The Source for Trucking News, Opinions and Trucking Jobs | Switching Companies

Since I’ve been driving, I’ve changed companies more than a few times. As a company driver the only expense is getting from the old company to the new company with all your stuff. Most will pay for a bus ticket (that’s a grrreat way to travel!) As an owner operator it’s easier because you don’t have to unload and pack your stuff. But it’s more expensive. Companies don’t generally pay for fuel from the last company to the new company. Plus the old company keeps your money as long as they can get away with, which is about six weeks legally. That’s $2500 I could have used about now.

The new company starts taking out money to fund the new escrow and it takes a week or two for the new pay to come start coming in. Plus the new company we started with doesn’t allow credit on a fuel card.

Between paying for fuel to get from Vegas to Kentucky, via Denver. No
pay at all for two weeks, paying for fuel upfront, and funding the new
escrow, then throw in a couple of “bad freight days”, the last month or
so has been tighter than Saddam’s tighty whities!

Last month wasn’t the greatest for pay, but it wasn’t bad. Definitely
not what was “implied”. (Note to self, remember all recruiters and
dispatchers lie.) But it’s getting better. The last couple of trips
have paid pretty well. I’d start quoting prices, but to those that
don’t know, it won’t mean anything and to those that do, they’ll say
they get better. (Always happens). For me, I think it’s pretty good for not
having my own authority or trailer or the B.S. associated with both.

Okay, if you insist. Last month we averaged $1.18 for loaded miles. Look in the recruiting rags and you’re just now seeing companies paying over $1. Graebel for Jan and Feb we got $1.02 and .99 for every single mile on the truck. (I started keeping track of  miles slightly different. Instead of every mile, since there are always some empty and personal miles on the truck, I decided not to count those anymore. Hoping the better loaded miles will make up the difference. And there were a couple of major personal trips we had to do to take care of business (our frig) then to see family.) This month will average about $1.38 for loaded miles.

Graebel had better paying freight if we were doing their household, but
we weren’t doing household 100% of the time. And if it wasn’t
household, the pay sucked! I’m hoping we get a really good rate most of
the time and great rate some of the time.

With this company, I feel almost completely independent. I have my own
registration and insurance instead of going through the company. I feel
more involved because they allow me to look for loads on the internet.
Now I get paid by percentage so, I’m really paying attention to rates now! I also get the invoices from the brokers faxed or emailed directly to
me. And we are making plans on getting our own trailer so we can get a
5% raise.

Plus almost the entire Vegas office that was let go last fall is coming
to work with us. My old dispatcher and one of the company drivers start
soon. A couple of owner/operators are still in contact with me and are
starting to get interested in switching.

The first month was rough, but I was reminded that there is always a
transition period when changing companies. Not only getting to know the
new people, but the temporary financial pinch as well.