Hoping for feedback. I'm about to leave the carrier that sponsered my CDL after finishing my one year contract, and after putting out dozens of online applications, and talking to dozens of recruiters, I think I've narrowed it down to 2 carriers. Marten, or Shaffer.
Shaffer is offering me .53 CPM plus a .02 CPM bonus, plus they have a truck purchase program (not a lease) where employees can purchase used Crete/Shaffer trucks for about 5-10k down on a 3 year finance.
Marten has a distance based spread of CPM's, but they offer a 1000 pr/wk guarantee and a 0 hour (essentially you start gwtting detention pay the moment you arrive) detention policy.
Any thought from the more experienced guys here? Questions I should be asking? Any current Shaffer or Marten employees here who can weigh in?
Marten or Shaffer?
Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by Mars Ultor, Mar 25, 2020.
Page 1 of 5
-
-
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
-
How many miles per week, and how much micro managing can you stand? 3000 miles x $.53= $1590.00. $1000.00 / $.53 = 1886 miles. If you only make $1k a week, you might as well have a local job. If you can get some decent miles it might be good.
Ask them more questions about what matters to you.
Personally, I like a smaller company that lets me run my ship. -
Flip a coin they are both rate cutting bottom feeders..
Elg1968, Flat Earth Trucker, Deadwood and 2 others Thank this. -
Guys, it's all well and good to tell me to "find a local company" but the fact is
1) I don't really know any in my area
2) The couple I was reccommended by Chinatown (thanks buddy) were offering fewer miles at a lower CPM.
So far .53 CPM st 26-2800 miles per week is the best offer I've gotten. I was offered .55 X 3k miles per week at Merx out of chicago, but it seems to have a shady rep.
Marten claims .62 CPM but that includes bonuses and the CPM fluctuates based on the miles of the run, so I dont know how to estimate that. I'm leaning towards shaffer because its refi and based on store shelves I figure they must hsve lots of miles right now. -
I worked for Marten from '08 to '13. If I had to do it again I would choose Shaffer.
Farmerbob1 Thanks this. -
You won't get a clear cut answer to help a decision. Everyone's experience is different. Trucking companies are pretty much the same. You have to decide what do you value the most. Hometime? Big miles? High com? Bonuses? No micromanaging? Territories ran? Dedicated lanes? Both have been business for a long time so they are doing something right. Everything companies say is just a means to get you to orientation. After that, it's on you to do good work and get big miles. That's with any company. I've came across drivers that love both or hate both. At the end of the day, if you're not on time for your deliveries, then you won't be successful anywhere. You've got a smorgasbord of companies to choose from I would imagine but which one talks your language? Example: if i talk to a recruiter, i dont wanna hear about frills and thrills. I want a straight shooter, i want to talk about miles and freight. Cpm takes care of itself really. Doesn't matter that much. I need to know if a company has the customer base and freight base/lanes to keep me busy. I don't care about anything else. Everything will take care of itself.
-
Both are trash megas
That used truck purchase only difference from lease it has a better chance of breaking down.Deadwood Thanks this. -
-
Worked for Marten for two years.
If you choose them be prepared to have the inside of your truck inspected by some random dude you've never met every single time you drive into a Marten yard to pick up a load. It's unbelievably insulting. Supposedly its to look for piss bottles but I got a write up for having an empty Doritos bag and a (singular) shirt on the floor behind the curtain separating the drive space from where I lived. Surly mechanics are the ones who do the inspecting.
We also had to put a steering lock on any time we took home time. They weren't satisfied that drivers would do this and prefer to treat them like infantile morons so we had to take a picture of the steering lock in place and text it to them.
I had laser eye surgery to get rid of glasses. I get the procedure done and the doctor said he wants to see me in four weeks to make sure it was healing right. I gave notice to Marten dispatch two weeks before I need to go home as required but they said there were too many drivers out and that I couldn't return. That's your problem not mine, I say. You go home and we'll ding your DAC report for unauthorized truck use and abandoning a load, they say. Dropped the load I had, as scheduled, and then quit them immediately.
They #### on my DAC anyway which caused complications at my next job until it became clear that they were just being spiteful.
Not sure if you're going to listen to this, but this is not a company you want to work for.drvrtech77, autopaint, Loudstacks and 5 others Thank this. -
For me, the obvious choice would be LTL. You have options. You can run local @ $24 (starting pay), or you can run OTR @ 63 CPM (starting pay). Get your endorsements, you’ve already got one year.
But if you’re not into LTL, try IWX. they’re in Kingman, AZ & Springfield, MO & a few other places. I have a friend working there now. .57 CPM + per diem. They run refrigerated.
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
Page 1 of 5