STI, Ft Wayne, In; .88/mile loaded,forced dispatch

599logistics · Jan 18, 2018

Yes I don't like that the trailers are gold now, but I'll come mop up all the #### u guys don't want..... No problemo.

superflow · Jan 18, 2018

exhibithauler said: ↑

I have to call the op out on this one. Just to be up front, I have been with STI for 20 years. I started with them back in 1998, when we were the high value products side of North Amercan Van Lines.

Over the years since I've been here we've gone through some changes...some good, some bad. Being bought by CRST is one of the bad changes we've gone through. But, that's another story. In reality, we really don't have a heck of a lot to do with CRST. But, being associated with the name gives a bad perception of us. I for one have my issues with STI, & i'm not gonna say they are the best. But overall they've been a good fit for me, & I've been able to make a decent living with them. Not great, but not bad. But, don't we all want more? I average $2.24 a mile with them.

What the op is failing to mention is the fuel surcharge. On my last statement loaded miles were paid $1.015 & empty miles were .885. Yes, we don't make alot per mile, cause the money is made in the accessorials/ handling. You don't want to run a lot of miles. We are paid totally different than a regular truckload driver, & that's were some drivers have a problem when they come over here. They still have the truckload mentality that they need to run alot of miles. Remember at one time we were part of a van line. That's how things are still kind of run.

We are owner/operators, I do believe STI has a lease program were you can lease a truck through Quality. I don't know much about it, because the majority of us own our trucks. But what I have heard, like most lease programs its expensive.
We get paid by the mile, the amount of space the shipment takes up in the trailer, plus any accessorials. For example: a shipment could have an actual weight of 5000#, but it takes up the whole trailer. So it would go as 19600# which is paid at $1.50 per hundred pounds. The driver is paid for the AS weight, not the actual (unless it is more than the AS). The driver would get paid per mile, plus $294 to load the shipment, & another $294 to unload the shipment. Then depending on the tariff any accessorials, which could include a long carry, stair carry, elevator carry, overtime (anything loaded/delivered before 0800 or after 1700 is considered overtime), waiting time, detention, attemted pickup/delivery, extra labor if labor is needed. There are exceptions to this, depending on the fleet your in, & the tariff. Quite often I will make anywhere from $600 - $1800 in accessorials on a shipment. It just depends what the tariff pays. Not all pay this way, and it depends on the fleet your in.

We have a truckload division. They make more per mile (not sure what it is), but not much in handling or accessorials. Most of their shipments go as 24000#. I believe they get .40 per hundred pounds. This is because they are just bumping a dock or dropping the trailer most of the time. This is where most of the new drivers will start out at, so that they get a feel of how the company operates, & get a feel for some of the freight. They're not gonna throw you on the million dollar loads right off, unless you have some experience hauling these.
There is also the exhibit fleet. These guys get paid by the mile, & the amount of space the freight takes up in the trailer. Most of their loads go as 24000# also. They get a few cents less per mile than the truckload fleet, but they get $1.00 per hundred pounds cause they really aren't handling the freight either. They also get some accessorials every now & then. Then there is the general service fleet, the climatic fleet, the medical fleet. They are LTL fleets that haul the museum exhibits, art work, medical equipment, computer server racks, etc. The high value stuff. These fleets get paid less per mile, but more per handling, anywhere from $1.50 - $2.00 per hundred weight, depending on the fleet. They also get more accessorials, cause they are handling the freight more. These fleets are more labor intensive, but offer the opportunity to make more money than the others.

I'm not sure what fleet the op is in, but I don't understand why he didn't look at his commission statement & catch that the lease payments weren't being made. You can see them weekly. That is part of being an owner/operator. He should have known you got to keep up with your commission statements & know your numbers. He could see if the money was being withheld weekly, & if not he should have contacted someone to find out why. And, no the leasing company's not going to contact you. Again it's your responsibility. Nobody at STI is gonna hold your hand, it's your business. They'll offer support, but it's on you to make sure those payments are being made.

I will be the first to admit some loads pay better than others. Some are just plan crap. Again as an owner/operator it's up to you to figure out if it's worth doing or not. STI doesn't know your numbers, they just want their freight moved. Don't be afraid to turn a load down if it doesn't pay. Sometimes I've found its best to sit. You also need to keep track of some of the bookers who book the cheap freight & want it hauled for free (want ya to give them free time, etc). You may get burned once, but remember them & turn their freight down the next time you see it's their booking. If its a crap load, don't be afraid to negotiate with STI or the booker. If they want the freight moved bad enough they'll comp you, but if you don't ask, they're not gonna offer.

