Quote:
Originally Posted by JR OTR
Why don't you save you breath and steer drivers interested in leasing to a company that they will more likely succeed at? I don't have a second paycheck coming in (or need one), normally get home every other weekend for 3 days (11 on, 3 off) and I'm pretty sure I've turned down more loads than any other driver in my fleet. During the 4 years of my lease I took home a little over $260,000 after all truck expenses and averaged less than 2,400 miles per week across those 4 years. I didn't have a special deal or some neat-o dedicated gig, just whatever random loads needed to be hauled.
FFS people.
I suppose there are success stories at every company that does lease purchase out there. Hell, I worked for JB Hunt corporate for many years. I had at least "some" drivers do very well at their lease purchase. Just because "some" succeed, doesnt mean most will most likely succeed at lease purchase. Im just not the type of recruiter who will attempt to influence a driver by BSing him.
Here is the problem I see with lease purchase programs. Its not really the companies. Like I said, every company out there has lease purchase success stories. Here is the deal: If you are a driver and you want to become a Owner Op. You have two choices. You can buy a truck, if you have good credit. Or you can lease purchase. Of course buying the truck is the way better choice here. But drivers with bad credit dont have that option. Now, not all, but A LOT of people with bad credit have a history of being irresponsible and of making bad choices. Those same people with bad credit, simply dont have what it takes with personal responsibility to succeed as an owner op, or at lease purchase. They get drawn in to a dream of making big bucks as an owner op, and then fail. They will usually end up blaming the company, but it reality, their own failure is most likely their fault. Lease purchase is a lot like "rent to own". If you want that big screen TV and you dont have credit. You can pay a rent to own company 3500 bucks for a TV you could have bought at walmart for 500 bucks. When its all over and paid for...even with rent to own, you still "succeeded" at purchasing a TV...you just paid way too much for it.
The reason I try to talk drivers out of lease purchase is simply a personal choice. Its not really because of the companies. I have been recruiting drivers for over 10 years now. I just got tired of drivers and drivers wives calling me back a few months later and yelling at me because they failed. When a driver calls me and wants lease purchase. I just tell them the truth. Most drivers fail at lease purchase. I try to talk them into going to the company as a company driver first. Learn the companies system. Talk to drivers who have already been in lease purchase and find out what they do to succeed. If I do that, and they still want lease purchase, I will be happy to put them in the best company I cant find. But I can also sleep better at night knowing I did my best telling the driver what to expect. And if they call me back a few months better and complain, I can say "Hey man, I told you and was 100% honest with you.......you failed all by yourself". And if they succeed, they did it all by themselves too.