New Advance Policy at Panther?

[bernieh48]

Hello just got a call from a friend who heard an inside tidbit from a dispatcher. Does anyone know if this is true? They told my friend that the council and the big wigs got together and had a meeting and that they are changing the advance things so owners can set up the advance for as much as 55% if they want and that it will change to being given out after you do your pick up info in the computer. Any news on this? All answers helpful thanks!

 

[Fr8 Shaker]

Are you talking about the Driver council or the Panther council ?

Also do any of the Panther drivers read the minutes of these council meetings on the drivers web site ?

The reason I ask this is, reading the minutes I seen where on 11-13-07 driver representative Ken Sawyer suggested that the council believes that there are trucks in the fleet that don't represent a positive company image. The council suggestion for this is to have all trucks come into Panther for a yearly inspection.

I ask again, Driver council or Panther council ?

Hey maybe they can suggest that we have web cameras and mics. mounted on our dashboards.

 

[LDB]

There are a few trucks out there that are unsafe and wouldn't pass a DOT inspection. I have no doubt they park during the annual safety inspection blitz. You are entitled to think negatively about us for this suggestion but you are wrong to do so.

When one of these trucks is involved in an incident, preventable had it been in proper condition, causing serious loss to a major customer and thereby causing Panther to lose all that customer's business you will wish you'd seen the importance of mandating safe equipment. There are already companies requiring an annual on site inspection of equipment over 5 years old. Based on what i've seen personally it's time for Panther to do the same. It would be nice if operators could be counted on to take care of things themselves but unfortunately some can't.

 

[DreamTeam44]

There are a few trucks out there that are unsafe and wouldn't pass a DOT inspection. I have no doubt they park during the annual safety inspection blitz. You are entitled to think negatively about us for this suggestion but you are wrong to do so.

When one of these trucks is involved in an incident, preventable had it been in proper condition, causing serious loss to a major customer and thereby causing Panther to lose all that customer's business you will wish you'd seen the importance of mandating safe equipment. There are already companies requiring an annual on site inspection of equipment over 5 years old. Based on what i've seen personally it's time for Panther to do the same. It would be nice if operators could be counted on to take care of things themselves but unfortunately some can't.

EXCELLENT POST!!!!
Tell me one good reason anyone should not keep their truck in great working shape, legal and safe to help ensure lives and property on the nations highways, not to mention their own & their family's lives. "It takes money to make money"

 

[Scuba]

I am Ken Sawyer and yes i brought that up why because i Was embarrassed to be in the same parking lot with some of the trucks I have seen. One stands out in my mind it had home made fiberglass patches all over it in the fenders the hood and the side of the sleeper and the fairings were all bent up the driver had bungie cords from the bumper to the hood. Is that the kind of truck you want to see at a shipper? Think about it for a min we get a new customer and our first load this thing pulls up. Be honest what would you think of Panther drivers at that point? I couldn’t get away from that guy fast enough. Is my truck the best truck out there nope. Is it clean yes it looks almost as good today as it did when it was new and I drive a 2002. Have I ever received an out of service NO and for that matter I have passed every roadside inspection. Not because I am a super trucker but because I have some pride. Every year during the 3 day nationwide dot blitz im out there running not hiding at the house for fear I will get a ticket. I cracked my windshield today salt truck got me I am now sitting in the parking lot of a repair shop to get my new windshield in the morning. Not because of fear of a ticket because I don’t want someone to look at my truck and say what kind of an idiot drives around looking like that

 

[JohnO]

Landstar makes it mandatory every 120 days truck has to pass an inspection at a certified inspection station. If one fails to get inspection on time or fails inspection they are taken out of service until remedied. If truck passes and or has inspection on time then Landstar pays.

 

[davekc]

Every 120 days would seem like too much aggravation. Once a year is enough. Most of these damaged trucks have developed these problems over a larger period of time than a year.

Just my penny in the pond.

