vital info on here from MR.terry to fellow with the begal on his avatar.. So I'm well equiped with knowlage and ready to make some miles.. I'm ready to prove myself and learn all this stuff.. But hopefully I can get a pleasin truck and ill be lucky and get a mechanically sound truck.

Also, I was peeking around ats website and found out.. Apparently there's prostars and 386 petes aboard the fleet now? So what's the chances of me getting a used 386? I can only qualify for used lease now.. But am I going to get the best selection availiable there at cloud? Also.. Are there many used 387

 

Well I'm on the H.H. side. We only get %. It also goes up and caps at 67% after 5 years here.

We get the full fuel surcharge and tarp pay like Terry stated.
Your maintance fund is taken out on all miles I believe. Check your contract.

I have mine setup that way, but it is an old plan and I have never changed it.

Breafast at the hotel is doughnuts / ceral / toast and some fruit.
Plus juice and coffee.
Be nice to Michelle at the front desk, she is a good lady.

Good Luck

 

I dont pay for my own fuel but i understand what it costs since im the one burning it and pumping it. My truck does 79, if i was going that speed all the time, do you think i'd have a license, let alone a job? (its nice for passing people though).

I also get bad economy anyway because i have a PTO on my truck and I idle it all night when im on the road.

But come on. $1.26 a mile is not enough to make money. Even swift trucks go 62.

Since I pull a tank, the speed i run varies greatly with traffic conditions..but I try to do 65 or so. I just did a run to missouri doing 70 for most of the trip, and got 7 mpg. But i was empty, so that doesnt count, does it? I don't run like that when im loaded..

 

I do believe TL is making money # $1.26 per mile. How do you think he is paying his note off 8 months early.

 

thanks for the info