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Bad breakdown or wreck? Decline the rope they'll rent you to hang yourself with!

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by RebelYeller5, Sep 3, 2014.

  1. Sep 3, 2014 #1
    RebelYeller5

    RebelYeller5 Light Load Member

    68
    31
    Mar 11, 2012
    Birmingham AL
    0
    The company says, we can keep you rolling. We can set you up with a rental truck. We have a national account and will put the rental cost against your driving revenue. You foolishly say OK, that sounds good. So you drive and drive, and your truck sits and sits waiting for you to have it repaired. Trouble is, you're not seeing the cost of rental right away, it's not being billed to you directly so you have only a sketchy idea on how all this will play out. Then you have the Ah Ha moment....that's when you figure out that net of that surprisingly costly rental truck, you've been driving for minimum wage. Sooo...when your company offers you a rental truck to keep your running, it's an act of betrayal. In Godfather parlance, it's kind of like Barzini offering to meet with Michael on neutral ground. It sounds pretty reasonable, after all you'd just be sitting around anyway and your company wouldn't STEER you wrong for their own benefit, would they? O/O's Beware.
     
    RebelYeller5, Sep 3, 2014
    RebelYeller5, Sep 3, 2014
    #1
    Trygg Thanks this.
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  3. Sep 3, 2014 #2
    rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    TN
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    Once I had to utilize a rental truck when my motor went down. The company provided insurance and other paperwork to the rental company per their/my request. I used Google to find the nearest Penske or Ryder. It was on me to make and seal the deal. I can tell you I would never rent or buy anything without knowing the price. Why would anyone do that? Not all companies are predators.
     
    rollin coal, Sep 3, 2014
    rollin coal, Sep 3, 2014
    #2
    Cetane+, windsmith and nb629 Thank this.
  4. Sep 3, 2014 #3
    RebelYeller5

    RebelYeller5 Light Load Member

    68
    31
    Mar 11, 2012
    Birmingham AL
    0
    Because Tessio guarantees their safety......
     
    RebelYeller5, Sep 3, 2014
    RebelYeller5, Sep 3, 2014
    #3
  5. Sep 3, 2014 #4
    Dryver

    Dryver Road Train Member

    2,818
    2,575
    Nov 30, 2008
    Sioux Falls, SD
    0
    Nothing coming out of my wallet should be sketchy, 'in writing' 'In writing' 'In writing'

    Its sad to hear, but passing on your experience will help others.
     
    Dryver, Sep 3, 2014
    Dryver, Sep 3, 2014
    #4
    Cetane+ and Kickstand-117 Thank this.
  7. Sep 3, 2014 #5
    RebelYeller5

    RebelYeller5 Light Load Member

    68
    31
    Mar 11, 2012
    Birmingham AL
    0
    As Tessio would say: Tell Michael it was only Business.....
     
    RebelYeller5, Sep 3, 2014
    RebelYeller5, Sep 3, 2014
    #5
  8. Sep 3, 2014 #6
    SMOKENCHOKE

    SMOKENCHOKE Light Load Member

    50
    9
    Sep 1, 2014
    0
    I rather put my truck in the shop and wait for it to get repaired,why spend more MONEY, when you are ALLREADY spending MONEY?
     
    SMOKENCHOKE, Sep 3, 2014
    SMOKENCHOKE, Sep 3, 2014
    #6
    Badcable Thanks this.
  9. Sep 3, 2014 #7
    mc8541ss

    mc8541ss Road Train Member

    1,467
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    Sep 22, 2007
    Lower Alabama
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    Time to take a fishing/hunting trip when the truck is down.
    or since we are a small company, (25 trucks). My brother will let you drive a company truck for what he pays company drivers, if there is one available or a company driver wants some time off.
     
    mc8541ss, Sep 3, 2014
    mc8541ss, Sep 3, 2014
    #7
  10. Sep 4, 2014 #8
    rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    Mar 29, 2008
    TN
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    I was in the middle of a load. Choices were: rent truck and finish run - broker will buy another truck to finish it for me and I pay for that - pay a buddy to finish it. Rent truck was less headache and likely cheapest. And, if you're getting good enough rates $650 a week + 11 cents a mile can easily be covered. You keep rolling and making money.
     
    rollin coal, Sep 4, 2014
    rollin coal, Sep 4, 2014
    #8
  11. Sep 4, 2014 #9
    RebelYeller5

    RebelYeller5 Light Load Member

    68
    31
    Mar 11, 2012
    Birmingham AL
    0
    That's EXACTLY what a rental truck should be used for. it's a short-term solution for an urgent problem, that would have been costlier some other way. But to run-the-country in a rental truck, racking up thousands of miles because your company made doing that so easy and convenient for you? Beware, everybody's making money in that deal...except You.
     
    RebelYeller5, Sep 4, 2014
    RebelYeller5, Sep 4, 2014
    #9
  12. Sep 4, 2014 #10
    not4hire

    not4hire Road Train Member

    7,142
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    May 16, 2012
    Calgary
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    A bit off-topic from the op, but I ran three years on rentals--up to six at-a-time. Of course, the key is to not haul cheap freight and I didn't. New truck / engine issues? No problem. Regular service / maintenance? No problem. Emissions system failures? No problem. Blown up transmission? No problem. Worn out tires? No problem. Business expanding / contracting? No problem. Sensing a theme? Is it the right solution for everyone and/or every situation? No, but I believe it is a viable proposition when you consider that a truck is just a tool and when you look at the TRUE COST of operating one. YMMV


    Oh yeah, truck cost averaged between 11-14% of gross.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2014
    not4hire, Sep 4, 2014
    not4hire, Sep 4, 2014
    #10
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