Trucks For You (lease information)

Looking for some info on this company out of Oklahoma. I've googled it and search here and another forum and haven't found anything directly linked to them. They seem so sell themselves as having a good amount of freight. 3 terminals w/ in Tx/Ok and Canada and Mexico as well.

I've been doing my research for about a year now and really been calling and weeding through the fine print of all the major carriers that offer leases. I've been driving for o/o's the last couple years and have ran their truck as if I own it and have learned the ropes per say! The fine print in ALOT of these lease agreements are outright crazy at times, but I take it most people usually don't spend the time to comb through companies and or the agreements........I've tried to approach this the best way possible and educating myself with anything and everything I can. That all being said.....

It sounds like a fair deal. $2,050 a month which covers truck payment, ALL insurance, escrow and qualcom fee's. Term is 28 months. The trucks are 2005 FL Centurys w/ roughly 410k-460k. They are all US Express trade ins. Here's where I'm concern .........

I've tried to read as much as I can about these ultrashifts. Most the info I find say they get better, or same fuel mileage as the sticks. I've only been in manuals and fearfull of the extra (if any) up keep costs (maint/repair), the way they handle up and down mtn's, and obviously the fuel consumption. I have seen posts with anywhere from 4.8 to 7.5 on averages for the fuel. I'm wondering how honest of an average these are. I have broken down all the $$'s and to make myself feel like its worth it, I need to do NO LESS then 5.2 miles per gallon. I tried to overshoot expenses and undershoot income when doing my spreadsheet and anything less then the 5.2 just doesn't make me feel happy about running it for myself. I tried to keep things realalistic and set REAL boundries for myself as to say that I'm setting myself up the best way possible to try and succeed in this!!!

Another fear that I have is.........dry van freight. They are claiming 85% + drop and hook, and if needed they pay up front and arrange for the lumpers before I hit the dock. Here's were my mind gets the best of me. I fear it will be great the first 3 months, then start being starved otu of the truck..... The last few years I have done nothing but Flatbed and Auto transport. I've been trying to find a company that can keep me towards the drop n hook area of things if possible being that I'm used to loading and unloading just as soon as I'm ready for them to do it. I hear the stories of beign at a dock for 6 hrs or what not and haven't had to experience it yet. I'm sure I will, but I'm hoping thats not an everyday type deal. I also consider the drop/hooks to help w/ the weekly gross mileage as it wouldn't require much time at shippers. Am I realalistic with these thoughts, or am I so far off I need to pull my head outa my #####???

Ok, I think I've got everything out there that I want answers on. I really hope this doesn't turn into a *lets knock him* type post, but I want real answers from real o/o's / lease drivers if possible. I'll leave you with some of the info about what I've been told, and to say sorry now for such a long post and thanks for reading/repling if you've made it this far.

Trucks For You

05 FL Century 410k-460k miles w/ ultrashift
85% + drop & hook w/ NO touch freight
.86 cpm w/ national average fuel surcharge on loaded miles (current average to the truck loaded is $1.35cpm)
.86 cpm on ALL empty (dispatched) miles

$2,050 (28 months) Includes truck payment, all insurance, qualcomm and escrow ($75 per week- cap at $1,500).

They pay base plates, ifta (they pay the taxes as well).

Lease agreement is 100% walkaway providing you return truck to yard in fair shape. Lease agreement is basically no credit/no down promissary note between you and them.


Any input on them, or this info would be GREAT!!!!!

Signed,

New to the board, so Hello!!!

Pork Chop

 

Thank you very much for finding that thread. It was what I expected, all complaints but again, with no reasoning. I love how people like to post that people/companies are crap, but for once I would like the reason behind the complaints. I mean....you got fired for hitting something, just say it, LOL. Ok, that prolly sounds much harsher then I intended it to, but just fustrated with weeding out my options.

When I spoke with the gal yesterday, she spent about 40 minutes on the phone with me going over EVERYTHING. No question I asked was ducked in anyway. This could be her being complelely honest with me, OR shes got the selling down pat!!!!!!! Either way, no stumbles on questions and never tried to change the subject on me (like many others have). It sounds like a fair lease purchase honestly, providing that the freight/miles is there to earn the revenue. Again, my BIGGEST FEAR is being starved out of the deal. It's $0 up front cost out of pocket, so taking a chance might be worth it. I do have reservations on the equipment already. I don't mind the truck, but I haven't yet experience those autos and don't want to flop due to wrong equipment!!!

I feel taking a chance w/ nothing to loose can't be all bad. I'm not married, no kids, no house/car payments. The only bill I have is my cell phone and my car insurance. I don't have the over head of personal bills that must be supported by this venture, so hopefully that makes a difference in my success!!!

On another note, if anyone out there does have positive feed back on a lease purchase somewhere, I'm all ears! I'll research Dart on the board here and see what I can find. I'm trying to find someone to keep me in the south/se as much as possible, so any info would be amazing.

Thanks again yall for sticking w/ my long posts, but its worth it to get a couple good opinions from others!!!

Chop

 

Ok, fine!!!! You guys WIN!!!!! LOL I think I'm giong to go the company route and just save money!!!! After getting the fine print from some of the carriers I was looking at, the hidden charges n such are freakin CRAZY!!!!!!!

So, can anyone recommend a good company to go with? I live in Galveston which is 40 miles south of downtown Houston. I would like to stay in Tx and the south/south east. ??? I have 2+ years verifiable, but only in flatbed and auto transport. Ideas? I'll prolly post this under the "right" section too, maybe I'll get better hits that way.

But truely, thanks for everyone. I have been on the edge about the leases just because my personal overhead isn't much and I'm willing to sacrafice a bit to make things work, but I've yet to find a true lease purchase with no fine print.....

Chop