Mercer Transportation Co., Inc. - Louisville, Ky.?

Down around that part of FL they are probably waiting on a load of A/C outa Panama City.. We load out of there & they pay decent.. Why not just ask them why they're hanging around there? I can only speculate, they will probably give you the real answer?? I'm pretty sure that's why though?

 

Im going on with mercer next week and havent heard nothing bad but trucking is trucking no matter how ya slice it I have over 25+ years and they all have ups and downs you just got to roll with the it. but as far as good companies mercer is one of them

 

How is the dry van freight at Mercer? I see it's basically a flatbed company but I'll be pulling a van if I lease onto them. Just wondering before I made a move or a choice I would regret.

 

i spoke with them last week,very organized,working out loads from canada.
paul

 

i am hoping that i can do vans also,but have flat,in a pinch

 

A little about MERCER.... They will rip you off if you lease a trailer from them so I suggest you buy your own trailer and not from MERCER...

When they say first in and first out, well that is BS... The smaller the truck number the more chances of not sitting waiting for a load.... If you go to places such as California , Washington , Oregon or Florida be prepared to sit for a few days and when you get a load do not expect a good paying load...rates from the West Coast are averaging around $1.45 a mile.

The fuel discounts are not that great.... If you break down and it is after hours or on the weekend you are on your own..

If you are in a area with no freight and plenty of MERCER trucks you WILL sit. You can not use the load boards to find freight.. You are only allowed to use MERCER load board. That by itself will stop you from earning more... Wheels that dont turn are wheels that dont earn!!!

I was at Mercer for 9 months.... My coordinator was an awesome guy who he himself said MERCER has changed a lot in the past 3 years..

Dale Korum , V. P. of operations will lie to you and will not hesitate to take your money..

MERCER has its problems.. so if you do not mind sitting and do not mind some cheap freight ..... go for them

The best rates for mercer are in the Ohio river valley hauling steel.... Lorain, Ohio ---- Chicago etc... on them short loads you can make serious money if you do not mind tarping and un tarping every day....

Long haul freight for MERCER is a joke.... As I mentioned West Coast rates are way below what they should be and about .50 cents a mile less then what you can find on Getloaded , internet truckstop and the Landstar board ...

 

How do the rip you off on the trailer lease option? A guy told me 500 for a flat,650-700 for drop deck..?

 

there trailer lease is not that bad at all.. Sounds like a guy who is just blowing off some steam with his rants...

 

im looking them and a couple others right now..

 

WOW blowing off steam ??? and ranting ?? lmao

Ok here is MERCER'S trailer lease program..

You can buy a new trailer or a used one. The payment lenght of a new one is 60 months, a used is depending on how many months have already been paid for by previous contractors who either quit or bought their own trailer.

The payment is $500.00 and an additional $100.00
$500 to the payment and $100 for a maintenance , balloon payment account.
I leased a 2009 trailer for $500 + $100 for 48 months ( i used utility , steel wheels and composite trailer with 2 boxes.... a basic cheap trailer )
The trailer needed 4 tires on the front axle, very little rubber on them. MERCER told me they were dot legal and left them on it. ( I wanted to pick another trailer they said this was what I WAS leasing , I had no say in it )
After my first load , 5,000lbs I had a 47k lbs load and seen that the trailer was sagging above the landing gear drivers side about a 5 ft section . was not right, I called JOHN in leasing and informed him, he said he would look into it. I called him a week later and he forgot about it. I gave him another week and still nothing. I took it to Utility in Fontana,Ca and was told there is a problem with this trailer. MERCER said it was on me !!!! BS I told them. I'm not buying a broken trailer that another contractor turned in... I gave them the benefit of the doubt and thought when they said they would work with me that they really would... After 9 months of CHEAP FREIGHT and sitting in MANY States and not getting the trailer fixed I quit.

Now back to this $100 dollar a month escrow fund that YOU MUST pay.
In the contract it is for your balloon payment or to replace damaged or used equipment on the trailer if you turn it in. It specifically states for wear and tear of equipment such as tires or brakes. Yet , if you get a used trailer they give you wore out brakes and tires.... They charged the contractor that turned them in a heft price for the wear and tear and they KEPT that money, it did not go back into the trailer. THIS IS ILLEGAL .
I was charged $1283 for wear and tear on the brakes and tires and I didnt have many miles on them , ( I sat a lot waiting in line for loads ).The contractor that got my old trailer is buying a trailer with used tires , brakes and that has a structure problem in the beam on the drivers side. IS THIS HONEST BUSINESS PRACTICES ??????

I sent a copy of my contract to the Kentucky State Attorney General and they have notified me that it is ILLEGAL to charge money for something then turn around and keep that money. They are at this time investigating this.

MERCER has good rates and a lot of cheap rates. If you run West be prepared to sit. If you run East , be prepared to sit. If you run South , be prepared to sit. If you get unloaded and your 13 or 25 in line you will be there a good time. This day and age $1.32 out of California will make you go broke.....

If you do go to MERCER buy your own trailer and stay in the Chicago area.
A good friend of mine is there still and runs in and out of Chicago about a 500 mile radius and is doing very well. Tarps almost every load but he is making great money.

I have 2 other buddies who are hating life at Mercer, they like to run coast to coast and they are hurting financially and are looking for another job...

THIS IS NO RANT...... Is is the truth. From November to March I averaged .57 a mile after expenses. I know it was winter but DAM come on. I'm averaging over a buck a mile profit after all my expenses where I'm at now. With my own trailer. Never again will I lease anything from a Company. MERCER taught me to NOT trust a Company.