Update on mercer translation

Discussion in 'Mercer' started by jacquesi23, Jun 20, 2016.

  1. jacquesi23

    jacquesi23 Medium Load Member

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    Well, it's been about 5 months since I put in my walking papers with mercer.
    As I am now back out on my dot numbers. I admit, I was one of the guys who just couldn't "get" the way mercer operated. Probably will never understand hence the reason I'm sitting under my own authority again.
    Mercer was in fact, a terrific company to work for. The freight they have to offer is by far unmatched.
    I can't recall a time where I've ever hauled a load weighing over 40k pounds while leased to them.
    But the downside of it all was the fact that I just couldn't get with mercerization lol. The downtime waiting on loads etc, etc.
    I managed to make great relationships with quite a few of the mercer agents while I was leased there an The deeper part of me wanted to believe that I would be blackballed from the mercer portal for ever. Lol.
    However, upon reactivating my authority, the same agents I dealt with while leased on with mercer are the same agents I deal with now as an independent carrier. Heck I even put some of my "go to" customers an shippers on the backburner when mercer calls!!! Lol
    I've heard a lot of guys here say well the loads are crappy for approved carriers an they don't pay much.
    But I beg to differ, in fact I've been running mercer loads for the past 3 months as a independent an the cheapest load I've had from them so far paid me 1.60/mile coming out of PA going south an the only reason I took it was to get me back home to Alabama.
    Heck the majority of the loads I haul for them avg around 2.20/mile an up.
    My load scheduled tomorrow has a rate of 2.72/mile an they were proud to give it to me lol.
    No factoring involved which means I get the same benefits I got as a lease operator. Scan my bills in an I'm paid within 4 hours.
    Even was able to get back in their fuel program so all of my fuel is at mercer's price.
    So to sum this all up: I would say I learned a lot by being leased on with them for the short time I was there.
    I learned even more lanes.
    They forced me to Invest in more flatbed equipment which I thought was bs but it turned out to be a good thing once I got back on my own because now I have just about anything a man can use on a flatbed load. Great company if you don't want the responsibility of a dot number an you have low overhead.
    But if you're like me an work at a faster pace an have more than average overhead then becoming an approved carrier for mercer would be your best bet. They treat you like family regardless. I'm a witness to it because I've worked both sides of it.
     
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  3. skateboardman

    skateboardman Road Train Member

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    I thought you leased on right at Jan 1st, maybe you mean you left 5 weeks ago.
     
  4. jacquesi23

    jacquesi23 Medium Load Member

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    Honestly I don't remember.
    All I know is I only stayed a month an maybe 2 weeks an I couldn't do it any longer.
     
  5. jacquesi23

    jacquesi23 Medium Load Member

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    You're reaching a little too much into it.
    When I left kinda doesn't matter considering the overall review that was posted about my experience.
     
  6. skateboardman

    skateboardman Road Train Member

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    No, I wasnt reading anything into it, you leased on first week of Jan. You were still here on into April. . I was just guessing you meant. You had been gone 5 weeks instead of 5 months. Just saying to have left 5 months ago you would have left in January , 3 weeks after you leased, . . That's all I am pointing out.
     
  7. jacquesi23

    jacquesi23 Medium Load Member

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    Ok well let's just overlook the start an end date. An focus on the overall review of the company I once frowned upon because of my lack of understanding. A lot of accusations were made against them in which I still hold some of them to be true.
    But overall, I can't say I wasn't treated fairly. The experience was a lesson learned/eye opener/blessing all rolled in one. I took what I probably wouldn't have learned anywhere an applied it to my own company an things are actually working better for me the second time around as a independent.
    I think a fair unbiased opinion to make about mercer is that "it's not for everybody"
    I think if more guys led their argument off with that statement then we wouldn't have over 500 pages of guys pretty much saying a box of rocks could be successful at mercer if they learned the system.
     
  8. skateboardman

    skateboardman Road Train Member

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    That's has actually been said many times in the 1700 pages. Just as it has been said many times, you have to work within mercers system, and not what you wish the system to be. If not, it doesn't fit. Its good you did learn something that has helped you with your numbers. It would be nice if you would give an update on things, when it has been 5 months back on your numbers, the few weeks back looks good so far, but 6 months and the one year mark will be a better indicator.
     
  9. skateboardman

    skateboardman Road Train Member

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    And a box of rocks would do ok. iF they learned the system, but hey some posted there wasnt2a system. Or a way to maximize your your productivity. The truth be known, you werent as ready to give up your numbers as you thought.
     
  10. jacquesi23

    jacquesi23 Medium Load Member

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    just to be clear, I never gave my authority up because I wasn't making money.
    I gave it up because I got tired of the responsibility it took to keep it running.
    So giving an update at a 6 month to a year mark is probably a question you need to ask a fairly new dot entrant.
    If I'm wrong about your hidden sarcasm then I stand corrected.
     
  11. skateboardman

    skateboardman Road Train Member

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    No, I simply said 5 weeks isn't a good indicator, give update to see if what you learned still helps at 6 months and a year. Sarcasm, new entrant???? What's that about???
     
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