Panther drivers
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late4dinner
Seasoned Expediter
Let me start out by saying that I am not with Panther. Now saying that I ask you this. Who complains the most? Who has the most active orientation every week? If everything the recruiters say is true, then why do they need to replace so many drivers?
I know I didn't answer your question, but have you ever ran into a salesperson that didn't bend the truth? Recruiters are salespeople first, last, and everything in between.
I know I didn't answer your question, but have you ever ran into a salesperson that didn't bend the truth? Recruiters are salespeople first, last, and everything in between.
I am not with Panther either but I am an expediter. I have yet to pick up a load that I did not know about in advance.
Just how much advance notice varies with the load. It might be an immediate pickup that you go get the instant you accept the load offer, or it may be a load booked a day or two or three before the pickup. Three day notice happens, for example, when you receive an offer on Friday for a pickup on a Tuesday that follows a three-day weekend.
Just how much advance notice varies with the load. It might be an immediate pickup that you go get the instant you accept the load offer, or it may be a load booked a day or two or three before the pickup. Three day notice happens, for example, when you receive an offer on Friday for a pickup on a Tuesday that follows a three-day weekend.
While complainers can be informative to an extent, the people you really want to hear from are those who are satisfied with their carrier. When researching the industry, what are you really looking for, the things that don't work, or the things that do?
Complainers can tell you a whole lot about what does not work, and they often will, even without being asked. Satisfied people who are succeeding in the business don't have the need to vent like the complainers do.
EVERY carrier has its complainers and satisfied contractors. That suggests success and failure in this business are more about the contractor than the carrier.
Carriers differ. Contractors differ. There is no such thing as the right carrier. There is only the carrier or carriers that are right for you.
Complainers can tell you a whole lot about what does not work, and they often will, even without being asked. Satisfied people who are succeeding in the business don't have the need to vent like the complainers do.
EVERY carrier has its complainers and satisfied contractors. That suggests success and failure in this business are more about the contractor than the carrier.
Carriers differ. Contractors differ. There is no such thing as the right carrier. There is only the carrier or carriers that are right for you.
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While it is great to be pre dispatched on a load that will also makes you unavailable for an immediate load. So if you are pre dispatched on Friday for a load on Monday all weekend you sit and are not available to run short loads that often pay very well.
When researching a carrier I think you need to read everything you can that has been written in the threads about that carrier. Then you need to talk to people who drive for the carrier who are happy and others that are not happy. This should give you a well rounded view of that carrier. You then need to take the good and the bad and see what will work for you.
It is expensive to change carriers so the more research you can do the better your chances are of finding the carrier that fits you best. You will find that there are happy O/O at all carriers as the fit is good. What is good for one though is not always good for another.
You need to make the final decision on what company will fit you best.
When researching a carrier I think you need to read everything you can that has been written in the threads about that carrier. Then you need to talk to people who drive for the carrier who are happy and others that are not happy. This should give you a well rounded view of that carrier. You then need to take the good and the bad and see what will work for you.
It is expensive to change carriers so the more research you can do the better your chances are of finding the carrier that fits you best. You will find that there are happy O/O at all carriers as the fit is good. What is good for one though is not always good for another.
You need to make the final decision on what company will fit you best.
late4dinner
Seasoned Expediter
I have no facts to back up what I said. I was only going by what I hear on the road from other drivers. If Jim has the facts, then I accept what he says as true. Maybe if someone had some facts about what the turn over rate is from each company, that would be a better yardstick
Since there is so many fleet owners...which turnover rate you looking for? Where the truck switches? or the driver? There's a big difference?
late4dinner
Seasoned Expediter
I was talking about driver turnover. If company A has a turnover rate of 50% per year and company B has a turnover rate of 40%, then company B would be the one that I would want to go with. The entire industry has a high turnover rate so a person can't say Panther has a rate of such and such so they must be the best or worst.
Many drivers are not happy anyplace they are, and will be forever changing, but a company that retains a larger then average number of drivers must be doing something right.
When I decide to change carriers (and I do so every year) what I do is click on the EO homepage, close my eyes, and just point my index finger at the list of carriers on the right side of the page. When I open my eyes and see what carrier I have pointed to, I call them and sign on the very same day. lol
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pelicn
Veteran Expediter
Yes, what they have told you is true. That being said, they have not told you that you will sit too. "Plenty of loads" is a loaded statement. If you take a load to a dead area then you won't have "plenty of loads".
Hazmat and Government clearance will open up more opportunities for freight.
