Stiffed on FSC

miguy1957

Expert Expediter
I just talked to a friend of mine that ran a 500mi and change load , that was suppose to pay a .15/fsc and when he got his settlement it payed 0 fsc. He has ran loads for this customer before as they are close to his home, and they have always paid it before. I know that the FSC is estimated but dosnt Panther know what the customer is going to pay before they book the load?? When we accept a load for xx/mi and xx/fsc ( est) shouldnt it be close, Like within a few cents per mile?? We in good faith accept the load, del on time do our part. How can the customer just say sorry we arnt going to pay the fsc that we agreed to SORRY About that. Wouldnt that be the same as us agreeing to take a load to Toledo but we take it to Lima?? I know thats a bad example, but, If we agree on terms shouldnt the customer and ther carrier be held to the same standards??? This cost my Buddy about $80 thats a bad hit to take .... What can he do?? except get mad..........
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Park Royal 1 Pattaya
 
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SJMagic

Seasoned Expediter
I hate things like that, a company demanded a friend of mine hand offload his shipment, and he refused to do so without being compensated, and they ended up adjusted his fsc by almost $25 just to pay him the hand load.
 

4U2JoinTheCat

Recruiter Moderator
Contact the Driver Relations Dept. If you drive for an owner have him contact them. You can call in or log into the driver or owner web to have your concern looked into.
 

jaminjim

Veteran Expediter
I would think they would if you told them what happened. After all they they state that 100% of of the fsc is paid to the o/o.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
When I have requested a copy of a bill it was presented.
IF.....it is a flat rate load, that is what it is..........flat rate.
That means it is one rate for everything counting the FSC.
If one thinks they are getting shorted, a simple fix.
Go to their flat rate fuel surcharge program.
No need to complicate the simple.
 

miguy1957

Expert Expediter
If it was a flat rate load why would they offer the FSC in the first place if they didnt intend to pay it to the driver??? Just to get the driver to accept the load??
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COLORADO MEDICAL MARIJUANA
 
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Bob and Hooligan

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
I am glad to see that a recruiter gave advice on this question. It shows that they watch this site. However, has the recruiter ever attempted to get intouch with drivers relations the same way a driver does?

Perhaps he should call in on a cell phone and use a drivers pass word. Then work his way through the options. I think he would find that getting in touch with drivers relations is not that easy.

The only way I know to get intouch with someone is to email that person directly. Their email is the the first initial of their name, last name then @panther expedite.com. ([email protected])

Hope this helps

Road Hooligan
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
Hard to comment without seeing the receipts to your load.
Here is what I see based on your info.

1. A load was sent you with your rate and FSC,
2. The load didn't have enough revenue and a flat rate for the whole load was negotiated.
3. If the above is correct, then when a flat rate is paid it is all inclusive. Flat rate is just that .....flat rate.
That means no milage pay and no FSC. Just that flat rate.
More of a percentage of the freight bill if you like.
4. You will see more of these on shorter loads, or something with above average DH. Not always, but chances are the flat rate was greater on your load than the original offer with FSC.
If you are expecting the FSC, that must be included in the total flat rate.
Hope that helps.
 

jaminjim

Veteran Expediter
Well we have two different examples in the same thread. One for hand unloading, and one for no FSC. My comments were in regard to the hand unload causing his FSC to be reduced.

As far as talking to Contractor Relations, as most people know there are some VERY helpful people in that department, and then a couple of people that are there cashing checks, and could care less if they solve a problem or create one.
 

miguy1957

Expert Expediter
Hard to comment without seeing the receipts to your load.
Here is what I see based on your info.

1. A load was sent you with your rate and FSC,
2. The load didn't have enough revenue and a flat rate for the whole load was negotiated.
3. If the above is correct, then when a flat rate is paid it is all inclusive. Flat rate is just that .....flat rate.
That means no milage pay and no FSC. Just that flat rate.
More of a percentage of the freight bill if you like.
4. You will see more of these on shorter loads, or something with above average DH. Not always, but chances are the flat rate was greater on your load than the original offer with FSC.
If you are expecting the FSC, that must be included in the total flat rate.
Hope that helps.

I see what you are saying, But when they offer you a load dont they already know what they charged the customer?? Then they make a deal with the driver to haul the load for xx/mi and xx/fsc. Shouldnt they pay the driver what the deal was?? IMO. the drivers customer is Panther not the shipper and Panther made an agreement shouldnt Panther stand up to the agreement?? (they should know what the load is going to pay before they offer it to a truck) and not use the excuse that the shipper didnt pay the FSC. So you are out of luck. The driver negotiated (or agreed to their terms) with Panther not the shipper. The driver held up his end of the deal and delivered the load on time, Shouldnt he be paid the amount that was agreed on by both parties before the load was in the truck?? I just think people and companies should honnor agreements, even when it costs you a little extra..
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Sick from wellbutrin
 
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Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Looks like one of the problems of confusion in this thread is terminology. When miguy asked, "Will they show you the bill with us on a flat rate??" I have a feeling that it should have been worded as, "Will they show you the bill with us on a flat rate per mile?" which is different than a flat rate load.

