TransAm Trucking, Inc. - Olathe, Ks.?

Yep, I live up in the panhandle near Pensacola and I am leasing a T680. I am happy with the lease. Its not always perfect, but Im making it work for me. I went through a rough spot where I had to lay dispatch out for a while, but now my regular group does well for me. Im pretty sure night and weekend dispatch is untrainable though and I make do. Week before last I made $1200. This paycheck was not so hot cause I had some trick and trailer issues, but I still got $400 on 2100 miles. Average seems to be about 2800 miles - 3200 miles. Not all of the setbacks Ive had have been TransAm's fault. Ive gotten a couple bad trailers, heck last week I got a BRAND NEW 2013 trailer and lost clearance lights on the back of the trailer whilr going through Liberal, KS. Plus my truck has had a few issues, but its a brand new truck I am working the bugs out of. I highly suggest the breakdown and buydown insurances. As far as hometime goes, neither myself nor my fiance had issues getting home when we wanted. In fact, I will be home tonight. I told them I wanted to be home late Sunday night and they pulled out all the stops to make it happen for me. Right now Im waiting for a swap driver to bring me an empty so I can PC home. I was delayed for 6 hours at Tyson for the second pickup in Logansport yesterday and then sat in Birmingham for 4 hours this morning waiting to deliver. I was able to safely shut down with 3 minutes left of my 14. I cant make tomorrows 0315 appointment in Macclenny or the 12pm in Orlando, so I got a swap so I can be home Monday to get married. I think if youre familiar with how to run a lease then you will be fine. Its not for everyone, but I know a lot of drivers who are happy with their leases besides myself. The Tampa area shouldnt be an issue for you. We have freight that goes down there and freight that comes out. I usually have to deadhead from the Auburndale area and then usually deadhead back to pick up at Coca Cola typically.

 

Thanks for the advice panhandle, its so refreshing to get good honest options. 70% of the info I have seen comes from drivers that are upset and just want to burn down the company. Not saying they are wrong, I know many good drivers that have been raked thru the fire for no good reason and would say anything for a little pay back. Then there are the drivers that are never happy, they can find fault driving a new truck with a 5 dollar lease running 3100 miles a week! also I find drivers with bad news but its also true! It takes alot of homework to find a good fit. Im looking to make my move in June so Im in the research phase now. Well congrats on the wedding, on Monday I will do a little dance and pretend I danced at your wedding! I hear drivers say its hard to get freight in or out of Florida but it has always been mixed for me. I think it depends on the load planners exp and connections! In my case being in Tampa there always some refrigerated freight going to the Lakeland area and we know how much product comes out of Tropicana in Bradenton. Well would still love to hear from other drivers with thoughts good and bad.

 

I was told that the break even point on the lease was about 1800 miles. I know that depends on a number of lease options but doe's anyon have further input on that numer?

 

Congratulations on the wedding.

 

Nope, finally got fed up with them and moved on. Am with a little 50 truck outfit now and much happier. You still doing the portable parking lot gig??

 

Think you meant to thank honeybadger. My advice would be to look farther. I spent 3 years with them as a company driver and made a living there. Mostly, I was just tired of being highly micromanaged. Lots of people do well in that envirement, I wasn't one of them.
I saw that Thumper popped back on this thread after a long time. He did the L/O gig with TA, a couple of times. He might could give you some good advice.

Honeybadger, I also send congrats on the up coming wedding and send good luck your way.

 

Congrats!!! I wish you and your new hubby all the best!

I am comming off break and can't put up a full post, but the spreadsheet I worked up showed me if you can avg. 3300 miles per week a lease with TransAm will pay u the best. If under 3300 avg. company is the way to go.

I am company and I don't see enough upside in a lease to change, too much downside risk of delays and problems. Things go wrong in a lease and you are screwed. Plus no benefits like health insurance, etc. with lease. You can be sucessful with a TransAm lease, just take on students and run a TON of miles.

I have read about some good paychecks for L/O but you need to also account for the crap weeks. I would be interested to see some L/O net revenue per mile. I mean after ALL costs are deducted. I think for most L/O it still comes out less than .30 per mile.

 

Yep it is about 2000 for us as a team
Just spent 7 hours at dubois logistics boy was that fun

 

your exactly right my checks hardly ever avg over .30/mile when you factor in paying for scales, oil , etc
not to mention the 1100 for new steer tires last week
i can run with anyone but plenty of loads have an extra 24 hours on them since the first of the year
been on recap for over 3 weeks and have 30 hours available today
all the whining in the world doesnt get it done
if you have a poor dispatcher

 

We don't even have a permanent dispatcher anymore.
Can't get through on the phones
Waiting on a fax forever this morning for the bills that we never got
They are really annoying us
Can't wait to move on now