I would be more concerned with owner/operator turnover or fleet/owner turnover....if you only look at driver turnover your choice reasoning could be incorrect as some of the driver turnover is due to a crappy owner not the carrier.
jaminjim
Veteran Expediter
OVM said:
I would be more concerned with owner/operator turnover or fleet/owner turnover....if you only look at driver turnover your choice reasoning could be incorrect as some of the driver turnover is due to a crappy owner not the carrier.
Or the fleet owner hired a Dud, and is cutting his loses.
I would be more concerned with owner/operator turnover or fleet/owner turnover....if you only look at driver turnover your choice reasoning could be incorrect as some of the driver turnover is due to a crappy owner not the carrier.
Or the fleet owner hired a Dud, and is cutting his loses.
scottanhelen
Seasoned Expediter
My wife and I have been with Panther for 3 years now and for the most part been happy.
It does stand to reason that if you are able to take more loads you will be able to get more loads. As far as you will get plenty of loads I would ask how many is plenty and how many miles are in plenty, and what do you think is plenty. Youre idea of plenty may not be the same as the person you are talking to.
We are not a gov. team we are hazmat, we do know a gov. team at one time they seemed to be doing better than us then they slowed down and we were doing better. There is not one shure thing that will keep you moving.
With them telling you that you will know in advance of loads sometimes we know in advance most of the time we know only a couple of houres for the loads we get.
are12
Expert Expediter
We were with Panther, about 4 1/2 years, when we left. I can honestly say, we made money with Panther and that was not our reason for leaving.
You will definitely have more load opportunities if you have hazmat, government clearance and are willing to run Canada. As for knowing about most loads in advance....that is more toward the government loads since they usually pick up the following day. Some loads, you are lucky to get 15 minutes to accept it and get rolling.
As for plenty of loads, that all depends on where you are - if it is a good freight area or a bad one. You will have good weeks, great weeks and then very poor weeks but if you can learn where the good freight areas are and learn to set yourself up, you can make a decent living with Panther.
I hope this helps and good luck with whomever you choose to go with.
Wife and I have teamed with Panther a short 1 1/2 yrs now, nowhere else, Gov't cleared, Haz-Mat and will run Canada. While i do not confess to know everything about this business, I just wanted to ring in on the comment;
"While it is great to be pre dispatched on a load that will also make you unavailable for an immediate load. So if you are pre dispatched on Friday for a load on Monday all weekend you sit and are not available to run short loads that often pay very well."
In Panther's defense, we discovered this not to be true. If you are in the area and Panther needs your truck, granted this may be unique to the dispatchers who sent the offers to us, they will offer you a "sqeeze-in". We generally will not take a load scheduled too far in advance, however, i can recall twice in 18 months while on a pro scheduled for a next day pick up, Panther offered us a "squeeze-in" load and made it worth our while. We had to roll as soon as the motor warmed up and time was of the essence, but we try to stay ready. I don't recall wether these loads were Haz-Mat or Gov't, however, anything you can do to increase your chances of a load in this day and age is a plus.
Best of luck to all!!
Team Burgdorf
"While it is great to be pre dispatched on a load that will also make you unavailable for an immediate load. So if you are pre dispatched on Friday for a load on Monday all weekend you sit and are not available to run short loads that often pay very well."
In Panther's defense, we discovered this not to be true. If you are in the area and Panther needs your truck, granted this may be unique to the dispatchers who sent the offers to us, they will offer you a "sqeeze-in". We generally will not take a load scheduled too far in advance, however, i can recall twice in 18 months while on a pro scheduled for a next day pick up, Panther offered us a "squeeze-in" load and made it worth our while. We had to roll as soon as the motor warmed up and time was of the essence, but we try to stay ready. I don't recall wether these loads were Haz-Mat or Gov't, however, anything you can do to increase your chances of a load in this day and age is a plus.
Best of luck to all!!
Team Burgdorf
scottanhelen
Seasoned Expediter
The only time they will squeez in a load like that is if there are no other trucks near by, otherwise they will see you as on pro and offer it to a truck that is showing available. I am not saying this will not happen but they will not look for trucks that showing on pro.
I just left my current owner, and trying to find a new one isn't easy. No one wants solos, and I don't blame them. Unfortunately, I drove for a guy who hires people, and throws them in with experienced drivers to train them, hence a "team". Now, I'm trying to find an owner who has a truck for me, and let me find a co-driver, or if they have one already, pair me up with them. I've been with Panther for 2 years, and with any expediter, you have your ups and downs. But for the most part, I've had it pretty decent with them. Thats why I'm adamant about getting back to it; it's not a job, it's a lifestyle.
Be safe out there.....
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Kurt. Panther "D" driver since 2006.
Be safe out there.....
_________________________________________________________
Kurt. Panther "D" driver since 2006.