Need some advice....

So you want to spend thousands of dollars to work less yea that makes a lot of cents.Reminds me of the saying a fool and his money will soon be parted.

 

Being leased to a carrier and taking 6 months of the year off.You need to be careful about what you read on hear.Most companies aren't going to let you stay like that when they have to pay your insurance for the year.unless you're cancelling the lease.Its not a hobby for them.that why mercer let some of there O/Os loose a few years ago not enough productivity.

 

I would make a little correction to this -

If you want to work less.......don't get your own authority.

I decided to lease my fleet (and myself when I was on the road) to companies with good track records of producing. I have not been let down and the extra money I could have made would have been wasted with the paper work, the BS of chasing money and so on.

Give you an example, a couple weeks ago my driver took a load (wide load, special handling, pilot cars, etc. ...). After three days, the driver gets to the consignee and the load is refused because of the dumbest thing I've ever heard - the BOL had to be a "paying party originated" BOL which is sent to the broker by the company who is paying for the load and who is supposed to send it to the driver via fax when the driver gets loaded. SO ... to make this quick, one broker posted this load, another broker picked it up and reposted the load on the same board (we found this out later) which the company the truck is leased to found it, bid on it then offered it to the truck when they got it. They didn't do their due diligence to ensure what was what so when the instructions were relayed, the BOL was left out by accident by the second broker. My driver finally convinced the consignee to take the load after we got the right paper work to them (which also had to be signed by the shipper), after a couple days of sitting. The company gave me a song and dance that they shouldn't pay all the costs of getting this fixed, it was almost 50% of the TTT amount but I had to point out that the product was delivered on time, the load planning dropped the ball and I expect to be paid in full which will allow the company to pursue collecting the money from the second broker - who I hope they do.

 

I pay all of my own expenses.

 

I fully understand what you are saying, but my rebuttal is as follows.
I don't have any direct freight of my own, so I work an agent base within a certain radius of my house. I have worked this base to my advantage and feel I've done pretty good.
I have thought about getting my own numbers, but the problem is, without a customer base and seeing the rates on sights like ITS and others the rates aren't close to what I'm running.
I see these ads that say, more miles, more money. I see it a little different, less miles, more money.
I have thought about the money I give this company per year and I don't like it.
This is what makes me feel better I pay $240.00 per month for insurance, fuel rebates around 0.50 per gallon and I'm payed within a few hours after I trans-flo my paperwork.

 

Unless I miss my guess entirely, you work exclusively for one brokerage company and pull your own trailer or some kind of similar setup? Just curious.

 

I am leased to an agent based company, but we can broker if we want. Broker or shipper has to pass a credit check.
I do own my truck and trailers. Dry van and a flat.

 

Well since the thread is revived how did you do?

 

I'm doing pretty good, thanks.