mercer transportation

Question for you all. How often do you slide your fifth wheel on your truck? The truck I purchased has a stationary fifth wheel and I am trying to decide if I should put an air slide on it or leave it as it is. Any help would be appreciated.

 

If you can afford it then go ahead. I have only moved mine once I found the right place to get my axles right. But then I have a light weight tractor and don't have to worry about axle weights much. I can scale 51,000k if my tanks are half full. The heaviest I have had on is 48,000k. But it might come handy for you. It sure would be nice to have it and not need it then the other way around.

 

A sliding 5th wheel weighs more and I'm wanting to do the opposite. I want to make mine a stationary to loose approx. 200lbs.
I'd like to do it without changing 5th wheels though, since I've just rebuilt this one.

 

He knew you would eventually get it

I moved mine two notches forward the second week in the truck. My weights were fine ever since as long as I had 37k on the spread on a 46k load.

I am no longer hauling Mercer loads. Currently turning wrenches for a former employer. I have a Western Star sitting in my driveway for the last few days needing a bunch of little things fixed to get it back on the road. I may drive this truck once he gets plates and insurance back on it. It was being used OTR, but the boss has older equipment being pulled by guys that don't know how to pretrip nor turn a wrench. The lady doing the paperwork was telling me she was finding loads for $2.50-$4.50 a mile in a dry van. She's going to check with the brokers and will let me know what he loads are paying his year. She seems to be on top of her game and well organized unlike the boss. He a bit of a walking pig sty, but likes it when I stop in to work on his stuff for extra greens

 

Is the twic just to get on military bases? I have a retired military id so I don't need a twic to get on bases now. I deliver regularly on an Air Force base now using my id.

 

I only used my TWIC card twice to get into ports. I never needed it to pick up a military load.

 

So I guess what I'm asking is does Mercer pull out of ports a lot?

 

Mercer requires you to have a twic or get one during orientation, so how often you use it is a moot point.

 

Sir, I'm new at this, only 4 months driving OTR after retiring from aviation, but want to go Mercer as O/O after my voluntary year here with "Company X":
1. Do you pay for fuel with a Comdata Card from Mercer Resources, or do you buy your own and get reimbursed?
2. In all of my 4 months it's been mostly NE Corridor to include being caught in two blizzards in MI and MN. Didn't like the experience plus being on tiny roads, but invaluable to my education. Could I sign on for the 11 Western States and still get good mileage?
3. I left teams because I drove 11 hours in 12 while my teammate drove 5 to 6 hours in 14. Any good solo O/O slots with Mercer or should I try to drive Teams again?
4. I need to drive as much as possible the next 5 years, and the old lady would probably like that too, any issues on her as "My Helper" on some of the trips?
The only other op I would consider as O/O is Melton, but I'm 64 and not real sure about flatbeds as the way to go.
Thanks!

 

I'll try to answer these with my experience at Mercer.
1: they provide a fuel card which they load once you get loaded. So far it has always been much more than enough for fuel purchases. It cost 1.75 each time money is put on that card. You can set it up to also transfer to your bank, I do this once a month or so when the fuel card money balance gets to high. It earns zero interest on the card, in my bank it makes a bit of money, only 2 percent but it all adds up right?
2. Imo the west coast is a weak spot for Mercer. We are very strong in the Midwest and south central. As for the northeast, you will never be forced to go there, but sometimes loads pay very well to run there. So don't limit yourself by stating you won't run north east. You can always turn them down no questions asked when offered.
3: we have very few teams, mainly husband wife teams. Probably 1 percent or less of all contractors run team.
4: your wife could be your co driver, but must be approved just like all drivers. Keep a log book, and everything else. May I suggest you try to lose the miles mentality. It's not about how many miles you run, it's about how much money you make. This is one of the most common cause of failure of new owner operator's. Long haul, high mile loads pay substantially less than shorter runs. The difference between 4 or 5 400 mile trips vs 1 2k mile trip can be as much as a thousand dollars more for the short runs. In fact, I'd say a minimum of a thousand dollars.