[ironeagle_2006]

1.86 a mile to the truck not to bad could be better. Good luck and if you keep the expenses under control I bet your going to be the one that makes it.

[Mr. Ford95]

Good luck with it Mal, future O/O's have to start somewhere. You've been around the block a few times to know all the bad and horror stories of lease/fleece deals so you already know what to watch out for IMO. Hope you make it bud, I've seen a few go this route with Schneider who moved on as a true O/O after a year or two successfully and never look back as a measly company driver.

[Malaki86]

Ok - here is my "so far":

Orientation pay (3.5 days): $150
Sign on bonus (paid first settlement): $500
Bobtailed 190 miles (dispatched) @ $0.90 + $0.41FSC to an empty trailer
Belvidere, IL to Charleston, WV - 546 loaded + 95 dh - $1195.62
Charleston, WV to Chesapeake, VA - 248 loaded + 167 dh - $667.56
Chesapeake, VA to Reading, PA - 314 loaded + 80 dh - $891.15

I'm on the Belvidere to Charleston load now - it delivers on Monday morning. The Chesapeake load will pickup and deliver on Monday as well. Yes, a lot of deadhead on that one, but I had to get past the house in WV. The Reading load will deliver on Wednesday morning.

[merrick4]

First good luck with everything. I hope it works out for you. I'm curious, when you pick up a trailer, what type of inspection are you required to do? Send a report over the Qualcomm?

Again good luck and keep posting.

[Malaki86]

Standard inspections (pre & post trip) with every equipment change. Everything is done over the Qualcomm. Also, when you pick up a trailer, you receive the last drivers post trip on that trailer, along with any required/scheduled maintenance due on it.

[firebird_1252]

how is the truck mal?

[Malaki86]

I can't find anything wrong with it at all (which is a very good thing). The only thing I'm not too keen on is the Predictive Cruise Control, which is also part of the collision avoidance system. The cruise will maintain the proper following distance at all times, even if it means slowing down via the engine brake or the air brakes. That's fine until you come up on someone driving 50mph and it matches their speed.

One thing I do like about that cruise is the way it handles hills. When you pull a hill and are going, say, 50mph and the cruise is set for 63. The truck has pulled it to the top, where you expect a sudden acceleration. Nope - it cuts the throttle and lets the weight of the truck accelerate down the other side instead. It seems to follow the terrain because if you top a hill and it's flat, it accelerates on it's own.

Mileage-wise, I averaged 8.43mpg from Milwaukee to Belmont, OH with the truck grossing 79,700lbs. I had the cruise at 67 from Gary, IN to Indianapolis and then at 63 from Indy to Belmont.

[Malaki86]

Not a lot new to add other that I'm really enjoying this. Finding & scheduling loads is almost like a game. I may not be "winning", but I'm definitely not losing, either. Booked up through next Monday where I'll end up in Fort Worth. I won't look for a load out of there until Friday or Saturday.

[Mr. Ford95]

Wasn't that a similar run you had with Celadon that you enjoyed, headed down to Texas then back towards home?

In reality its all one big game your playing!

[Malaki86]

That's exactly how I told my wife I felt about it - a game. The one with the best paying load wins. Trying to make the location, date, time and pay all match up with where you want to go next is a thrill.