mercer transportation

It's just a reserve account for whatever you want. I know some companies specify a "maintenance reserve" but here you do what you want. 25-35% is on the high side for most people. I've settle at 15% which over time builds to quite a bit. There are also plenty of people with no reserve and no cash in the bank, and no credit. Then they get mad when they blow a motor and Mercer (or any company) won't loan them money for a new engine. Some treat this as a business, which it is, and others just a driving job with a bigger "paychek" every week. Thus, one of the reasons drivers fail here.

I still suggest taking the maximum advance or none at all. Why pay $1.75 twice for two 25% advances rather than just once for a full advance? That can be a couple hundred dollars at the end of the year, I'm not willing to ignore that.

 

I was looking at ya'll's load board today and it sure had some dismal rates. Seemed like anything with distance was 1.65 for a fb only short runs paid much. Maybe they look better after some kool-aid.

 

You are talking about the publicly viewable load board? Mercer drivers have an internal board that is different. Loads made available to outside the company are largely the ones our drivers don't want to touch, primarily because of the rates.

 

In that case how do you pay for your fuel? Or is the fuel Advance not charged the 1.75. I'm with you on not paying 1.75 twice.

 

Yes you can set up an escrow acct. through Mercer. You setup a % of truck pay to go into that acct. Then you can have the rest of your money put on your fuel card or sent to your house via check (not sure anyone really does this anymore) or deposited in the bank of your choice. Also everytime we make our load call we have the option of being advanced money for fuel. As mentioned earlier this is about 1/2 the total truck pay for the load roughly. The escrow acct is your money and you can use it for whatever. I use mine for taxes and major repairs. You can also transfer money off your fuel card to your bank. Can be useful I suppose. I have set it up but have never even thought about using that feature. Seems we just get paid to often to ever run short of funds.

 

He takes his fuel advance in full. When he has enough money on his card to pay for his fuel on a trip he just doesn't take an advance. He saves the $1.75 charge. I don't take the full advance. I take what I will need if I am going to have to buy fuel on a trip. If it's a short trip and I'm not buying fuel then I won't take any advance. He probably saves $100-$200 a year his way. It's not a bad way to do it. I just do it a little different. Either way the important point being made is that you need to manage your money. If you don't you will fail. Both of us are saying that you need to save for the inevitable breakdown, taxman and other unforeseen things. You have to do it because Mercer isn't going to hold your hand.

 

Mercer internal board...public one doesn't have rates posted.

 

Rates are down right now. Freight seems to be picking back up but the rates are slow to follow. However you are looking at the board on a weekend which means it's already been picked through and that's all freight we don't/won't haul. Look on Monday morning and you will see a whole different board. And the good freight doesn't stay on the board long. We do tend to scoop it up fast.