Running with JCT, Part Deux

Any load that is a trip pak before Tuesday night/ early Wednesday morning should make it for next weeks payroll. Someone please correct me if I am wrong as I have been driving since 7pm last night and just got consignee so I am a bit tired.

 

ok thanks for the heads up looks like he has missed that this week since he did not even leave til sometime Wednesday. Might have a negative check of some sort next Friday. Be safe and well out there

 

I've got a few questions. How often do you have to do trailer washouts and what is the average expense? How often do you go out of route to find cheap fuel or do u just take the best u can get in any given trip between point a and b? When you have a breakdown and your truck is still under warranty, does that include parts, labor, and tow or just parts? How limited are newer truck warranties? Do they cover things such as electrical problems in the bunk or are they just for major engine problems? Do u as a driver pay insurance and does that insurance rate vary year to year?

thanks for your time

 

I try do a trailer washout after every load. We have a charge account at Blue Beacon. Others you can get an EFS check and usually average around $30. I try to call the truck wash before going there to get a price and get the EFS check ready before I get there.

I use a combination of www.findfuelstops.com and http://efsrc.promilesonline.com/EFSTruckStops/ByRoute.aspx to help fuel prices along my route that accept EFS. As far as out of route, depends. If i can go a few miles out of route for signifiant savings, I will. I wont go much further than that. We also get a liitle off the cash price at Loves, J/Pilot, and TA/Petro. But, I can usually find fuel at a mom and pop from anywhere .10 to .20 cheaper than chain truck stops. But, then you also have to figure in the perks at the chain truck stops also. So just depends on what you want to do.

 

Mostly correct, as a rule any trip dropped in trippak before pick up on wednesday will pay the following week. I routinely will drop my trips on wednesday after i get my email letting me know what my pay will be on Thursday.


Been awhile, figured i would stick my head in and say hello here on the forums.

 

1. JCT Pays/reimburses for all washouts. Blue beacon and a few other washout facilities near our shippers are often times on an account. If not, JCT will issue you an EFS check to cover the cost. Turn in the receipt and they will reimburse you.
2. I seldom go more than 5-10 miles out of route. If the cheapest on my route is .05-.10 more than a place 10 miles out of route the savings is not there as i have to figure the extra 1.8 gallons to cover the out of route and the loss of potential revenue on 10 minutes out of the log book. However, .20-30 cents would make me look at the numbers again. Also it would depend on just how many gallons will i be able to get at the cheaper price.
3. Warranty is dependent on miles..500k bumper to bumper major components and electrical.. not lights and hoses and such.
4. insurance is lowered yearly if you get with Sheila and have the value of the truck reassessed.

 

You know guys, I mean this sincerely: I think this is probably one of the coolest fleets I have run with, if not THE coolest. Y'all know me a little. I 'm all about profitability and controlling fuel so yeah; I'm often the guy Prime Time passes going "WTF? Did I just pass somebody? JCT at that? You OK back there JCT?" LOL. Never fails, though, that when I flash a fellow JCT over I get a call on the radio and we have a couple miles of very nice conversation. Share a little insight and socialize a minute or two or three. Til he or she gets down the road too far for my stock box. Same at Sapulpa or a drop yard. Run into another JCT and it's like instant camaraderie. Everyone is always trying to help each other and be nice.

Cheesy as it sounds; I am really staring to buy into that "I AM JCT" thing. Took it as just another big company (as far as my experience goes JCT is up there a little) "company hype" slogan things. Started looking at that shirt I got (that I never wear but a free shirt is a free shirt) at Driver Appreciation. I looked at the back and the swirl of words and kept thinking . . .

"Um yeah. I see that, and that, and that and danged; that too. All the time. From drivers and the staff, shop . . . everybody. Then there's the online crew. They're (you guys) cool as all get out too! Hmm. Guess this JCT thing is a whole lot cooler than just being an independent and chasing the dream here at JCT. More to it than just that. Like we're all chasing it together and lending each other a hand on the way. I like that. Think I'll stick around."

So this is a shout out to you guys and those that don't do the forum thing: Cool folks here at JCT. Nice to be a part of the family. Thanks for having me.

And putting up with me.

 

Quick update:

Hubby just called and he's right now in New Mexico. He did not get a chance to actually leave til Thursday last week. His truck needed to be worked on. He said he has right now little over 1800 miles and his next stop is in Los Angles he said he's got little over 600 left to go. He's on his 30 min right now and will be heading out for some night time driving here soon. Oh and I asked him how the gas mileage was going for him he said he's averaging little over 8 and that is at mph. He said the folks have been very nice and helpful with all his questions. Everyone is willing to extend a helping hand. Made him feel real good. Ok let's all be safe out there....

 

If you use the scanner app or in cab the scan can be done by thursday 4pm Central and still get on the next check. Now back to your regular scheduled programming

 

Trailer washouts and the miles to the truck wash are paid for. However, I'm a big fan of saving time. If I have a clean trailer with just some wood-chips and other debris from an enthusiastic unloader, I just hop in the back with an electric leaf-blower. It's 10X faster and cleaner than sweeping, and has saved me a lot of frustration from waiting in the Blue Beacon traffic jam. Also, in Florida, finding a wash-out can be nearly impossible!

Cheap fuel. I run into this all of the time in Texas. Fort Worth and Hutchins always have great prices, but they're often 20+ miles out of route. Since it costs me ~$.90/mile to roll, I calculate my projected savings versus the extra miles before committing to the detour.