I'm Changing Jobs

I decided my endeavor to lease with Prime wasn't worth it. Especially after being offered an hourly-paid regional job with Cowan Systems that will get me home for a full 48 or more hrs every weekend...or so I was told.

I won't be starting with Cowan until the beginning of October. I plan on adding a few brief posts about the new job once I start, in order to provide updated info about the company, and specifically their regional division.

Best of luck to you.

You'll look good in green.

Congratulations on the new gig!

Did you get the big bonus I heard about on the radio?

I heard it's a $12,000 sign on bonus of which 1/2 is paid within the first six months. The remainder is paid out within the next year.

Thanks, y'all!

It is in fact 15k to 20k for the regional bonus paid over 18 months. I suppose I will get more details when I speak with my driver rep. I don't want to say I'm guaranteed that bonus until I have a chance to speak with her.

She's supposed to call me today. I'm in "NoVerizonVille", NC right now. So I hope my spotty service doesn't interrupt a call. Took me forever to load TT page.

The position pays $26/hr for all on duty and driving time plus a bonus (not sure how much) if I choose to work consecutive weeks without going home for the weekend. Supposedly, 55-60 hours is a typical week. Paid holidays too!

I decided my endeavor to lease with Prime wasn't worth it. Especially after being offered an hourly-paid regional job with Cowan Systems that will get me home for a full 48 or more hrs every weekend...or so I was told.

I'm just curious...

Was more control over your home time part of what lured you into the idea of leasing? I'm not really trying to start a discussion about leasing. I am just curious if that was part of what was motivating you. The idea of better home time seldom materializes for most lease drivers. I purposely avoided getting into the discussion with you because I knew you were experienced and had your own motivations for wanting to give it a try. It did surprise me that you were going to try it, but I knew you would be able to handle it and figure out for yourself whether it was working or not.

Just curious! Since it’s an hourly gig, do you get OT after 40 hours?? I know A. Duie Pyle pays OT after 45 hrs, was just wondering if the other local/regional companies like Cowan, Ward, R&L, NFI, etc…. Have a similar pay format.

I decided my endeavor to lease with Prime wasn't worth it. Especially after being offered an hourly-paid regional job with Cowan Systems that will get me home for a full 48 or more hrs every weekend...or so I was told.

I'm just curious...

Was more control over your home time part of what lured you into the idea of leasing? I'm not really trying to start a discussion about leasing. I am just curious if that was part of what was motivating you. The idea of better home time seldom materializes for most lease drivers. I purposely avoided getting into the discussion with you because I knew you were experienced and had your own motivations for wanting to give it a try. It did surprise me that you were going to try it, but I knew you would be able to handle it and figure out for yourself whether it was working or not.

Thank you for asking.

Oh, yes. I am certainly aware of the drawbacks to leasing. I'm in a unique situation being single with no rent/mortgage or other major fixed expenses. "Experimenting" with a lease was an option I could choose without suffering too badly financially if it turned into a disaster. I wholeheartedly agree that it is a risky endeavor for new folks and people with families to support.

There were a couple reasons I was considering it.

-just for the sake of knowledge. To learn more about how it works

-The challenge. I like to challenge myself with new things. The risk was not great so...what the heck, right?

-deciding when and for how long I can be at home was a major factor too. The usual things drivers deal with: Trying to schedule things like doctor's appointments within a tentative 4 day window while trying to see friends and family is something I find very stressful.

I usually always disappoint someone when I'm home bc I can't find the time to see them. Being able to decide, "I'm going to take a couple more days off" was very appealing to me. It would allow me to relax more while at home.

Could I ask as a company driver for additional time at home if needed? Yes. I have in fact. But I could tell my FM was not happy about it. Then I end up feeling like I owe her something. So when she asks me to bump up my home time date or move it back a day or 2, I feel like I have to say yes. I really am a pushover when it comes to people asking me for favors.

It's hard to explain why choosing my own home time schedule is so appealing. But the ability to choose makes me feel more "free", if that makes sense. The amount of days off wasn't my concern. Having the freedom to choose without disappointing other people was my motivation.

Well now that you've allowed me to explain my choices a bit, and to share my own insecurities, I hope Dr. Old School's psychiatric bill will not break my bank account😁

Seriously, thanks for asking. I consider that a sign of respect.

Just curious! Since it’s an hourly gig, do you get OT after 40 hours?? I know A. Duie Pyle pays OT after 45 hrs, was just wondering if the other local/regional companies like Cowan, Ward, R&L, NFI, etc…. Have a similar pay format.

No overtime unfortunately. I'm not thrilled with that, but it wasn't a deal (Diehl🤣) breaker. Getting paid while stuck in a traffic jam makes the lack of overtime pay more bearable though.

Seriously, thanks for asking. I consider that a sign of respect.

It was that. Thanks for your response!

I'd like to respond with a couple of points.

First is about your home time as a company driver...

Could I ask as a company driver for additional time at home if needed? Yes. I have in fact. But I could tell my FM was not happy about it.

One thing we drivers often don't realize is how much our driver managers depend on us. We talk a lot about this job being performance based. It's not just the drivers being measured up for how much they get done. Our driver managers are evaluated all the time. They are expected to maximize their driver's available hours. They are expected to move a profitable amount of freight and dispatch a certain volume of miles each month. They can earn more money based on what kind of numbers they produce, just like we drivers do. They are under constant scrutiny from their managers. Trucking management is layers deep. Much of it we drivers never encounter, but it is still there and ever present on the mind of our driver managers. We tend to think in terms of "I need a break, and I will be home without you guys having to pay me." But we don't give the company much relief while we are at home. They want us working because we are in possession of their asset they use to make money with. I'm not trying to excuse the pressure to be productive, I'm just explaining it for the new folks reading this. I'm hoping to spread a little information that might help some of us understand this complicated business a little better.

Secondly, is just a few words about my own experience with home time as a company driver.

I have had very positive experiences with home time. In eight and a half years I have only worked for two trucking companies. I have worked with three dispatchers, and have spent the last seven years with one of those dispatchers on a dedicated account. It seems to me the key to getting good results with home time requests is to take as little as you possibly can, but be firm with great communication about what you need and when. I have taken as much as 10 days off before with no repercussions from my dispatcher.

One of the biggest keys to success in trucking is building solid relationships with our support team in the office. If they know we will always do what we say, and do it in a professional and safe way, they will tend to work with us when we need special considerations like extra home time. I only have my experience to go by, but my dispatcher has confirmed this with me several times. We build trust with these guys and they reward that with some degree of compensatory behavior. Everything takes time and effort, but if we are consistently at the top of their list of high performers, they will extend special considerations to us. They expect the same in return though. They will want us to do some special things for them at times, and we need to be willing if we want this relationship to keep working the way we like.

In the end, trucking is more about relationships than most drivers want to admit. It is kind of strange because many of us turn to trucking because we don't do well having working relationships with people. We want to be independent. It is a conundrum. We have to be really independent and good at this job, and we have to do that while keeping up a strong connection with those we seldom ever see or even meet. Trucking aint easy, but it sure is rewarding!