Martens Lease

I talked to recruiting for o/o Marten Transp. (hdqtr Mondovi, WI) about the first of August, 2008. I was told that the nat'l fleet avg. for fuel was $4.37/gallon (this is with the substantial discount at dedicated fuel stops), and I would get a 53 cent fuel surcharge at this price. For each 6 cent increase in fuel prices, I would get a one cent surcharge. The pay per mile would vary (my memory is rusty) from approx. 87cpm on a long haul over 1600 mi., to as high as 94 cpm on a short haul 300 mi. or less. So it's a sliding scale based on length of haul. If you want to buy a Marten truck, it's done through a bank (I believe it was US Bank), and at this time there were 3 used trucks available (one was a '05 Pete with a pre-EGR CAT engine, which I prefer), none with any warranty, and with 3 years left to pay, and at the end of 3 years you make a balloon payment of $10,000. I forgot to ask what the monthly payments would be. No forced dispatch on o/o. You can talk to contractor relations at 800-695-1202. I am currently a company driver for Marten. I heartily recommend being a company driver with Marten. It's by far the best of 5 companies I have driven for in the last 14 years. Great equipment, great benefits, friendly competent support, great freight and customers. You couldn't drag me away with a team of mules.

 

I was a lease op for Marten from begining of 06-Nov 07,I got one of the burgundy columbias which was a peice of crap!!!!!!!!!! Ran my ### off just to pay for repairs Pam and Kim in O/O department can back that up. My 1 warning for anyone wanting to lease a truck do not beleive it is not forced dispatched. If any of the current drivers would like to check out my story the guys at the Indy shop as well as Ontario knew my truck very well when ever it came to the yard it was in the shop to the tune of over $1000 each time almost.. Over all their O/O program is one of the better ones out here its just the rest of the BS you got to put up with

 

Could you elaborate on the "other BS" you are talking about. Marten is on my short list and I have no ambition to L/P in this economy but it seems you have some valuable information that could help other drivers with their decision.

Thanks

 

the other BS is when you got to repower loads cause they were 1.) either overbooked, poorly planned or the other driver wasted to much time...Nothing to serious just their way of thinking is your an owner op your truck is able to run faster and can average more then 50mph and that was told to me directly by safety on a hot Abbott Labs load. The BS is the same ole stuff that you get from any other company

 

I have been employed at Marten as Company Driver, Owner Operator (My Truck), Lease Operator $5000.00 Down, They kept me at around 2500 miles per week as a Lease Operator and told me to quit complaining about it, (No better than a company driver, actually company driver was better). A company driver is o.k, except the dispatchers are all extremely controlling and forceful around 2700+ miles, and Owner Operator with my truck pretty good, less frusteration with dispatchers, and good miles of often 2800+ miles