New Advance Policy

Kyle06 · Oct 10, 2009

So I was wondering what do you guys think about the new advance policy? Will it make a big difference to you?

I don't think it will make to much of a difference to me we try to keep enough money on the card to take care of any fuel that we might need on a trip... the only thing it will do is give me more cash on hand....

but my question is if they do this (POD on Depart Shipper) what if you swap out a load either because of a breakdown or a scheduled switch are they going to just take it off payroll or what?

Bruno · Oct 10, 2009

I'm sure they can go in and back off money off your com data card. I have asked them to do this before. This is going to be a win/win for everyone. Less time on the phone with drivers and more time on the phones with customers. I bet 70% of the calls to driver relations is in regards to having money put on drivers cards.

Scuba · Oct 10, 2009

Comdata charges for everything they do so if they back some money off of your card that is another fee that you will have to pay. The problem with swaping is the same reason that I don't like it. And if you need money taken off because of a swap you will still have to call in and take up a dispatchers time.

sweetcdngirl · Oct 11, 2009

This won't affect my husband and I, as our owner does not put any money on the comdata cards. We have a fuel card for fuel. So this new policy won't benefit us one bit. There is alot of other things I could think of that Panther needs to adopt and get better. One thing is teaching their dispatchers to be more civil to you on the phone when you turn down a load that isnt profitable. It's not personal, it's business. And believe you me lately, the attitudes get cranky when they cannot get a driver to cover a bs load.

panther_art · Oct 11, 2009

Most of the other companies have been giving the load advance after the pickup and Panther has been slow in doing this.
I think it is a good deal for new drivers to get them started.
As far as taking money back off your card onces you used the card no money can be backed off.
I direct deposit my money as soon as it is loaded, because I only use my bank card for everything I do out here, cheaper then using the comdata card.

Kyle06 · Oct 11, 2009

sweetcdngirl said:
One thing is teaching their dispatchers to be more civil to you on the phone when you turn down a load that isnt profitable. It's not personal, it's business. And believe you me lately, the attitudes get cranky when they cannot get a driver to cover a bs load.

I'm going to have to agree with you here it seems like lately some of the dispatchers are starting to get mad cause you won't take a load.... I have had a few call the owner and try to get him to make us take it......

sweetcdngirl · Oct 12, 2009

Yes that happened to friends of ours. Panther called the owners and the owner forced them to take a load. What happened to us being contract drivers?

Kyle06 · Oct 12, 2009

sweetcdngirl said:
Yes that happened to friends of ours. Panther called the owners and the owner forced them to take a load. What happened to us being contract drivers?

Yeah I'll tell you one thing though it won't happen again... like you said we are contracted drivers not company employees if I don't want to do something.... don't go over my head to get it done... just makes me not want to help out on ****ty runs even more

ChrisGa23 · Oct 13, 2009

My owner must not signed up for the load advance after the shipper I havent got it yet mine is after consignee which is ok with me.

But as far as dispatchers getting mad. Never had a problem. I take almost all loads given to me even if there are 90 miles. I dont complain at all to what loads are given to me like most do. I am just glad I have a load offer. I cant afford to be choosy i have bills to pay. I was at a truck stop in Memphis I believe. The guy next to me kept turning down loads. Everyone there did. I took them. They were runs down to Jackson MS. I took them DH back to Memphis. Got another offer to run 96 Miles took it. Came back everyone there. Next day took another load down to Jackson and dead headed back everyone still there. Later that day got a load to Michigan. I made money them few days but them choosy folks didn't. Morale of the story. Load might not be the best. TAKE IT. Its your job and if you make a little money then that's great. Quit complaining. Be glad you have a load offer and take it. Taking them not so perfect load might turn into a good load offer for alot of miles.

panther_art · Oct 13, 2009

ChrisGa23 said:
My owner must not signed up for the load advance after the shipper I havent got it yet mine is after consignee which is ok with me.

