ATS New mileage pay, effective 9/1/09

[Sinister]

As of Sept. 1st, mileage pay at ATS will be as follows:

All empty miles will pay at .81 (just to make your settlements that much more convoluted...LOL)
Minimum pay $350
0-399 = 1.25 (.25)
400 - 599 = 1.00 (.07)
600 - 899 = .96 (.05)
900 - 1499 = .83 (.03)
1500 + = .81 (.02 ish?)

The difference in mileage pay compared to the old system is in parenthesis. The greatest cut is on the short loads. No information is given about reducing tarping pay but I'm pretty sure I've seen some loads drop a few bucks over what they were when I started at the end of may. As far as I know, FSC will still figure on a per mile basis, based on the national fuel index released every tuesday morning by the DOE. That's why you get that message every Tuesday about the weeks FSC.

For those of you who may not know this, they multiply your loaded miles by that cpm figure, and that's how they come up with your FSC pay. So, even though you're on a mileage contract, it still pays to be careful and watch your deadhead.

So, all is not yet lost. My FM told me that based on my current average miles, and loads I've selected since my start, I stand to lose about 50-60 bucks per load. That's a pretty good chunk, so we'll see how it shakes out. I have been considering switching to percentage, since I'm now a class 2 (which also increased my mileage pay .01), but every percentage guy I've talked to is pretty much losing his butt. I thought maybe the increased availability of OD freight might offset this, now I'm not so sure...

 

[Keendriver]

That percentage pay is great.......when you haul the bigger freight.But if you do alot of legal stuff and of course the d/h you really take it in the shorts. Maybe stay on mileage til freight and your od experience picks up.
Can you upgrade to a 4 axle? or do ya gotta run this lease out?

 

[Sinister]

I'd like to upgrade to a 4 axle, but I think it's goikng to be alooong time before I'm able to do that. The guys already in 4 axles here are held as sort of Master Jedi...lots of times they don't even talk to us lesser beings. I've been helped out by a few, and ignored by most of them.

 

[Keendriver]

I've seen some of those ATS 4 axle guys.........master Jedi wasn't the first thing that popped into my head.

 

[Sinister]

That is correct.

 

[Mike]

Do you own a truck that you simply have leased to them, is this a purchase program through ATS, or a lease through them?

 

[Sinister]

I leased a truck through them. At the time, they were not hiring company drivers. The didn't care that I spent the last 2 years at 175 feet long. Because I've never been behind a high pole, I get to pull UP TO 14 wide.

My widest so far has been 15' 2". But not at ATS. So they don't care.

 

[Mike]

Interesting. I have been glancing through some of the purchase programs out there currently and just wondered what you were in.

 

[Sinister]

You want to know what's up, ask me. I'll tell you. I ain't skeered. They can me, I'll hook up elsewhere.

 

[Mike]

Are you coming out better than a company driver making .40+ per mile?

The situation I see many lease purchase drivers end up in is they are very happy with their situation because they are doing better than they did driving a company truck.... until the truck ends up in the shop for a few days, or until something happens at home and they have to get off the road for a week. All too often, the driver that was once happy with the lease purchase ends up "in the hole" and virtually driving for the next several weeks just to catch up and break even.

Some of the programs I am seeing now look like they may be much better deals than I was seeing in the past.

 

[Sinister]

Are you coming out better than a company driver making .40+ per mile?

Probably not. They don't take out any taxes on my take home, but tell us were supposed to put aside 20% of our take home. I think that would put me right in line with some of the better paying company driver jobs.

The situation I see many lease purchase drivers end up in is they are very happy with their situation because they are doing better than they did driving a company truck.... until the truck ends up in the shop for a few days, or until something happens at home and they have to get off the road for a week.

Tell me about it! I went home for 3 days, and narrowly avoided ending up in the hole. The following week, I also narrowly avoided going in the hole. I've run into MANY guys who are into this company for god knows how much money.

See, I don't think the program is designed against anyone, or so anyone fails, but I think it's really easy to get behind, and end up staying that way for a long time.

I sincerely hope that does not happen to me.

Some of the programs I am seeing now look like they may be much better deals than I was seeing in the past.

