mercer transportation

I feel like flatbed is a toss up between Mercer and Landstar. Landstar has more flatbed freight it seems, but their system is quite a bit different where you pretty much fend for yourself. That works for some people. Mercer has slightly less freight, but the atmosphere was more relaxed and open to teamwork with a coordinator and the agents and all. At least by my observation.

I can’t speak for DSV or that other outfit. I know a step would do best at Landstar out of that line up. But if I had a step deck I needed to pull and was looking for a place to do it at, I would be calling Admiral Merchants first.

 

Spot market rates got so cheap it was less than my cost to operate so I parked the truck.

 

I've been at Mercer and I'm at Landstar now but with a van at both. At both I work when I want and go where I want. Own authority wouldn't be a benefit in those regards.

Don't forget Bennett, Admiral Merchants, and Ace Doran. I'm pretty sure at Admiral Merchants you can run their freight through their agents and you can find your own loads on the load boards.

 

My info is outdated but when I was at Mercer my #2 option would have been Admiral Merchants. No idea if they are close to the company they once were. But I would check them out.

 

The biggest appeal Admiral Merchants has is the ability to book outside freight. Supposedly you can at Mercer, but I've heard it's more trouble than it's worth.

 

I did to, but that only lasted about 5 weeks before things went nuts.

 

I never saw that. I ran for two weeks at the end of May and beginning of June and covered my expenses but there still wasn't anything worth running. I terminated my lease at that time so I have no idea what happened on the spot market after that.

 

You have to set yourself apart from the other contractors. If you see someone throwing straps right handed, throw yours left handed.

 

What are the dead zones in dry van?

I live in North Carolina on the I-95 side close to Kenly and typically get to the midwest as fast as possible. Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, I just try to live on 70, 74, 80, 39, etc.

I have limited experience driving out west, just on the southern end I only ever had one trip from Wisconsin to Arizona, then San Diego back to Arkansas.

I have absolutely no interest in driving in the northeast until they appreciate truckers more and build more truck stops and not take 13 hours to unload 20 pallets. Anything east of Pittsburgh and north of Richmond, VA I haven't been to since I was a company driver.

I would like to run flatbed again but I don't think I have the clearance for a headache rack.

 

If you can't get a load to or toward Louisville then their is something wrong with your interpretation of how loads work.

Also there is NO requirement to go to Louisville every year for an inspection.