mercer transportation

KMX--as an independent contractor you are a business owner. You borrowed money from Mercer for trailer, equipment, and tag. They are requiring you to pay it back. I am sure the method was spelled out when you signed taking possession. This is exactly as it would have gone if you borrowed the money from a bank to purchase said items on your own. It is possible you took the quick and easy way by getting these items through Mercer. It sounds like you may have had cash flow issues when leased on and Mercer was the only place you could get credit for these items. None of this is Mercer's fault.

It also sounds like a major factor in your small checks is poor fuel mileage. Again, this is not Mercer's fault.

When it comes to freight rates Mercer would have some responsibility. It is possible they don't have enough work to earn the money you need.

In a bad economy or poor freight market, marginal operators are forced out because they have too high a cost structure. Unfortunately, it sounds like you fall into this category. This has nothing to do with your experience or ability. You are just recognizing too late that you can not be profitable in this freight market. I don't think the poor freight rates are limited to Mercer. I think you will find the same thing at a different company.

I am not a Mercer driver. In fact, I could be considered a competitor. I would love to see you succeed, but I think you need look closely at the reason you are failing before you can turn things around.

Good luck to you.

 

I should pontiflicate a little more clearly so as to not lose my credibility.Here are some details that cant be refuted,I hate to see drivers being taken advantage of,so after calling my legal representation,I have the ability to only tell the absolute provable truth.In this world of litigigousness ,slander,defemation,liable are all factors in this post.When there are two trucks in southern california freight rates are not despareging,when there is a plesara of trucks only related to mercer are in the immediate vicsinity of southern california the rates drop drasticly.Which one of our agents is telling your customers they have alott of trucks in the area so rates are slashed that never happens.Contracted freight rates are as such contracted,so the rates are not fluid.Mercer taunts they dont broker anything,incorrect.Menlo logistics owned by conway is a 3pl,ie broker.conways contract percentage minimum is 19 percent plus mercers 26 percent that equivilates to 45% to total revenue lost.mercer also says the do not broker from landstar that is also an untruth,lanstar minimum percentage is 12% plus if it does go though an agent at landstar an additional 8% percent is derivitated from the revinue.Mercer has non compete selected areas.so if a customer has conflift with one of our agents,there is no other representation for that customer than that agent.ie..lost customers.scneider logistics,karrgo transportation,trinity,bear logistics,ch robinson,admiral merchants,bennett motor,jones motor,bestway logi,system logistic,pilot trans.thsre are but a few multi million dollar brokerages that have ongoing contacts with mercer.To all those who go to canada and are not represented except for an agent in ontario,and occasionally sis in stockton,whom have to deadhead 500 plus miles out to get reloaded.that is rediculous.bnsf is a huge logistics company with contracts with mercer,also trinity is a supplier of freight for mercer.both have numerous loads every day from canada at above average rates with limited deadhead and will tell you nothing is available,such is a lie.
With that being said and with the intent to bring clarity to the situation that your in.With the ability to comiserate and understand what is really going on with you.To believe that mercer isnt a selfish entity is ludicriss.Whe we leased on the average load was 42000 lbs after six months they asked all drivers what they could scale,then the average freight went to 45000 lbs which meant i couldnt scale 80% of mercers freight,which the weight displayed is not a good representation of the truth due primarily to no comunication with there customers.for example on national accounts if 5% of loads from a customer are 45000 then every load from that location are now not available to trucks that can do 95% of there freight.because all loads are displayed as 45000.Next example of corruption which can be easily replicated call an agent that has a load and do not tell them who you are only ask about the load they will offer the load to you immediatly,as soon as you give them a truck number they will tell you it needs to run the board.and its always the guy in front of you that grabs it.even if you have special needs on the load,like medical reasons court or anything gets trumped by empty time only.Have you ever been discouraged and explained it to upper managmeant and a load materializes that is perfect with great rates and light and low.It will be explained to you that no one that has been there multiple days are not interested in it.that is not true or honest.Explain this if you have the inclination,where is the ltl in this company,pretty much not existant.I run a step with ramps and special securemeant in the last month ive done 12 loads of which ive been in ca,canada,tx,miami,nj,and nd.My deadhead average is appoximatly 7.4% the freight is out there mercer doesnt want it.I pull your freight when your waiting for it.That has to hurt a bit.
in closing mercer is a very unique company,and if you think they will always be on your side ask some of the countless drivers that have been let go for idiotic reasons such as you havnt worked enough this year.everybody has a different business plan and is or is not required to make a certain amount of money,no company should terminate employment because a drivers revenue isnt at a certain level.
Good luck to all of you at mercer,There is no reason for mercer to treat you the way they do when with without you they would have nothing,thank you for a great bunch of people this has nothing to do with the drivers out here mercer drivers are some of the best,proud loyal,respectible.Its a shame your company doesnt represent what you are extremly talented individuals.

 

How many trucks are sitting in ca.now.How long have you been there.

 

I just got an email from Mercer, sounds like you are on the money, even though they did forget to mention that the $7,500 was before fuel surcharges . . .nice . . .LOL!

I guess there really is no free lunches . . .hahaha! signed the eternal optimist!

 

Kenworthy, I am a newbie on this site and now you are freaking me out about "watching my posts". BTW, how do they know who you are anyway?

Signed . . .already Paranoid of Capitalism!

 

Between 30 and 70 would be my guess. That's what I normally see when I go home. Usually takes 2 weeks before I get to have dibs on a marginally decent freight, maybe a little less if you pull a step.

 

Why do they still go out there?

How long is the wait in the summer?

 

Um, because I live there.

Last summer time, it was about the same. I remember shaking my head at #56 on on one of matched loads in June or July.

Whether there really isn't freight out of CA, or agents aren't trying hard enough, I have no idea.

 

Has it ever crossed your mind with California having so many trucks to the amount of frieght available that they just pass on most of it? Or maybe a lot of the shippers have a history of not paying or maybe some fake damage claims might show up now and then.I was leased to Mercer for about 4 years and did fantastic,now I went there with my own traler and chains tarps and straps,even with my trailer only being 96 inches wide I was alwas offered frieght.I tend to think the people running mercer might be a little smarter than your average truck driver,Heck they own half of Louisville. They did not get there by being stupid.How many of you complainers and whiners own half of a Major city in the USA?.

 

Posting the truth about a former company I had trucks at got my lease terminated. I got called in and questioned about posting "negative" comments, which were meant to show poor dispatch if I recall. No such thing as first amendment rights when your a contractor with most companies. They would have terminated several people in this forum months ago.

Who said fuel in OH was 4.20? I just paid 3.77 at a Petro today.