 

[LDB]

I thought the Landstar inspections were twice a year. In any case, since some can't be counted on to maintain their equipment it has to be monitored for them.

 

[Expediteroftime]

what does fiberglass patches have to do with the safety of a vehicle?
maybe the bungie cords was to hold the co-driver in place when the lead gets tired of him farting.

 

[slc634]

I know at our company we have "Road Patrol" and get inspected once a quarter. Some would say that is too much. I disagree. It keeps us up to date with what is going on in the company as well as making sure equipment is safe. Our company has a policy of once a year DOT inspection and what they call periodic inspections. In my mind this is a very good thing. Like I said they come to you for the periodic inspections so it isn't really a hassle at all.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

what does fiberglass patches have to do with the safety of a vehicle?
maybe the bungie cords was to hold the co-driver in place when the lead gets tired of him farting.

My thought too. So what about patches? Usually a patch means a problem was fixed, although the repair might not be pretty. Are we talking about safety or image here? I shudder at the thought of snobs being at Panther, of all places. White Glove, I'd expect them... not Panther.

However, a safety inspection wouldn't be a bad idea... if its agenda weren't to take the patches off the road.

That's funny about the farting. I shoulda thought about that when I was running with Jay. Maybe the guy is trying to snag a lot lizard on his way out of the parking lots.

 

[Expediteroftime]

100% a safety inspection is indeed very important.I have mine done once a year and they give me a little sticker for the side.
and plus I go into these things called chicken coops and sometimes the chickens even come out and peck around on my truck maybe thats why that guy had patches on his truck maybe the chickens were so hungry they pecked holes in the hands hood.I know one time the chickens were so hungry I had to feed the poor fellers yep that day it cost me $3,509 to feed them poor chickens.yep one of them chickens told me that an expired irp was the same as no irp ate my cab card and put me on the scale to see how much chicken crap I was hauling smiled real big at me and said 3509.00 and the truck stays here till you feed us chickens and replace that cab card we ate.so i fed him then he started calming down he was the king cock then all the other chickens started floking around.I asked him if they could please fix the road into the coop with some of the extra scratch he said hell know.moral of the story dont mess with them IL chickens outside bloomington

 

[pelicn]

This thread has what to do with the original question???

As far as the original question, I don't know the answer to it.

As far as points made in the thread...I do think that what the equipment looks like is relevant to the image of the company. I've seen some trucks that I wouldn't allow my trash can to be hauled in. I'm not saying that a truck needs to be a show truck, but come on people, as a customer, first impressions are important. It's the same thing with drivers. As the customer, who would you rather deal with? A driver that hasn't showered, and is wearing wrinkled dirty clothes, or the clean, neat professional? This is a no brainer.

 

[LDB]

I haven't heard anything about a change to the POD yet. I seriously doubt it will ever be changed from POD to at pickup. I have been pushing them for a while to increase it to 50% since the 45% was in place when fuel was $1.xx and with fuel now at $3.50 in some cases the current POD may not even replace the fuel burned during the run. I don't see more than half as very likely. I don't see sooner than POD as likely at all. I do see 50% as a reasonable request based on fuel prices. I'll be pushing it again at the next meeting.

One thing to keep in mind is that decision and change are not immediate as they are in (y)our single trucks. It takes quite a long time to get things accomplished, both at Panther and other major carriers as well.

 

[Moot]

Expediteroftime, welcome to the club! Your off topic whiny rant about chicken coops entitles you to a full membership. Congratulations it didn't take you long at all. Membership has its privileges.

