mercer transportation

The team freight in van is pretty much 1 way. It's air freight off the west coast going to either Ohio or Georgia. That's is about 98% of the team freight that is always posted. Obviously leading up to Xmas you have UPS. But there isn't really "a lot" of team freight availability.

As you have read, grab a flat & don't look back. Most aren't thrilled with the van side here, it's works for some like myself. Keep in mind we are a flatbed company.

 

On the team subject. I would say call a recruiter. I believe that all of us on here are solo and don't really have the info that you need. I have only talked to one non married team here. They claimed to do very well. Yes much of their freight was more just super solo stuff they did get a lot of team stuff too. As for figures I don't know, didn't ask. And this was on the FB side. I'm totally clueless on the van side.

 

My teddy bear is my team driver lol

 

I must be honest, I'm still trying to wrap my head around this. I have a very close friend on the van side that makes close to the same money I do if not a little more. I know a few van drivers that state like you do that the van side works well for them. Heck, more then a few times I have thought of going van briefly (well not now with the new truck on the way, but that's only because how I spec'd the truck). And when I look at the van freight (there is SSSOOOOOOOOO much of it) I do wonder why some say it can't work.

I guess what I'm getting at is can some of the van folks share their success stories? Seems all we hear on here is how the vans don't work. Yet all I hear from those that are doing well is how well it is working for them. Problem is they are not on here.

 

Success story....ehh, not sure I would call it that. I have posted from time 2 time about how I am able to do well here. I have said numerous times it's about being in the right place at the right time. And of course not cutting out 40 states.

With that said, I wouldn't call it luck. Maybe I should. I live in south Texas where freight is extremely cheap. When I go home, it is usually for awhile. I was home pretty much all of August due to a death in the family. Then an agent called me, great pay going to California. I sat out there for a couple days and sure enough another agent called with a great load all the way to Georgia. I'm on that ld now, agent called Friday with another great load to NC.

Maybe I get lucky, but then again....why am I running with other Mercer van guys on these same loads?!? Most of those guys aren't on here. Or at least they tell me they arent. Either way, I'm not alone here when I say it is a very decent market for van freight here. It's all about knowing where to run.

I run a lot of Canadian freight as well. Surprisingly I have never had to go extremely far to get another load to keep moving. I know what everyone can see on the board. Everyone that is here and understands the system knows that just as fast as a load showed up on the board, it can disappear just that quick.

I would say 95% of Mercer likes to be home pretty often. I think that is awesome if you can do that. I on the other hand pretty much live on the road & take a month off here and there. I fell in love with the road years ago & I still love it out here. Everybody is in a different situation at home. Maybe that has something to do with it. I'm not really sure what to attribute to my so called "success" at Mercer.

All the people that pull van here that complain really don't know how to run a business. That, or they are just those type of people who like to cry and want the attention. It really bothers me when drivers here are so negative about van. It took me months to figure out the system that worked best for me. If you can't figure it out, then that's on you. Only you control your attitude.

I can say this....be on time, work hard, be respectful & you can have a decent living here. Even pulling a van.

 

@Truckin_Texas91411 The loads and calls you get sound a lot like my friends. And yes he runs Cali too. And I would agree with you in the fact that odds are if you can't make it with a van you won't make it with a flat.

Thank you for sharing and confirming what I already believed. I'm sure that a few will try and argue that you are wrong but I believe you are right (like what I think matters lol).

 

I'm with Schneider now and have my app in with Mercer. I was planning on doing Vans myself, I mostly run the midwest on short loads trying to do 2 a day with SNI, but with the new agreement or contract if you will, that will take place next month, I'm not sure that I will be staying there with all the trailer relocation fees and such. I have read through the threads and most say do flats, that van is really no good here. I take great pride in picking up and delivering on time and won't even consider taking a load if there is any doubt that I can make on time delivery. With all that said, I'm leasing a truck from SFI and I'm thinking of getting my own truck. Really don't want to go through a learning curve with a $750 week payment. Van is where I'm leaning and I believe the freight lanes are pretty much the same across the board. Midwest pretty good, West not so much unless you get lucky. Northeast good going in, sucks coming out etc. With that said, if I turn my truck in to SFI, I will probably end up having to pay about 4k to them for early termination. Been there since May of last year and has been a pretty good gig for the most part. Now once I come off the 4k, that won't leave me a whole lot left to do traditional financing or even lone mountain and was considering what one poster was thinking about. Get a used truck from Quality, run it for a year or so, rebuild my funds and then go to lone mountain or some other route. I can take the truck i have now with me if I wanted, but not sure if that high of a payment plus the trailer will be the way to go. Sorry for all the rambling, just trying to get my ducks in a row and start over with a great company from what I've been reading. Thanks for listening guys.

 

@Drifter42 i have heard good things about SNI. What, may I ask, is wrong with the new contract? They going to start charging you for all the drop n hooks?

I do believe that there is a bit of a learning curve here but that is true everywhere. And I must admit that me not having a truck payment was nice during my worst month (July). But it also proved to me that I could afford a new truck. And to follow that up with my most profitable month just proved that I still had a bit to learn.

 

Do you got money down for a truck? Do you want to run ca?
I was thinking of sni before Mercer. For being a owner op they seem to want to treat you like a company over at sni.

 

I think that is true with any company that has both company and owner/LP drivers.