Well Rev, I have you beat! I drove 4,593 miles last week and I took home $269!!!! Chew on that!!!! I also get more home time then you! I get home 1/2 day every TWO yrs! I bet your jealous now of me and my brand spaken new 1993 freightliner! :wink:

What do I have to show for it you ask? I bought an 80 acre farm in early 2000 and i dont owe a dime to anyone. Any more questions REV?

Just out of curiosity, why are you a company driver now instead of a lease driver?

When I hear L/P (Lease/Purchase) stories such as yours, it is really hard to believe them (but I do).

Hey--for some individuals, a L/P does work (expectations in line with reality). For most, they don't (unrealistic expectations; false information, etc.)

I can only hope for two things:

#1: A national news organization (such as 20/20) would do an investigative report on truck lease purchasing programs showing the positive side as well as the negative side. If done the right way, people would watch it. And, quite possibly, things would change over time to protect the rights of individuals smitten with the L/P bug--many of whom are woefully under-informed about all aspects of a L/P.

#2: The trucking industry itself would clean up its act. Companies offering a L/P program would spell out in great and easy-to-comprehend detail exactly what to expect including historical, factual examples of current L/P participants along with their phone numbers (FEDs would inflict heavy penalties/fines for false information). In addition, a company must be honest enough to say "NO" to L/P candidates who (in their minds) would not do well in their L/P program.

Not too much to wish for is it?!

:shock: :!: :shock:

Because the stress is less when I fuel on someone elses Dime and dont have to pay for the maintenence. I know there are many that starved in the lease program but i didnt.

I ran into a lot of lease operators at Prime that complained about no money but they were taking advances all the time, couldnt pass a casino had late loads and one even dropped a flatbed to go gamble and came back and it was gone with the load.

There is a lot of finger pointing sometimes when that thumb needs to come right back at em for the blame. My desire wasnt to be an owner opperator.

I had just gone through a divorce and bankruptsy, My ex got half of my military retirement that I put the 21 years in for and I had $2000 a month in child support. I needed Money and Prime treated me very well. We both got what we were after.

I dont have to drive now...I do it cause I enjoy it. So dont tell me how bad Prime is because I have always been treated very well. That lease program is a walk away lease. If you arent making money then you should be intelligent enough to turn the truck in and walk away.

When I started I put $1000 in a coffee can and made up my mind that if I ever went through that stash I was gonna turn in the truck. It got down low many times but I always put back in what I borrowed. After 3 leases I bought a farm and all my bills were paid and I still have that coffee can with $1000 in it.

Yeah, I've got one more question.

How much of that 80 acre farm was purchased with Lease Purchase profits?

All of it

And it wasnt a lease purchase...it was a lease...... I dont know why everyone wants to call Primes lease a lease purchase. Ownership is neither available nor considered unless you want to buy the truck you just wore out from Freightliner.

Ok - first how about we have a civil discussion on the topic and not a juvenile flame war. I see enough of that stuff in the online gaming community websites - usually done by kids.

1st. I'm not a n00bie driver. I drove a long time ago (not saying when cause it will give away my age - lol). I just gave it up cause the wife wanted me home more.

I just recently decided to go back to driving and discovered everything changed as far as licensing goes so had to actually go to school. Even before this I was looking into schools and companies. I saw the TONS of negative forum posts all over the place about CR England - (but not Prime - hadn't heard of them till I went to school). I also talked to some drivers who work for them and who worked for them.

Here is what I found. With England (and I am sure it's the same with most companies like they are) if you refuse a load - are late with a load - or get a claim that can be attributed to your own stupidity or carelessness your going to shafted. They think it will teach you a lesson. Problem is that it doesn't to most people. It makes them feel like they are getting cheated.

Now I am NOT saying that what they do is right - cause it isn't - sometimes stuff just happens. But if you keep in touch with the DM and work with them BEFORE you have the problem then your ok. The problem arrises when you don't communicate with the DM BEFORE you have the problem.

Also - I discovered that with Englands lease you DO GET FEE'D to death at the start. Most people don't research it enough to know what is going to happen at first. I did and was prepared for it.

With England your going to struggle on their lease for about the first 3 months - partly because of fee's - partly cause most new drivers really don't know what they are in for.....

I currently lease with England cause it was the only way for me to get back into the business without too much money laid out to start with. No I am not making a ton of money but I have only been leasing for 3 weeks - just now going home to get my home state CDL. Plus I intentionally ran solo for those three weeks to get the feel of the truck and the road again - its been a couple of decades.

If you don't have help at home - or the family is going to be crabby about your not being home - or you don't have any financial resources to fall back on when first starting out with England - your going to down the hole with the rest of them.

I did - and planned everything out as best as I could - and so far it is right on track.

I really don't expect to really start seeing real money for at least another month - but - I am now getting the bills paid and stuff.

They don't tell people this so I will. Once you complete the CAT program and you still want to lease - get the CAT 2nd seat from day one - Solo drivers with this company under the lease will take a beating from the start ( I knew I would and prepared for it).....

As I said everything so far has been right on track. When I come back off home time I am getting routed to one of the schools to get a 2nd seat and see how that works out - the numbers work - but unless you really have patience - DO NOT BECOME A TRAINER. lol - I pity mine - I drove the poor guy nuts - but he was patient and taught me well all that I had forgotten and stuff I didn't know.... My CAT 1st seat - now there was a real loser - he is one of those bitching about not making money - and I found out WHY in the first week.

Easter Sunday we get a load in Hammond In that needs to go to Pittsburgh - its really a solo run but they don't have anyone to run it close enough so we get it. now its a 24hour run or so - and doesn't deliver for 3 days. - so what does he do? Takes a 34 hour reset in Hammond IN - then when going for the load goofs off and we get there 4 hours late to pick up. - no biggie yet - till we hit Pitsburgh during rush hour (poor planning on his part) and spen more than 6 hours trying to get through the tunnel and then the constuction zone on Tuesday - result - 5 hours late on the load. And the bastard tried to charge me with it - lol - but it backfired.

Moral of the story so far - If your going to do it - JUST DO IT and DO IT RIGHT.

I'll keep you all up to speed on what happens as time goes on.

Renting a job.