What's Real, What's Fiction, and What's In It for You.

Discussion in 'John Christner' started by Sourdough, Jun 6, 2016.

  1. Sourdough

    Sourdough Light Load Member

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    Nov 6, 2011
    Tulsa, OK
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    After a little hiatus from these forums and focusing on other video / podcasting projects, I thought I'd make an appearance after ingesting what seemed like gallons of popcorn from what I've seen on these boards since my absence.

    A little bit about me:

    Started out over 5 years ago obtaining my CDL through Prime running flatbed (Lease). Moved on to a company dedicated opportunity with Schneider about a year later running Toyota parts from Ann Arbor to Chicago daily. When the opportunity there dried up, I had a desire to move to Oklahoma and so joined JCT just over 3 years ago. Been running with them ever since, 1 of those years as team but back running solo now.

    Now, on to the meat and potatoes of what we do here at JCT and why people succeed and fail. In an effort to keep this TL;DR, I'll do this in bulletpoint format for quick reference:

    • Not everyone is cut out for this. Lease purchase programs are hard enough, especially for solo drivers. That said, the leasing program is the most forgiving and competitive out there. Run hard and reap the rewards. Go home every other week, and you're going to struggle.
    • A positive, humble attitude is worth its weight in gold. You will by far make more friends in the office if you treat people like a human freaking being and drop the chip on your shoulder.
    • There's no "pressure" but there's a job to do. Major clients that we carry for expect on-time because anything less than 98% on time delivery fleet-wide is unacceptable. Now, this does not mean #### doesn't happen. Breakdowns, weather, and even screwing up on occasion are all factors. As long as you communicate, you'll be fine.
    • There's plenty of us that have completed leases. Some keep their trucks, some don't and pocket the 50k then lease again. It's entirely up to you. I took a brand new truck when I put over a half million on my T660. I was never "forced" to take another truck. I was asked if I wanted to decom the truck three months before I went to the office and made the decision based off the low fuel mileage those 660's got.
    • Teams: You're our backbone out here. We ask a lot of you. I know because I ran team. To keep our high OTD percentage (Which just won us Walmart Refrigerated Carrier of the Year), repowers with solos are common. Most of the time, this is due to emergency hometime, shipper delays during loading, or picking up the slack for other reasons. You will run hard with good loads that run from southern California to Florida and back again during produce season. Along the way, you'll be helping out us solos.
    • I have never had any issues with getting hometime. None. Zero. I send in my requests at LEAST 2 weeks prior and schedule it for the day before I actually want to take hometime. This way, there's leeway for a last minute delivery or giving the swap board a hand with a repower for someone. I take hometime wherever I want, even Las Vegas, Portland, Reno, Florida, or back in Oklahoma.
    • Did I mention keep a good attitude? Even when things go wrong, I sometimes call my DM just to either vent, or hear him tell stories about the crap he had to juggle that day that make me glad I'm not sitting at his desk. Find a DM you're comfortable with, but don't be an ####### about it and march into dispatch demanding satisfaction. You'll be the subject of discussion and nobody will want you.
    • COMMUNICATE!!! For God's sake, people is this so freaking hard? If you're running ahead, communicate. If you're running behind, communicate. If you have questions or are in an area without washout options or preferred fuel stops, communicate. If you need to reroute and need your miles adjusted, COMMUNICATE!!!
    I know this isn't everything but I'm not going to pluck through the entire boards in some misguided attempt to debunk "Wahh, I got screwed!" arguments. Firstly, because all I have to go by is your biased version, but mostly because you probably wouldn't like my answers. As a successful driver with JCT, I know what it takes and I know the pitfalls some people get into. I can help you through that, so can the people at the office. So if anyone has specific questions, I'll be happy to answer them.
     
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  3. Cat sdp

    Cat sdp . .

    20,381
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    Orion's Belt
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    Do they pay % or milage...?
     
  4. Sourdough

    Sourdough Light Load Member

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    Nov 6, 2011
    Tulsa, OK
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    For solos, it's .90 cpm loaded and empty plus 100% FSC as well as fuel rebates. Fuel taxes, plates, permits, tolls, lumpers, and washout expenses paid by JCT.
     
  5. pattyj

    pattyj Road Train Member

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    Jul 19, 2008
    Sioux City,ia
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    Out of curiousity are you trying to recruit and is L3492 your trk number?
     
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  6. KriegHund

    KriegHund Medium Load Member

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    Nov 5, 2015
    On a hill south of heaven
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    Few questions,
    - weekly truck payments, new and used
    - escrow accounts, how much is company banking.
    - weekly settlement, what is the method used to receive pay.
    - other than you choosing not to run a load, is there any way you pick your own freight.
    Thanks.
    Be safe.
     
  7. Sourdough

    Sourdough Light Load Member

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    Nov 6, 2011
    Tulsa, OK
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    No, just tired of seeing misconceptions and blame dodging threads. I don't actively recruit because of being seen as some sort of used car salesman. Thread history would show that I'm more into providing straight forward answers when I can. Current company information has always been on my profile.
     
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  8. Sourdough

    Sourdough Light Load Member

    113
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    Nov 6, 2011
    Tulsa, OK
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    • Variable lease. My fixed costs are about $280 / week plus .17 cpm. Run more, pay more. Run less or take a vacation, at least you're not in the hole a thousand bucks.
    • You have a maintenance account that caps at $5000. You can certainly put more into it if you'd like. There's a performance bond of $1000. Interest rate is like 10% ( if memory serves me)
    • Weekly via direct deposit. Fuel rebates sent to EFS card.
    • Not picking specific freight, no. There's no driver load boards, but when you're in certain areas, it's easy to predict your next load before your preplan gets to you.
     
  9. blairandgretchen

    blairandgretchen Road Train Member

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    Dec 9, 2011
    South west Missouri
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    I still can't comprehend why people want to lease purchase trucks.

    Maybe I'm the fool.
     
  10. Kamkor

    Kamkor Road Train Member

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    Wellington, TX
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    At places where there is a balloon payment I'd agree. But when the payoff is a dollar at end of term, its basically just a high interest financed truck.
     
    blairandgretchen and KriegHund Thank this.
  11. scottied67

    scottied67 Road Train Member

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    Mar 14, 2010
    california norte
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    Figure $120 a week x 52 weeks a year x 5 years = $31,200 bucks. Then $0.23 a mile times 110,000 miles times 5 years = $126,500+$31,200= $157,700 +$1.00 end of lease= $157,701 is about comparable to walking onto a dealer lot and buying a brand new truck.
     
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