Drive-a-way company, driver turnover

Finger pointing and name calling again. I guess "I" never put much into the thought of WHO is pulling the trailer...where I shop... THAT, my fellow drivers, is one of those "well...if everyone would jus stick together... We could make this country STOP..." How many foreign, or non-English speaking, young and just started out-about to lose their house to foreclosure-fresh outta tds, or plain out don't care, or afraid of their co. firing them...legal or not )) drivers are there out there? I'm a co. driver, but is do the "MAKE WASHINGTON LISTEN" strike... And I sure as hell can't afford to.

Anyhow, the HELPFUL posts on here...are helpful. And THANKS SO MUCH. I still haven't made my decision, bc I guess I'm worried about, like expediting, getting 'stuck, out there.'

 

I just got on Quality Drive Away in Goshen, In. and because I am new (retired cop) I'd like to relay some observations:

1) If one has a tow car (toad as you guys put it) you are limited to driving only vehicles that have a trailer hitch type receiver. Ambulances, busses, UPS trucks, bobtails and other municipal vehicles DO NOT have hitch receivers on them!

2) If one does not have a "toad," you are at the mercy of public transportation if there is any at your destination!

If someone knows any information to correct my observations or knows of the "completely universal hitch" for the vehicles that do not have receivers, I would love to hear it!

Thanks

 

Can I get some info on Truckmovers in KC and their Springfield Ohio operations? Thanks

 

I would like to find out some names of the Union Companies....... support@ibiids.com

 

I have seen all types of vehicles in transit that had a hitch for a tow bar rigged to the frame or bumper

 

"I just got on Quality Drive Away in Goshen, In. and because I am new (retired cop) I'd like to relay some observations:

1) If one has a tow car (toad as you guys put it) you are limited to driving only vehicles that have a trailer hitch type receiver. Ambulances, busses, UPS trucks, bobtails and other municipal vehicles DO NOT have hitch receivers on them!

2) If one does not have a "toad," you are at the mercy of public transportation if there is any at your destination!

If someone knows any information to correct my observations or knows of the "completely universal hitch" for the vehicles that do not have receivers, I would love to hear it!

Thanks"

-In response to Mudturtle-
Some guys use a type of clamp with strong bolts kinda like a C clamp. Not sure where to get them. This works well with class B cab and chasis.

 

I have several years with a family owned company that employs around 40 drivers, all contractors. For me the pay has been a complicated relationship of give and take, it is not straight forward at all. I dont have much experience in trucking to compare it to the industry standards. I get .74 cents a mile plus a fuel sir charge that is determined by the company based on the national average cost of fuel per gallon (wich ive been told they keep some of it for themselves). Except on a minimal move of around 300 miles they pay for everything the driver gets 150. No benefits no retirement you pay your own taxes they give a 1099 once a year. The driver pays all transportation costs to and from the truck, except your first time out from home, driver pays hotels and food. The dispatcher helps the drivers with finding transportation wich is cool and helps out alot sometimes. When I do different jobs and there all over the US and Canada, if im takin it in the shorts they will chip in a little to help me out or if im eating the bar on like 2500 mile run from texas to canada they skimp a little on my pay, not much but it isnt straight forward. So I look at it as like some times I can do good if im gettin alot of miles on trips with no interuption. Sometimes Im out on my ### if I get an old garbage truck with my hands stickin to the steering wheel and like 4 miles per gallon. I had to pay an extra $400 one time on a nasty old truck. You guys are right about the turnover though Im the only one left of a group of guys that was hired together at the same time even other groups since then that all left and complained alot. Your also right about it helping alot if your single and can devote alot of time to working and not tryin to get back home. Also if you are the only thing you need to worry about in bills, or raise a family. Was gunna try to look into doin this on my own because I know a few contacts but I need to get the cost for stuff you need like : The bond, Insurance, DOT number, TAG, IFTA, etc.
If your interested in doing this type of work I just say be good at being frugal with costs like AAA discounts for hotels or frequent flyer miles or trip rewards for hotels (your not suposed to sleep in the trucks) figure out ways to cut corners anyway you can (I even found keeping the tires to the correct pressure can save like $50 bucks in one trip) youll rent alot of cars so do the membership rewards for them too. (I saved a crap load of money on hotels one time when the customer delayed the trip a couple days I ran around in Vegas a couple days in a comped rental car and comped hotels then my dispatcher gave me the normal rate back for the hotels. Hotels in Vegas on the weekends are expensive.)

 

the reason why i got into driveaway is the freedom of being my own boss no forced dispatch.making $1000 a week bring home. Trick is work for 2 great companies. Oh sure every company has flaws. But you roll with the punches.it took me 5 companies to find two of the best i wont tell you which ones cause alot of people had trouble with them. But its working for me and im enjoying it.i have a toad. I cant see how people make it riding greyhound or airplanes

 

First time poster. A friend of mine showed me this site while we were on teh road. You have to find a company with good management. If they are fair and level headed it seems to show in their staff. I have found that the truckers who try to start their own companies are the worst ones to work for for some reason. Maybe that is just my experience though? You hear mixed things about every company depending on who you talk to and it all relates back to whoever their managers are. Instead of pouring out more hate information one good company out there is called Pinnacle. It is a national company with different divisions but the two guys who run driveaway are pretty good. One is Canadian and the other is Italian guessing from his name. Their dispatcher is nice she is available 24hrs a day to field problems and won't ever leave you stuck. The Italian kid also has a lot of connections to help you get back after a load is dropped off. I say kid because I assume he is under 30. Pay seems fair from what I have heard and just the normal problems I have heard from other drivers just are at Pinnacle or you don't hear them as much. Check them out it is worth a try.