I looked around for a long time before I made this move, and I didn't find any negative feedback on the ATS program. I'd heard all the other ones are nightmares, especially Prime, but I thought this one would be better.

I'm not blaming ATS solely. A lot of the guys I run into that have been here a few years say that when freight was running good, they made great money doing this. Now, they're all just getting by so my situation is not unique. A lot of this has to do with the way the economy is. I swear when this thing is over, if I even hear the word "economy" again, I'm going to puke.

So far, it hasn't been bad, but it's not far from it. I came to this company because I had to, not really because I wanted to. The other place I was at had NO freight for weeks on end, and that was killing me. I spent the last 12 years avoiding big companies, and if this one continues on it's current path, I won't be staying here either.

I have other ideas for the next few years.

 

[lightingboy]

hey guys how are u first of all,hop good.i am thinking about going to ats to work doing the l/o thing,and i am looking for som input on you part if u dont mind.I herd a lot off good things about them so far.only found 1 driver that didn't make it with them.so i would like to read what u have to say.thankyou

 

[Sinister]

Well, aside from the last page and a half, there's not much else to say just yet, as the new pay package just went into effect. It'll take a bit to figure out whether it's a total mess or not. So far, I'm home this weekend, and I "held a load" from last week. I plan to run short haul next week, and be home next weekend also. Then, it's probably balls out until Thanksgiving or at least Halloween. I've missed all three of my sons costumes, and would like to see one soon!

I will say this: being on mileage allows me to consider loads percentage guys totally scoff at. I figured that out sitting in Fontana at the terminal. Also, I've met more percentage guys who are in the hole than mileage guys.

What I like about ATS is the versatility of freight. I want to run long, I can run long, I want short, they got short. I want OD, they got that too. I can work my way up the ladder and haul bigger and bigger stuff, provided I don't screw up, and pass all of ATS's requirements.

But then, it's that much more time in the truck, and away from my family. Even they way the lese program is currently designed, they want you in the truck more than anything. You have to realize that. They are leasing you a truck so they can make money. They can feed you all the "be your own boss" bullshit in the world, but understand that them deciding to lease trucks was a money decision, period. I tried to go to work from these guys as a company driver, and they wouldn't hire me, but would lease me a truck.

I honestly think that only the smartest, and most savvy will survive the next 2 years in the lease program at ATS. I just hope I'm among them.


But overall, I'm happy here. It could be a lot worse.

 

[lightingboy]

I am happy here but not that much a I have been waiting for a year and a half to get on with them. I understand they want u I the truck as much as posible and that's ok with me because as it stands I already have to stay out a month to a month in a half just to make the money I need to pay the bills and take 4 days off and back out and do it all over. Where I am at they realy don't give a sh## about u I run dadicated north east and I also am part of a special division with in the division iam in. I can't talk about what I do because they will throw my a## in jail. I get any where from 2500 to 3500 at 0.31cpm plus all the bullsh## of that special division and nothing extra. I don't have any real complants about the comp just that one I just like to flat bed and ocer size a lot more beside the fact that I am geting out of shap pulling box trls and it not that much of a challenge so to me there is no more fun pulling boxes. I would like the challenge of pulling the over size loads as I work my way up like u.
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[Keendriver]

Didn't you adress this type of thing in a different thread?^

 

[lightingboy]

hey keen i dont know if i did or not i was on line on my cell.

 

[Tn. Truckers Wife]

Didn't you adress this type of thing in a different thread?^

He accidentally posted it twice in this same thread and I deleted one of the posts...

 

[lightingboy]

yeh sinister i am looking in to it and i got aproved to go up oct 12 and start.i just saw your post and another drivers post on google.i just wanted to see what other drivers had to say.i love a challenge and thats what iam looking for.i dont want to get rich i just want to make a livin and go home and hopfully after a year buy a my truck thru them or by other means.right now i just want to do it thru them.they also told me i am going to be on % pay.

 

[lightingboy]

HEY SINISTER DID U MAKE IT HOME.HOP U DIDNT FALL BACK ON UR STUFF.HOW IS EVEYTHING ON UR END?

 

[Sinister]

hey keen i dont know if i did or not i was on line on my cell.

These mobile devices seem to cause a good bit of confusion.