Trans Am Still

Jets got beat , oh no !!! sorry jet fans !

 

I've been leasing for just shy of two years now and do not train. It is not easy and it isn't always fun. A good dispatcher is absolutely critical to success as well as knowing when to hold it and when to fold it in regards to accepting loads. The other essentials you are already aware of. Watch your fuel closely on Wednesday and through Thursday midnight. When Thursday ends, you want your fuel tank as empty as possible to maximize the money in your pocket.

Quite the opposite of Jaso, I rarely ever am on hold for more than 15 minutes to get a hold of my dispatcher and often get either one of them in the first couple minutes. My primary DM goes to great length to keep me moving and making money, but she is reputable consistent in taking care of her drivers. I'm lucky. Your experience may differ.

TransAm is pretty clear cut on the requirements to get breakdown or lost utilization pay. So long as you meet the requirements, it's easy enough to get. Sometimes it's worth following up on it if you haven't heard back in a day or two after you request it. And you must request it. The don't just hand it out. But again, my DM is on the ball with that stuff. Honestly, if I didn't have this DM I might have actually quit by now. But she does all she can for me so here I am until at least tax time when I plan to take the truck and lease it on to Landstar cause I have contacts and can make better money with Landstar.

TransAm isn't the worst place to lease, nor is it the best. Honestly, you might consider looking at R.E. Garrison? I've talked to some pretty happy contractors over there and they pay percent.

 

In Garden City KS at the truck stop here. Love free wifi! Did the overnight thing and got to IBP Holcomb. 13 degrees but light wind so it was palatable. Got here and decided to stay here and take my 10. Had 2.5 hours left on my 70 but figured it wouldn't get me anywhere decent in that time. Will start around 930 pm and get back good hours. Slept until 2pm got up to pee, and ate lunch out of the fridge. Then the reefer alerts came. Tried to get it to start repeatedly. No luck. Texted roadcall and they were sending TK. Then it started and stayed running. Texted roadcall to cancel TK. Rather be lucky than good. Stay safe everyone.

 

Thanks for the input, Kris. I haven't heard of them, so I will check them out.

I'm very careful about pretty much everything I do - some have called me anal in that way - including information gathering, and I am very explicit in what I need. As I said in my first post, I'm not in this for the long haul and I have absolutely no desire to own a truck at the end. I am retired, on Social Security, and since retirement, working on my bucket list items, of which truck driving is an important component. I still like what I do and anticipate working 3-5 more years until I finally stop working; it's mostly to pay off a substantial grad school student loan of mine.

For me, it's always been about way more than just a matter of money. What I want is more control over things and a challenge greater than just getting from here to there on time for some cpm rate.

 

Try KLLM or JCT. Both have decent lease programs with higher pay and run the whole country. Or look into Schneider freedom choice, a lot more control and money. There is a thread on here run by Jarhead. A lot of details

 

I followed that thread until the mods closed it recently. Got a bit out of hand...

 

I thought he started a new one but maybe that got shut down too

 

He's, um, on a TTR vacation.

 

Good evening everybody! Been keeping busy this last week. Number One and Two daughters have been asked to represent the Historical Society at a Christmas event on Saturday so I am once again having to modify dresses and make accessories. I have become a regular "stage mother"!

The recruiting company is once again after me to become one of their recruiters and I have had a few conference calls with them.....but have yet to get it in writing that "my drivers" will only be submitted to companies that I feel are appropriate, although I have their verbal assurance that would be the case. I am looking at the companies that they recruit for and there are a couple that I want no part of.

Since I have never had too much to do with the lease side of trucking, I have some questions about what you would consider a good lease deal. I know what TransAm pays....but what would you consider a good rate? How do you feel about companies that break the cpm down into different categories? For instance ....92cpm over 600 miles .....$1.05 per mile under 200 miles ....and pays differently on loaded and empty miles ....84cpm on all empty miles. Or if you wanted to go on percentage then 70% of net. Extra stops pay would be about the industry standard but $100 extra for New England and $250 extra for NYC. This is the lease program for one of the companies that they recruit for. They also will not lease to anyone that has no previous experience leasing. Would you consider this a fair rate of pay?