Murraycroexp
Veteran Expediter
That's for sure!!
the muti carrier driver push
- Thread starter danthewolf00
- Start date
That's for sure!!
I guess no one has a comment on how great it is to run for multiple carriers and lose your money when the company goes out of business. To pay extremely high insurance rates while making a mere 85 cents per mile. I don't think the model is going to be phased out, but it will be so expensive to purchase insurance that a lot of the current drivers within the system will leave. I think it is a pretty good idea to have every cargo van that runs under a companies authority to be listed as a scheduled auto on the companies insurance policy. The only problem with that is it is a very expensive thing to do and you can usually only list 10 trucks. In order to have a huge 25 to 50 sized cargo van fleet the company in question would have to purchase a fleet policy that covers all autos; both scheduled, and hired and non-hired autos. That kind of insurance does not come cheap, but it is the proper way to do business.
letzrockexpress
Veteran Expediter
Did you get screwed by one of those companies that went out of business? You really seem to have it out for something as simple as a way of doing business. What you describe will not happen if one stays on their toes. There was a popular company near Joliet who was once highly thought of. They eventually began to have difficulty paying their drivers. The smart ones moved on. Others stuck around hoping against hope they would get their money and continued to take loads! The inevitable finally happened and many were left with big outstanding settlements due. Many of them cried about it here. It is sad and unfortunate but in all honesty, who's fault is that? If one is not tuned in to what is going on with a business partner and something bad happens, shame on them...
Some of what you said is true, Rocket. But why go through all of that hassle just to get your money? I had a gut feeling about LRT when I was working there. I always had to call and get them to pay me my money. That's one of the reasons why I quit working for them before they ended up going out of business. I remember having outstanding money owed to me by four companies at one time. I just figure if a contractor is going to go through that much trouble to get paid they might as well get their own authority and book their own loads.
Also, when I worked for the larger companies, I never had to worry about my pay. My pay was always on time and rarely ever was it not accurate. I worked for some of the smaller companies that would tell you they don't want you to have more than 3 companies to work for at any given point in time. What the heck gives them the right to tell me how many companies to add if I'm the one paying for the insurance. So not only did these carriers force me to track down my pay each week, they were in essence trying to control who I worked with.
I had one company dump my truck because a fleet driver turned down a short load. Well, when I have trucks leased to Panther, they most definitely do not cancel my contract with them because one of my drivers is a bad apple. What they do is allow me to replace the bad drivers while keeping my contract with their company active. A lot of the smaller companies will drop good fleet owners (ones who pay their drivers on time and properly maintain their equipment) just because of a bad driver. That is bull! You think you have control, but these little companies can drop you for whatever reason they deem fit.
I never had my contract threatened to be cancelled at one of the larger carriers. Driving is supposed to be a fun job; an adventure. It's not supposed to be "oh, let me pay high insurance rates and spend my days off tracking down my money." You guys can stay in the multi-carrier model! That's your choice! I myself prefer to work with a larger carrier with a broad customer base and a good credit rating.
I don't knock the multi-carrier model because I'm bitter. I knock it because looking back to the times when I was running my own company, the insurance situation just didn't set well with me. If I ever get into the business as a company owner in the future, I'm going to have all of my trucks listed on my insurance. I will have a fleet policy and do things the legal and ethical way. There is a thing called trial and error. There is also a little thing called learning from your past experiences. I've done both and as a result I have emerged a better person, a better expediter, and a better company owner.
Also, when I worked for the larger companies, I never had to worry about my pay. My pay was always on time and rarely ever was it not accurate. I worked for some of the smaller companies that would tell you they don't want you to have more than 3 companies to work for at any given point in time. What the heck gives them the right to tell me how many companies to add if I'm the one paying for the insurance. So not only did these carriers force me to track down my pay each week, they were in essence trying to control who I worked with.
I had one company dump my truck because a fleet driver turned down a short load. Well, when I have trucks leased to Panther, they most definitely do not cancel my contract with them because one of my drivers is a bad apple. What they do is allow me to replace the bad drivers while keeping my contract with their company active. A lot of the smaller companies will drop good fleet owners (ones who pay their drivers on time and properly maintain their equipment) just because of a bad driver. That is bull! You think you have control, but these little companies can drop you for whatever reason they deem fit.
I never had my contract threatened to be cancelled at one of the larger carriers. Driving is supposed to be a fun job; an adventure. It's not supposed to be "oh, let me pay high insurance rates and spend my days off tracking down my money." You guys can stay in the multi-carrier model! That's your choice! I myself prefer to work with a larger carrier with a broad customer base and a good credit rating.
I don't knock the multi-carrier model because I'm bitter. I knock it because looking back to the times when I was running my own company, the insurance situation just didn't set well with me. If I ever get into the business as a company owner in the future, I'm going to have all of my trucks listed on my insurance. I will have a fleet policy and do things the legal and ethical way. There is a thing called trial and error. There is also a little thing called learning from your past experiences. I've done both and as a result I have emerged a better person, a better expediter, and a better company owner.
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I've sometimes been called a snoop or some have asked "whats it have to do with you?" Welll sir....I AM a business person...I AM as relevant as a Panther or even a J Elliott....just a small version...MY business matters to me as much as theirs does to them....I respect the business they've built and respect the person they are BUT I consider us equals...and demand respect right back...
I am a business owner...some of these arrogant owners seem to think of us as lowly cargo van drivers....bottom of the heap and as the owner of All State once claimed in here on this very forum...we are a Commodity...thats commodity like them traded pork bellies or a bushel of corn..?...screw him.....Itis YOUR business to know the business...keep your ear to the rail and learn and know what is going on around you....this business is always evolving...keep yourself in the loop...
Murraycroexp
Veteran Expediter
Correct on all counts, Ken. Take it serious or get out. But have some fun mixed in as well.
......absolutely!!!!
letzrockexpress
Veteran Expediter
I'm not saying you are wrong. Most of the bad stuff you describe though could have been avoided if the carriers, or principals there of, you mentioned were investigated before you got into bed with them. LRT? OMG! All you had to do with them was read a few posts on this very forum. The insanity there was well documented back then.
Bigger is definitely not better. I've been self employed in one fashion or another for nearly 30 years. I too have learned through trial and error, mostly my error. The big ones can and will screw you just as often as the smaller ones, just for different reasons.
In the end, 90% of the time it comes down awareness. You have to know who you are dealing with and what their history has been heretofore. If a company doesn't pay their vendors, etc. on time, They aren't likely to pay you on time.
8k for a sprinter? That's pretty high! Is it still going to be worth your time and efforts to run for multiple carriers, or are you guys gonna bite the bullet and sign on with a bigger carrier?
If you are a team I'd try Panther. I know you hear a lot of hype about Panther, but they have the ability to run a team in a cargo van. You will get all of the loads that would require a solo driver to swap out. I think you should give Panther a try!