The Good, The Bad, The Honest Truth of a New Roehl Lease Operator

Recently I have gotten a lot more demanding and picky about loads. If they want me to take anything that averages less than 450 a day they need a reason other than I just happen to be the closest truck. I think part of the issue might be with dispatch. For awhile I had Jeff P. and things were better, now I have a newby again. I have never seen anything that tells me things will get better so my plan is to complete the lease and then move on. I know Etch really likes Schneider's choice plan and I've talked to several Landstar drivers who really like pulling for them. One of those options will probably be best for me. In six years of driving I have had good dispatchers for a total of one year combined. I think it's time to quit letting others decide what loads I get and make my own decisions.

 

Preach, I could NEVER go back to allowing others to dictate where I haul and what I haul. I am very pleased with SNI's choice program. If I ever left here it would be Landstar. Very few I talk to at SNI are unhappy on the choice board. I had Troy and it was horrible, short heavy loads. I did like Theresa alot but once again the planners dispatch you not your DSR. Preach why wait and continue to over pay Roehl for that truck? Just call SNI and find out the deal and thier cost on trucks. They have a lot wider selection than Roehl does.Good Luck

 

If I made the switch now I am in a situation that I wouldn't be able to get on the choice plan. Actually my deal isn't too bad and much better than some of the other companies out there. I might try to get third party financing after I have a year in as an o/o. That will give me a track record to maybe overcome a poor credit score. Besides I've got almost $3800 invested in repairs. The alternator on the apu just went out.

I have no desire to "see the USA in a Freightliner." I would love to work a freight lane such as down the Illinois to Texas lane or Illinois to Georgia/Florida. I can tell you I don't think I could ever go back to being a company driver.

 

That is the difference. My fm goes to the planner to find a better load and comes back with "that's the best we have out of that area." I know Etch likes Theresa, but that is the same problem I had with her along with the fact she wanted to run my business. Jeff would look for loads that were scheduled tight and a couple of times I was even able to go home under load because it had open delivery dates. We scheduled the delivery for after my hometime. Unless there is another Eric there, Eric Wilson I think finally understands that I like to work hard then go home. They had an emergency with a load pulled by a broke down truck and I was the best option. The comment was that I was a runner. I will take a short run if it is because they have a longer run waiting. For instance, a relay out of Gary to Green Bay isn't that great, but a lot of longer runs come out of that area from Escanaba down to Kaukauna.

 

Hey Eric I have one word for you my friend SPEEDCO! go once you will be hooked, they work like a well oiled machine at every one I've been to and when u pull in the lot most of the time a bay will be opening for you to come straight in. Trust me on this one they are 30x better than any truckstop

 

Just went to Speedco to have my auto greaser filled. Other than the Marshfield and the new Appleton yard they are the only ones who can fill the thing. I haven't been to Marshfield in months and Appleton couldn't fill it because the grease is packed away until they finish moving in. I tried several TA, Petro, and Freightliner locations. Finally went to the Speedco during my reset in Joplin, normally they could do it but their pump was broke. I stopped at the one in Troy, IL and was in and out. Cost me ten bucks and about ten minutes. I would use them for a pm if I needed to get it done on the road.

 

In Gary headed to marshfield to pick up tha new ride