Why leave now?

[terryandrene]

We've each had our good days and we've each had the bad ones. When we feel the weight of the expediting world on our shoulders, we're often tempted to fold our tent and move on. Fortunately for most of us, we soon get a good run offer and the sun is shining again. But for altogether too many, one or more shadows of former carriers' signage are visible behind the decal of their current carrier; evidence of far too many rainy days and unacceptable relationships with them.

So, my question is: If you've left a carrier, what was the reason behind your decision? I'm not asking for the lengthy specifics of a couple of bad dealings with an ornery dispatcher, but the underlying reason for your departure.

Now that you have experience with your new carrier, are you better off, or is the grass a bit greener elsewhere? What are the differences of carrier policy or procedure that make you better off?

Perhaps a company representative or two can learn from our comments, make a few subtle changes of company policy and thereby improve our overall happiness and their retention rate.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

3 reasons...
Communication (or lack thereof)
Micromanagement
Rules (you abide by them, they don't)

Respect is another one. But if they had that, none of the others would exist.

I am better off where I am. The one who owns the authority lets me do what I want. I make a pretty good living doing independant. Other than more dh and sitting, I can't complain. I have no one to blame out here but me. But one or two good size runs for the week, and the truck has earned its keep

 

[bryan]

HI
I left Thompson Emergency in mid March of 2004 because of US customs.Just couldn't take knowing every day I was going to have to deal with them people.So I signed on with P2 because they did more US loads.It wasn't an easy transition.Had a hard time learning their system.
Thanks and have a good one.

 

[cheri1122]

Thank you for posting this question - it isn't just the carriers who could benefit from the voice of experience,you know. I'd bet a lot of drivers who have never done it have thought about it, and would like to hear how it turned out for those who made the leap. I'm happy where I am, haven't wanted to switch, but I'm interested too - life is full of surprises.

 

[DannyD]

Hiyas,

Everyone's got their story. Here's mine.

I got into this in 1994. Before that I played poker. I didn't do to shabby, but I wasn't getting rich either. I made about $18,000 for the year up to that point. That equates to about $350/week or about $6/hour or so. I loved what I was doing. I got wind that the casino I was playing at was going to quit dealing poker, so I figured I should get a job. I like expediting, don't get me wrong. I don't love it though. I felt by getting into expediting I could make consistantly good money.

I definately bop around a lot. I guess it's part of that eternal search for the better life. My first company was Tri-State. I worked for an owner though. No qualms w/ the company. The owner hired me & said he needed to get a van & I'd be all set. That sounded fine to me. Maybe 2 months later he finally got the thing. YEESH!! This was a bucket of nuts & bolts. I don't get how Tri-State let him put it on. It didn't even have a digital radio. I took one run from Almont, MI to Ft. Wayne. My take was $69. I paid for the gas. I also had the cell phone expense. Back then it wasn't cheap. I was trying to sleep in this icebox but the thing was freezing. I could make more playing poker or even running pizzas w/out the expenses. I'm quick to get out of a bad situation, so I drove home that nite & returned the van.

Next up was CTX. I already had a mini van & they let me sign it on. I had done some math & figured had I gotten all the money for a run, this could be a lucrative business. The problem w/ them though, is they didn't pay me. I bought their story for a week after my first check was supposed to arrive. After that I wasn't running until I got paid. I distinctly recall telling the guy if they didn't pay me by Dec 7 I was takin em to court. They ended up paying me Dec 6.

In the meantime of the mess w/ CTX, I signed on w/ Try Hours. This company I really liked & was there a few years. I had to get a new van, but well worth it. My first 3 weeks there I made about $4000 or so. Paid on time. They lived up to their word. Just a first rate company. I think very highly of Chris & John, who are now at PTL. I don't recall exactly why I left, but my guess is it had something to do w/ I was just getting tired of the road. Also, even back then I hated the idea of the qualcom & I think they were about to make everyone get it. I also think the freight was starting to dry up. I'm not totally sure of the exact reason, but I'd just had my fill of expediting for awhile.

