Thinking about leasing from Prime or Schneider

Don’t count on it

 

If that were true, everybody would want to do it. Check it out carefully before you start spending money.

 

I’ll give you my Schneider story, the Readers Digest version.

After being a company driver for some 17 years, I simply got sick of it. Sick of the know-nothings who were supposed to be my “driver manager” especially.
I live in the Carolinas. My parents, then around 80, lived in California. I wanted say-so as to when I saw them as I hadn’t lived in CA in 40 years. I was also keeping in mind their ages and the possibilities that come with those ages.
Turned out, it worked for me. No, I didn’t make the money others did. I didn’t need to. But when mom got sick and died ten months later, I was able to spend significant time with her…three month-long periods. I was with her when she died. You can’t put a monetary value on that. I always put money aside for down time. There was no struggle for me. But you gotta be disciplined.
Why didn’t I go full owner op? Didn’t want to at my age (late 50s when I started my lease). I’m now almost 63 and paid off my truck a few weeks ago. Plan on working until 65. Then I’ll see. But for now, yeah….it’s better. I’m not coming close to running out my clock and still doing well.
I also have a small ancillary income that does help. Plus, quite frankly, I’m not all that money-driven. I used to be. Not any more. No debt, no mortgage, no car payment. And even if the mortgage situation changes, no sweat.

Now, would I recommend leasing on with Schneider right now? No. An emphatic no. Freight sucks, and the rates also inhale vigorously. At the very least, I’d wait until things level off a bit. I can’t speak to other programs as I’ve no experience with any others.
Just my gray headed opinion. Good luck in your endeavors.

 

Landstar doesnt have a lease purchase option (thank God).

 

I’d be lying if I said I haven’t glanced at SFI to lease a truck. The difference is I’d be bringing it to my company. I know for a fact my company has the freight to keep me busy. No load board bs either. There have been several IC’s and O/O’s that have been highly successful at my company. I’d only be leasing a new truck though if I choose to go IC and get a truck from SFI. Otherwise I’ll just lease one from my company.

 

Only reason why I’m even looking at SFI is because I know how they spec their lease trucks. I had a former lease truck as a company driver. A 2020 Cascadia Premium. It was loaded to the gills. That leather seat smell was overwhelming in a great way. The blue, orange, and chrome popped wonderfully. I absolutely loved that truck.

 

I could never get excited for a Freightliner.
Even if it had chicken lights.

 

Don’t go lease, at least not right now.

 

I'm Intermodal with prime right now and I'm thinking about going back OTR because of how slow the ramp is and the fact Prime doesn't have as many customers using containers but, on success leasing's website shows tons of trucks that were turned in by lease operators. Most have been sitting on that board for weeks. I'm hearing handfuls of people transferring from the reefer division to other divisions so it's not looking too good right now.