Werner Enterprises

Piggybacking is great! I've been doing it for 3 years but things mysteriously slowed down in September of 2015; Freightliner has laid off several hundred people, probably due to a failing economy. I was operating as an independent contractor which means I have a tax ID number and am responsible for my own taxes.
They pay for fuel, tolls, permits and give you $50 for a hotel for every 500 miles. They also pay for your air fare including rental car to the airport over 60 miles. Taxi $100 or more they split with you.

If I were to fly to San Antonio today, I would land in the morning and be rolling by say 2pm. It would take me about 2 1/2 days to the NE Ohio area. Roughly 1/2 day of Undecking depending on how many stops you have to make. Most of my trips to Ohio paid $1000-$1,300. Things are usually slow over the holidays and for a couple of weeks when manufacturer is re-tooling. The other you need to know is there are more enroute inspections because there are more connections with these combos. if you have 1 cab and chassis pulling 2 or 3 others and your lead truck has a 40 gal capacity, you will make many fuel stops.

 

If you're an independent contractor then why is the company flipping all of the expenses incurred with the job?

 

What that means primarily is that I am responsible for my own taxes. Many things get w

Well, it means a couple of things. For one, there is no forced dispatch or choice based on seniority. When I am done with my delivery, I can go back and get another or I can go home and I can stay home or stay out as long as I choose. I manage my schedule. I also am responsible for my own taxes which comes out to way less at the end of the year with my write offs. If I had to pay for fuel, air, permits etc. The percentage of the load would be much higher. Last year was a slower year. I got my W2 in the mail for $38K last year. I may have worked 24 weeks but they weren't always full weeks either. And remember, I don't sleep in a truck every night. I stay in hotels and what small part comes out of my pocket is written off at the end of the year. All the trucks I drive are brand new too. After things slowed down I ended up becoming a lease driver in October. Also, I made a little over $78K in 2014 and I may have worked 36 weeks. There are no perfect jobs in truck driving. There are always pro's and cons and nothing lasts forever. There are good years and bad years.

 

They mailed you a w-2?..... Or a 1099?

 

It would have to be a 1099 because they didn't take any taxes out of my weekly settlements.

 

Years ago that was a all union gig. You had no fuel you had to buy
You had a motel card so you very seldom had to pay out of pocket and wait to get your money back. You got paid to unstack. The units were already stacked when you got to the yard to leave on your trip.
Now it's all on the contractor....

 

Depends on who you work for. We're are called Independant Contractors at Coldiron. Unimark is Union now but used to be contractors. Union drivers take home less than contractors and they have a seniority board, pension and insurance. I think the average is about .55 per mile. Coldiron pays for most of the expenses and pays the contractors just under $1 per mile but you budget for your own insurance and taxes. I'm probably done with that gig. Been acting as a lease driver but will be hired full time in the next 2 wks working 10 to 12 hrs Mon- Thu and 5 or 6 on Fri. Off weekends.

 

Well when I drove for Werner. I didn't have any problems. I was on the Building Bridges account which was pretty cool. I went from one Home Depot Distribution centers to another just drop and hook. Plenty of miles,my dispatcher was cool. He bumped up my truck to 75 mph because I was making him and me money. I loved it but went to doctor and they put me on blood pressure pills that wasn't sanctioned by D.O.T. so I had to resign from Werner. Besides that I would still be driving for Werner.

 

75mph??..lol..whatever

 

Your dispatcher have the power to turn your truck up especially if you have a good relationship with them. I thought it was ######## at first but my truck got bumped up. Not every dispatcher at Werner was cool like mine. Let me say that he authorize my truck to be bumped up.