any one have experience with the jim palmer/wiltrans lease purchase?

He said the truck payment itself is $995/wk.

 

Yep, $4000 a month is just sick, unless you're singe and planning to live in this truck for the next 60 months, I strongly suggest you run as far as your imagination can take you... Get a $40K used truck with half a Mil miles, for $900 a month and 0 down, for 5 years and spend a lot less money repairing it, if it needs, way better than leasing a total of quarter of a million, you'll be better off as a company driver...

 

jim palmer was a great pitcher

 

If you could avg $2500.00 per week settlement, after expenses would you do it?

What about $2000.00?

 

Well, now we talking, unfortunately a company driver otr can do the same without truck expenses.
$1000 for the truck, $1200 for fuel, $200 for tolls, $50 bobtail insurance, $200 for cargo insurance, $100 for food, unknown amount for maintenance, unknown $$ for ELD, and other related fees and expenses, so total expenses per week, based on average of 2000 to 2500 miles would be between $2700 to $3000, you have to pray for minimum of $5000 gross, other wise you might be better off working as a company OTR driver! Now don't forget downtime and low work lanes. Also the limitation as to how many miles you can travel within the DOT hours! Car carriers, and heavy haulers go into such huge payments even with used equipment, but they make very big money, occasionally!! Do your best research and figure what would work best for your situation. People start with used trucks and then jump on a giant payment, unless you want to bite the bullet and go for it, or you simply got the money to spend!!!

 

With all due respect Truckrazy, the topic is about the Palmer lease. My settlement comment was net of expenses to the lease. These include everything you mentioned. Company driver ain't making that. $1500 after taxes is a good week for a company driver. Most are happy at $1000.00 post tax which is doable with Palmer on the regional side. I can't speak for the 48 state Prime side.

 

Hence my last sentence..., I was not intending to disagree or insult your decision and I am not stopping you or anyone from making a decision on their career choices. If you feel this is the company and the truck that you want then go for it!!! But from my own experience I'll tell you one thing, when I was a local company driver for Saia, my salary was constantly $1400 a week after taxes, then became an OTR company driver for ASBK Logistics, my salary was $1900 to $2200 a week after taxes...Just my 2c.

 

...and one more thing, down time is only for the driver not for the lease payments and bills...

 

@Truckrazy , so your otr company time was with a coloring book or eld? That makes a HUGE difference.

I drank the koolaid. Over the last 55k miles I am at $0.78cpm, net of expenses. I also have 5k in the maintenance account. Not a lot, but something that is mine aafte refurb if I walked away. Wouldn't expect much but as it adds up it'll be something.

 

Wait until tax time. Hope you have at least $5000 on hand.
Every Wilson logistics truck I pass is slower than Prime trucks.