Crst malone

This is the time of year when flatbed freight typically slows down. With CRST Malone you can look for your own loads. You can also call agents yourself rather than waiting for your dispatcher to find a load for you. Before wasting time going through another orientation I would see if you can find some of your own freight. Part of the problem could be where you are running. You need to stay in their primary freight lanes.

 

I am trying to obtain some real,& legit facts about Malone,& would be thankful for any real responses.

 

CRST Malone is a good company. I had a couple of trucks leased to them for about 3 years. That was several years ago. If I remember correctly, one averaged $1.81/mile and the other $1.66/mile to the truck, the last year that I was leased to them. During the time I was with them I was offered good and bad rates. I would not haul freight below a certain point and that is one reason that I was able to do as well with them. They do have an agent near you in Knoxville who pulls some dedicated freight out of the area.

When I was leased to them I was pretty aggressive in finding loads. They do have assigned dispatchers, but when I was there you could make a little higher rate if you found your own freight. You need to be flexible, but they do have a strong freight base.

I have a couple of friends who also leased to them. One did pretty well for about a year when he decided to get his own authority. Another friend didn't do very well with them. Part of the reason was where he lives and the other is that he only wanted to run in a very small area of the country. He has since leased to another major carrier and has been doing well.

Most carriers are off this time of year. CRST Malone is no different. I don't know what owner operators are averaging these days, I can only convey to you what I did when I leased to them. I understand that they have gone through some changes since I left. If you have specific questions about them I will be glad to try and answer them.

 

I would like to know if the flatbed business in general have a down season, aside from the holidays! Many businesss are down during the holidays.

 

Winter months tend to be slower for flats. Things can start to slow in the fall, depending on the type of freight you haul. I used to take off from about the middle of December until after the first of January. Things usually start to pick up around the middle to end of February. At one time I had regular freight that kept my trucks busy until the middle of December. Everything has been turned upside down since about October of 2008. The economy has improved but is still a little shaky and somewhat unpredictable. For a while van rates were higher than flat or step deck rates. Some flatbed freight tends to be more stable year around, but rates are not as good as other freight.

 

Well after being off for a month with a radial head fracture of my left elbow, I have been cleared by my doctor to head back to work. I will be heading back to Eldridge, Iowa Monday, for an abbreviated orientation (supposedly just have to take a new urinalysis, and sign a new contract.)

It has been a long month, and im looking forward to getting back to work. I was averaging over $2000. a week before I got hurt, and now that I know the system I should be able to hit the ground running.

 

good deal runningman, stay safe.

 

glad to hear your getting back in the game. i was wondering how ya been and if the recovery process was going ok. good luck to ya running man.

 

Well I was released from the orthopedic doctor and headed back to work two weeks ago. I had to go back to our terminal in Eldridge, Iowa to pee in a cup, and sign a new contract on another truck. Before I was injured I was leasing an '06 red, former crete truck ans was pulling a covered wagon.

I had the option to keep the truck and trailer if I could maintain the payments for as long as I was going to be out of work. Originally we thought it could take 6 to 8 weeks for my arm to heal. So I just ended my contract and relinquished the truck and trailer and would take my chances with a different truck when I came back.

After getting my drug test results back, I signed a new lease on a '07 columbia. This was a gold truck, all things considered it will work out better in the long run the payments are still only $185 per week, and the lease is only for 28 months. The former driver who had this truck had put a nice headache rack on the truck, I got in contact with him and offered to buy it from him,if he would leave it on the the truck. He agreed, and we worked out a fair deal. They have been in the process of buying new utility trailers, so I went down to Tennessee and pick up a new trailer.

My mom had passed away on Fathers day down in Texas, and the memorial service had been put off until July 24th, so I went over to Athens, Al. and picked up 3 coils going down to Schlunburg, Tx. that payed the truck $2.45 a mile. I was able to enjoy the weekend in Texas with friends and family, remembering and honoring my mother. I reloaded out of Houston Monday going up to Wi.. I kicked that off and reloaded out of East Chicago, In. going to Talledega, Al. Another decent paying load $2.00 to the truck. I grabbed a short no tarp lumber load out of Birmingham, Al. and kicked it off the same day in Greeneville, S. C. it payed the truck $1.87. I then bounced over to a regular customer of mine in Richburg, S. C. and loaded a load that delivers in Quakertown, Pa. Monday. It pays the truck $1.96.

All and all its good to be back to work, after being layed up for right at a month. I was going stir crazy and was feeling pretty useless sitting around the house not bringing in any money. One thing I can say is that im glad I opted to pay extra for the workman's comp insurance. They took care of all my medical bills, including physical therapy, and cut me a small check for being out of work for the month.

I hope everyone has a safe and productive week.