Mercer

I've been with Mercer approx. 13 months. It's a good company to lease on with. One of my orientation classmates turned down his first 12 load offers. No sweat.

It's not necessary to have computer access to be successful. It does help to have a good relationship with your coordinator. And if you don't, change to another one.

Like it has been mentioned earlier, the people really seem to care about you and your success (which is also their success). I've been invited to other drivers homes and social functions when i'm "in the area". Cool! I'm always looking for a good meal in all parts of the country.

I have run into drivers who used to run for Mercer. I listen to what they have to say about their time there. I evaluate the person and how their stories compare to my experiences.

Every driver has to evaluate the things that are important to them and make their own decision. Relationships? Money? Intangibles? What is the balance between relationship and money?

Unless you're hauling in a specialized industry, it seems as if all the rest of us are crying about the price to haul freight. So beyond that, what keeps you running with a particular company? Relationship.

I may leave Mercer someday but i'm quite sure that I won't be in a position to bad mouth them.

 

I am leased to Ace for right now, have been since the spring. I can't say anything bad about them other than we have NO freight right now ANYWHERE. All the people are nice and easy to get along with. Most of our freight is in Oh,ky,In,Il so if you live in that area and the freight is moving it is great. Our biggest problem as far as lack of freight goes is from guys cutting our rates, our agents tell us that they can get us freight if we will match a offer from somebody else. Its pretty hard to compete with the Mavericks, TMC's, PI&I and even o/o's from Kaplan, Flatbed express who are willing to work for next to nothing

 

Spent last weekend at Mercertown.......first time ever.......it is a good company and there were many husband/wife teams there......they all seem to know each other many of them meet at the truck show....there are nice driver facilities there and the women even got togeather and cooked some meals for the group in the kitchen Mercer provides for us......

 

ive been approved to go to mercer......what s the difference between the loads on the loadboard and the loads ur coordinator offers you....i heard the loads on the board are the ones that drivers have all refused???

 

There is a public board and that is the ones that have went down the board so to speak...and need to be hauled......they are not nescesarrily offered to every driver only the ones that are on the board for that agent (if I understand it correctly)....and then there is a Mercer ONLY driver board that you have to sign up for and get your code to access what is avaliable to all drivers and that board can be displayed either by agency or by state (if I am in TX I pick TX and see what is loading out of there to anywhere.......) they should explain all of that in school....ask all the questions you can they will be more than willing to answer them....best ofluck

 

ok so i can either have a load coordinator or access to the company load board and dispatch myself??

 

no you will get a coordinator and it is best to work through them and learn the ropes.........you can get ahold of the agent for a load that you might be interested in BUT you have to wait till it gets to you....i.e. (you can also call the agent when you know you are going to be in that area) get to know the agents and this will work better for you as time goes by.
When you get empty you call your coordinator and he will put you on the board for the area you are in say you are #20 (probobaly you are not in Houston lol) ok if the load you are interested in is in Tulsa but you are on say Dallas board you do not get a chance at that load till everyone on the Tulsa board that is matched to that load has rejected the load........say there are 70 guys in Tulsa but only 10 are matched to the load and the 10 don't want it then all of the drivers that are interested in that load but are not on the Tulsa board get a shot of it.......but for that to happen you need to be pre selected your coordinator can do that or the agent can........you can not just look at the loads and get what you see there is an order to all of if, but above all things do not call in untill you are empty! Your coordinator will take care of the dispatching you need to work with him/her. best of luck and it may be best to work with the coordinator here for a few months as freight is a tad bit slow for everyone....get to know them and let them get to now you.

 

I have been with mercer for 9 years.I have 2 trucks on with them. we are slow just like everyone else right now,but it's not true that if you refuse a load you go to the bottom of list. We do have a first in first out dispatch but you can turn down loads all day long and not lose your spot. You can be the 20th truck in line and still be offered freight that day because there are always those above you that will turn down the load because of weight,tarping,money,whatever. make no mistake about it,we are not any buiser than anyone else right now.

 

Nice to no i am not the only one getting a (bruising)..I am parked for landstar and going to possibly go to work for someone else.Who woulda ever guessed that..?

 

yes he is right and also you can be #40 in Houston and if the guys ahead of you can't haul the weight or have the tarps..then BINGO your # comes up...it pays to have yourself set up to haul all you can......my next goal is to get a 102 wide........have the tarps and dunnage needed to haul when the opp. comes along and don't forget the B.C. or passport in case a Canada load comes your way but the freight for there has really bottomed out the last month......they can eat it before I'll haul it that cheap!