Upgrade Question!

The “potential” is there to make more money, but is the risk worth a “potential” reward?

Hey guys, I honestly don't even think the potential is there, at least not just because you're leasing the truck. The potential to make more than your average trucker is available to everyone in this career, but it will always be associated with your ability to outperform your peers. The leasing idea is really just a trick. It gives people something tangible to focus on, and that makes it more tempting to take the bait.

If I say you can make 100,000 dollars if you outperform everyone else, then that sounds like you're going to really have to earn it. Now, if I say you can earn 100,000 dollars by leasing a truck, then that appears as if lease operators get paid a lot more money than company drivers. Guess what? Every penny you get in trucking is earned. You're going to be compensated by your ability to produce results. Paying a lease doesn't increase the odds that you can produce meaningful results one little bit.

When a driver makes this decision based on this kind of information...

I also have a close friend who is company and I've seen his checks

It shows they don't understand the concepts of performance based pay.

Mike, we just want you to do well at this. We hope you can. We would strongly urge you to learn your craft as a company driver. Your friend's results don't determine what your results will be.

Prime will still be leasing trucks after you've spent some time as a company driver. I know a thing or two about sinking or swimming. You are the type who wants to swim. You'll give your self a better chance by starting off with a solid plan.

Here's one for you guys.... i habe 3 settlements with the operation costs of: $1.24 $1.81 $1.39

The 3 year average was $1.06 per mile. hmmmm.... That person has to get $1.60 per mile to equal a compamy driver pay only..... and his average load pay was $1.40 interesting. huh?

Kearsey, I really think these lease guys are getting screwed badly. We have a couple of guys on my dedicated account that are leasing. According to his accountant, the one who's doing the best made 45,000 dollars last year. Compare that to the 80,000 dollars I made as a company driver, and it just makes no sense. I asked him, "If I offered you a driving job at 35 cents per mile, would you take it?" He says, "No, I grossed 145,000 dollars last year!" "Well," I said, "Your account would say I'm offering you a pay increase." He just scratched his head and looked at me like I was stupid.

Years ago I recall learning tenets of "rational behavior" on the part of "the average Joe" in basic economic courses. Me wonders if individual or collective psychology has been warped somewhat here and why.

Rookie Doyenne injects economic theory:

Years ago I recall learning tenets of "rational behavior" on the part of "the average Joe" in basic economic courses. Me wonders if individual or collective psychology has been warped somewhat here and why.

The official rule:

Economists assume that people will make choices in their own self-interest. They will choose those things that provide the greatest personal benefit, and they'll avoid or forego those that aren't as personally valuable and compelling.

I asked someone who majored in economics "what about the alcoholic who drinks himself out of a job, car, house, wife, and is lying face down it the gutter?" He responded "that is his greatest personal benefit." I didn't ask a follow up question.

And speaking of economics, why are Kearsey and Old School trying to dissuade new drivers from leasing?

Here's one for you guys.... i habe 3 settlements with the operation costs of: $1.24 $1.81 $1.39

The 3 year average was $1.06 per mile. hmmmm.... That person has to get $1.60 per mile to equal a compamy driver pay only..... and his average load pay was $1.40 interesting. huh?

Kearsey, I really think these lease guys are getting screwed badly. We have a couple of guys on my dedicated account that are leasing. According to his accountant, the one who's doing the best made 45,000 dollars last year. Compare that to the 80,000 dollars I made as a company driver, and it just makes no sense. I asked him, "If I offered you a driving job at 35 cents per mile, would you take it?" He says, "No, I grossed 145,000 dollars last year!" "Well," I said, "Your account would say I'm offering you a pay increase." He just scratched his head and looked at me like I was stupid.

Clearly these carriers' business model with lease operators provides them with the revenues to 1) provide company paid CDL training for new drivers and 2) fund the retention of company drivers with good pay and benefits, both of which are major tenets of TT.

You are acting irrational in that you are not choosing your greatest personal benefit. You should be shouting from the rooftops "Go Lease, Go Lease," while saying under your breath "because you are subsidizing my company driver CPM."

Oh yeah, I forgot, you have integrity and are genuinely trying to help new drivers choose their "greatest personal benefit."

Silly me for suggesting that you encourage new drivers to make a choice to their detriment, solely because it benefits you.

At this site a vast majority of us are company drivers and feel the risk isnt worth the reward. Hopefully you take time to consider what others have said. I strongly encourage your first year you stay company. It's not uncommon for rookies to have mishaps. If you goof up atleast it's on the companies dime and not yours. Keep in mind that even if you're not on the road you still need to pay the truck payment and insurances etc. One thing to keep in mind as well is just because alot of family members are in the industry doesnt mean you're a good match for it. We've had many people come in here talking about diesel running through their veins just to quit a couple short months later. Going for a ride along or hearing stories is completely different than doing it yourself. Trucking with a spouse and kids at home is difficult. As a lease driver most stay out for months at a time. Are you and your spouse going to be able to handle being apart so much and getting a phone call "daddy when are you coming home, I miss you" and not being able to go home because you need to get repair work done that's not covered by warranty? Packrat made a great comment in a different thread about warranty work being denied and the driver needing to pay it out of pocket. I'll have to find it.

I really do wish you luck in getting your career underway and being successful at whatever you choose to do. Please keep us updated on how things are going for you.

Found packrats post :

I'll let you in on a little secret they probably don't go over about the major maintenance repairs supposedly covered by your warranty.

You go to a TA for the next oil change and grease job. Everything done, happy driving. About a week later, the motor stops, and you get towed to the dealer. After about two days, you get the good news that the motor is blown. Wristpin on a piston broke off, then went through the block, spun the bearings, then that debris made it's way into four of the other five remaining cylinders. Congratulations! You need a new motor.

But you just changed the oil 3,100 miles ago, at a certified maintenance department. Shouldn't it be covered under the warranty?

Freightliner declines the warranty because you went over the service interval, or the new technician put in 11 gallons of 50-weight oil, instead of the required 10-weight oil, or when the shop downloads the ECM data, they see where you went over 75 mph one day coming down Elk Mountain, down shifted to 9th gear with the Jake Brake on high, and over-revved the engine for 3.71 seconds.

The wristpin actually broke due to faulty metal fatigue during the machining process at the vendor, but they won't tell you about that. Warranty claim denied. If you want to fight it, you can hire a lawyer, and that's going to cost more than a new engine.

These are facts. The manufacturers WILL deny major warranty claims, and they do it every day. Hope that maintenance fund is really a large part of your savings after each settlement.