Best Flatbed Owner Operator Companies

This has been an excellent blog site that I came across. I hope the replies are straight forward and honest, I would very much appreciate to have someone contact me directly. I have been driving professionally since 2005 after completing 20 years of military service. I am looking to buy a truck and become an owner op however, I do not want have a bad experience. I plan to make a decision to purchase a truck in Spring of 2008. I look forward to receiving information from a few people that will be straight forward with me. What I would like to know is this: What companies have the best brokers, what areas in the US pay the best freight etc. Best times of year etc. I have HAZMAT. TANKER endorsements. I have some experience with flatbed and step deck. I have been led to believe that Step Decks are best to go with. I am aware of Cardinal, Landstar, Mercer, but I believe there must be more. Please contact me directly by email dentonchristo <at> yahoo <dot> com

Sincere/honest straight forward help is requested

 

I'm fixing to buy a truck and a stepdeck to put a driver in. I to was looking at mercer. They seem pretty legit and experienced with a broad customer base. I only wish I could run across a O/O from there and get the real low down.Go figure, Haven't had any luck finding one on the road.

 

New to the site, need some help. I am in the market of buying a truck, but I want to lease it to a company and run it under their authority, BUT I want to put my own driver in (not me). Does anyone know of companies that do that? I am in North Carolina and perfer a southeast dedicated runs IF that even a real thing. Any help would be great. If any is doing something similar are you running your truck with your name and putting “ leased to xxxx” or just the company name who you are leased to.

 

I have been an owner operator for over 10 years hauling open deck trailers and have been with Mercer, and many other companies as well as my own authority.

I have switched many companies because i was at the mercy of the assigned dispatcher. When a dispatcher have to dispatch a fleet of trucks, you will only be just another truck getting part of the dispatcher's time. Being leased to Landstar would be a step up because you can see the loadboard and plan ahead. Yet, Landstar have its limitations. The biggest drawback to Landstar and similar companies is that you are limited to their loadboards and many of their loads are double brokered and not direct customer freight.

The last 3 mega carriers i was leased to claims that most of their freight are from direct customers, yet they double broker it within their carrier/broker and gave me 75% of the double brokered freight. Lastly, i sat alot with these companies due to no freight and they refuse to book a load on the general loadboard such as DAT, or Internet Truckstop.

I have given up on my authority because it cost a lot to run a single truck operation. No insurance, fuel, and fleet discounts. And DOT is real hard on small fleet.

My advice then, is to find a company that will let you book your own loads on any load boards, and take around 10% of the ratesheet that you booked. There are many trucking companies that will do this if you look. You will be lease to a company using their authority, getting fuel advance, gurantee payment regardless if customer pays, you will get fuel discounts just like Schneider's IC, reduce insurance payments, national account discounts, and carrier support for maintenance and permits, etc. All for 10% of your gross.

Why give the Mega carriers 25% of your rates when most of the rates are double brokered.

 

As for Mercer, I left them because i wanted to experience my own authority and have the freedom to chose my own loads. As stated above, my authority didnt work out well hence, why i switched to so many companies. I never went back to Mercer because i am saving that opportunity for when i will settle for having a dispatcher.

The best thing about Mercer is that they are honest upfront. I can deny loads all day and the dispatcher will keep calling me giving me first choice on new loads on the internal loadboard. For the most part, Mercer's first in first out is honored. Most of other companies will only offer you one to two loads and if you dont take it, you are sitting for the day.

 

Is it not true that with Mercer you have the option to find and book loads from any load board like an O/O?

 

I dont know how it is now with Mercer, when i was with them, you can only look at their load board on their website and not the main board that the dispatcher see. As to booking brokered loads from other loadboards, they say you can in Orientation but I was never able to get my dispatcher to book me one even after no loads for days. There was always the run around on brokered freight. And, Mercer will not open an account on DAT or Internet Truckstop or any other boards. All loads must be assign to you by the dispatcher or a direct agent from Mercer. Keep in mind that Mercer like any other company will take their fair share of revenue even if it is brokered and will leave you very little left.

 

I turned down going to Mercer in favor of the small company I'm with now. I pay a flat 15% and nothing more. I have the option of booking all of my own Freight negotiating rates everything or if I choose I can have the office do it for me for no additional cost. I have complete autonomy to run my truck as I see fit. Having been leased on the megas, I can honestly say you will not find that.
I have no deductions no charge backs nothing of the sort. If I want to stay home for a week which I routinely do, it doesn't cost me a penny. This is the closest I've ever come to running under my own authority.

 

What company you running for nightgunner

 

Rawhide Express out of Michigan.