What should my son do????? Help, please!

Im thinking he is drivin a black truck. I may be wrong, but with 5 months into sounds a little like what I went through. I started with TMC right outta school. I started on the bottom just like any rookie. Like others have said here, its ruff just startin out. If he is with TMC or anyother company, tell him to go by the mile. I left TMC in September to go local pullin a van. Hate doin it. I love pullin flatbed. I leave Sunday for Boyd Brothers. Tell your son that if needed to be home every weekend to look into them or Maverick. They do better than most flatbed companies to get you home depending on where you live. Believe me, it is better to get paid by the mile. Good luck to your son and let us know how it goes.

 

I have an idea. Ask who ever is doing payroll to give him a copy of the rate the loads are paying. Also, ask your son what the percentage he suppose to be making. For examble if the load pays $1000.00 to the Truck is your son making 25%? Thats the most optimal way to get paid in my opinion. But you must know what the rate was on the load. And if his empoyer is withholding the piece of info then how does your son know he isn't getting screwed.

Also, in the same token, most Companies that are pay by the load like to run your butts off. And you can make really good money at it. But as another post read right at this time of year Flat bed Freight is slow. Wait until spring your son will be saying Wow lets slow down.

Goodluck!

 

First, K9PBR, thanks for taking your time to respond.

I believe he is currently at 28%. They are keeping him busy but he's getting what seems to be the loads that other's don't want. I can't prove that, but from his descriptions that's what it sounds like. They will call him and tell him about a "sweet deal" that is a very short drive--say, 100 miles--but then the loading and unloading time extends to 4 to 5 hours or more, thus canceling out the advantage of the short driving distance. I didn't explain that well, but I suspect you know what I'm talking about.

Again, thank you very much for taking time to write your thoughts.

 

Not necessarily, I worked for a Landstar BCO that paid me 22% of the load, 28% for OD loads. I averaged about .43 cpm for the legal loads and one OD load paid me almost $4k from Port Washington, NY (Long Island) to San Diego.

 

Well 6 loads at 100 miles each # $600 is VERY good IMO.

I'm not sure what your son is doing. Is he a local/short haul driver? Or an OTR driver?

The money is in OTR and regional that does LTL.

Short haul and local have ALWAYS paid less. The waiting list for his job is a mile long, if he is a local/short haul driver. That's why the pay sucks.

If he is OTR. Then he needs to reconsider getting another job. Be warned though. Freight is slow at most companies during this period of the year.

 

Well, once again I say what is the rate on the loads. He is making 28%, but 28% of what. You have to understand that there are going to be some crappy loads but he shouldn't be getting them all. I would suggest he say something to his dispatcher. Say it like, I don't mind doing some of the short loads but I have to have some good loads also.

I wish him Luck. I know it's tuff just getting started in this. But I believe that he can make it.

 

I worked for a guy who "paid by the load" He paid 30% of what the truck made. I usually took home between $900.00-$1100.00 a week. Not all "paid by the load" people are cheapskates.....

I agree this is a slow time. I also agree he should show the company that he's proved himself, and it's time for an increase.I'd give them a few weeks to make it so, or I would start looking.

 

FYI, if he is running % , as you said earlier, he is aware of the gross $$ to the truck as TMC includes this amount on the loadscreen. As far as sitting waiting to be loaded, that is part of the job...and no matter how many times he sends in the delay macro (report) TMC seems to pocket the $$... I gave up sending in the macros.. i have been paid twice over four yrs with TMC for detention at the shippers or the receivers the last time over 2yrs ago.
Also, you did not mention if that was take home money or gross before taxes...uncle Sam takes 1/3 of my check everyweek...then I get $$ back at the end of the year via perdiem.
Freight is very slow now, and has been the last year and a half it seems for flatbed.. its like they say, flatbeds see the economy first..we slow down and pickup prior to the wallstreet statements.

 

Wasn't there a pre-defined pay scale when he got hired? If so, then he should have known what he was going to make when he started. He could approach the company but they may just tell him to refer to the payscale that he agreed to when he got hired.

Or he could just go find another place to work. When I got into this I fully expected to make low wages for at least the first year or two...have to put in the time to prove yourself before you can make the higher wages imo.

 

I had a very similar situation, only I would have loved to be making $600. But here is what I did, maybe it will work in his case.

I called my dispatcher and just had a come to Jesus meeting. I told him I enjoyed the job and liked working for the company, but simply put had a family to support. Asked him then if there was anything I could do differently to help my earnings potential. Showed him I was willing to work with him and take his advise. He told me to keep doing what I was doing and he would work harder for me.

And he has done exactly that. I am glad we had that talk. It raised my income level considerably. Most dispatchers get hammered day after day with drivers wanting more. Take the opposite approach. Show the dispatcher that he understands he is new and still has room to learn more and improve himself. In my case, and hopefully in his, they will like that approach and work harder to find you good loads.

Good luck and be safe out there!