Anyone attended NASTC's class for NEW O/O's called "New Entrant Survival Training"?

Thanks Danny.

 

Exactly what I said: I called them on the phone to get details. Here are the details I was quoted on the phone by NASTC: "You may join the QPN fuel program if you do one of the following 3 things: Take the free one day class, OR sign up for the Management & Safety Program option 1 for $100 set up fee and $38/month, OR sign up for Management & Safety Progarm option 2 for $200 set up fee and $99.95/month. Of course with any of these 3 options you would also have annual membership dues of $250. If you didn't have to go to any classes, how long ago did you sign up, and who did you talk to? I would love to call them back and see if they would be wiling to forego the requirements they quoted me!!

 

I thought you said you had to go to their classes to get your authority. Well you did say that. What you meant though was you had to go to get their fuel card.

 

There seems to be some misconceptions here.

First, I did this two years ago. Was told at the time that previoiusly, you didn't need to attend their New Entrant training course to join, but they said some study of their members determined some greatly elevated number who attended that class survived the first year as a company. Those who didn't fared much worse. So, considering you staying in business means they keep making more money on annual fees, etc, that it's in their interest, and yours, to help you survive the first year. So, it's now mandatory.

As for danny. I don't know what you're talking about. QPN puts out every day around 1pm the price for every stop in the network for the following day. So, yes, you should've been able to know what the price would be the next day. And, from yesterday's list, know what it will be today. So, your own inability to check their pricing list to determine which place gives you the best price is what did you in. Not their failing.

Which I'll bring up your factoring, which goes hand in hand with another problem: loading the card. If you had good credit, or even halfway decent credit, you'd have been extended a line of credit for the card. I get $3000/week and the total purchased for the week gets deducted from my bank account on Friday (you can set it to whatever date you want). I can also draw cash advances off the card (as much as I want up to my limit), for a $0.50 fee if with fuel, or $1.75 without fuel (not counting what a truck stop charges). In need of cash on the road, this is much cheaper than using an ATM. Which also brings up the next thing, on the fleetone.com site I can pay money to my card at any time. And yes, it won't be there until tomorrow. Because that's how banks work.

You need to get better at managing your money. Factoring, cash pricing for diesel, etc. Using paid loads on fuel cards to pay for fuel means you're a captive audience to a broker. They know you want the load because you'll get a deal on fuel. Which means you won't get the highest rate. Same with factoring. They already know you're throwing money away. So, top rates aren't going to be there for you. If you'll throw money away to a factor, you'll throw it away to them, as well. Which you admitted in your response.

 

How much do truckstops charge on average to take money out from fleetone?

 

We just took the class in July, and it's well worth your time. Yes, you can get your own authority on your own, but this is a nice way to have guidance while you travel that slippery slope, as well as, it's a great fuel card. I'm not sure what card loading Dannythetrucker is talking about because the way the fuel card works for us is that we fuel, and it's debited out of our checking account the following Friday. There is a database posted every day to check the QPN fuel prices, and you can set up alerts to notify you of fuel price increases and decreases which will be coming up the next day so that you can get your trucks fueled before midnight or wait till after midnight, whatever is the case. NASTC has a lot of programs to save you money, and they are a good organization to work with.

 

Whatever the truck stop charges. It's a cash advance. It's their cost for giving out cash. Usually free with fuel to a certain amount.

 

I went and drank the Kool-Aid, and for the first year, I think it's worth it. The fuel card has been well documented to save money on a lot of threads here. I signed up for 'option 2' less the drug testing and I pay $93 and change a month. For that I get ITS to figure all the IFTA quarterly taxes; check logs for compliance; and make sure that I have everything for the driver(s) that I need to be compliant as well, pre and post hire, plus I use their software for invoicing and driver settlements, and while it will do a lot more, I've found it a bit cumbersome to work with. That's probably more my fault and I may just go down to Hendersonville to sit with the guy and learn more about it so I can take full advantage. They also will do driver mvr's, background checks...pretty much everything needed. For one experienced guy, it's probably not worth it other than for the fuel card, but for less than $25 a week, they will do a lot for you. FYI, if you're leasing on with another carrier, you can still get the fuel card and not have to go to the class, if you can save more with their card than with the carrier card. I also signed up with Orange Commercial Credit through them to factor, though I've not used them yet, but you get that with no minimums, factor what and how much you want (up to the credit limit, mine is $50,000). I also utilize Big Road logs through them, you get one free person with the NASTC membership, so that's $15 but the driver loves it, couldn't be easier. So - I'm sure it's not for everyone, I think it's well worth it.