The New FFE Driver Academey

Small correction, it's 40K for 2012, $45K for 2013, (they haven't released the 2013's for lease yet). They supposidely raised the buy out to lower the monthly payment.

 

When your lease is up you do have the option of extending it 18 months. When that is up you will own the truck free and clear.

 

the pay off for both 2013 and the 2012 is 45,500 the 2013 lease payments are around 29 a week more . the difference is in the length of the lease mine is for 25 months a friend has a 2013 is at 38 months they have been leasing 2013's for awhile now but mostly to company drivers that lease the truck they are driving or guys that have been with the company for awhile -- you have 3 options when the lease is up --- buy it --- lease another truck and your deposit and maintanance account carry over to the new truck -- or walk ------------ they will not lease the truck past the balloon payment ---- however you can use your accounts for down payment and financing should be relitively easy because you have run it for 2 or more years---- i will let you know what i will do as soon as i know lol

 

@ buckeye,


You're a brave man my friend, I've not been making anything for the past two weeks. It ain't for lack of trying, either.
One really serious issue I've realized about FFE is like every other large company; too many drivers all trying to get 3,000 mile weeks and not enough miles to go around.

I'm really dissatisfied at this point, I feel like I'm spinning my wheels at this point- getting no where fast.
Numerous issues with trying to centralize communication between dispatch and planners. The left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing, I have to speak with 6 different people some days just to get information that should be sent with dispatches ect ect.

Nights and weekend dispatch is a joke (though this is true of every company) 2-3 hour wait on average for a lumper PO anymore, almost seems like they're digging change out of furniture to pay for it! Lol.


I need a vacation, I've been out since September...

 

i know what you mean it has been slow the last couple of weeks and as stupid as it sounds thats why i did it now--- it will be slow untill the first of the year and wont pick back up till febuary --- well it was 3 days wasted getting the truck and christmas will take some time and i figuired who are thet going to run harder somebody that owes them money or a company driver --- and they try there best the first couple of months to get you off to a good start so do that when its slow anyways --- the one good thing about hauling food is the slow period isnt as long or as slow . the dry van people are going to be slow till spring , beef and pork are high now too and that isnt helping anything (less demand ) but the way barry is handing out food stamps that wont last long . that lumper check bs is a pain and that has a lot to do with your dm -- then there are to many drivers that call in for every little thing instead of trying to figuire out things on there own instead of tieing up the dm's time -- theres times when you have to call but maybe once every 5 weeks something like will come up -- i have a friend that calls 2 or 3 times a day he just cant seem to figuire out things on his own-- if you do your job and just be where your supposed to be they pretty much just run you and leave you alone --- nights and weekend dispatch good luck lol -- try to get everything figuired out during dayshift

 

how you been cab wrecker i havent run into you since california i was wondering what happened to you --- i heard last weekend that cindy quit --- hang in for the year at least then go in and see what they will offer you to stay --- i think things get better after they know your not tied to them anymore from what a few guys have told me if they like you and have done a good job they will give you some $$ to stay on--- and you allready know the a holes here if you go someplace else you will have to learn all over again lol

 

or be a trainer lol

 

I'm not overly surprised Cindy quit. She had a lot of issues in training with finding a decent trainer, a class mate of mine mentioned that she put her tractor into a ditch. On both accounts it's sad to hear because she was a very sweet woman and fun to be around.

I've got a (relatively speaking) short period of time left on this contract and I intend to ride it out. Those greener pastures sure do look better- but I doubt they really are any better.

I will be very glad once this is done and over with, and everything should go relatively smoothly. Just wish we made more money. I ain't making jack squat out here and it always seems like dispatch/planner could care less about how many favors or repowers you do for them.

That being said, I'm tired of every time I hit the east coast having to hail mary some new kid out of his bronx load. One guy "ran out of hours" 50 miles from his drop in the Bronx, when I asked how long he'd been driving he goes "a little over a year" and then I said " and you just upped and ran out of hours, eh? You've never checked your remaining hours with that summary button there?"

 

Well, I have not responded for quite a spell to this thread, but I will give a quick update.
I went to the Driver Academy a year and a half ago. Spent the next 6months driving in every Ice, snow, and rain storm, even though it was a "mild winter". Had several weeks of NO paychecks, but that was my fault as hometime got in the way of miles. I tried to get home every 3 weeks, but sometimes didnt make it for up to 5. So I took extra time off. In March I became a trainer, and in May leased a 2010 Century Class.

I was nervous, to say the least.

What if I blew a tire before reserve funds were there?
What if my student fkd my truck up?
How much will I make?

Needless to say, I have been averaging over, yes over, $9000 in pocket.
My only worry is figuring out what to do so uncle sam wont take it all. Am incorporating now, so the deductions will amplify.

Things I have learned while being a company driver:
Do NOT rely on them dang DM's. I have learned who plans every area, and have even made friends with some of them.
Also, night and weekends can be a pain sometimes, so try to have your cards lined up before end of day, FRIDAY.
Dont blow your money buying stupid crap. A $29 cb will work until the big bucks come. A cooler with cheap food is priceless, and healthy vs. fastfood.
Pay your dues. Think of the first year as a paid school training program. These guys at ffe are not stupid. They know who the runners are, and whos in it for the short haul. And no, they dont forget favors you have done them,,especially on repowers. Most know my truck number just ny my voice.

The nice part is now I do my restarts at the house, usually every week. Then I still take my time off. Also, I put 5 cents a mile back, so when I take a vacation every six weeks when a student gets off the truck, my lease is paid out of my reserve fund, and I dont start back in the hole.

Bottom line is this. If you dont bite the hand that feeds you, you will get more to chew later.

Any other questions, and I will be more than happy to answer).

 

My trainer was DTO. We averaged 3100 miles a week driving teams. He had a long list of places he refused to go, so I think that was a good part of the reason his miles were so low. He refused more loads than he accepted. He ended up quitting at the beginning of my 5th week, and they went ahead and upgraded me early. Sitting at the receivers in Laredo dropping off my very first load right now.

I think I will be looking into becoming a trainer when I am eligible, but it won't be for awhile and I think I will do it as a company driver. Most of my buddies were with company trainers and pretty much all of them averaged over 5500 miles a week.