From there I ran pizza's for a bit. Next up was a company called Ann Arbor expediting. Very nice man who ran the place. Again though, the problem was he didn't pay me. This was a little bit different than the situation w/ CTX in that I truly don't think he was a crook. I just don't think had the money to pay me because these companies weren't paying him for 45 days. Still, I can't work & not get paid, so I left there & went to On Time.

I worked for On Time for about 6 months or so. They pay ya well for your miles. They give ya some good runs. They're not perfect, but neither am I. I think a lot of people would like working for em if ya have the right disposition. At about this time, I had started to get back into poker. I was going to be a dealer & also play. Not at the same time, meaning I wasn't going to deal a game I was playing in. Being a dealer was going to be the gaurenteed income & playing was going to be my bonus. But mannnnnnnn, those pesky cops. =) Ironic that poker's well respected today. Back then, even as recently as 2000, we were looked at akin to how'd they looked at drug smugglers & such.

Fast forward to 2004. I worked for Thompson Emergency Freight. As Bryan alluded to, those border crossings are a pain in the wazoo. I got sick of dealing w/ those people. I'm not the kind of person who "takes no chyt". I think I take a fair amount. But everyone has their limits & some of those agents sure pushed mine.

What I'd add to Bryan's story though, is they're on the low end of the pay scale. I knew that going in, but I accepted it because I was told that they'd pay up to $40 for a hotel every night by their American recruiter. That was a lie.

Anyways, I recall a run where I went from Dayton to Alliston, Ontario. I wasn't sure what I'd make, but my guess was around $280 or so. I met a driver for another company who picked up about 20 miles from where I had. He told (and showed) me he was going to make like $529 or something. My numbers might be off, but the idea is right. I'm not after every last penny. I always took the 407 toll road even though it was kind of pricey. Leaving $250 on the table for a similar run, was a bit much however.

The other thing w/ em was when I started, I had a lot of runs from Michigan to Ontario & then back. I got myself a place outside of Toronto. So even w/ the low pay, I was mostly staying at my place in either Michigan or Toronto. That was worth accepting less money to me. Later on, they still sent me from Michigan to Toronto. That part was great. From Toronto though, I often found myself going to Kentucky, Ohio, & such. Then I'd be sitting in the van all day & maybe/maybe not getting a run back.

Finally, I ended up at EGL. I do mostly local work & really enjoy the company. Ya can mix in some expedited if ya desire, but so far I haven't. I don't care for the Sprinter one bit (a needed vehcile w/ EGL) but I like how the company works. I'm in my bed every nite. I get paid well. I waltz in there at noon or so & work until midnite if they have the freight. Perfect hours for me as I'm not a morning person.

I've compared it to my previous company & have found that while I'm making a bit less total money on my paycheck, I'm spending a LOT less in gas. I am spending a lot more on my van & insurance, but once ya figure the savings in gas it's pretty much a wash in terms of expenses. What it comes down to is I'd rather make $225 or what have ya & end up w/in a half hour of my home rather than making $265 & being in Kentucky.

I'd like to think I'll be at EGL for the next 15-20 years. I might not always be in Michigan, but they have an office out in Las Vegas. There's definately been some trial & error in this business. I've enjoyed it for the most part. I'm sure w/ EGL I'll have bad days. No one's immune to that I suppose. I don't think I'll ever get burnt out on the job though.

In a nutshell, I'd say that 4 of the companies (Try Hours, On Time, Thompson, & EGL) are pretty good companies. I don't really know enough about Tri-State to make a judgement. I also think PTL would probably be a good company to work for because of the owners, even though I never worked for that particular company.

I feel ya need a certain (and distinctly different) personality to work at the 4 I mentioned. I feel as a whole this industry has the right fit for ya if what you like to do is drive for a living. I think I've found my niche w/ EGL. Your niche might be w/ one of the other 3 companies I mentioned or even a different company altogether. Whatever path you take, I wish you success.