Is STI the best company out there? Probably not. But, it's been my experience that they are fair, & want to see you succeed. They offer the opportunity to make decent money, but it's up to you the operator to learn the system & know your numbers.

I felt i needed to reply to this post because I don't think it's the fault of STI. I think the op has the responsibility to make sure the payments were being made, & could have easily caught that they were not. Most people that I've seen come here & struggle really weren't ready to become owner/operators yet. Like anything, you'll get what you put into it.
Click to expand...

(((WOW))) ...all that ?
Well maybe the op will catch on and learn to keep an eye on all those numbers .
The first thing i would do is find out where those lease payments went and hold the responsible party accountable , even tho he should've been on top that mess in the first place .
Nothing wrong with being head over heels into your job but you if are , you better get it right ,especially with all those twist & turns

Milr72 · Jan 18, 2018

REO6205 said: ↑

88 cents a mile? Really? Who in their right mind would fall for that.
88 cents a mile was a great rate, twenty years ago.
Click to expand...

No it wasn't!

REO6205 · Jan 19, 2018

Milr72 said: ↑

No it wasn't!
Click to expand...

Good point. How about 30 years ago?

mitmaks · Jan 19, 2018

Its your own fault, you did a fleece purchase

Milr72 · Jan 19, 2018

REO6205 said: ↑

Good point. How about 30 years ago?
Click to expand...

A friend of mine was doing flat bedding in the early 70's for over 2.50 a mile and fuel was like .40 a gallon and you could buy a new truck for less than 50,000. He was making good money!

BIF MALIBU · Jan 19, 2018

sounds like alot of rigamoral with the pay scheme.
maybe they should just say 70 grand a year or some such thing

bigblue19 · Jan 19, 2018

superflow said: ↑

(((WOW))) ...all that ?
Well maybe the op will catch on and learn to keep an eye on all those numbers .
The first thing i would do is find out where those lease payments went and hold the responsible party accountable , even tho he should've been on top that mess in the first place .
Nothing wrong with being head over heels into your job but you if are , you better get it right ,especially with all those twist & turns
Click to expand...

When the OP said he was not informed of missing payments to the leasing company I rolled my eyes.
Experiences can be different & still legit, but forgoing basic common sence made me suspicious of his opine.

Sharky88 · Jan 19, 2018

exhibithauler said: ↑

I have to call the op out on this one. Just to be up front, I have been with STI for 20 years. I started with them back in 1998, when we were the high value products side of North Amercan Van Lines.

Over the years since I've been here we've gone through some changes...some good, some bad. Being bought by CRST is one of the bad changes we've gone through. But, that's another story. In reality, we really don't have a heck of a lot to do with CRST. But, being associated with the name gives a bad perception of us. I for one have my issues with STI, & i'm not gonna say they are the best. But overall they've been a good fit for me, & I've been able to make a decent living with them. Not great, but not bad. But, don't we all want more? I average $2.24 a mile with them.

What the op is failing to mention is the fuel surcharge. On my last statement loaded miles were paid $1.015 & empty miles were .885. Yes, we don't make alot per mile, cause the money is made in the accessorials/ handling. You don't want to run a lot of miles. We are paid totally different than a regular truckload driver, & that's were some drivers have a problem when they come over here. They still have the truckload mentality that they need to run alot of miles. Remember at one time we were part of a van line. That's how things are still kind of run.

We are owner/operators, I do believe STI has a lease program were you can lease a truck through Quality. I don't know much about it, because the majority of us own our trucks. But what I have heard, like most lease programs its expensive.
We get paid by the mile, the amount of space the shipment takes up in the trailer, plus any accessorials. For example: a shipment could have an actual weight of 5000#, but it takes up the whole trailer. So it would go as 19600# which is paid at $1.50 per hundred pounds. The driver is paid for the AS weight, not the actual (unless it is more than the AS). The driver would get paid per mile, plus $294 to load the shipment, & another $294 to unload the shipment. Then depending on the tariff any accessorials, which could include a long carry, stair carry, elevator carry, overtime (anything loaded/delivered before 0800 or after 1700 is considered overtime), waiting time, detention, attemted pickup/delivery, extra labor if labor is needed. There are exceptions to this, depending on the fleet your in, & the tariff. Quite often I will make anywhere from $600 - $1800 in accessorials on a shipment. It just depends what the tariff pays. Not all pay this way, and it depends on the fleet your in.

