It's been very quiet in the KLLM forum

Absolutely!!! Just let them know at orientation. Ladies...you can also request a female trainer. Just be aware that the more detailed your request, the longer and more difficult it may be to find a trainer who fits your requirements. Try to stick to the "absolutely must haves" and keep it as broad and simple as possible. Ask yourself what you can and absolutely cannot live with for a 4-6 week period.

RT

(rest of you...give me a few...have to pop down to Wal-Mart and unload...)

 

It has changed since I got into it. The payments of the trucks have gone up and the length of the terms have gone down. Pay has been dropped to 88cpm loaded and empty with a fuel surcharge paid to you on loaded miles.
That having been said, I still feel that KLLM has one of the better, if not the best lease program/s around. If, at any time you decide you no longer want to do it,, you can walk away from it- no questions asked. Hand in the keys and go. For trucks leased from KLLM there is a service plan you can opt into that makes repairs hassle free- you don't have to worry about whether you'll have the money for needed repairs should you, say, drop a drive shaft or blow your motor. The plan is good for the term of the lease. Scales, tolls, lumpers...all company paid via payroll reimbursement. PrePass, EZPass, PikePass all provided free of charge. When you select your truck, you go through it with one of the service reps and note all needed repairs (mechanical AND body) and the company fixes these for you- no charge to you. They also fill your tanks before you leave with your first load- no charge to you. We use TransFlo which is free, to send in our bills. Lease and O/O scan by 2:30 Wednesday afternoon and are paid on Thursday by 1pm.

I talked to a guy leasing with FFE. He has to pay for tolls out of his own pocket with no reimbursement, is not reimbursed for scaling out his load, has no service plan and has to pay for his own repairs, and if he wants out of his lease he has to pay 10 truck payments plus return the truck with new tires and has to have it serviced and checked and all repairs done on it before returning it. He got it "as is" with minor body damage that HE has to pay to have fixed. No free fill up when he got the truck. No PrePass, EZPass or PikePass provided and he has to pay the fee to TripPak his bills in so he can get paid.

Last I talked to him, he was rooming with his brother and a friend and didn't have enough money buy a Coke.

I told him that if he EVER signed such a screwed up lease again, I'd beat him myself. He wants to come over to KLLM but if he doesn't pay the ransom to FFE then they can (and most certainly will..) make sure he can't lease with any other company.

RT

 

Stupid computer ate my long answer...so here is the short one.

There have been some changes in the program which have lowered the profit margin for lease drivers somewhat....HOWEVER...having talked to lease drivers from other companies, I still think KLLM has one of the best lease programs around.
A word of advice...don't EVER lease from FFE. I'll just say, "indentured servant" and "Lincoln's Emancipation Proclaimation didn't free ALL the slaves..." are key phrases in that situation....

RT

 

I had one. You can get the smaller ones that plug into your 12 volt sockets. Now, those also come with the clamp type connections that can be used to connect them directly into your fuse box under the dash although the company discourages you from doing so, So, if you do that, you might want to unhook it before your truck goes to the company shop. If you need instructions on how to hook it up to the fuse box just let me know
Mine squealed all the time when I used the 12 volt socket connection

RT

 

When you say you start on Tuesday...that would be orientation right?

That means you will upgrade, get a truck and be on your own around the beginning of February.
That time of year is still in the tail end of the slow period for us but things start picking up about mid-March. Coming out that time of year...I'd say...realistically...about $620 per week based on a 2000 mile week at starting pay of 32cpm. That does not include layover, detention, etc., or deductions for taxes and insurance.
It *is very possible to get more than 2000 miles/wk but it is also possible to get less. I just use that as an average.
After taxes (using 12%) I come up with $545.60. Not sure what insurance is running now.

RT

 

Thanks R.T. I am sitting here in the hotel now getting ready for the morning orientation. You were right about orientation by the way. Thanks for the info. For anyone looking to do orientation in Atlanta, I am impressed for the first day. Hotel is very nice. I get the Feeling that KLLM is all that everyone says it is. I think I would be satisfied with the pay. It is definitely more that what I was looking at with other companies. Any truth to the rumor that all KLLM trucks have the same key?

 

Yes. Your key won't fit every truck on the yard but it WILL fit a large number of them.

This is why I seatbelt my doors shut...especially on the yard. See, our shop guys seem to have forgotten the fine art of knocking...

I literally woke up one morning to my truck starting and taking off. One of the shop guys had come to get it for some shop work.

Now...me...half awake and startled....that is a seriously dangerous combo. Absolutely not joking here. People who know me know not to sneak up on me or startle me. They also know to wake me up from somewhere out of reach (oh...say...like....from another time zone...).

I came up out of my bunk and made every effort to rip him out out of the seat and chuck him out the door while trying to detach his head from the rest of his body. The truck almost hit the retaining wall around the fuel storage tanks before I got it together enough to realize what was going on and lay off of him.

So, to avoid any similar problems in the future...I seatbelt my doors shut. They can still unlock them but they can't open them...so they have no option but to knock. It is a good safety measure out on the road too.

RT

 

Thanks, this is an area that will take careful consideration. After a year of OTR time I am sure that I will have enough researching done to help me with my decision.

 

One simple common rule he failed to follow, check with friends and others before making such decisions.

 

As an OTR trucker with KLLM is reaching all 48 states common or not possible?