Be well,
Danny

 

[RichM]

When the bad days start to outnumber the good days and a pattern of constant problems with a carrier's operations develops people tend to jump ship.
Sometimes senior management will make changes in operations and these changes will cause a relatively efficent well oiled machine to stumble badly and as a result long time senior contractors and drivers look elsewhere.
A recent example which happened to me is typical. I was dispatched on a trip and was given the pick up local directions. When I arrived in the area the directions given were incorrect and incomplete. I traveled about 20 miles extra attempting to locate the street involved.
Since I was unable to find the shipper I asked my dispatch agent to provide me with the phone number of the shipper so I could call and get the correct location and how to get there. I received a reply that due to the trip set up by a third party I could not be given the phone number of the shipper. So frustration sets in, I probably should have just turned around and left but I went to the local police station who gave me the correct location. I then went to the shipper and subsequently the trip cancelled as they felt the rates were too expensive. I had a total deadhead of 204 miles plus 5 hours of my time involved when a simple phone call could have avoided this cancellation.
When this type of problem occurs 75% of the time contractors and drivers look elsewhere. Some companies act like they are concerned about retention rates but do not take the necessary steps to eliminate the reasons why contractors go elsewhere.

 

[LDB]

I started with a small company. That was the attraction of them. They worked by names and not numbers. I thought I could learn expediting better if I were with a smaller company. That part of the plan went well. The problem was they were a small company and that didn't work well with my being from Texas. At that time they paid deadhead in a core of states radiating out from Ohio/Michigan. Texas was far outside that core so when I went home I could count on hundreds of miles of deadhead to get back out.

I left them for a company paying deadhead in all states plus a higher per mile rate on loaded miles. It's big and you are just a number to almost everyone there but it addressed the problems at the time.

Since then I got a new truck and put a team in my old truck. The old truck is still with the big company. I went elsewhere with the new truck because I had an interest in another company and felt now was a good time to try it out. It is only the second week and basically Christmas week so it's impossible to tell yet if it's better or not.

I have heard from/of people who are with 2 different companies in the same calendar month. With rare exceptions that is ridiculous. You can't learn a new company and their systems in a week. I'd be interested to hear from Terry and Rich and Dave and the others with tons of experience how long they think is reasonable to make an informed decision. My current belief is you should be with a company 90 days before you think about moving.

Leo Bricker, owner trucks 3034, 4958
OOIDA 677319
73's K5LDB
EO Forum Moderator 1+ Years of Service
Expediters Online.com - The Best is Getting Better!
-----
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

I think the decision to leave must take alot of things into concideration. If pay is an issue, whether it being late consistantly, or not getting paid at all, jump ship fast. Other than that, 90 days seems reasonable.

Some just know off the bat if a company doesn't fit them. Could be that dispatch is bitchy, or management never returns calls. Those are a deal breaker in alot of ppls' books.

To jump from ship to ship to ship in relatively short amounts of time, maybe that person needs to look inside for the problem. That reminds me of a Panther team I met in Nashville, who were thinking of going with FXCC. I asked them their approval%... 44%. No wonder they weren't happy... they expected every load to be gold. Sorry... no company is gonna kiss your butt, unless a good chunk of their fleet is under your name.

 

[huntn1]

for panther to keep up with those rates are stupid. that might as well be forced dispatch. maybe for the drivers of the fleet owners but not everyone. they are trying to control you like your employees, if a run don't make dollars then it don't make sense.it got so bad before they sold out i had to jump ship, they hired way to many vans, they were sitting everywhere.when your sitting there starving , i think its time to leave. i was told that in the afternoon they take all the junk runs NLM has and with one click of a computer mouse sends them out to the fleet , you either take em or you dont and they give them back and your punished. but dispatch says they have already booked them, thats a lie they can be gave back.

