Stay away from JCT (John Christer Trucking)

Both you and your husband are right. JCT offers great earning potential and I have talked with many JCT drivers who are bringing in $1,200 to $1,500 per week after all expenses. So it would help your financial situation. BUT you are right with your concerns of not seeing him much. JCT says they will give you, on average, 3,100 miles per week. That is not going to happen and have him home every weekend. In fact to make those financial numbers your husband is looking at, he will most likely need to run three weeks at a time.

You would think in the modern age of computer dispatch that companies could figure out how to keep a driver moving, get them 2,800+ miles a week and let them come home on the weekend. I guess old habits are just hard to break.

I hope the two of you can reach a good compromise. I made the choice two years ago to come off the road to spend the final two years of my youngest son's high school career here with him. In that time I have been able to attend many of his concerts and other events, jazz band being the best. I have seen him excel in music to the point he is headed to college to become a music educator. I would not trade those memories for all the miles or money I could have made over these last two years.

I hope your husband is able to find something that will help him earn the money he feels pressured to earn to provide for you and the kids while being able to be a bigger part of their life. That is a tough balance for most fathers. There is a desire (and from what you have shared an urgent need in your case) to bring in money to meet the financial needs of the household. Yet, there is a need to spend time with the family too. Men get their esteem from being the "bread winner". If the bread is not being won, they feel they are a failure. In other words, fathers more easily show their love for their children through the material things they can provide. Mothers, while they know there is a need to provide food, clothing, and shelter, are often willing to do with less because they display love through touch. This is where your need for compromise is.

Hope this is a help to you and to others who may be facing the same situation without having voiced it on here.

 

Just because they run you don't think you make money. They plan you so you have to put your foot into that C15 Cat in those chromed out, overpriced dinosaurs they saddle there o/o's with. I gave in a go with them for 3 months, never got better then 5mpg, most of the time it was 4.5mpg. My best week with them I ran 4k in miles and took home a whole $700 dollars before income taxes.

 

Not always.

If you run 4000 miles and it costs you $2 a mile but your only get $1.95 per mile.....well?
It's net revenue per mile times miles equals money. HTH

 

If you would have took the time to actually read the contract and the leasing agreement you would have seen that it was SPELLED out on page 3, # 11
Surrender. In the event of early termination of this Lease, with respect to any item of the Equipment, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR shall return the same to CARRIER in good repair, condition and working order, ordinary wear and tear resulting from proper use thereof alone excepted, within thirty (30) days following such expiration or termination. Further, unless superceded by prior written agreement, INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR may be subject to $475.00 (four hundred seventy five dollars) early termination fee plus .05¢ per mile charge for tires, maintenance and liquidated damages for the miles incurred during the time of the INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR'S possession of equipment in excess of normal anticipated usage by Three Diamond Leasing. See Appendix "D"

 

Landshark do you have a copy of the lease that you can send me? Please PM me with the info, Thanks in advance for you time and help

 

Well after ready this one thing is clear. Some of you are NOT long haul otr truckers.

4500 a week in a 75mph truck. PLLEEAASSEE. Any fool who can't do that shouln't be driving. And do it legally. 4500/7=645 a day/75= 8.6hrs a day. Wheres the problem??

OTR driving meens being out on the road. You have two choises. Drive and make money or be at home and make none. You can't do both.

As for Partner/Employer. You have two choise. Do trucking as a job. Be unhappy and fight with the company. OR realize that trucking is like no other job. Work WITH the company with the same goal of delivering freight Safely,Quikely and on-time every time.

 

Well Kabar, your numbers surly speak the truth and your words are experienced. I know, I've been around the block as I'm sure you have as well. I do think though those kinds of numbers are easier to reach if you're an O/O because the companies know if you don't get the miles you need, you and your truck will move on. When your leasing from the hand that feeds you, the truck stays if you decide to walk and they will have another driver moving down the road in that truck a week or two later. Like you indicated, do the work, drive the truck and work with the company! If you lease that truck your paying a lot more than a true O/O for it and probably not getting as many miles, but doing a good job for the company should get a L/O about 3000 to 3300 miles per week in a normal economy and if you're a smart business person you might just make some money at it, and if you know your way around, it may even be easy on some days!

 

Well guys I've been with JCT 6 months now and I'm extremely happy. Yeah, I've been asked to run loads that had way too many miles, I just simply told them "NO". No problem, no cut in miles, no sitting time unless I ask for it. As far as swapping loads, I have no problem with this one either as all loads pay the same per mile, loaded or empty. They keep me running, legally and yes I make money. They do demand that their loads are delivered on time whatever it takes. They will swap them out and get them there, by keeping the loads moving.
In case you guys haven't noticed the economy is bad right now and on time delivery is one way these companies keep their customers happy. Especially when your talking meat and produce.
As for sitting and waiting on loads. I haven't had to wait but a couple of times with JCT, when I was at Prime I sit for 2 days as a team driver more than once. Rain in Yuma, can't get in and get the lettuce out of the field. Spinach scare I sit for 3 days waiting on them to clear the warehouse and ship spinach. Customer wanted trucks standing by and they paid for it. Trucking companies don't cause these problems but they have to deal with them. We as drivers also have to deal with them, hopefully on a professional level. I truly believe that good communication helps.
One last note, if you are leasing or buying a truck the payments don't stop just cause you want to spend more time at home. When at Prime the lease ran for about 3 years then I would take a month+ off before going back.
Trucking Companies are like shoes - one size does not fit all.

 

Great post janskitty, we would love to hear more amout what you know of JCT. A few of us are now waitting to start orientation soon and woud like to know everything possable about the companay in the intrem. Again thanks for the info and please keep it comming...

 

JCT Is a good company to work for. If you want to be home with the kids, get a job at Wal-mart or at a local convience store. As far as running to much, I have a 2007 Freightliner Classic XL (Big wind blocker)I get 6.2mpg with 79,000 gross, running at 67mph. Never have I had a problem making a delivery on time. As far as sitting on a load,this load I am on now was a two stop Wal Mart DC load. First stop they took too long to unload and had to reschedule the second stop for the next day. JCT is paying me layover time. Did not have to ask, they offered it to me.Not to bad for a company in this "Report A Bad Trucking Company" forum