mercer transportation

If there is a more recent email then the IT department is sooo inept that they can't even send an email to all contractors. How on earth are we to think they will ever fix the site? But thanks for giving yet another example of what "Donkeys" we are dealing with. Not that we needed it because they prove it everyday, but we have it.

 

Why is that odd? We are mainly a flatbed carrier so it only makes sense we have more good flatbed freight than good step freight.

 

Different departments have different email addresses on file for us. If you have ever used more than one (or switched email addresses) that may have mucked up the works. The information, for us, came to the email hubby originally sent his application from.

 

I can see that. It must be harder for a step to stay in good lanes. At any given time if you look on the board in an area you might have 10 loads near by. Now I'm making these numbers up but 5 might be SD/FB, 4 flat only and 1 step only. With ratios like that it's much easier (I would think) for a flat to stay in good lanes. But you bring up a great point of how most see step rates and think that is where the money is. It's usually not.

 

It's also about versatility and being set up to take advantage of that. In order for a step to do better, you have to be able to take advantage of every benefit it offers. Things like running od, tarping over height loads, ramps. Etc. Next time you are at the yard look at the steps parked there and see how many got ramps. The fleet average is artificially low cause its kept down by all those guys that only have 6 ft tarps, wont run od, and don't have ramps. Those folks would of been better off with a flat. They got all the negatives of a step and aren't taking advantage of its potential. But a guy like you or me that will sell ourselves to agents and customers? We would do better, much like how you have thrived with that conestoga.

 

I already had a step when I came to Mercer. And I have always ran a step or RGN. But if I was just coming on board and didn't have a trailer I would buy a flat.
I agree Mercer is primarily a flat bed outfit.
Definitely more choices for flat especially in the winter.

 

What's odd about it is the fact everyone thinks the steps pay more across the board. Some loads they do. But on all loads hauled, the step loads averaged less on loaded miles than flats did, the gap grew wider still when all miles are figured, which was due to steps averaging more deadhead miles than flats. Thats what meant by odd, everyone thinks steps pay more, but the numbers kind of disprove that. Not having the correct equipment contributes to that, but overall flat rates AVG higher. Conestoga rates averaged about 14.5 cents more than flats on the loaded side, but overall miles it drops to a 8 cents advantage due to a 3 percent more dh average on Conestoga.

 

I was referring to it being more recent that the January email that was sent out. It wasn't sent out by IT anyway, it was out by coordinators. If you didn't receive one, your coordinator may have dropped the ball or some folks email wasn't current. That's what i meant by recent, more recent than Jan. 26. So did you get one recently , cj?

 

For reference , i got the email referencing this in a mass email to all drivers on my coordinators board on April the 12th. Whether it contained any major new revelations i don't know, it did contain login instructions because of the huge number of people who had not even attempted to log on. And with my droid, i haven't experienced any major problems, nor did my wife with her iPhone looking at the board other than just figuring out the how the new system worked. Pretty soon this new system will be old hat to us all, back when we switched to scanning bills in and quit using trip Pak to mail them, many people were just as mad about it. Imagine that , no more finding a trip Pak box by 5 o'clock and some folks didn't like it,. But it's completely normal to be hesitant about change. I am sure there will be more changes bigger than the in the future.

 

Also, i get a weather and road condition email everyday from my coordinator, does anyone else?