STI, Ft Wayne, In; .88/mile loaded,forced dispatch

I wouldn’t trust anything operated by those worthless clowns at CRST.

 

Why the hell would you think you weren't going to get screwed by a company that only pays $0.88/mile loaded and even less empty?

 

Just maybe you should have came here first and read up on them.

And why would you lease a truck and haul for those crap wages/

 

I wouldn't trust a company with initials that could stand for "sexually transmitted infection."

 

That's the same outfit with the Jesup fishes on the back of the trailer, right?
Should have seen that coming from a long way away.
#2, if anyone offered me .88 a mile, I'd hang up the phone.
Do you have ANY idea what your costs are?

 

This was funny for about 15 seconds

 

I have to call the op out on this one. Just to be up front, I have been with STI for 20 years. I started with them back in 1998, when we were the high value products side of North Amercan Van Lines.

Over the years since I've been here we've gone through some changes...some good, some bad. Being bought by CRST is one of the bad changes we've gone through. But, that's another story. In reality, we really don't have a heck of a lot to do with CRST. But, being associated with the name gives a bad perception of us. I for one have my issues with STI, & i'm not gonna say they are the best. But overall they've been a good fit for me, & I've been able to make a decent living with them. Not great, but not bad. But, don't we all want more? I average $2.24 a mile with them.

What the op is failing to mention is the fuel surcharge. On my last statement loaded miles were paid $1.015 & empty miles were .885. Yes, we don't make alot per mile, cause the money is made in the accessorials/ handling. You don't want to run a lot of miles. We are paid totally different than a regular truckload driver, & that's were some drivers have a problem when they come over here. They still have the truckload mentality that they need to run alot of miles. Remember at one time we were part of a van line. That's how things are still kind of run.

We are owner/operators, I do believe STI has a lease program were you can lease a truck through Quality. I don't know much about it, because the majority of us own our trucks. But what I have heard, like most lease programs its expensive.
We get paid by the mile, the amount of space the shipment takes up in the trailer, plus any accessorials. For example: a shipment could have an actual weight of 5000#, but it takes up the whole trailer. So it would go as 19600# which is paid at $1.50 per hundred pounds. The driver is paid for the AS weight, not the actual (unless it is more than the AS). The driver would get paid per mile, plus $294 to load the shipment, & another $294 to unload the shipment. Then depending on the tariff any accessorials, which could include a long carry, stair carry, elevator carry, overtime (anything loaded/delivered before 0800 or after 1700 is considered overtime), waiting time, detention, attemted pickup/delivery, extra labor if labor is needed. There are exceptions to this, depending on the fleet your in, & the tariff. Quite often I will make anywhere from $600 - $1800 in accessorials on a shipment. It just depends what the tariff pays. Not all pay this way, and it depends on the fleet your in.

We have a truckload division. They make more per mile (not sure what it is), but not much in handling or accessorials. Most of their shipments go as 24000#. I believe they get .40 per hundred pounds. This is because they are just bumping a dock or dropping the trailer most of the time. This is where most of the new drivers will start out at, so that they get a feel of how the company operates, & get a feel for some of the freight. They're not gonna throw you on the million dollar loads right off, unless you have some experience hauling these.
There is also the exhibit fleet. These guys get paid by the mile, & the amount of space the freight takes up in the trailer. Most of their loads go as 24000# also. They get a few cents less per mile than the truckload fleet, but they get $1.00 per hundred pounds cause they really aren't handling the freight either. They also get some accessorials every now & then. Then there is the general service fleet, the climatic fleet, the medical fleet. They are LTL fleets that haul the museum exhibits, art work, medical equipment, computer server racks, etc. The high value stuff. These fleets get paid less per mile, but more per handling, anywhere from $1.50 - $2.00 per hundred weight, depending on the fleet. They also get more accessorials, cause they are handling the freight more. These fleets are more labor intensive, but offer the opportunity to make more money than the others.

I'm not sure what fleet the op is in, but I don't understand why he didn't look at his commission statement & catch that the lease payments weren't being made. You can see them weekly. That is part of being an owner/operator. He should have known you got to keep up with your commission statements & know your numbers. He could see if the money was being withheld weekly, & if not he should have contacted someone to find out why. And, no the leasing company's not going to contact you. Again it's your responsibility. Nobody at STI is gonna hold your hand, it's your business. They'll offer support, but it's on you to make sure those payments are being made.

I will be the first to admit some loads pay better than others. Some are just plan crap. Again as an owner/operator it's up to you to figure out if it's worth doing or not. STI doesn't know your numbers, they just want their freight moved. Don't be afraid to turn a load down if it doesn't pay. Sometimes I've found its best to sit. You also need to keep track of some of the bookers who book the cheap freight & want it hauled for free (want ya to give them free time, etc). You may get burned once, but remember them & turn their freight down the next time you see it's their booking. If its a crap load, don't be afraid to negotiate with STI or the booker. If they want the freight moved bad enough they'll comp you, but if you don't ask, they're not gonna offer.

Is STI the best company out there? Probably not. But, it's been my experience that they are fair, & want to see you succeed. They offer the opportunity to make decent money, but it's up to you the operator to learn the system & know your numbers.

I felt i needed to reply to this post because I don't think it's the fault of STI. I think the op has the responsibility to make sure the payments were being made, & could have easily caught that they were not. Most people that I've seen come here & struggle really weren't ready to become owner/operators yet. Like anything, you'll get what you put into it.

 

What he said.