mercer transportation

Ok hate to ask a ton of questions but I will..... live in Denver co, if I lease on to mercer will I be able to get home every once in a while. Also I have read this whole forum and I realize that expenses and income make a difference with what you bring home each week but I was hoping someone could give me an example of their AVERAGE weekly earnings vs expenses. Also how much does it cost to lease a flat from mercer per month? any info would be so much appreciated.... oh and another question. I do have flatbed experience but very minimal... will they still allow me to sign on? thanks in advance to all who comment on my post

 

oh and some more information for you. I have always been a company driver. the truck I will lease will probably have a $1400 monthly payment on it and what ever the cost to lease a flat from mercer plus insurance and all expenses can someone just give me an idea on the low end what I would make if I ran 3 weeks a month. don't beat me up new at all this O/O stuff just not new to driving ... so any info would be great.... thanks in advance.

 

I posted this in another Mercer forum, but wanted to ask it here too incase someone didn't look in other forum.

ok I have some questions now.... I also am thinking about lone mountain.... yes I know I have horrible credit and shouldnt think about being an owner operator.... with that said does lone mountain work with crappy credit? I have been reading all about mercer and so far I am in love...... so with that being said... do they work with bad credit.... and if I lease one from Lone mountain my payments will be around $1400 a month and then I will have to lease a trailer from Mercer... with that being said..... what is an average I can expect income vs expense. I live in Denver co and will be probably driving 3 out of 4 weeks each month..... first question I need answered does Lone mountain work with bad credit and are their vehicles California compliant?

 

Lots of freight going into Dencer, but not much coming out on the load board. The Denver agent told me there is freight but doesn't hit the load board because most contractors call him and he dispatches directly. Anything that hit the board doesn't last for long.

 

I agree with Blind Driver. You could get home anytime you want. But getting out of the house will be different. I suppose living there and taking a week off and working your way up the board, might not be so bad. When you leave home it will be very cheap freight.

I signed on with Mercer Jan 1989 lived in Montana until 2004 then moved to Tn. I did OK living there, you just have to learn what works for you. That being said, it's soooooo much easier making money living where I do now. Living in Mt. I would usually bounce 2-3 hundred miles to get home, then bounce 240 miles to get loaded. In Denver you won't have the bounce issue, just cheap freight and waiting for it.

With Mercer you have to have control of your expenses while you learn how to make the system work for you. We don't want you going broke in the learning process. As most here will tell you, once you learn the system it's a very good company.

 

yeah, lone mountain will work with you. lots of lone mountain trucks at mercer, starting out hwen you are paying for tag and any other start up costs, stay on the road making money. the charges are accrued on a daily basis and if ya take 7 days off, you owe 7 days when ya leave out. but after the intial costs the daily charge will just be for the trl lease and any ins. you take out. gets easier after that. but don't count on a 3 weeks on and I week off.

do what you have to do to make it work. it can be done, the west cost freight is more plentiful now that many of us cant run California.

and its hard to give an avg. I like to do at least 1500 a week after all expenses and costs at a minimum. I been here 3 years so I have been meeting my goals . but in reality, here its up to the individual, you learn the system, put in the time and you should make it. but have a list 2 inches long of what you will do and where you will go and have a list a foot long where you go or wont do, then youre screwed

 

How does the dispatch system work at Mercer? I understand you have a coordinator, but is there a load board?

When I still could go to California, I used to see Mercer trucks, presumably waiting for a load. Do you end up waiting like that everywhere or if you stayed in the Midwest, could you keep moving?

I just paid my truck off and I'm ready for a change for the better. Landstar appeals to me because I'm the sole decision maker, is Mercer the same way?

Also, Mercer has a list of "Required Equipment". How strict is this? It says you need 12 either 1/4" or 5/16 20' chains. I have 12 3/8" 16' chains. Are they going to make me buy longer chains??

Thanks!

 

No 1/4" chains but heavy 3/8 will do the job. Mercer doesn't check on your equipment they take your word on it.

You can be the sole decision maker on loads or set criteria for your coodinator to book. I have all loads go thru me.

Only a waiting list in bad areas like Tx. or Colarado. No waiting in midwest or east coast.

Load board just like landstar.

A lazy man will starve here and they will let him and keep offering him more loads.

 

I like to work, so that wouldn't be a problem. I'm just skeptical about leaving where I'm at and not knowing exactly what I'm getting into. Last year I drove 133,000 miles and grossed $195,860. Is it great? No. Not even all that good. However, I paid off my truck in 19 months. I'd just rather work smarter, not harder to make better revenue. I have a family and I'm gone a lot because I won't haul cheap crap. I'd like to change that. (The not being home part.) My truck has some minor cosmetic damage on the front fenders, will they let me lease it on or am I going to have to replace my fenders first? It's a Pete and now has 1,180,000 miles on it. Some of the oil pan bolts seep a little, not even close to dripping, but they're wet. Will it pass their inspection or am I going to have to fix that?

 

Only new perfect truck here. LOL

Actually several older trucks here.
The inspections are only and exactly how the DOT does it. Fender issues-only if they are loose or not secured.
When I come here, I had the worse paint job. Not just very ulgy but peeling really bad. They passed it, just told me to get it painted before next inspection. Oh I had to remove or raise my sun visor. 6 inch limit.
The inspectors will show you any dot rules and oil leaks are a dot violation. But just wipe it down before the inspection to be sure. The do not normally get under the front to check for oil leaks.
The big things they look for are brakes, ABS lights (including dash light),loose componets, lights and little stuff.

My pete has 1,811,549 miles on it and they have no problem with it. Petebilts should get automatic pass, huh.