ATS Lease Program?

Anderson is always had issues with communicating with customers. They would frequently send me in with the wrong trailer. Then they would make me go load somewhere else or run around to get another trailer. Most of the regular customers are good. You get in an area where you know they have a regular customer and it is better. I just talked to my old dispatcher and thinking of going back. She said that the percentage contract guys are hurting. I would suggest mileage with this company over percentage because they will not flinch to deadhead you 1000 miles.

 

I was lucky when I was with ATS, I had DeWayne as a dispatcher, he was the head dispatch guy on the van side, if/when I had a problem he would have it taken care of in a few minutes including problems with sales/load planner such as them never answering their phones, he was in the reserves, got activated for Iraq and with his replacement things went downhill so fast I was literally stunned. It did not take long and he was gone, and so was I

 

Thanks! I don't plan on working through Christmas. It's just one of those things I wont do. Or Thanksgiving. Other than that, as long as I am moving over a long holiday, I don't really mind working most of them. That deal on Memorial Day was just an unfortunate thing. I hope.

Since then, I've been really busy.

I got my first check with lease payments, equipment, etc. deducted, and I can only say HOLY CRAP WHAT AN EXPENSIVE LEASE.

I've heard our truck payments aren't near as bad as Prime's, so I don't even see how those guys make it.

Still, even after all that is taken out, my take home is much better than my last company driver job. How bad taxes are going to be remains to be seen.

During orientation, they told us how proud they were about being able to start off the year debt free. I kept thinking "Yeah, for what I'm paying you to drive that thing, you better be debt free."

I also told them I was pretty dissappointed in my initial classification. They made me a class 3, being able to test into class 2 after 30 days. Because of the fact that I have no high pole experience, I can't haul blades until I work back up into it.

Pretty stupid considering that

#1) blades aren't over height (or very rarely are) and the way ATS loads them, are even lower than what I was doing previously,

#2) I spent 99% of last year at 175' long, so I'm sure I have a hell of a lot more time than a lot of the guys doing it.

#3) I've seen some supposed Class 1 ATS guys hauling blades do some pretty stupid and unskillfull things in the past, and I've never so much as scratched a blade. (Thank god for tip protectors though...lol...shhh).

So, yeah, I'm still pretty miffed about that, but at least there's a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of getting back up. I know once I get there, I'll do a better job than most of these guys.

Yes, my ego is well earned. ATS just doesn't realize it, as it has - and all large companies do - an overabundance of "policy".

Also, I've heard that ATS has a HUGE lawsuit against them from a conglomerate of wind companies, but can't seem to find any public info on it. If anyone sees anything, please let me know.

 

Been in Cloud since Tuesday of last week. Theres been a buttload of drivers that have turn in their lease in favor of buying a truck. Same deal, but payments are $300 a week. And the drivers are returning these trucks back to factory specs and 13 speeds. Fuel mileage instantly jumps 2mpg(funny how thats always the case).

They had a couple drivers do the Snaffel (sp?) training. 180 mile roadtest with a poletruck, rear guard and 2 Smokies. That has to be an expensive roadtest!

 

so driver ARE turning in their lease trucks? Things must not be as good as i was told over the phone. Go figure right? I was told that if i went lease they had plenty of miles for me to pay for my truck and still have plenty of money to live afterwards. I thought that was kinda funny seeing as though almost everyone else is starving.

I kinda had my hopes up that i could go here and make some money rather than be sitting for half or more of the week as i had been. But i think at this point thats just how its gonna be.

Thanks for the info.

 

snofox, ATS gives you the option at the end of your lease to use your completion bonus as down payment on a tractor or pocketing it and get into another lease. I think that is what triplesix meant

 

Are you talking about Suzlon v. Anderson Trucking Service where they burned up a Nacelle? I don't know the details. I found it with google.I always wondered what happened with that farmer they tried to steal his land with imminent domain. They claimed they needed his prime land on the Interstate for cheap.

 

Oh, hmm i guess after reading it a few more times i see what your saying.

 

It used to be you do a used lease or a new lease. There was only like $10-$25 difference in the weekly payment. The used lease was $425 and New $450. I don't remember a $300 payment. Maybe they are buying off lease trucks? They sell them off for $30k or so. They own the freightliner dealer and xl trailer.

 

so over all it seems every one in here is pretty happy with there lease with anderson right?