If the .15 FSC load was, for example, a Panther van load at .77 a mile plus .15 FSC for 533 miles, it should have paid .92 per mile totaling $490.36. The FSC is an estimate, but it is usually within a penny, so if the total paid out was off by more than $5 or so, contact Driver Relations and find out why. If the load paid .77 a mile ($410.41) and nothing for FSC (or bonus or some other credit for that PRO), then someone made a mistake that should be able to be corrected.

If it's a case of, "Well, the customer didn't pay any FSC, sorry," then whoever is making the FSC "estimates" on the load offers is incompetent and needs to be made accountable. You can take the "estimate" disclaimer only just so far before it becomes a bait and switch situation. I have a feeling, not posititive, but just a feeling, that if I delivered a load to the wrong consignee, they'd make me accountable for that. There's no difference. If they'e gonna say "We pay what we say" (which is the alledged reason for the Load Receipt in the first place), then they need to pay what they say, or don't say it.

More than likely, it's a simple accounting mistake and will be corrected. If it's something else, don't meekly accept the first answer. Hold their feet to the fire, make someone accountable, get to the bottom of it, make a racket. I've found many cases where there was a problem, and Driver Relations sends it to Research, and it was quickly solved. I've also found that in too many cases the "research" consisted of all of 2 minutes of reading the notes that in the PRO, notes that were entirely incorrect, and the decision from Research is based soley on those notes.

Get to the bottom of it. Find out what happened, and why. If you can do that, whether you're right or wrong, then you will have a much greater insight into the same problem if it happens again, and will know how to best handle it.
 

Scuba

Veteran Expediter
When Panther books a load with a regular customer they have a contracted fsc rate they assume that is what the fsc will be. But often the load while being a regular customer was booked by a third party paying the freight bill. That third party may or may not have an fsc agreement. Panther in many cases doesn't know who will be the end payee. They submit the pro to the customer who then sends it to the 3rd party for payment. In four years i have had 2 loads that didn't pay the fsc. So for the most part I can't really complain and let’s face it do we complain when the fsc is more than was offered?? I know I don’t. As far as calling in to drivers relations when it comes to payroll remember they are a call center. {Just be glad they speak English} They take the info record it then send it to research dept to look into it. Often if you just go to the owners or drivers web and click on the submit complaint button you can enter the info yourself. This is what the driver’s relations person is doing for most issues anyway. Then you can just go back to the site in a day or so to see what they have to say. If you don’t like what they have to say you can add more info and a request to send it up to the next level. By using this tool you won't have to sit on hold forever just to get aggravated by talking to someone that when all is said and done can't help you
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
I accepted a load January 3 to Troy, MI. It was offered with a .24 f.s.c. The only reason I accepted the load was because of the f.s.c. knowing I would have to deadhead to Chicago to get a load. When I P .O.D.'d out I was #38. So off to Chicago I went.

When settlement time came I was paid .1372/mile f.s.c. meaning I come up short $68.76. I have been fighting for this money for 2 1/2 weeks and getting the run around and the same old story about how the f.s.c. is only an estimate and the customer dictates the rate.

This Thursday a woman from Panther called and said they would give a one time good will payment for this discrepancy, but never again. So being a persistent pain in the butt can get results.

Now for the f.s.c. kicker! Friday while delivering a load I received a load offer that had 250 miles deadhead and a .07 f.s.c. I refused it not knowing if Panther would pay deadhead to the pickup.

10 minutes later, beep...IF WE BUMP UP THE F.S.C. WILL YOU TAKE THE LOAD?

I reply: how can you bump up an estimated f.s.c. which Panther claims is set by the customer and is only an estimate.

I'm a bit miffed by this so I gouge them big time on a bonus and get the load.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
"how can you bump up an estimated f.s.c. which Panther claims is set by the customer and is only an estimate."

It's called "Bait and Switch", even though Panther calls it "We Pay What We Say"

It's only an estimate, so they make really bad estimates to get you to take it, or they bump it with an equally bad estimate as a bait and switch bribe. My position is, either pay what you say, or quit saying it, otherwise it's just a lie. If whoever is making the estimates are making mistakes, quit making mistakes, and make them accountable for it.

A penny or two here and there is fine, it all washes out. But 5, 10, 20 cents? No way, that's bait and switch, or gross incompetence, and I usually get that straightened out rather quickly.
 
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