force lease

I don't think the word is force, they starve or scare you into it

 

Realistically, nobody can FORCE you to do anything as far as a lease is concerned. You have to either want to do it, or be weak enough to allow them to twist your arm.

It ain't the military. You ALWAYS have a choice, even if it is to tell them to take their company and shove it. . .

 

Here's how it works:

After investing 3 or 4 months (minimum) of your time and effort in training, you return to your home terminal and upgrade to solo driver. Your fleet manager says something like this:

"Would you like to be an owner operator? We have trucks available for lease on the ready line. We'll have you rolling this afternoon."

"No. I'd rather be a company driver."

"I understand. Unfortunately, we don't have any company trucks available right now. Are you sure you don't want to lease a truck?"

"No, I don't."

Well, OK. We'll put you on the waiting list. When a company truck is available, we'll call you. Have a nice day."

No hard sell. No pressure. You now have a week or two or three (or more) at home with no income to think about it.

 

That is exactly what happened with CRE to a friend of mine. He leased and never made any money but his advances. When he finally had enough he was $10,000 in the hole.

 

If a person falls for this crap, I do feel sorry for them. The minute they start giving you the "no truck available" BS is when it is time to hit the road. If you already have time invested in the company, it is better to cut your losses as soon as you know where you stand with them. Playing along with them is just going to prolong the agony, and cost you money.

IT AIN'T ROCKET SCIENCE!

 

Its best to stay away from these companies. If you pet the snake its going to bite you one day!

A new driver that doesn't know any better is easily conned into this by flashing a brand new shiny truck in front of them with no money down. Its like a credit card company handing out cards on a college campus!

Highdesertdweller pretty much summed it up!

 

That was my thought, too. I did allow them once, but the second time it happened, it was time to hit the road and take my skills elsewhere. Sure is a shame to give up over 4 years with one company, though.

 

It is well known which companies are pushing the leases, don't want to lease? don't hire on with one of those companies. Simple.

 

Yeah, I hear this a lot too.... Even if CRE preferred you to lease, they aren't going to force it on you.

When we got out of training, we went up and reported to our DM. He didn't ask us anything about leasing, he just said we would have to hitch a ride to burns harbor with another driver to pick up our company truck, since there wern't any at the time in salt lake. Maybe there was, maybe there wasn't, maybe this was part of their supposed "scam".... I dunno, don't really care.

If you're that deadset on not leasing, that's fine. Whether or not they are trying to scam new drivers into leasing and you don't want to do it, don't play their game. If you have to wait a few days or have to go to another terminal to get a truck, do it. If they are gonna make you wait longer than you want and you still don't feel comfortable leasing, go elsewhere because if you let yourself get talked into something you didn't want to do in the first place, then there's no one to blame but yourself.