 

[highway star]

I started out as a child. I remember being nice and warm, then all of a sudden I'm hanging upside down....I guess I should fast forward.

I got into trucking in the '70's. It was quite the fad back then. My friend had an uncle with a cabover Mack and I just thought that was the coolest thing. After a couple of crappy "get experience" jobs, I ended up at a toy company in '78 and worked there until '91. At that point I found myself in a position to be able to go on an extended vacation until the fall of '98. Gave me a chance to get to know my kids.

I had kicked around the idea of trying expedite but decided to go back to T/T. I went to work for a guy I know who had 4 trucks at the time. During the month I worked for him, I got to know him and his situation much better. The situation was'nt good so I quit. He went bankrupt and got divorced not long after that. So, off to the world of expedite, where the roads are paved with gold, the women are strong, and the men are good looking. Or, maybe that was Lake Wobegone. Anyway...

I started with TST in Dec.'98. By Sept.'99 I was fairly unimpressed and went to Thompson. My time there went reasonably well, the usual ups and downs of the business. They have a mostly decent bunch in dispatch and I got along well with them. The suits have decided to do away with the U.S. part of the fleet. I emptied my last load this morning. I have 2 companies to choose from at this point and expect to do that in the next week.

I'm just putting the finishing touches on my sign. "Will sit and wait for a load for food."

 

[davekc]

We have been with several companies over the years and made changes when it was necessary. Loss of a major account and one being bought out by another company provided the changes.
As far as how long to stick with a carrier would depend on many factors. Many can be eliminated prior to signing on with a company doing the proper research. As mentioned, if a company is failing to pay you, one wouldn't wait 90 days to react. If it is a consistent habit with a company, that should have been discovered while doing the necessary research.

Other issues that do require time and investigation are when it is slow. Are sitting in the major freight lanes and not running? Did a company populate their fleet to extremes? Are you a solo driver working for a team oriented fleet, or visa-versa? Do you have the flexibility to find your own loads?
I could go on, but you get the picture. Don't jump ship until you have really identified the problem. Failure in that aspect will only move the problem to a new company with history repeating itself.
Many times I have seen drivers running for a company and get out of their operating area, and sitting or deadheading back. If they have little or no presence in a market, why would you consistently take freight to that location or area?
So much of this information is available right here on EO.

I can't say it enough, make sure you know what you are jumping to if changing carriers. Many times it is the economy (supply and demand) and not necessarily the carrier. Vans for example fall into this catagory because they don't have that versatility. It is a delicate balance between having enough freight for the amount of vans. They are more "feast or famine" than a straight or tractor.
These are the areas that deserve the 90 days to make a clear evaluation.






Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII

 

[TJ959]

I remember the first company I was signed on to as an owner operator seemed to operate in a high tension atmosphere. By noon on any day it seemed like all the dispatchers were mad and my load coordinator had the personality of a shrew. It was the last straw when they had a mandatory drivers meeting in an unheated terminal building in December. No company that cares about driver retention would provide this kind of environment. Yep, I lasted about 60 days. I'm not proud of that because it broke one of my rules. I think you really can't make an honest decision about a company without giving it at least 90 days.

Other than that, my usual rule of thumb is purely loaded miles. It's a business, not a hobby. If the promises are kept and I'm making a living I'll stay. I left two companies that failed to keep my D truck even close to busy but I miss them both. They were good honest companies with cheerful helpful staffs but the end result is still the bottom line.