We have a truckload division. They make more per mile (not sure what it is), but not much in handling or accessorials. Most of their shipments go as 24000#. I believe they get .40 per hundred pounds. This is because they are just bumping a dock or dropping the trailer most of the time. This is where most of the new drivers will start out at, so that they get a feel of how the company operates, & get a feel for some of the freight. They're not gonna throw you on the million dollar loads right off, unless you have some experience hauling these.
There is also the exhibit fleet. These guys get paid by the mile, & the amount of space the freight takes up in the trailer. Most of their loads go as 24000# also. They get a few cents less per mile than the truckload fleet, but they get $1.00 per hundred pounds cause they really aren't handling the freight either. They also get some accessorials every now & then. Then there is the general service fleet, the climatic fleet, the medical fleet. They are LTL fleets that haul the museum exhibits, art work, medical equipment, computer server racks, etc. The high value stuff. These fleets get paid less per mile, but more per handling, anywhere from $1.50 - $2.00 per hundred weight, depending on the fleet. They also get more accessorials, cause they are handling the freight more. These fleets are more labor intensive, but offer the opportunity to make more money than the others.

I'm not sure what fleet the op is in, but I don't understand why he didn't look at his commission statement & catch that the lease payments weren't being made. You can see them weekly. That is part of being an owner/operator. He should have known you got to keep up with your commission statements & know your numbers. He could see if the money was being withheld weekly, & if not he should have contacted someone to find out why. And, no the leasing company's not going to contact you. Again it's your responsibility. Nobody at STI is gonna hold your hand, it's your business. They'll offer support, but it's on you to make sure those payments are being made.

I will be the first to admit some loads pay better than others. Some are just plan crap. Again as an owner/operator it's up to you to figure out if it's worth doing or not. STI doesn't know your numbers, they just want their freight moved. Don't be afraid to turn a load down if it doesn't pay. Sometimes I've found its best to sit. You also need to keep track of some of the bookers who book the cheap freight & want it hauled for free (want ya to give them free time, etc). You may get burned once, but remember them & turn their freight down the next time you see it's their booking. If its a crap load, don't be afraid to negotiate with STI or the booker. If they want the freight moved bad enough they'll comp you, but if you don't ask, they're not gonna offer.

Is STI the best company out there? Probably not. But, it's been my experience that they are fair, & want to see you succeed. They offer the opportunity to make decent money, but it's up to you the operator to learn the system & know your numbers.

I felt i needed to reply to this post because I don't think it's the fault of STI. I think the op has the responsibility to make sure the payments were being made, & could have easily caught that they were not. Most people that I've seen come here & struggle really weren't ready to become owner/operators yet. Like anything, you'll get what you put into it.
Click to expand...

I drive for another van line doing the same thing. our pay schedual is percentage based upon line haul and any accessorials. As you say it's a different system and most drivers coming into this side of the business are shocked. From what I've experienced, most drivers coming from general freight companies only understand miles and more miles. I could care less about miles, I look at line haul.

This business is also labor intensive. Most drivers I have found would not want to do this work. They will drive and bump docks but god forbid they have to touch something!

For a new operator this system can be confusing. Our jobs are all different. Most of us come from the household moving business, so we are no strangers to touching freight. That being said, some one coming to it from the outside cane do well if they are willing to listen and learn.

mover man · Jan 20, 2018

I worked for north american for many many years. I have a friend there in the medical fleet. Yes his per mile pay is low.
But as he has shown me time and time again. Doing specialized freight you don' want miles. He delivered a mri to a hospital last week. He made his paltry mileage pay. Plus $392 to watch a forklift load him. Then another $392 to unload. Plus 8 hours labor pay for him and the 3 guys he hired to help bring inside. Plus take crates away pay. Plus Masonite for floor protection pay. Plus overtime pay for Saturday delivery. Plus they paid for his cell phone. Altogether about $1200 for a 200 mile run.
I do the same work but for a different company. I prefer percentage pay. But we make about the same in the end. I don' no what the op did wrong. But I can tell ya he should of been making AT LEAST $2.25 a mile for EVERY single mile (loaded, empty, driving to shop or crusing around town) his truck moved. Its not for everybody but neither is moving, flatbed, car hauling, reefer, dry van, or a cement mixer.

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