Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Owner?

T270_Dreamin

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Example

Driver takes a run that pays for 120 miles but is 425 miles all in with deadhead and moving back to good freight area. Driver gets 150 bonus. Fleet owner ends up making $48. I don't think many fleet owners would want their trucks going 425 miles for $48, just doesn't seem worth it. Driver ends up making 200 and some with the bonus after fuel.
I try my best to have a say when it comes to loads like this but sometimes drivers will just take anything. Gotta train them and make sure they are in the know as most you the guys on here that say "drive less make more" kinda take advice to that quote :)
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

There was a fleet owner once at E1 that got the load offer 1st from dispatch and said yeah or nay....and then dispatch would call the driver with the owner approved load, for the driver to say yes or no
 
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cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Example

Driver takes a run that pays for 120 miles but is 425 miles all in with deadhead and moving back to good freight area. Driver gets 150 bonus. Fleet owner ends up making $48. I don't think many fleet owners would want their trucks going 425 miles for $48, just doesn't seem worth it. Driver ends up making 200 and some with the bonus after fuel.
I try my best to have a say when it comes to loads like this but sometimes drivers will just take anything. Gotta train them and make sure they are in the know as most you the guys on here that say "drive less make more" kinda take advice to that quote :)

Choose drivers who understand that if the fleet owner doesn't make enough, the driver will be pedalling a Big Wheel instead, and it's not a problem. You don't need to "train" them, if they can't grasp the economics, let them drive for someone else.
That said, there are reasons other than $ to accept or reject loads, sometimes, and people make dumb decisions, sometimes - what matters is to be right more often than wrong. A lot more often, lol. ;)
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Forgot: what was the bonus for, and why wasn't it shared?
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Forgot: what was the bonus for, and why wasn't it shared?

Cheri...when you get a motel room...does Tom not charge you rent for the truck that night?....since he takes a % of your layover money for rent...heehehe
 

mrgoodtude

Not a Member
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Example

Driver takes a run that pays for 120 miles but is 425 miles all in with deadhead and moving back to good freight area. Driver gets 150 bonus. Fleet owner ends up making $48. I don't think many fleet owners would want their trucks going 425 miles for $48, just doesn't seem worth it. Driver ends up making 200 and some with the bonus after fuel.
I try my best to have a say when it comes to loads like this but sometimes drivers will just take anything. Gotta train them and make sure they are in the know as most you the guys on here that say "drive less make more" kinda take advice to that quote :)

Sounds like a Panther scenario, what was the total wash? Next load pay? Driver run for 40 or 60%
If you pick the loads, are you proactive? Need more info
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Cheri...when you get a motel room...does Tom not charge you rent for the truck that night?....since he takes a % of your layover money for rent...heehehe

He takes a % of the layover money because the truck uses fuel, which he pays for, and incurs wear & tear, has to be insured, and isn't making money while parked. I have no problem with that.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

He takes a % of the layover money because the truck uses fuel, which he pays for, and incurs wear & tear, has to be insured, and isn't making money while parked. I have no problem with that.
I understand that ... Not what I asked was it?
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

I understand that ... Not what I asked was it?

What you asked was based upon the assertion that Tom charges 'rent', which is incorrect, plus an incorrigible desire to see how much trouble you can cause [aka 'poking']. Not gonna play along, because it's actually none of your business, is it?
 

T270_Dreamin

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Forgot: what was the bonus for, and why wasn't it shared?

Thank you Cherri for your advice. In recent weeks the driver has threatened to quit after working for a solid year. The driver mentioned that other fleet owners were offering 100% of all bonuses and to pay the fees 100% and would quit and go work for new fleet owner if I didn't comply. We settled for driver gets 100% of all bonuses and we split the fees $45 each per week. Driver also get 100% of empty moves and dead head which is standard. The driver usually runs hard 1300-2000 miles a week so I think it is the right thing to keep driver happy. 60% to driver.
 
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Dynamite 1

Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

I understand that ... Not what I asked was it?



We just put a new pay plan in place first of the year. We keep 100 % of everything and just pay the drivers .20 $ a mile for the loaded miles only. We also charge them 10 bucks when the truck is setting while they get their hours back. Gotta make a profit somehow !!!!!!!!
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

What you asked was based upon the assertion that Tom charges 'rent', which is incorrect, plus an incorrigible desire to see how much trouble you can cause [aka 'poking']. Not gonna play along, because it's actually none of your business, is it?
Tom posted it the fact. So it's fair game.... The end!
 

BiggMaNN59

Active Expediter
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Last week my driver drove 885 miles paid and 856 deadhead which I thought was a lot less, and was upset that I subtracted ALL miles as expense and made paycheck smaller. Said it is just a write off anyway. Driver no longer has a job and I get to go back to driving until replacement found. Putting bed, fridge, generator, etc in first to make more appealing to me and new driver.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Last week my driver drove 885 miles paid and 856 deadhead which I thought was a lot less, and was upset that I subtracted ALL miles as expense and made paycheck smaller. Said it is just a write off anyway. Driver no longer has a job and I get to go back to driving until replacement found. Putting bed, fridge, generator, etc in first to make more appealing to me and new driver.
You thought it was ok to have a driver go over 800 unpaid?
 

T270_Dreamin

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Last week my driver drove 885 miles paid and 856 deadhead which I thought was a lot less, and was upset that I subtracted ALL miles as expense and made paycheck smaller. Said it is just a write off anyway. Driver no longer has a job and I get to go back to driving until replacement found. Putting bed, fridge, generator, etc in first to make more appealing to me and new driver.

Interesting sounds like you don't put up with any bs with your drivers... I'd prolly be the same if the work ethic wasn't there. Make sure you put a espar heater and rooftop ac in as well as insulation. I got the espar out of the way but have to do a rooftop this April.
 

T270_Dreamin

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

You thought it was ok to have a driver go over 800 unpaid?

More then likely the same thing happen to him that happen to me dispatch called the driver and enticed the driver with a bonus, driver accepted and then called fleet owner with the bad news and it was too late to get off the load. QC already alerting :)
 

Tennesseahawk

Veteran Expediter
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

There was a fleet owner once at E1 that got the load offer 1st from dispatch and said yeah or nay....and then dispatch would call the driver with the owner approved load, for the driver to say yes or no

Hello, IRS? I have a contract here, you'd like to see.
 

xiggi

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Sounds like the driver makes the final decision, not sure the irs would see any problem.
 
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asjssl

Veteran Expediter
Fleet Owner
Re: Who's decision is it to determin which loads the truck takes, Driver or Fleet Own

Reading all this...the more I appreciate my driver...
 
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