SPLIT AND A TERRIBLE OWNER-OPERATOR AGREEMENT

highway star · Dec 21, 2006

The driver paying for fuel is not something that is unique to Expediting, as Ark seems to suggest. It's been going on at least since I've been in trucking(30 years), and probably longer. True, you won't see it with the big players, but small fleet owners have been doing it a long time.

nightcreacher · Dec 22, 2006

chuck
did your lease say what the percentages were,and who gets what.
the way i see it,if it were 85 15,and you got the 85,then yes,probably all expenses would of come from the 85,not just fuel,but that should of been stated in the lease.
useually ,an 85 15 split will be in a lease purchase,but even with that,he was taking too much of the pay.
not to bring up some of your past posts,but as an expert in business,any business,you should read the fine print,or between the lines,the gray areas can put you out of business.

chuckwagon · Dec 22, 2006

Yea, one would think with all that experience I bragged about I would have known about the gray area and reading the fine print.

But, keep in mind, what makes the worse - it wasn't a lease it was just a straight ole' fashion 'drive my truck and make a decent living' arrangment. So you would have that again, with all that business experience I bragged about I would have tossed up the red flag and scatched my balding head.

The good news is - it is Friday morning - and this crook is coming here to town to pick up his truck and pay me my money. I promise you if he tries any funny business when he gets here it will become a police matter.

I will keep you posted!

layoutshooter · Dec 22, 2006

I lke the 60/40 I pay the fuel thing. I get 100% of the FSC. I have run the numbers several way and I ALWATS come out ahead with this arrangement. Layoutshoter

arkjarhead · Dec 22, 2006

I see how it is. if I don't pay for fuel I'm not a pro. driver just a steering wheel holder/aimer? sounds like dirty fleet owner propaganda to me.

LDB · Dec 22, 2006

You failed to interpret that correctly. There are pros that pay fuel and those that don't. There are wheel holders that pay fuel and those that don't. The important point was that the side taking 60% plus 100% FSC and paying for the fuel is going to make more money than the side taking 40% and not paying fuel provided the driver is a pro and not just a wheel holder. Rather than getting mad and insulting you might want to take the time to think about this concept and put pencil to paper to compare the results. You don't need to change your mind and you don't need to admit it if you happen to but you should at least approach it with an open mind instead of a closed, mad, and insulting one.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

Tennesseahawk · Dec 22, 2006

That's not what we're saying. All it is is a preference. Personally, I wouldn't drive for 40% unless the owner was trully hands off. If the carrier doesn't have a load advance policy, I think the owner should help with that, if the driver wants to go 60%. But there are weeks that I would've come out better had I taken 40%, tho those are rare. It usually means deadheading out of a bad area or idling the truck all week.

"If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know." - Kansas

nightcreacher · Dec 22, 2006

>The driver paying for fuel is not something that is unique
>to Expediting, as Ark seems to suggest. It's been going on
>at least since I've been in trucking(30 years), and probably
>longer. True, you won't see it with the big players, but
>small fleet owners have been doing it a long time.
in 1990,I had a man and wife team work for me,they wanted home every week end and didnt care where they dead headed from.
(at the time most owners were buying fuel and paying drivers wages)
because of this extended dead head i went to a 50 50 plan,they stopped long dead heads,wander why.
fuel was cheap then,truck got over 6mpg,and they made enough money, cause fuel was only about 10% of the revenue
as time went on and fuel got higher i went to 60% for drivers,20% each driver,20%for truck,and then when fsc came along,it was 20 20 20+fsc
you know with drivers buying fuel,it amazes me how much better they take care of your truck
my last team that worked for me,wanted to know if they could make 80k year,they made 100 and i sold them the truck

chuckwagon · Dec 22, 2006

arkjarhead -

Oh no!
Don't become like me whatever you do and get offended or honked off with the comments and thoughts of others on this site.
It has taken me awhile to notice this but most of these people are here to help.
What a did not notice at the start is some of us tend not to phrase things the best way and they can be taken wrong - even though that was not the intent.
Trust me, from someone who has a thick skull, and who seemed to know everything just because I had so much business experience in another field - the veterans on this board are here to assist us all in anyway they can.
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By the way, to update everyone on my situation. The owner came to town today to pick up his truck. I of course wanted my pay. It appeared that his lawyer and other connections he spoke with said it was best for him to settle this matter now and pay me - so he did.

So, while I may have taken a short term beating, I have learned from this experience and have hopefully shown other newbies a valuable lesson.

(1) SHUT UP once in awhile and listen - you may learn something.
(2) READ the fine print and then have your lawyer read the fine print. It would be well worth a visit to a lawyers office if you are trying to make this more than just another job!
(3) ACCEPT THE FACT - previous business experience in another field does not - I repeat - DOES NOT make you any wiser in this field.
(4) BUSINESS PERSON FIRST - trucker driver second. Don't worry as much about the truck and comforts of home, concentrate on the business side of the business first, cross your T's and dot your I's and all that solid legal stuff. Protect yourself - do your research!
(5) ACCEPT ADVICE - If you have the chance to get advice from the veterans on this site TAKE IT! At least listen to it and don't be a bone head when they tell you something you may not want to hear - it is all for your own good.

Ok, well - everyone have a great holiday and I will see you on the highways shortly after the holidays! I have some choices to make from some of the offers I have had so its time for me to do some research!

nightcreacher · Dec 23, 2006

60 40 gives you the ability to determan how much money you make
as long as your frugal with the fuel,your pay is high,waste it,well dont complain
when an owner pays you the 40,hes going let you know when hes not happy,
jarhead,take any week you've worked,and compare it both ways,you buy fuel,boss buys fuel,guarantee your making more buying fuel,might not be alot more,but will be more
HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Broompilot · Dec 25, 2006

Big Joe that would be convient, but it would also open a can of worms full of Attorneys to this Web Site.

Those people need to do there own research as stated here. Some people cannot be helped from there own stupidity. Chuck Wagon I am not calling you stupid, we all make mistakes and have all made bad business decisions. What I am saying is you could tell someone do not jump into the 3 foot deep pool and they will anyway.

Business can be very mean at times and if one does not learn from ones own mistakes well they generally will do it again and again.

I hate it when someone gets taken advantage of, the info on how to safeguard oneself has been posted over and over again and again.

chuckwagon · Dec 25, 2006

broompilot -

I did not take that the wrong way - dont worry.

It would be nice to have some sort of section where we could all file our complaints and comments about owner-operators and carriers. But like you said it may cause more problems than preventing.

I like how the OOIDA in the member section has their area setup. It is more a open forum where you can just advise others of what you have went through with a broker and they have a section to advise others on your dealings with an owner-operator or carrier.

I dont see anything wrong with that, afterall, it is your own thoughts and comments. I would be a little concerned that some people may trash a carrier or owner-operator and it be nothing more than a conflict of personalities.

I choose not to name my owner-operator that burned me, but, then again I thought I have to step up a take the blame of not asking enough questions and listening to the veterans on this forum.

Afterall, I think in most cases we are finding it easier to blame the other person than except the blame ourselfs. In my case, I have to accept most of the blame for not doing ALL my research and home work.

cheri1122 · Dec 25, 2006

Chuck, 'trial & error' is sometimes a horribly expensive way to learn, so the experienced drivers here try to help the rest of us avoid the pitfalls - someone has to be able to take over the wheel when they've had enough!

It can be tough to admit you don't know much about something, especially if you're an adult who's done it your own way for many years, but expediting is a whole different ballgame, with new things to learn. I'm glad you've decided to be with us, instead of against us, and I wish you success.
PS I really like your sig line!