mercer transportation

I'm thinking most of you guys pull flats and steps from what I've read. As of now is there much of a drop in rates between the two? I'd love a step so I could do some more military type loads, but I also know flat is more of a broad spectrum. I'm 99% sure I'll be coming over to mercer after a while, I just am going to go back to company driving for a bit to get my feet wet, and back into the swing again, then head over this winter/next spring. Is that "black widow" 386 still for sale does anyone know? Beautiful rig.

 

Hello everyone...thought I'd clear the air about the guy who makes 300K up here in ND and myself (who makes a measly 145K) as "company drivers"

Were not "truckers" in the traditional sense: The 300k guy drives a hot oil truck, I drive a crude oil tanker hauling crude oil. Were both oil workers who use semi trucks to move our oil to the pipeline. My runs are 83 to 85 miles and I do 3 to 4 loads a day. Everyone I talk to says "sure, I'd come up there and so this or that".....but then the reality if the weather sets in: winters up here are BRUTAL cold....-30 to -55 is common during winter and you still have to haul. Last summer it got up to
107 F. The work isn't easy like flatbed or stepdeck where you secure your load and drive for days......you might drive for 1.5 hours then you are back out there..throwing 4 inch oil hoses, climbing tanks. This is taking a toll on my body as I age.

I've been up here 3 years and I'd like to relax by buying another truck and stepdeck and going back to Mercer. The work is easy compared to what I'm doing now. I know I won't make 145K home every night...but then again my bones won't ache (as much) and I can have my big house sleeper truck.

The original intent of this post was to inquire about the CURRENT climate of Mercer and things out on the road. I'd like to know about the current EOBR debate and what's happening in California (carb) before I sink 300K into a big house sleeper truck and trailer, securement equipment etc.

Any current Mercer drivers care to share some thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

Eobrs are mandated by the feds. Has nothing to do with mercer. When the deadline is set, Mercer will require contractors to follow the law and install them. Carb is carb. If you want to run California you need a carb compliant truck. Don't want a carb compliant truck, no problem, just can't go to California.

 

i got turned away from mountain home id base because of a felony conviction in 1979 and told i would be arrested if i ever came back on base,return two weeks later with a twic card and went in p,u load and came out,told to have a good day

 

it seems like if u have a flat u need a step or i if u have a van u need a flat i have seen rates close to the same for all equipment and it is entirely up to what u are comfortable pulling,vans don't sit.i personally pull a flat after 20 years under a reefer and i wonder why i didn't come to mercer 20 years ago.i guess the area code trucks here tried to keep it quite till now but beware area code boys i'm here and i aint going no where and when i see u i will force u to talk to me.HaHa

 

hello neighbor,i'm hour north of u off exit 79 on 1-77

 

or u can do as i do when i want to know something,google it or youtube how to smoke tarp aload and let trucker dave show u,lol

 

how come ya'll ain't never around when i come to mercerland,all i ever run into is those stuck-up old timers that shut up when i sit down

 

california changed their minds again on carb,had all them truck drivers cussing at the cook-out saturday

 

as ya'll can see i'm sitting at loves in Tacoma doin a 34 and load tomorrow for Ia,but i left hickoy,nc for 2.45 to Mn,stopped by mercertown for hotdogs and conversation,then 2.10 to Tacoma for this morning,1.79 to Ia for tuesday and 2000.00 from Ia to W.V with 4-5 stops between ,going home for the weekend and will be back at it middle week (13th)to make money.if u see me speak up i ain't shy,and i'm easy to see