mercer transportation

Man you made me chock on my soda

 

So your angry that your customer also uses Mercer?

 

I'm sure they lease folks on that appear to do that, but they aren't the only ones doing it. That's a problem that is in this industry in every aspect. There are even independents that IMO do the same thing. So coming into a Mercer thread or any other company thread and doing nothing more than intentionally trying to piss people off won't solve anything, and won't be tolerated.

You can have a difference of opinion, but at least be civil about it.

 

If any one is interested there is a used headache rack in the classifieds for $350.
I don't know how to copy it here, or I would've, maybe ya can't, I don't know.

 

Just to point out a couple of things if you read the mercer thread for the last six months ups wasn't that great this year and a lot of drivers got rite back out of It you also might want to consider 2014 was a boom for all the flat bed companies and they all were adding trucks 2015 rolls around freight never really picks up now there there is 5 empty trucks for every load you don't think the rates are going to drop

 

Not neccesarrily that but their rates are consistantly cheaper. They drive down the standard. It's easy for a man to quote a rate that don't drive or own a truck or do any labor to secure a load

 

I got brought into this earlier stemming from a different discussion and of coarse it snowballed. I didn't realize that your tolerance was something I needed to be concerned about while making a statement

 

Not trying to tell you how to talk to the staff but they can ban you from the forum

 

1. That's where I'll nail you down.

How exactly? Unless, as I said, your way is the ONLY way.

2. I promote and I firmly believe in capitalism and true entrepreneurship.

In principle I agree completely however what is "true" entrepreneurship, although I can anticipate your reply.

3. I see the industry year by year getting more centralized. Either company drivers operating for the big wigs or lease operators operating for the big wigs that's the way it's going.

This is an unfortunate trend over the last 20-30 years known as Growth by Acquisition. Companies get larger by buying up other companies not by acquiring their own customers. Trucking has certainly succumbed to this as the megas, as they are generally called, buy up smaller companies constantly. This does lead toward centralization as you say, fewer players in the game with enough clout to dictate terms industry wide for much of the freight. Also the ability to continue to make huge profits while still having a very small profit on each individual freight movement. There is no way a small company, yours or otherwise, can go head to head on the same freight in the same lanes, as these companies. Economies of scale provide such an immense advantage that it results in the demise of the small businessman. The best example world-wide is what happens to competing small businesses when Walmart comes to town.
That said, I know it must sound amazing to you but not everyone wants to run a full blown business. It is also not economically feasible. If everyone was a business owner there would be no such thing as an employee, an impossible situation. The level of involvement any individual wishes to have in their job or career is up to them. Self employment vs employee status in its simplest form is a matter of greater potential rewards and control versus security. Some people choose security, some choose freedom to have greater potential rewards but must then accept the possibility of failure and financial loss. Individuals needs will vary to fill in all the levels of risk any one is willing to take between these two extremes.

4. My point is simple. You don't have to have mercer or Landstar or an of the other outfits on your truck to be successful.

Absolutely true, no argument at all. However, that does not mean that the converse statement is true, which you seem to imply, that being; you will not be successful if you are at Mercer or Landstar. Nothing guarantees you will be successful if you are running your own authority, lease to any carrier, or even if you are a company driver, but in this case the converse statement is also true: you can be successful running your own numbers, leasing, or as a compnay driver. I would suggest what you are trying to say is there is more potential opportunity in running your own numbers versus most leasing arrangements or company driver positions.

5. There's access to freight in this nation that we live in if your willing to stand up for yourself and run your business. Don't run around behind under Mercers skirt get you some dice and come to the table and roll don't let other people do it for you.

First, some companies will not deal with one truck operators. Thank you to the 3PLs who have stepped in and been the major factor in that. Standing up and running the business, well, not sure what to make of that. If you are talking a one person one truck operation then making sales calls in person, running a legal and compliant trucking operation, handling the invoicing, that all takes some work, but most importantly it takes time. Time away from the part of the job that brings in the money which is hauling the freight. Are you saying you never use a broker, ever? Every load you haul is a direct customer? I truly do not understand the thing about the dice. But no one is "hiding behind Mercer's skirt", we have only decided to use them to find our load, handle our invoicing and collections. Per my previous statements we have chosen a degree of security knowing we will get paid, usually same day, and not have to try to collect from brokers who have refused to pay. If you have never had such a situation I am happy for you.

6. If there was ever a example of collectivism your looking at it.

How do you figure that? I don't see any merit to that statement whatsoever.

7.As far as my wallet opening upabsolutlely it does. The big difference in my eyes is I'm the one handling the money. If its needed that someone do that for you then the standard of the industry is compromised

So do you think I or any other Mercer driver are not handling our own money for paying operational expenses? No one tells me how or where to purchase anything, or what I must pay, those are strictly my own choices. Is it an unwise decision to take advantage of discounts when they are available no matter what the source? Please explain how the way you pay for these items is in any way different that how I do so? I could make a counter argument that unless you pay cash for everything, and I do mean everything, then you are allowing a bank or credit card company to dictate terms to you. Even better, you are allowing the government, by using cash, to dictate the terms of payment that are acceptable. That line of reasoning can be continued ad infinitum. While I applaud you embracing the concept of independent there is very little chance of working in this industry without being dependent of others for many of our needs. You seem to wish to debate the matter of the degree of independence.

If you are running a successful operation that is great, I wish you well, and the amount of money you make is of no importance to anyone. I guess maybe the difference between you and most of us at Mercer is that we are happy here and make enough money for our needs. Many of us also tend to take extended time off, either by choice or necessity for family reasons. Most companies would not tolerate any driver taking 2-3 months off at one time, let alone more than once per year. When you have your own authority that is also possible, granted, but those insurance payments keep coming due along with many others. That factored into the decision to come to Mercer for some of us also. It almost sounds like you are not happy with your own situation, of course only you know that.

I do wonder if you have one truck, or more. If you do have more, are they hired drivers, or trucks you lease? Either way, from your statements. you must look down as them as quite inferior to yourself for their failure to operate at the the highest level (as you see it).

There are many reasons why so many of us choose to come to Mercer after having our own authority. I have had a wide range of positions within the industry besides driving, and have not found a company as up front and honest about things as Mercer. Are they perfect, I'd say not, but I'd say none of us are.