mercer transportation

While I'm still truck shopping, I wanna ask you guys with cali trucks if the rates are worth it and if you were shopping all over would you grab a another cali truck or would you go pre emission? Thank you all for your responses and time. This truck shopping is a long process

 

Rates are good going west last one was $2.66 plus the extra 5% is nice, Last fall leaving I was always in the low $2.00 range... Last 2 weeks east bound freight has been in the $1.60-$1.75 range but short haul has been in the $4-$5 range....

As far as the truck goes I love my DD15 but if I could go back I have learned a lot of what I should have gotten checked b4 I paid mine off that I would have had CRST fix, buying brand new is best way to go 2015+ I've read about a lot of the early Def trucks having lots of problems on Facebook clubs, regular maintenance on DPF and DEF systems are a must they get expensive quick if you let it slide,

Exit back in December
My DPF filter needed replaced it's a $1,500 job but CRST had no maintenance program in place so I found out that I had 800k miles on it and had to pay the $1,800 core charge cuz the filter was just falling apart when they took it out.
Overall I'd stay CA legal, get good fuel mileage out of it my 30 day is 7.98mpg my 90 is 7.58

 

Thanks Truckin Juggalo. The recruiter said the money was good going in and that they're still doing the 3000 bonus

 

Came to cali @ 2.06, now leaving with 2.26/mile headed to TX. With a 9' wide. (It's like having a hair over each ear, in case you can't visualize it)

 

Forgat to menton it weights 26k lbs.

 

Nice. Now Ive narrowed down my selection process.

 

if just buying your first truck, new isn't the answer. with a learning curve the payments will eat you alive. if you could find a good , mechanically sound pre emissions truck, get it and run the 37 state fleet, actually more money to be made. I have to ask what other cali loads have paid going out?? they sure aren't all 2.66 or 2.06. and getting 2.26 with a 9 wide isn't going to happen every trip. I id it when I first came here and the best thing that happened to me was when my truck go to old to go.

the dpf trucks , with filters, sensors and other problems are still causing nightmares for a good many folks. now if ya like to run west , have at it, but its not essential to financial success here at mercer.

next time ask the recruiter what the per mile avg are for the 37 state fleet only

right now on the load at this minute all loads for flats from anywhere in the US going to ca within 500 miles of los angeles , are paying from 1.32 from ga , with the high being from Houston to ca for 2.00 the rest are are at 1.72 to 1.88.

 

you might better consider more than 2 loads in that process , ask flightline or spyder their opinion

 

One option might be a Prostar that has been through the Navistar reman certification. They are about $50 K and come with a 200,000 mile warranty on the emissions system. Most are either Hunt or US Xpress trucks.

 

I'd haveta agree with Skateboard.
Big payments don't go away with lousy freight rates. And we are just getting into Feb. which is a tough month for most. Me I'm still sitting at home playing, but I don't have trk payments. Ready to go out but the rates are getting lousy. And I think 2.26 mile is lousy for a wide load and 8' drop tarp.
I do very good here at Mercer but this time of the year is always lousy in flat bed freight.
Always be ready for the tough times, and the good times will be great times not time to catch up.