 

[Expediteroftime]

the col said before I could become a regular member I would have to complain about not gettn an advance on something I hadnt done yet so here it goes.

seems to me panther has done notn but go down hill since the late 90s when I was there
is this the same outfit or what by gosh they told us in orientation that we would get a $350 advance to start the week off with when we got our first load and heck I can remember fuel was less than $1 per gal then shoot they never said a word about advances as long as you stayed running they kept shelling out the cash to keep you that way I had advances for tires,windsheild repairs just anything I wanted as long as I was runnin now for the gripe the thing about advances they took them all out of that weeks checks I remember people droppn like flies cause they would work 6 weeks and still be in the hole.I think it took me 4 weeks to get my first check for like $22 but I hung in and things got better and over the years it turned out ok. but here is the part to rub it in your face now your tellin g me that panther doesnt advance before its deliverd and when I started cargo van was .90 per mile straight trucks was $1.35 and if I remeber tractors paid $1.60 thats when fuel was less than $1 they must really give a rats but about you contractors to reward you all so well for your hard efforts I mean what kind of company has driver payback like that they have cut your pay cut your loaded miles (I hear they even make you turn in logs now) and now you tell me your out there moving freight and not even getting back your fuel cost after you deliver.thats so freaking funny I dumped my drawls and this guy says hes fighting to get the after deliver reimburcement up?how can you call it an advance when the job is already done?
here is what I think if over the 10 years the contractors have let panther drag them under that much then its no wonder you got guys with patches on there hoods and bungie cords to hold bumpers on heck your contrators cant afford upkeep when they front all your expences.even JB hunt gives out fuel cards and loads cash before you deliver.shoot on at least 1/2 of the freight I run today I get 50% when loaded and paid same day of delivery.what the heck happend all you contractors think thats acceptable
I dont think of I am panther hear me roar when I see a contractor from panther in the future I going think now there is a real pussycat I wonder if I should feed it or just go ahead and finish it off.

fighting for something you already had who dropped the ball?he or she needs a good old beat down.

I hope this makes me a regular member now col but I must tell you this is not my true nature to complain I guess that is why I went to work for myself if Im fronting the money then I want it all looks to me like panther drivers would be better off startn a pay day loan gig if there dishn out that kind of money to a bunch of snobs

 

[Expediteroftime]

Expediteroftime, welcome to the club! Your off topic whiny rant about chicken coops entitles you to a full membership. Congratulations it didn't take you long at all. Membership has its privileges.

shoot moot I wish I had of read that before I went into all that other stuff

ok I feel much better now just knowing.

as an acceptance speech let me say contractor does not mean slave. even slaves have rights now.and your not free labor "slaves"so grow a pair and turn this thing around get those rates up

 

[Fr8 Shaker]

Leo and Ken, Sorry if you feel I'm stepping on your toe's but in the minutes of the meeting it talk about trucks representing a positive image. nowhere in there does it talk about safty issues. I have no problem with an annual safty inspection which panther already has in place. so why then would we need to go to panther for another inspection, if it isn't just to see how pretty our truck is. Panther has already seen the truck when it was leased on and they decaled it. Ken I agree with you there are some pretty nasty looking trucks and drivers out here and if you really feel the need to let panther know about them then call panther and give the truck # of that particular truck and let them know the problem. If your going to be a driver representative then represent the driver. I think Panther can take care of themselves. Again I say I am not opposed to safe equipment, but we don't need fashion police out here too.

 

[bernieh48]

I was told that it was the Driver's council that sat down with the big wigs at Panther, ie the Pres. and Vice Pres. and such. And that they were talking about makiing these changes and that they were going to be implemented Feb. 1, 2008. The changes were as follows.

1. Advance % would go up to 55% or less depending on how much the owner wanted to set it up for.

2. The advance would be given out after you send your pick up info over the qualcomm and start rolling to your delivery.

Boy ya'll can sure get off on a tangent now. LOL

 

[LDB]

As I said before, I wouldn't look for a change from POD to POP (proof of pickup). There are too many reasons paying at pickup can become a problem whereas paying at delivery eliminates those possibilities. I proposed an increase in the percentage some time ago and am still pursuing it. I believe that could happen fairly soon. Any change other than the % maximum is extremely unlikely.