Stevens Transport A year in review

I have the extra money I made over being a company driver at the end of the lease. Companies Lease equipment all the time, instead of purchasing, and that is what I have done.

All the "other stuff" is accounted for in the lease, maintenance, lumper fees, base plates, insurance is all part of the lease, and taken first each week. Stevens pays all lumper fees, with a valid lumper receipt.

I do get a tax credit for each and every dollar I spend on the lease.

Why does Steven push new drivers to sign a lease? Easy it moves costs and risks to the driver, and Steven's profit increases. Also they no longer have to pay payroll taxes, workers comp, medical insurance, truck insurance.

I signed, as I saw that I could make more than I could as company driver.

Many do not.

 

Week 3
Miles driven 2924
Miles paid 1687
Miles transfloed, not paid, 1734

Parked at the pepsi plant on Sunday night last week, and was unloaded quickly on monday morning. Now where would they send me? Got a load picking up in Logan Utah, shortest route 358 miles away. Check the route and weather, and call in saying no way can I run that route, 3 mountain passes in January, with a major storm approaching Utah. Instead run over south pass in Wyoming, down to i80, to i84 and then to Logan. Arrive at 6pm, check in with the shipping office, they see my refer, and tell me I am at the wrong dock, and the other dock closed at 4pm.

none of the pickup #s I have work. I tell the shipping clerk that steve Duncan said I would be loaded between 7 and 8. Low and behold, there is my load, and my delivery confirmation # is the pickup number. 40 minutes later I am loaded, and I turn and burn to get out of Utah, Headed for Chicago. I make Little America, and shut down for the night.

Drive across Wyoming on a sunny non windy day, and make Lexington NE. Get up the next morning, Ice storm in Iowa, bad weather in Eastern Nebraska. I wait until 1 pm to start rolling, sun and salt do a great job of melting ice. Make Altoona IA, Bosselmans pilot at 9pm. Parking it tuff, but I find a spot, put it in, and have a good night.

Appointment is for 8pm in Melrose Park. Look on google maps, and see that it is rows of warehouses, with lots of parking. Roll in arriving at 6pm, check in, and 15 minutes later I am in a door. 7pm I am empty, and ready for a load again. Call stevens, as it is late, and I have not seen a pre-plan. Want to know which way to head out of chicago, as there is nothing close. Get a load out of sturtevant WI, 60 miles north, and a Petro just 3 miles from my noon pickup.

Takes until 3pm to get loaded, always does at Johnsons, but I have until Monday 8 am to be in Scottsbluff NE. Stop at bosselmans in Altoona for Friday Night. Saturday roll to Big Springs Ne. Sunday night, parked at the receiver, ready to back into their dock in the morning.

A good week, even with having to adjust to the weather. winds gusting to 50 miles per hour here in scottsbluff tonight. Parked next to the building, but it still moves the truck at times.

My haz Mat endorsement has helped keep me moving and away from grocery warehouses. I hope my next load is not Tyson in Lexington NE. Chances are good that is where I will be going though on Monday.

 

Gonzo, your perception is close. A lease operator for Stevens is a glorified company driver. A student with no business experience will go broke with the Stevens lease.

The advantages are few, but here they are; I can take the tractor home, I can fuel where I want, although it is cheaper for me to fuel at the suggested fuel stops. I can run what ever LEGAL route I want, so long as I make the pickups and deliveries on time. I am dispatched before the company drivers. I can turn down a load assignment, with the known consequences of moving to the bottom of the dispatch list, and not being paid the empty miles to my next pick up.

I went from working 70 to 80 hours a week as a fast food manager to this, I had the knowledge to run a business, with the risks. For me it is better than being a company driver. For most, they fail miserably. I keep telling people this is NOT a purchase program, but everyone keeps trying to insist it is.

Weekly costs $800 to $900 for everything you keep asking about, it is not separate payments as it is for you. fuel is additional. Company Driver makes 30 cents per mile gross, 2009 I made 37.6 cents per mile gross, after paying for health, dental, vacation, IRA. Better for me.

There is not lots of money to be made, but there is more money to be made.

I ask anyone even thinking about the Lease at Stevens one question that a group of us lease drivers came up with; Do you have a family that you want to be home with? Answer yes, DO NOT do the lease.

Second Question; Do you have any business knowledge, and understand profit and loss and that you pay ALL of your payroll taxes.

Different perspective on the matter, as you are where you want to be, as a owner operator. I am using stepping stones to get where I want to be also, and Stevens is one of those stepping stones.

 

Your welcome gonzo. In very limited circumstances, I will tell some one to go with the lease, but most of the student drivers at Stevens should not even consider it, and stay company, learn how a large company works, and then make the decision that is right for them.

Stevens is a training company, and a hard company to work for. I honestly think that they have outgrown what Steve AAron can handle, and the middle managers are running wild within their little kingdoms. Just my opinion based upon my observations.

I do hope your friend can meet his obligation to Stevens, and sticks it out when it looks like they are picking on him. Too many bosses, at least too many that think they are the boss. Also NO is a strong word, and I do use it.

 

If he wants, go with the pre-alliance fleet. It is The grad fleet ran like you are an alliance driver, yet you are qualifying, and being paid as a company driver, and making more than the training pay. At the end of the 60 to 90 days he can stay a company driver or sign on the dotted line. Just do not believe all the hype about alliance, it is hard, and with a family, health insurance would eat up the extra I do make.

And there is always, and I repeat Always 40 to 50 people waiting on trucks. Go pre alliance, get a truck quicker, and then make a decision.

It will be frustrating dealing with all the rules, the QC messages, and seam totally stupid, at times, stick with it, it does get easier and better.

There are 40 to 50 people who quit each week too. There is always the option of picking up an abandoned truck too.