Not sure if it matters to any owner/ops, Interstate was purchased by Saltchuk Resouces Inc. a couple months ago and Interstate will still maintain its current management.

I didn't realize that they had sold out. I figured they would reman a privately owned business.

Generally speaking Im hearing from my drivers about 1.65-1.80 for every mile driven. Thats with the FS. They just started a guarantee where if you have a slow month or get some cheap loads that month...they guarantee at least 1.05 plus the FS for every mile driven including deadhead. It seems to be working pretty well right now. When i get small fleets on the phone, I can usually talk them into giving me one truck...sure enough a few weeks later they are happy to put other trucks on. They also started a quick pay thing...under 80% of the load it takes 20 days to get paid (that was a problem for a lot of drivers)...now they will do 77% of the load and pay in 48 hours. They are also about to do a fuel card with discounts over the next few weeks. From a recruiting standpoint, Im loving interstate. Its a really easy job to find drivers willing to try it out. In fact, besides hiring drivers for our own company, Interstate is really all I have been working.

Speaking of the company I work for MDR Global logistics...We are looking for owners and small fleets with their own authority too. But we need drivers and fleets with a reefer trailer. We pull Chicken, Dairy and produce all through the SE. Preplanned for 10-14 days, Usually plant to plant transfers, very little deadhead. Our drivers are averaging about 1.85 to 2.00 bucks per mile, with a few really good owners making 2.20 Plus per mile.

another middle man ripping the system

There are several independent recruiters who cater to the trucking industry. Most charge the carrier a fee for every driver or owner operator that they recruit and is hired by the company. Carriers need spend money on recruiting drivers. I suppose some consider it a trade off. They pay one way or another. I have always found my own drivers, but I remember meeting one guy who owns a recruiting and compliance company at an ATA meeting that I attended.

I get emails from some who are doing the power only from time to time. I don't recall any who charge extra for quick pay doing power only. I think that JB Hunt's program is a flat mileage rate plus fsc. That is the only program that I can recall the rates. It seems like you are all probably in the same pay range. Are your Interstate people primarily western states or do you do 48 with them? Are you working with dry vans as well as reefers?

How am I ripping off the system? The reason companies use independents like me is because we SAVE the companies money, we dont cost them more money. Example: When a company hires in house recruiters working at corporate, they have to pay salary, plus commission, benefits, workmans comp, unemployment insurance...ect. I can find them much higher numbers of quality drivers and do it at a cheaper cost for them.

Interstate is both dryvan and reefer....They can run the western states if they live out there or run 48, SE, or whatever

What is really good to see, Mr. Dances with Sheep, is that Saltchuk is an AMERICAN company founded in Seattle. What surprised me is that they have managed to buy up Foss Maritime. No small feat! Of course, Saltchuk could well be owned by the Foss family.

So, how is recruiting going? It sounds like you are staying busy.