 

[fastman_1]

I left Because the Last Company Just Couldn't keep a B unit Moving. I tried to Stick it out and Might have Stayed Longer But the Operatons Manager Started Playing Word Games on DeadHead Pay. I will not Tolerate Games when it comes to The beans and rice on my table. Now I Work at a Motorcycle Dealership. But didn't leave Expediting Either my Youngest Son is now in my Van with a Small and so far Honest Company Learning the Ropes.









































Owner/Operator since 1979
Expediter since 1997
B Unit Semi Retired
Somedays are Diamonds and Somedays are Stones

 

[Pappy]

With my years of experience and driving record, I could drive for any company I choose. The company I drive for treats me like a real person and not a number. They are strictly business--but always take the time to laugh and cut a little with me whether I'm talking to them on the phone or standing in front of their desk. Extremely open door policy. They pat me on the back for doing a good job and always let me know when a customer makes a good comment about me.I probably am at least 20 years older than the owners. They appreciate my knowledge of the trucking industry and really value my opinions on different aspects of the industry. My job offers me the freedom and flexibility that most O/O's enjoy along with close to Teamsters pay rates and benefits that are second to none.All of the above along with new and well maintained equipment to drive is the reason---I LUV MY JOB!
Companies that have offered me less than all of the above---WELL--Thats why they are history!
Pappy
34 years T/T

 

[greg334]

Leaving cost me too much money, sort of.

I left my former carrier for a number of reasons, the foremost was respect.

I left simply because I was told by dispatch three times that they had no time to answer my questions. It was that simple. I work under the fact that I don’t work for them, I make them money by them working for me (can you figure that out?) and if they tell me they have no time for my needs, well they don’t need my truck or me. In order for me to make a decision where to sit, I have to know who my competition is (other drivers for the same company) and where the freight is. A simple two minute session on the phone would provide all the information to me, but three times the dispatcher told me flat out they have no time for that, so I started to look around and left.

See it is not a one time thing, but an accumilation of it. I guess this is a big deal for me, making money that is and if I can’t make money, I need to find other work or a company that fits my needs.

Another couple reasons for me to leave is knowing that the company is actually using technology that I used 11 years ago to dispatch and I found it difficult to be told the same lines over and over again (you’re in a good freight area or we seen freight out of there) and not feel like a child being told to eat my veggies and stop complaining, you know what I mean? Technology is important in this business; no one can say other wise. The lack of technology to not find loads but to manage the work is critical. In a recent call with my Contract Coordinator, I pointed out it would be great to see activity, knowing how easy this would actually be for a company to do. Many of us do have internet access and hence access to the company website, so making using tools that provide needed information will make decision making a lot easier.

The other thing that really bothered me is the fact almost every driver I met on the road for this carrier had only bad things to say about. The couple drivers who didn’t say anything I assume don’t really care. The biggest complaint is nepotism among these drivers with names being dropped, the same names. This is a bad thing when you think about it, no loyalty. This really wore me down. My new company I have yet heard a bad thing about except here on EO (nothing working with EO).

So that’s my story.

 

[wshort]

I agree that the lack of information to make decisions with is
a major reason to switch carriers, they have it but make it a big
secret, tell you to deadhead some major miles just to sit and rot
due to them not having any trucks in the area not because there is
any work there.

 

[geo]

after 11 year's fedexcc i had a chance to run local with egl and make same amount of money and be home everynight so i change
and in past year been out of town 5 times like to run no more than 250 miles from home than can turn around and go back home

 

[cargodreaming]

I drive for EGL and so far love it. Now granted I am still wet behind the ears as far as Expediting goes there might be better companies out there I am sure. For now I am content. Although EGL has its share of headaches they are easy to deal with. I use to drive a cargo van and for me to make good money I would have to run the long hot shots to make my money with the miles. Now since I have gotten a Sprinter with a 14' box I no longer travel out of a 100-200 radius. Granted you have to not mind touching frieght and doing some residential deliveries.

 

[Broompilot]

Corporate crap one way relationship their way. New company three way relationship with the customers best intrest, my best intrest, and my carriers best intrest all equal.

An opportunity to make some good money, an opporunity for the company to help me making my goals and vs - vs. Second best move financially I have ever done (asking my wife to marry me first).

Friendly people to work with who know my ups and downs and my limits including my patience. Big companies your a nothing a nobody you are replaceable period.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Broom... do I sense a grudge? ;-)

:7 :7 :7 :7 :7