What are the right questions to ask a trucking company when joining a lease purchase program

Forget about the sales person at the office.

Go to the shop of your company and talk to the Leased guys who are getting their trucks fixed. If they talk too much, ignore him and pick another guy. Preferably, a guy that will educate you and be a friend to mentor you on how to make the best of it.

 

Is this a walk away lease?
Is this percentage of load or by mile?
Is there a ballon payment at end of lease?
Maintenance account, can I get serviced where I choose.
And are tires included?

 

The most popular question from the anti lease people say you should ask "where's the door? " and get out.
I say swing away

 

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If they say its per mile pay I would move on, haven't heard of one per mile lease rate I'd take. If they say there's a large balloon payment(5 figures) I would also move on.

Also ask to see fleet averages regarding revenue and expenses, about whether dispatch is forced or pick your own freight, and ask to be emailed a sample copy of a lease contract.

Consider a third party lease as well, maybe look into loan mountain truck leasing, and then leasing that truck on.

 

Then do that as a company driver . Less headaches and almost the same money until it's paid off/completed. And you get benifits.
I'm not in it for the money. I'm doing it so can own my truck after a 3 yr commitment

 

When you ask lease drivers how they are doing, ask them if they are a trainer or only drive solo.
The lease drivers that train will say I run 5000 miles a week and bring home $3000 every week. Then they'll say give the recruiter my truck number and name.
Only talk to solo drivers who lease who are not trying to get paid to recruit.

 

In fact, if a lease co lets lease ops train, it's probably a bad deal, where in order to survive you MUST train new drivers.