want to help me make a change?

[largecar]

what i like about this site is chips fall where they may. posters are allowed to agree,disagree without censorship unless behavior goes overboard. it makes no difference to me as long as there is engaging conversation. it sure beats the children band chatter down at the port terminal. we also realize there are company plants on here promoting mini info commercials in order to beef up their battered company image for the newbies that check out what's the latest posted here. it's pretty hard to deny some of these companies already have a horrible reputation among truckers even before being profiled on this forum. many still act as though they are the poor victim not the dirty aggressor when it comes to who is screwing over who. it's not hard for anyone to sort through the bs after spending some time reading post.

[fred3trans]

that say the $2500 was before fuel expense driver. i can tell you that much for sure. a couple years back i leased my truck to hs. nothings changed i know of. they are still another paycheck to paycheck company. i would not recommend them to my worst enemy. but go check it out yourself if you have time & money to waste.

[guestintidewater]

Sorry you guys in Ga are having it so bad, but we are keeping pretty busy up here in tidewater. I think once the elections are over next year, things will take a turn for the better too!

[regional driver]

the 2500 was after fuel, I don't make that every week but average about 1850 after fuel. I just thought I could clear that up, I don't know what they did 2 yrs ago but I know what they do now. I will also say there are O/O here struggling with the weight, your truck has to be set up to pull the weight. This is not the only area of the country pulling heavy, someone has to do it.

[charliebrown]

Nov 15, 2011 17:35:14 GMT -5 @guestintidewater said:

Sorry you guys in Ga are having it so bad, but we are keeping pretty busy up here in tidewater. I think once the elections are over next year, things will take a turn for the better too!

busy here in south carolina too. problem is the d**n rates are all cheap moving containers. i know rates are also cheap at ports in sav,ga because i run charleston,sav three times a week. we need to ban together but how i do not know. as long as we are not united the company agents will keep control over the weak hauling cheap freight. i thought we had a good chance a few years back when truckers in ga and sc started organizing but nothing ever happened and that effort finally died. maybe when everyone out here starves to death the rates will go up for the few who are left. how many that will be is anyone's guess. i think we have lost the will to fight.
i love it when the companies act like they just don't understand why or what we are talking about. i guess we should all be happy or if not we are considered trouble makers. i don't care what anyone says this is lowest pay i have ever seen for owner operators. also the stealing by company agents is worse then ever. containers were bad when fuel was a dollar a gallon but now diesel cost is over two thirds the pay check. no matter how you slice it this is a losing proposition for anyone new entering this mess.
why would anyone who really knew the true facts bother going to the trouble of getting a license to do this line of work? better yet why would anyone buy a truck today to haul containers? after a few months of working the ports 99% of the new drivers have a rotten , don't give a crap attitude. funny the companies still operate like there will always be an endless supply of fools to go around. they don't seem to get it. oh well i hope i am still around when the big hammer drops. after all these years i believe that's not far off. the writing is clearly on the wall for the company bosses to see but they are blind to anything but the color green.
i am lucky that i have a little better gig then the average joe by hauling to a couple local warehouses where i make several trips a day. i burn very little fuel. the pay is good and i make five to eight lds a day without killing myself. i don't know how you drivers make any money running the road. i know a dozen or more who i bet won't be here another two months or at least after the next breakdown. they are hocked to their ears now with money owned to company for back repairs. i would say the turnover rate in charleston has to be 160% for road truckers.
this is no life. look around at the drivers hauling now. most look like short tempered zombies living like street hermits trying to make ends meet while the company owners or most agents live like rock stars. this cant go on. i give it another year or so. i think we are witnessing the end of an era with a lot of helping the final days along by the greedy crooks in charge. at least at the ports in the southeast i think the end is gonna be sooner then later.
even if truckers cannot get another crack at uniting to try stopping this the outlook for new faces waiting to be screwed over by the recruiting hawks is looking mighty slim in months to come. it will come down to a lot more loads then trucks when people start purchasing again. that will happen no matter how bad things are now this won't remain this way forever. my company is short handed ten trucks today. no one can last on the road long for the rates these other companies pay. i can't wait to see the greedy shipper or trucking companies plan b after they run off the last trucker left.

[monty]

very true. the number of drivers forced out will decide future rates. that day is coming. i took a job doing mechanic work for a local cement plant. i have two nice trucks both paid for sitting idle at the house. they are available to go when that day arrives. there is no telling how many others decided to do same waiting for conditions to improve.

[wrfaircloth]

I've tried telling everybody that I would give them everything I make on the run and then just charge back $45 per run. I do have to pay for a drop yard, Internet, Phone line, etc., etc....But drivers are used to getting the least amount possible, I guess they want to keep it that way.

[wizard]

your right , drivers used to the least amount possible. dupped to where they don't know which end is up

[lowrider]

where is your yard?

[wrfaircloth]

MY YARD IS ON TELFAIR PLACE BUT MY OFFICE IS IN PEMBROKE.

[chassisman]

i may be wanting to talk to you after thanksgiving faircloth. this company i am leased to now will see last of me next week. anyone that can't show me what's billed customer when i contract for them i don't need. when i am done i will contact ooida like the other poster suggested. there was a driver on this forum last year telling how to file a suit using small claims court. i would like to see that posted again. may need it in weeks to come. i will see how my escrow is handled.

[wrfaircloth]

OOIDA loves suing people. That's the only thing though. Back when I had my own authority alot of shippers and brokers wouldn't deal with me because I used OOIDA for all of my insurance needs. They said OOIDA wouldn't pay their claims. Maybe it was actually because they made sure the shippers and brokers were on top of things...I don't know. BUT......I will show you whatever invoice you want to see. And not one printed out either. I'll show you directly in the computers system.

