[redman]

I'm looking at starting driving for panther 2, i realize their paiting a good picture. i'v talked to couple drivers with good reports and they like where their at. but would like to hear more before carear change.. how many miles a week, how long waiting for load, or other tid-bits of info. i'll be driving a class 7 with 22 to 24 foot box. also where run loads most? thank-you for your time:*

[winemaker3279]

***I posted this in another forum. Hope it helps.***

I'm not sure if this will help you or not, but here goes. Last night I talked to a Panther II driver. He drives a cargo van. I asked how business was. His reply; "Business is so good that today I'm quiting!" He is a driver for an owner. He has been out five weeks and has ran 11 loads. He was very ****ed and planed to take a bus back home from Detroit to Florida. He said they finally received a $1000 check, in which he took home $178. He said Panther II took the rest for insurance, qualcomm etc. He said that Panther puts too many vehicles on. I realize different size vehicles run different. Panther II was one of the companies I was thinking about going to. I have talked to 3 or 4 drivers from the so far. All except this guy have been there 4 or 5 weeks only and loves it. This guy has been there for a few years. This kind of answers a question for me. I have been wondering why the people I talk to are all new. Maybe Panther II spoon feeds their new drivers for awhile. Or maybe this guy just ****ed them off. Whatever the case, I have decided not to go with Panther II myself. This guy was very believable to me. His statements were enough to push me over the edge and make this decision. Good Luck to you.

The best defense is a good offense...thank GOD I'm offensive!!!

[redman]

thanks for reply, yeah i know the cargo vans seem to be real slow for most of the companies. i talked to driver who'd been with them for about 3 years and said they treated him very good and said he never waited too long for a load. he had to quit trucking because he couldn't pass DOT physical anymore at his age and with health problems. he said last year with all time taking off for doctor visits that he still got in 101 working days and paid taxes on $ 57,000.00 at the end of year. that doesn,t sound real bad to me and he told me to contact him any time with any questions. i'm just for looking for other opinions. thanks

[panther_art]

Let me tell you I drove for Panther II both as a driver and an owner, had some very good weeks and bad weeks.
All the companies are the same, its how much patience you have sitting and waiting for loads.
At first its just a learning job, after you get to know where to set and wait for loads you can start making money for any one of the compines out there.
Don't refuse the short loads to much because, a lot of times the short loads will put you in areas where you can get some pretty good runs.
Some days the dispatchers have bad days and so do the drivers, when you get the to together, then a bomb goes off. Thats what happened to me, found a rude dispatcher one day and i was having a bad day (not load wise, just a bad day)
If I had my own van again I would go back, but right now I am going to give TryHours a try as a driver.
Learn not to do to much wasting money, out there and you might be alright
If you can'T be away from home to long this is not the job for you!!!

PANTHER_ART:9

[truckercop]

Panther II Management:

I am very concerned about the semi-recent recruiting campaign that Panther II has implemented. It would appear to be at a rate of 45-50 trucks per month for the past several months. Their two per week classes have been at full capacity. *We all remember what happened when FedEx Custom Critical over recruited for their own greed and to just to be able to say that they have a truck on every street corner. They put a number of good hard working people out of business and into bankruptcy.

I can only hope that Panther II does not follow suit by hiring former FedEx cut-throat strategists, dispatchers and sales persons. I hope that I am mistaken, but I am beginning to see a shadow of FedEx CC in Panther II that I have not seen before.

I am an owner operator with Panther II and am forth most pleased with them.

[jetskialamo]

Hello-just curious, did you go with try hours...if so how is try hours to work for. I am looking for a company to sign on with a cargo van!! Please let me know. Thanks!!:-) :7 ;-)

[Lawrence]

Jetskialamo,

Where are you based out of? With Try Hours you may want to be located in the Great Lakes region.

