mercer transportation

LOL, I have been mistaken for them when working Eastern WA. They are a pretty local outfit. I would tease you but KW already set you straight.

. LOL. There may be some truth to that. I don't care the 5% didn't amount to a ton and with the incentive gone maybe fewer will come out here

 

This is what is different, Mercer past and Mercer present

In the past everyone that came to Mercer had a truck and trailer all equipment plus 2 years flatbed experience. We survived a learning curve at other companies before Mercer would hire us.

Only successful owner operators were hired, this is what the agents and salesmen sold. We had freight, good high dollar freight

No abandoned trucks, trailers, very few freight claims.

Today, No truck, no trailer, no equipment, one year experience. Mercer will give you a few hours flatbed schooling. I see nothing in this picture that helps the agent or salesman demand top dollar for us.

I will say this about Mercer present. They are still very honest, won't lie to you and WILL NOT play loose with your money.

I would like for every one that has a Quality truck, or had to lease a trailer or buy equipment. I would like for them all to succeed. But only a few will succeed. The ones that fail will bring down our reputation with shippers receivers owner operators and drivers in this industry

Mercer is probably one of the very best companies to succeed in a LP program. But those that don't succeed will do a lot of harm.

Full disclosure, I started out in a LP deal 30 years ago.

 

Speaking of which I loaded out the Kubota place in Jefferson,Ga and it was a mercer truck there and he was getting loaded then all of a sudden he snapped on the forklift driver and said "this ish is to hard to secure and I'm leaving". So they had to unload his whole trailer and once they finished I guess another guy was parked in the way to where he couldn't get out so he walks over to the guy who was helping his buddy "move your ducking truck!!!" Pissed both the guys off. I wish I would've got his truck number. But it was a quality guy with a T680. I felt so ashamed when I was talking to the other guys because they saw mercer on his door as well as mine.

 

Well I am happy that they allowed me to lease a trailer. And it was nice that I only had to lay down 50% on equipment although I had plenty of money to pay 100% I learned a long time ago that cash in hand is always a good thing so I only put the 50% down. It was a free loan and even then I tried to have my sign on bonus go towards my debt.

However, I do think the Quality guys are at a huge disadvantage. They have 0 time to learn the system and have to still make that payment. A year or so ago I argued that they could do it. Unfortunately I need to eat my words. Not that it can't be done. But I believe that the pressure of the payment forces people to take anything and everything they are called about and not afford them the ability to pick and choose like I had. Also, many of them have never even leased before so they walk into this blind. I feel the Megas are a better suited learning place then Mercer is.

I do wish them (Quality) the best of luck. I just wish some of them would talk the time it takes to read this thread. The bits of wisdom put out by @skateboardman and @mtoo and @spyder7723 along with dozens of others is what allowed me to do well here. And I need to thank those I mentioned along with all the others for sharing the keys to success.

 

I'm sure you could find out the number. Not that it would matter, he is most likely taking a heat gun to his door as we speak to remove the decal.

 

Yea now that I think about it I could've called the agent and asked which mercer driver canceled his load on the spot but I already don't like calling in on guys cause that tattle tale thing is something I hate but this guy went beyond the level of disrespect towards another driver and in front of the shipper workers and here I am with a mercer sign on my door and their looking at me like "are you gonna snap next?"

 

It's sad to see these guys abandoning equipment the way they are. Especially since they don't own it. What do you expect from company drivers that don't know how to run a business? I'm not surprised at all, it's unfortunate but they are letting these guys come here without any experience being an O/O.

 

I don't care to tattle on others either, but if I had been in that position I would have called the agent and given them story. At least then he could call the shipper and try and smooth things over, versus the shipper calling the agent and saying WTF is this all about. Or the shipper could tender loads to other carriers instead and never pick the phone up.

 

If you have a place you don't want to haul for, then haul the load you agreed to and never go back.

That being said I have left a couple of shippers. I didn't feel the loads were safe. I called claims took some pics and told them that I was going to refuse the load. Then I called the agent and explained to them. Without any drama.

 

I know it's been said before about how mercer doesn't care how you get the truck but this is a case where a guy can come in with nothing to lose and walk away like they've been doing. I'm a new O/O but I've been driving for 6 years and after my first year I couldn't possibly tell you how to operate a trucking business. I have a buddy in a Quality truck and he's making it but he told me he doesn't like running as hard as he do. He missed Christmas and New Years at home because he's trying to get ahead. He told me that once he gets a down payment for his own truck then he's turning the quality truck in. But imagine if he was your typical company driver that didn't know his at home and truck expenses.