F2F Transport / Farm2Fleet: My story with no happy end...

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by mp4694330, Jun 9, 2016.

  1. rank

    rank Road Train Member

    9,870
    113,109
    Feb 11, 2010
    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
    0
    That Big Bill scum bag reminds me of the carpet bagger Josey Wales spat on.
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2017
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. ruffrider

    ruffrider Light Load Member

    162
    119
    Aug 5, 2012
    Alexandria Ala.
    0
    "Who hasn't seen this? Five year ago, Bill Hood was working on a farm in central Illinois, often enduring subzero temperatures while loading trucks and performing a variety of other tasks. “My fingers were cracked and bleeding,” Hood recalls. “I said, ‘There’s got to be a better way.’” Hood wrote a business plan in January 2010, secured some funding, and less than one year later was behind the wheel of a truck hauling his first load. The majority of Hood’s hauls were throughout the Midwest, but he traveled across the county when the opportunity presented itself. “I chased the money,” says Hood, who continued to work on farms during the harvest seasons. Today, Hood and his wife, Lauren Hood, own Farm2Fleet, a successful owner-operator firm located in Chattanooga, Tenn. It recently was named one of North America’s 20 Best Fleets to Drive For by the Truckload Carriers Association. “It does feel good,” Hood says of the award. ”We are humbled.” Drivers nominated Farm2Fleet for the award, but Hood completed extensive paperwork and was interviewed about his company as part of the selection process. He credits the owner-operators for the recognition. “They’re the ones that provide great service to our customers,” he says. The road from operating his own rig to running a growing owner-operator fleet was driven by a desire to create a company that treats drivers with respect. “We decided that we’re going to run this company like a world-class organization,” Hood says. “It’s what you would expect if you went to a business in any kind of industry.” Hood decided his owner-operators would be treated in a way not commonly seen in trucking. For instance, he provides business-class lodging for them during orientation and holds training sessions at a country club. “This is a tremendous business partnership, and we’re going to treat people with respect,” Hood says. “Our core value has always focused on how we work with our owner-operators.” Additionally, drivers are offered the flexibility to set their own schedules, pick their own freight and choose their runs. One owner-operator, for example, takes several months off each year to hike the Appalachian Trail while others prefer not to drive on weekends, choosing instead to spend time with family. “It’s the ability to control their own lives,” Hood says. The result has been a minimal turnover rate. In fact, Farm2Fleet’s 12-month turnover rate is less than 10 percent, while other firms are close to 100 percent, Hood says. Hood describes his drivers as business operators – a key distinction that is not typically realized by other owner-operators. “Other owners are not really running a business,” he says. “They’re driving a truck.” Many owner-operators come to Farm2Fleet having cultivated relationships with their own clients, which benefits the company. “They have a trust built,” Hood says. Farm2Fleet also provides owner-operators with customers if necessary. The company also handles financial and safety compliance issues for its drivers. Hood and his wife, who serves as company president, started Farm2Fleet in December 2010 and leased on their first owner-operator in 2011. Today, they have about 80 drivers, several who came aboard in the past year when the company “refocused its energies” on growth, Hood says. Technology is a significant factor in Farm2Fleet’s success. In fact, Hood believes adopting the latest technology tools is required for the company to grow and remain relevant. The company recently partnered with Real Time Freight for its cloud-based transportation management system (TMS). Farm2Fleet also integrated an electronic logging device mobile solution developed by uDrove with its TMS and fleet management systems. “Technology is a big part of the business,” Hood says. “We want to be the most technologically advanced trucking company in the industry.” The owner-operators who partner with Farm2Fleet are expected to be tech-savvy and must know how to use a smart phone or tablet to access the TMS Hood says. Drivers who aren’t familiar with the devices are turned away. “We want to be honest and ethical with people,” Hood says. “The failure rate for those having to learn our business model and technology is too high.”"
     
    rank Thanks this.
  4. Skate-Board

    Skate-Board Road Train Member

    3,801
    3,994
    Aug 9, 2014
    Merrimack, NH
    0
    Clint tends to get actors he has worked with before. That carpet bagger was the short order cook in Dirty Harry.
     
  5. The Widowmaker

    The Widowmaker Bobtail Member

    8
    16
    Feb 12, 2017
    0
    I think a facebook F2F Transport truth page will be up and running in a day or so.
     
    Terry270, Hammer166, Cat sdp and 6 others Thank this.
  6. rank

    rank Road Train Member

    9,870
    113,109
    Feb 11, 2010
    50 miles north of Rochester, NY
    0
    I'm not a FB'er but I think that's awesome
     
    Oxbow and wore out Thank this.
  7. Socal Xpress

    Socal Xpress Road Train Member

    1,855
    1,957
    Dec 6, 2014
    Los Angeles, Ca
    0
    Surprised nobody had started this before.


    I support F2F truthers
     
    Terry270, HDFatboy and rank Thank this.
  8. Cat sdp

    Cat sdp . .

    19,805
    63,667
    Apr 8, 2012
    Orion's Belt
    0
    On FB, Someone is drinking the cool aid...

    IMG_1172.PNG
     
    boom192, HDFatboy, Hammer166 and 2 others Thank this.
  9. daf105paccar

    daf105paccar Road Train Member

    6,564
    7,290
    Apr 15, 2012
    0
    Cat sp a double agent?
    I like it.LOL
     
  10. RStewart

    RStewart Road Train Member

    3,152
    4,978
    Aug 21, 2015
    Norman, OK
    0
    Lol. That's the post right below mine.
     
  11. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

    12,466
    23,620
    Mar 29, 2008
    TN
    0
    They weasled into Covenant operations. I would be surprised if Covenant got paid anything from an office lease. Heck they managed to talk Covenant into buying several dozens of brand new dry van trailers and putting "Covenant Solutions" decals on them for all the expansion plans of the "expedited Covenant fleet" that went.... ....nowhere. Just more of other people's money wasted by the Hoods on vague, empty promises.
     
    Terry270, HDFatboy, ruffrider and 6 others Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.