But as far as dispatchers getting mad. Never had a problem. I take almost all loads given to me even if there are 90 miles. I dont complain at all to what loads are given to me like most do. I am just glad I have a load offer. I cant afford to be choosy i have bills to pay. I was at a truck stop in Memphis I believe. The guy next to me kept turning down loads. Everyone there did. I took them. They were runs down to Jackson MS. I took them DH back to Memphis. Got another offer to run 96 Miles took it. Came back everyone there. Next day took another load down to Jackson and dead headed back everyone still there. Later that day got a load to Michigan. I made money them few days but them choosy folks didn't. Morale of the story. Load might not be the best. TAKE IT. Its your job and if you make a little money then that's great. Quit complaining. Be glad you have a load offer and take it. Taking them not so perfect load might turn into a good load offer for alot of miles.

The advance after you do the pick up does not start until Oct 19th so if you get after you pod now you will get it after you do your pick up from the shipper after that date.

pelicn · Oct 13, 2009

ChrisGa23 said:
My owner must not signed up for the load advance after the shipper I havent got it yet mine is after consignee which is ok with me.

But as far as dispatchers getting mad. Never had a problem. I take almost all loads given to me even if there are 90 miles. I dont complain at all to what loads are given to me like most do. I am just glad I have a load offer. I cant afford to be choosy i have bills to pay. I was at a truck stop in Memphis I believe. The guy next to me kept turning down loads. Everyone there did. I took them. They were runs down to Jackson MS. I took them DH back to Memphis. Got another offer to run 96 Miles took it. Came back everyone there. Next day took another load down to Jackson and dead headed back everyone still there. Later that day got a load to Michigan. I made money them few days but them choosy folks didn't. Morale of the story. Load might not be the best. TAKE IT. Its your job and if you make a little money then that's great. Quit complaining. Be glad you have a load offer and take it. Taking them not so perfect load might turn into a good load offer for alot of miles.

If you're making a profit, then running like that is fine, but if you're losing money on those short runs then it would be better to sit. We've taken lots of short loads, but the bottom line is whether it pays or not.

hondaking38 · Oct 13, 2009

Ive had so many one way trips,that i dont even no where i am at right now.....better turn on my tom tom...

Bruno · Oct 20, 2009

It's working fine for us. Drivers like it better, they don't have to wait on hold after picking the freight up to get money loaded on there card.

bludragon13 · Oct 24, 2009

Bruno said:
It's working fine for us. Drivers like it better, they don't have to wait on hold after picking the freight up to get money loaded on there card.

I don't understand , why were your drivers on hold for a pod? why are they not after the change? What changed in the process that eliminated the phone call? Truthfuly it shouldn't make any differance if you are paid before or after the del. if you are managing your funds in a business like manner.

Turtle · Oct 24, 2009

"I don't understand , why were your drivers on hold for a pod?"

They weren't on hold for a POD, they were on hold for an advance prior to the POD, waiting to get approval for an advance that would afford them the luxury of having enough fuel to make it to the delivery.
Yeah, I know. I know.

MR.SNAPPY · Oct 24, 2009

The best change in the new policy is after I pod from a load at 230am the QC will not be waking me up at 620am telling me my comdata card has been loaded...that used to **** me off big time!!!!

Kyle06 · Oct 25, 2009

MR.SNAPPY said:
The best change in the new policy is after I pod from a load at 230am the QC will not be waking me up at 620am telling me my comdata card has been loaded...that used to **** me off big time!!!!

Yeah that really did start to get annoying you finaly get to sleep then that thing goes off your first thought is that you got a load then you look and its just another dissapointment

dletheridge · Oct 26, 2009

Gee wiz, 3 words is too short for a post/reply.

I like the new policy. There were a enough times that I would have to ask dispatch to put money on the card from the pod after pick up to make this a very worth while change.

termite289 · Nov 19, 2009

i like it ok, except when they load 45% of a 700 mile load and then swap it out at 300 miles. but i can see that they are working hard to make sure to have swap point set up before departing shipper if at all possible.
you gyus get a big thumbs up on this issue from me.
now stop bumping my board position