CRST Malone (Flatbed Division) SUCKS!

mercer have a load board and is first empty first loaded system.you will see the rate to your truck and every detail you need to know about the load.deductions are lower than Malone and you don't pay fuel tax no matter where you fuel.im not gonna compare Malone to mercer cause is like comparing lady gaga to elvis.

 

I just applied for my own authority,do you factor?how much you paying for insurance?

 

My rates went up this year. I don't have the exact figure in front of me, but it is about $4,700. I factored at one time, but not in the last several years. I mostly deal with a small clientele and they pay in a timely manner. Factoring is a good way to keep cash flow up, but you need to be careful of the fees charged by some of them and the fine print. If you do decide to factor, make sure to read the contract very carefully. Many of the larger broker offer quick pay for a discount on the invoice, so it isn't always necessary to use a factor to keep cash flow up. Most quick pay is around 1 1/2-2%. Some charge a little more. If the broker's discount is too much, it may be better to factor.

 

Well you're paying fuel tax every time you fuel. If you fuel in the high tax states and drive in the low tax states they could be making profit on your ifta. I'm guessing you fuel in low tax states so that's a good deal compared to Lady Gaga or is it Elvis?

 

i only fuel in virginia and indiana and run on the midwest and the northeast so i will always owe money on ifta but mercer pays it.also installed an xtra fuel tank on my truck so i can fuel once a week(400 gallons)and maximise my savings and never worry about logging fuel stops

 

the best insurance quote i got so far is 9500 dollars a year and being a new company thats not too bad.i plan to haul cars on my stepdeck wich pays on delivery and get set up with some of the big outfits and just factor any other loads.i did this back in 07 with a van but it didnt work out for many reasons:lack of funds,lack of experience,unreliable truck just to name a few

 

That seems pretty high, especially pulling a step deck. But, most insurance companies don't like dealing with cars. There is too much risk for most of them. We all make mistakes. We just need to learn from them. Good luck with your new venture.

 

I don't know anything about CRST in Iowa. We are discussing CRST Malone, which is a different division and operates autonomously. From talking to others, the two are different as night and day. I am sorry to hear that you have had a bad experience with the van division. It can usually help if you discuss any issues with your fleet manager and then go up the ladder until you find answers to whatever is going on with your situation. If you don't think you are being paid fairly on every load, then start keeping a ledger of runs, miles, etc., Then check it when you get your settlements.

 

Sounds like a good deal to me. I paid 890.00 in IFTAs last year.

 

I rarely pay more than $25/quarter, per truck for fuel taxes. If you are paying much more, you may want to sit down and check your fuel taxes to see if you can cut that down. A little planning can go a long way toward cutting those costs.