[Hotload]

OOIDA likes suing because of publicity these lawsuits generate for their association. They didn't get as big as they are today collecting driver membership dues though. Insurance is big business and OOIDA is fully involved in selling truck insurance which more then pays their way. Over past years the magazine land Line (owned by OOIDA) has also become a valuable driver news source as well as a substantial revenue maker. It cost a pretty penny to advertise in that glossy print rag for their vendors who want you to buy their trucking products. Not knocking OOIDA but remember they're a money making business corporation that can only be involved to a certain degree in matters pertaining to individual trucker organizing. They are subject to federal anti-trust laws like us (as independent businessmen) that unions are exempt from with employee recognition loop holes so OOIDA won't be recommending any grassroots work stoppages or O/O trucker job actions against the shippers anytime soon. We can learn a lot from OOIDA when it comes to protecting our livelihood under the federal governments "truth-n-leasing" laws. These laws are basically the limited protection we have to protect us from companies taking advantage of the small trucker who signs an equipment leasing agreement. Just about every transportation firm in the east at some point violate these particular laws to some degree. The trick is to build an air tight case against motor carriers who on a weekly basis break the law intentionally to steal our money. It really doesn't matter if the person/s doing this is an agent, owner, or the companies own general management staff. The responsibility is that of the trucking company itself to make sure no federal laws which protect their own lease operators are being violated. I know several individuals who monitor this forum who have first hand knowledge how to lay the foundation for such a case. Unless there is substantial change in the way this industry does business soon we need to be taking full advantage of these tools starting in 2012. We also need to be moving to companies who honor these laws and quit doing any hauling for those who cover up their operating procedures. You know the ones I'm talking about who promise 100% FSC but don't disclose what was actually billed the customer. The ones that pay percentage but can't place a copy of the customers billing with your paperwork. The ones that constantly take mystery deductions from your settlement check. The ones that can't seem to keep you paid correctly or on time. The ones that can't tell you exactly what the load will pay before you pull it four hundred miles. The ones that charge for any other insurance besides bobtail. The ones that collect accessory charges but feel what you don't know won't hurt you. The ones that charge for workers comp even though your not classified as an employee. The ones who pay out little more for an overweight load then what two super sized Big Macs would cost. You get the picture.

[jarhead]

i'm new here. one of your members told me about this port trucker forum a few weeks ago but i didn't bother look it over until to today. this is powerful stuff. thanks everyone. i will pass this site on. we haul out of the ports of virginia. what a mess we are in.

[wrfaircloth]

You just said a whole lot driver. These are the things I'm trying my best to change, But I can't get drivers to believe me. I do understand why, But what I don't understand is if you're willing to continue to work for companies who are taking most of your money, Why aren't you willing to take a chance and move to another company who will not? This is my deal.........I have been a driver myself for 23 years. I now have my own agency and I'm trying my best to change up a few things. First...As the agent I get 86%. I am to divide that up to pay the drivers. I've decided that I'll give the whole 86% to you. Then deduct anywhere between $20 to $45 per load, depending on the rate, For my work and expenses. I.E. Yard rent and such. As for overweight....I'll take $10 per load until I get back what it cost me for the permit. Once the permit has been paid for you get it all. As for haz-mat....I really don't care to mess with it at all, but in the event we do, I don't see any reason what-so-ever why I should get any of that. That extra money should go to the driver. He or She is the one who has the extra headache dealing with the d.o.t. and possibly putting your life in danger. Detention pay??? Why should we get any of that? It's your tires that aren't rolling, It's your heat or A.C. that's running while your sitting there, It's your fuel burning, It's your time away from home. Drivers, I've been told more than once that I need to stop thinking like a driver and think like an agent. I'm not exactly sure what that means but I didn't like the comment. Now....As a driver my question would be......86% of what??? Ok, Here's the deal....Most companies are billing the customers anywhere between $1.20 to $1.25 a mile plus the fuel surcharge. I know you think it's more than that but it's not. Remember, These companies are under bidding each other real bad. Now the BIGGER companies are getting more than that but they don't pass on the bigger part to the driver. And remember, I'm not taking most of the %, You are. If you want to see for yourself what I'm billing the customer I'll show you. And not some printed out paper that's easily changed, I'll show you just what's in the computer. I'm hoping I can cause a major change in the way we get paid. Even if I never lease on the first truck. Just maybe I can set in motion some changes around here. This is OUR time drivers! Let's give it a shot. I promise you, The other guys around here are NOT going to offer you what I'm offering. They need you to pay off their expensive vehicles and boats and their own trucks that they have running!

[wrfaircloth]

Oh yeah............You'll also get 100% of the billed fuel surcharge. What the hell do I need with that?!

[ilovdieselsmoke]

I thought the FSC was for my agents SUV

[wrfaircloth]

lol! I hear ya! What about the ones who drive a big black hummer?

[john]

a lot of good info on here men. i am thinking about making a change after the holidays. i will pass this info to other drivers who are ready now. we need all go to a few companies that will do the right thing. i like the idea of paying a flat fee for having my loads taken care of. everything transparent up front. it sounds better then any other way. there is still to much room to cheat the driver the old way of doing business. they prove that each day.

[cornflake]

Oct 9, 2011 9:57:38 GMT -5 @virginiadude said:

when u get that company working down there bring it to virginia. i'm sure you'll get a few hundred truckers right from day one. of course the thieves who sit behind the trucking company desk at the harbor here will do everything possible to turn u back at the state line.

We are struggling at this port to survive. I like the sound of what you're offering. I would like to see how that would work here. You can count on anything new that benefits Virginia truckers will be met with resistance from the motor carriers association.