Lawrence,
Expediters Online.com


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On the keyboard of life, always keep
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[jetskialamo]

Hi Lawrence...I appreciate the message, actually i live in the metro detroit area. I have heard this is a good area for expediting, I hope i can make some money with a cargo van. Thanks.:-) :7 ;-) :* }>

[Lawrence]

Jet,

Great! Yes, you do live in agreat area. You almost have your pick of carriers.

Lawrence,
Expediters Online.com


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On the keyboard of life, always keep
one finger on the escape key.
http://www.expeditersonline.com/fastcomputer.gif
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[geoguy]

we are team drivers in a D unit. just started with Panther. Had 5 loads in 5 days, approx 1500 miles. on a load right now over the weekend. been busy so far, hope it holds

[witchita]

BUSY? Thats SOLO work! Spinnin wheels (for a team)maybe but come net pay day I think that qualifies for food stamps in most states...feeds the truck, what about the operator(S)?



Keep it between the lines and take care of each other.

[gambler]

unfortunately that is true! however assuming this is a husb and wife they may not be out to get rich but rather to make some money and see the country. maybe they have no big bills

[witchita]

Didn't mean to offend..or insinuate anything derogetory,just state my thought on the "panther" runnin which was the original subj. I am pleased if those folks are content, but as a general rule the miles involved are terrible!(aprox.5-300mile runs in 5 days?!?)BUT, also said he was on one at the time..a 1000+ miler could make all the dif. in the world.just an observation and my 2 cents worth on info given....nothin personal but apologize if I was misunderstood or overstated.



Keep it between the lines and take care of each other.

[coldstart]

Here's my two cents worth. Was with another expeditor, now with Panther II. I was lured into thinking panther was busier so I made the switch. If you can live on $1,200.00 to $1,700.00 per week gross you may make it. Some weeks will be more, more weeks will be less. My opinion of panther is that they have become the trash receptacle for ex FedEx truckers. Not to say that the ex FedEx people are trash at all, just that when FedEx was in trouble then panther sucked them all in. TOO MANY TRUCKS. They CAN NOT keep their people busy. In order to smooth it out they will send a single driver on a seemingly nice load to the west coast and take 2 weeks to get him back. Or keep you around Chicago running 100 mile trips that eat up your hours. The majority of their 400 plus mile loads will get you into an area where you either sit for 2 days or use your own money to get into a traffic lane 400 miles away. Chews up your equipment, fuel and bottom line. As you can see, I am very disappointed. I think it's a shame when a good driver with good equipment who wants to work hard has to put up with dishonesty like the expediting industry throws at you. Forget the Expediting industry and get your class A. Driving a big rig will at least keep you busy.

[witchita]

I've done both and you are right. At least you can run your "E" for an exped. and see how they run you with the higher pay or go to a common carrier if it doesn't work out and run 2500 to 3200 miles a wk. (solo!)for aprox.$0.84 cpm (O/O rate) with perks,beni's and PAID orientation.(This has always steamed me,pay for everything and my time is worth o??!2-3 days for nothing..but the chance to get sold on the co. Ins. plan etc). Not for every one but you will have a CHOICE and do the math! Just a thought..a driver can do about 600+ miles a day EASY. For 5 days thats 3000 miles a week, 6000 for a team.The companys are screaming for teams yet they give runs of 600 miles avg. a majority of the time. Lets see,3000mi.@ $0.84 or 1500mi.for $1.12.. Anything less than 3000 miles a wk. for a team is a JOKE. Lets face it,we(most of us) are here to WORK and make a living first the sight seeing is a bonus and comes with the living we chose. D units are alot easier and less stressful to run than E's but heres a news flash-the common carriers ie; "Team Werner", are forming "Expedited" divisions now and putting strictly O/Oteams in it....averaging 5800+ miles a week with close to expedited pay.Very high for low mile runs and sliding down for longer; and guess what,slow times you run the same miles for $0.84 cpm with general commodities...I think I just sold myself. Anyway- just a devils advocate. observation and rough comparison



Keep it between the lines and take care of each other.:o :o