mercer transportation

I think you either gotta get your own truck or maybe settle for the idea of a fleet owner picking your loads. Me personally trusting a stranger with the revenue of my truck isn't the best of ideas unless they're loaded with money. Honestly if you read this thread from Jan 1st 2014 to now then you'll know 45% of the system before you even get to orientation. And as your reading you'll notice that we're more than willing to help each other out.

 

Being a bit over cautious. Probably just need to go and get off the pot lol. Thanks so much for the input. I guess its now just a timing issue. Dont want to take delivery on the truck until I'm locked in on a trailer.

 

Suggestions on weather to go for a flat or step??? Hoping to do alot of partials if possible I'm thinking a step might be better for that. Although don't want to limit profitability. I read about a hundred pages of this thread but will go back to beginning and read the whole thing. Thanks for the help.

 

Step pays more, but I don't know if its better.

 

Fill out the app to make sure you're approved then once they approve you you'll have to play the waiting game for a trailer. Once they call you with a trailer then you could grab the truck assuming it's in top condition because we have one of the most meticulous inspections out here.

Step vs flat?? Go flat. Reason why is because you can't beat volume. I think 99% of us open deck guys are flats. Skateboard or Spyder said along time ago that the person with the highest gross rev is a flat. That easily made my decision.

 

Yeah,but it looks good in advertisements.

 

I just waited right at 3 weeks for a regular flatbed trailer.

 

Step or Flat? The age old question. Both have advantages in my opinion. Both also have disadvantages. I've been mostly running out west for months now. I see ALOT of empty steps out here. When I delivered the other day I was the only flat. 3 steps. One had no load lined up and didn't expect anything till Monday or so. One was bouncing from Pheonix to east Tx to grab a good load next week. One was anti social so who knows. I was the only one that had a few loads lined up. Now I'm not saying don't go step. I come across several lanes where I wish I had a step. But expect to sit more and deadhead more or just haul cheap freight. Of course there are times where you sit or bounce on the flat side too. Just seems (not positive) that steps do that more.

Now with partials a step might be better. I don't know, some on here run a lot of LTL loads. I have run a few but often they are hard to line all the way up. When they do they pay great.

Either way once you pass the learning curve you should be fine. Just remember to say no to cheap freight. There is no penalty box here for saying no. Coordinators will call you about BS loads not because they want you to take it but because it's running the board and you are matched to it so they have to. And good luck.

 

Good, sounds like dropping quality has smoothed things out a little. Hopefully it will speed up for everyone.

 

Not it all cases