ATS Lease Program?

My brother in law is in their lease program right now and is very happy and making money. Their FSC is adjusted every week for fuel prices and he told me that with the FSC he has been getting it has been paying for his fuel with out dipping into his pocket/truck money. But what is the best thing is he is getting paid for every mile driven. He only gets FSC for loaded milage but what he gets paid for DH milage also pays for his fuel. They are VERY straight forward with their program. It is up to the driver if they want to make money or sit and B&*%# about everything and not make money. I am going to drive for anderson when i retire from the Military.

Nero

 

Thanks Nero, the more I hear of ATS the more I'm convinced I should give them a call. I can't find a lot of bad mouthing of ATS, and that's a plus !

 

When I was driving for them the FSC was somewhere in the neighborhood of 0.36-0.38/loaded mile, and that was at $3.00/gal. But like Nero pointed out, they adjust it each week to the national average. Every 0.05 the fuel went up in price, the FSC was increased by 0.01. At todays fuel prices I would guess that it is between 0.45-0.50/mi

I had a really great experience driving and leasing with ATS. I had an accident in '06 and my lease was termed, but if I had the opportunity to go back and lease with them again I would not hesitate. I dont know what you're interested in pulling, but I was in Specialized and made $113,258.59 in 8 1/2 months.

 

Most likely I'd go with van or maybe even flat. I've been out of OTR for a while and may have to start over again.

 

Not telling you what to do, but I'd go with Specialized (flatbed). Made good money, and if you get a any O.D. loads, that'll get you an extra stack of cash. I picked up a load of HVAC units in Laredo, TX that came out of Mexico, it was like 5 stops, and the first stop was an O.D. (it was 10ft wide) piece and it paid an extra $650.00.

 

That's something I still have to figure out, but the money sure sounds good !

 

I have talked to close to 3 dozen L/O's or O/O's, I have only found one who wasn't happy and was giving back the truck. Don't know any of the particulars, but with so many others happy, makes one wonder who the problem really was. Many of the drivers I talked to are on to their 2nd, 3rd etc. lease. Several have moved on to buy their truck or order one through ATS. Right now my biggest concern is that you dont exactly get to name your truck. You get 3 choices, 1st, 2nd, 3rd. I would feel better if there were KW's in the fleet. (supposedly they are coming but I haven't seen any yet). I would take a Pete, either 379 or 387, but really dont want a Columbia(might as well drive around with the windows open, youll hear nothin but wind anyways!). The Volvo I have now is comfortable etc., but I have heard too many horror stories about repair bills!

 

I saw a few KW's there when I was drivin for them, but the people with those trucks may have owned them outright or leased them thru a 3rd party. I never found the drivers.

 

Pathfinder, most of the problems with the Volvos are electrical related. In '96 I got a year old Volvo WIATTS64 and they had elictical problems back then ! I loved the truck, all the room and rode better and turned much shorter then the KW T800 I got out of ... I wouldn't mind a 387 but although I think the 379 is one of the best looking trucks out there, I don't care for the small cab. I really like the idea of a one year lease too. I sold my truck in '02 and thought I was done with trucking, but I am feeling the tug to get out there again and your post here is making that tug stronger ... And your relating of ATS makes them sound like a company I would like to run for .

 

For me the problem isnt the cabs of the 379's, it is the sleepers. Mine had a 63" Sleeeper and it was like lying in a cramped little hole or something, and I really didnt have any room for anything.