CR England Logistics CR England Trucking, CR England Logistics ripped me off, stripped naked salt lake city, Utah

   This still don't change the facts about how England operates,not everyone knows about them,hopefully one day they will.

   What I'm getting from this report is that the OP agreed to a load without bothering to check the mileage.   Who runs a business like that?  

" The way the loads are actually offered is they tell you the place or origin and the destination and what the load pays. That's it "

  Then you pull up a free map site like Google maps or Yahoo maps, type in the origin and destination and click "go".   I'm sure there are more sophisticated programs on the market, but this will get you in the ballpark, it takes a few seconds and it's free. 

First of all, I have taken NUMEROUS loads from CR England Logistics when I was an O/O.

The way the loads are actually offered is they tell you the place or origin and the destination and what the load pays. That's it.

THEN, you have to pull teeth to get the mileage, and they beat around the bush and say things like " well, it looks like 750 miles", or some other vague reply. This is common.

They NEVER quote a mileage rate! NEVER!

They do not pay "per mile" they pay per load.

If you even try to nail them down on a rate per mile, they will usually end the call.

They are trained to avoid that question, as they know their pay is an embarrassment to the industry.

The OP did her own figures (based on the hemming and hawing of the load broker on the "I think its like 750 miles" and came up with that $1.60 figure.

The problem here that the OP had, was that she simply didn't pay attention to EXACTLY what was said and how it was said, AND she failed to have her own load agreement faxed to them for signature that authorizes payment for over miles, detention time, lumpers, etc. etc.

This is exactly why the trucking industry got into such bad shape.

Too many rookies with 3rd grade reading and math skills trying to own and operate a business.

This sounds harsh, but I was actually being nice.

Don't believe me? Hang out in a busy truck stop for a couple of days.

These are not rocket scientists we are talking about here.

I was ashamed to tell people I was a truck driver!

We need legislation that would require brokers to own and operate trucks and run their trucks on the same load pay as what they offer to O/O's.

Problem solved.

That is why you always do your trip plan prior to accepting a load

If I read you right, the owner/driver needs to be very vigilant and NOT accept less than living rates.

C.R.England and others are looking for the best rates they can get and the owner/driver, if they expect to survive in this business, MUST require a fair rate.

My bet is, you've done well in the business.

Again, thank you for an insiders point of view.

Ken,

Unless you have been an owner operator in the trucking business, you won't understand how this works.
Brokers misrepresent mileage all the time, and it is never broken down on the agreement for the load. What they tell you over the phone is just fast talk to get you to take the load.

They count on drivers who are not actually savvy business people, and count on those who cannot figure out exactly what it costs to operate their truck. Any trucker who is paying all of their own equipment and operational expenses cannot take a $1.60/mile paying load, as that is not even break even.

Based on $4/gallon fuel @ 4 miles to the gallon as stated, fuel cost alone is $1/mile! Then you have equipment purchase price and depreciation, insurance, registration, maintenence and repairs, expendable items, tolls, etc. etc. etc. AND, you still have to pay yourself do drive, right? That should be no less than 35 cents a mile, or you would be better off being a company driver, right??

So, with the $1.60/mile the OP agreed to (blindly) Just the fuel and driver pay adds up to $1.35/mile! That means this genius figured they could pay for the truck and trailer operational expenses and miscellaneous operational expenses all on 25 cents/mile!!

Common sense, and third grade math is all we are talking about here. It took me all of about 2 weeks as an owner operator to figure out what I needed to get per mile, and I never took a load for less. Lose the "backhaul" mentality. Let the grass grow up around that cheap freight, and deadhead to the next paying load. If everyone did this, there would be no cheap freight! Right???

With fuel at $4/gallon, an owner operator cannot accept a load that pays less than $2.25 per mile. That is just making it. Barely. After all, an owner operator must also pay his company, so there is money for unforseen emergencies, like a heavy haul tow ($500+), a steer tire, installed, with service call ($600-$700), a new engine, installed ($15,000+), etc . etc. etc.

Here's how you have to do it. When a broker first gives you a load offer. Take the info and figure and excuse yourself from the conversation pending verification. Then, calculate your own mileage, and also check on loads available to get back out of where you end up. If there are none, your price going in must reflect that.

 Don't be scared to get paid!! Try to book loads only on Fridays, as the rates are better. Deliver Mon thru Wed. Schedule your maintenence and hours restart Wed-Thurs. This method worked for me very well.
Charge for ALL extra services! If you have to load your trailer, charge for it! If they want the load tarped, charge for it! Extra stops, charge for it! Get paid for everything you do. You are in business to MAKE MONEY, not to just "cover fuel cost", or break even. If you cannot charge enough to actually make money, park your truck, and go get a JOB!

CR England is one of the worst offenders on cheap freight. They offer you the same erates as they offer their leased on contractors who get fuel cost breaks, base plates, cargo ins, trailers, maintenence, etc.
You have to do an apples to apples comparison when figuring rates. Charge for all miles and never take less than $2.25/mile. Or, park the truck and get a job!

Brokers use double talk on the phone, and you have to bust them on it. They will dance around the issues and be real vague....ie: " Yeah, i have a load going about 750 miles and pays $xxx....yeah...looks like $1.60/mile...Do you want it?.....

They like using "short" miles which is straight line, as a bird flies, and/or HHG miles which is zip code to zip code, straight line. Don't fall for that crap (again). I have never seen a big truck with wings. Have you??

I bust them on it. I'm on the computer figuring mileage while I am on the phone. Always challenge the mileage. I figure the mileage and then bump it 10% and use that number x $2.25 = the rate you need to ask for. Real simple. Remember to book on FRIDAY afternoon when they are desperate to get the load rolling.

   I'm not sure you will get the difference because you agreed to whatever when you took the load,but look at the positive side.You now know that everyone in the trucking business is not on the up and up.

   But this is also your fault for not checking the miles before you excepted the load,and I understand that not everyone can afford something like PC Miler when they are starting out.But you could have used even Map Quest which would have given you the shortest miles,or even checked a map.

   This is an ugly ugly business and companies like the one you dealt with are the ones that created all of the ugly,they only pay there drivers 26 cents a mile so that should tell you something. 

   I don't know how old your truck is but 4 miles to the gallon is practically unheard of these days unless your a heavy hauler or something.I have a 600 cummins that I have gotten as high as 8 miles to the gallon,that was doing 60 miles an hour.But even an older truck will do better if you slow down.

   So the next time you think you have a load check everything out before you say yes,you should know how much the truck needs before you say yes.

   I wish you nothing but the best and God Bless.

   mrtmrsh@gmail.com                   Marty

NOT what you agreed to.
Do you have the original information in writing and can take them to small claims court for what you're owed?  Good luck to you.

I just gotta ask, how did they "strip you naked?"