Lease Own Question At Western But With Expound Source Income

So I wanted to ask some questions

Currently just driving as employee drivers have not decide anything with what I want to do currently.

My back ground is this I own farm I have rentals some other sources of income that come in besides working at western express.

I just picked this gig up because I just wanted make some extra cash for some farm equipment but farm does have a DOT number and a MC number already tied to it the DOT yet me move the MC into pending state sense no longer have a semi truck on farm which was my fathers.

I am doing flat bed stuff for western express sense been out to long they required me to do what they call training but technically it’s team driving trainer always sleeping when I’m work and vice versa no real training happening.

If farm and rentals making there own income and me having no cost period out side of what ever I do on road.

So that’s basic background now comes my questions

Question one

Would I stand better Chance the. Other with lease to purchase program sense I do not really need the income and it can go if I wanted all back into the truck payments or what ever?

Question two I know for lease to purchase western express has a sliding scale for pay more miles you drive less you make pre mile

Runs from 2.00$ mile to 1.45$ mile for trips that are about 400 to 500 miles.

My understanding at western is that the team driving trainers get l longest routes and solo and lease purchase get less miles.

In paper work it also says for lease purchase that the tow ways are paid for by western express and you get fuel sure charge for loaded miles on top of the mileage pay

They claim there gross mileage pay average with securement and fuel sure charge is about 1.85 mile for the less to purchase

The truck payment for truck with 145,000 miles is they claim 550$ week and the insurance they claim bring it up to 680$ week

Those lease are three years but who knows if you even want keep truck that long.

The lease program is walk away any time you want thing and with fact that I don’t need cash not hurting I was think maybe I should try it for couple of months or three, they also claim that if equipment is not up to snuff they let you trade it in for someone else with same payments anytime you want. ?

I am curies if these are due able numbers?

I am just taking my time thinking about it and playing diff scenarios in my head.

And I thought I would see if any one else has worked for western express and tryed the new lease to purchase program they told me that they re did whole program year ago or so.

How it worked out for them job wise and miles.

Leasing through a company is a horrible idea and a quick way to lose money. Especially, for a new driver. You should focus on a year of driving before even attempting to lease.

Good afternoon; I don’t have knowledge of Western Express, but I do have knowledge of lease-to-purchase programs, so I am going to share some opinions based on your post. Yes, you can walk away from a lease program, but I guarantee you there will be a fee you will owe by breaking the lease contract early. Usually, it’s in the neighborhood of $5k. And as far as their legal department will be concerned, there will be no justifiable reason to let you out of the lease without penalty. There have been plenty of drivers coming to this forum, looking for loopholes to get out of their leases, but always with zero success. So there’s that.

You mentioned you began driving because you needed a little extra money… That really is not the mindset for a highly successful lease operator. That is in no way a slight to you; I am definitely not insinuating that you cannot be a highly successful lease operator, it’s just that you don’t sound very hungry. There are many costs associated with leasing a truck… Fuel, insurance for the truck, insurance for you, repairing cosmetic damages to the truck that are not covered under warranty, tires, oil changes, and the biggest, nastiest expense of them all: taxes. All of these things can really eat into your profits, which is why we recommend not becoming a lease operator, but working as a company driver. Someone who is only interested in making a little extra money as a lease operator will likely just break even or not make any extra money at all. To succeed as a lease operator you must be hungry, willing to drive the wheels off your truck, take as few days off as you possibly can.

I would definitely continue working there as a company driver for at least a year, then reevaluate your needs. The time with your trainer will soon be over. Best of luck to you, driver.

I completely agree with Pete's assessment. Those leasing agreements are tricky. People get fooled by phrases like "walk away." Very seldom does anyone just "walk away."

There's no reason for you to get involved with a lease program unless you really want to jump in full throttle. Your best bet as an inexperienced driver is to stick with being a company driver.

I agree with the advice already stated. You know very little at this point and compounding that leasing a truck is only going to cause you further problems.

At the mileage example you gave it will be within a year or two and the emissions system will start eating you alive.

Also that per mile rate you state is crap for a flatbed. Rates for everything except specialized are in the toilet, have been for over 2 years and no end is in sight.

Also you mentioned you have a DOT/MC number for a farm operation. That is probably a different type of authority than running general freight for hire. There are several different levels of authority. You wouldn’t be using that anyway if you did lease under WE, you would still be under their authority.

Everything about a lease is set up in favor or the company. I think leasing programs are traps that should be avoided.

Just the fact that there is a sliding scale so that the more miles you drive, the less you make per mile. That is crazy, getting penalized for better performance benefits the company, not you.

On a side note, my grandson is in school at UW Whitewater, WI.