Schneider, and the post I never thought I'd make

Hey Mike, Do you think the reason for the extra time is cause of freight being slow?

 

I hope your 200 a day is your net not what you are grossing in revenue per day. Have you talked with o/o on the mileage program side do they experience the same long windows between loads?

 

No, the boards show plenty of freight. A little dead heading may be involved at times, but there is freight.

Mike

 

It is NET. And I am on the mileage program. The problem is the silly delivery windows and Schneider's contracts regarding said. My log book looks like one long vacation while waiting to deliver.

Here is a good example, and there are many loads like this. Say $2 a mile to the truck, 759 mile trip, and a 4 day window with a drop at the consignee. Well, 759 miles is a day and a half trip, get close and set up camp. Will not allow early drop. Deliver on the 4th day, but now sit till the next day to get the next good paying load to a decent area. Well, look at all of the days wasted. And that good paying load is another day and a half trip with a three day window...

You see where this goes? That is my problem.

And I have looked at their over nighters, but they just don't pay enough. After fuel and dead head, in the majority of cases, we are right back at that $200 net mark after all is said and done.

Mike

 

I thought you was on the choice program Mike?

 

I am on the Choice program. Which actually has some pretty decent rates, depending on where you go. It is those delivery dates that really kill what should be a good thing.

But, I think they do it that way to keep everything running smoothly, and I cannot blame them, if you have guys willing to do it. Heck, I would run my outfit the same way if the rates were there. They figure in drive time, break down time, oversleeping time, reset time and on time ratings. They have all of the bases covered. Their is little reason for a load to be late, ever.

But getting the miles is the hard part under this system. And trust me, I have no desire to run 3000 miles a week. 2000 to 2500 is fine with me, and if the money is there, 1500 will work. About what I am used too, unless I would get a bug up my ### and head to the west coast.

Mike

 

Just had this talk with a buddy this morning. Everyone we know running their own authority is having collection problems. I'm no expert but netting a couple hundred a day in this market doesn't sound terrible, especially if you're not working very hard wearing out the equipment and burning a buncha fuel. Lots of guys are running teams at 5000 plus miles a week and after the numbers are crunched they're not doing much better. It costs money to switch companies in lost time, escrows, revenues, insurance, etc. BUT, that orange wagon probably looks FUGLY behind your tractor!
My 2 cents worth - give it more time and you'll probably learn to work the system better.

 

And a BIG Nope, can't pay the bills at $200 a day or less than $1000 a week. Like I said, I used to do that locally and home every night as a driver. And it ain't cheap to survive in a truck stop out here anymore. Just to shower is $10. And it is not like I am spending any money on fuel to rack up a bunch of free showers.

Also, I should have broken that down better. I am netting $190.00 a day. Out of that comes my food, showers and truck insurance. Let's do some math.

$190 -

$75 a week for food at WalMart
$50 a week for showers
$50 a week for insurance
$100 a week for bs

$190 x 5 - $275 = $675 a week on average. And I own the truck! And i am not coming home, or even trying to get there. I am staying out and living in the truck. These are company driver wages.

See, it ain't working.

And in regards to...

I know about the collection problems, my average to pay was running 50 days. Unless a quick pay was involved, like CHR. But, I factored everything except the CHR stuff. I had a good rate, under 4%, through Apex. So, collecting was never a problem. And their fuel program is hard to beat, up to .50 + a gallon off of fuel. Worth a looksee!

The biggest problem with most guys regarding getting paid, is the fact that many do not do their credit checks. Remember, as an independent O/O out here, you are also a bank extending credit. Credit checks, CHECK, CHECK, CHECK!

As far as the Schneider system. Just looking at the boards this am, not liking what I see. Same deal, 3 and 4 day out deliveries. I think I am just going to give this other outfit a try. I just spoke with one of his drivers a few minutes ago. He is booked out with his truck till the end of next week. Allot of plants closing and retooling going on up here in my neck of the woods. Our wagons are currently in high demand.

This company has been hounding me for a year now to come join them. The hours suck, because you are always on call. But the fact that I can work a few days a month and literally make 3 months of the wages I am currently making with Schneider is looking pretty good right now. The b-tch is sitting and waiting for the phone to ring while staying out of the beer!

Mike

 

mike, I feel for you. You would like to stay and make it work, but current economics and the long windows make it immpossible to survive. I think you have to bite the bullet and go with the other offer you have, and make what you need to get ahead. Regroup and reconsider after awhile and maybe better days are ahead. Good luck.

 

You know, you are right. I would really like to stay with Schneider. I actually like them as a company. And I never thought I would say that about any mega carrier. They do everything they say, great people to work with, but I can't make it like this.

And I know they are not going to revamp their boards for me and me alone. Allot of the guys like it, but I don't think that many of them have ever really tasted the real fruit out here, like a $15,000 week. Not that those happened all of the time, but they were often enough. Often enough to pay off a 2007 Volvo and a 2006 Great Dane trailer. Unfortunately that is where I sunk all of my savings just before the bottom fell out. Now the bank is empty, but the rest of the bills are still here.

Looks like it is time to move again. God I hope this is it, but I cannot afford to stay either.

Mike