After sending my deposit of $1895 to Blake Bolin in the Orlando FL office, I waited 10 days before receiving a potential truck to lease; this was a Friday evening. Monday morning, I faxed the acceptance letter back, and that same evening, April called me; my truck was ready for pick up. I left for Charlotte NC from LI, NY that Wednesday, arriving Thursday morning to find that my truck had not been serviced nor detailed; it was actually missing two wheels. I stayed overnight and Friday signed the lease on the truck. After the lease was signed, Chuck (Charlotte Manager) and I went over the truck. I pointed out some concerns and then he mentioned that the truck had not been DOT Inspected, but that I could have it done over the weekend and I would be reimbursed up to $60 off my first payment.
Saturday, on my way from Charlotte NC to Seville OH (was scheduled for Orientation with Panther Expedite), I had the truck DOT Inspected. It failed! I had to have both front brake chambers replaced as well as the passenger tie rod end; in the end, it was $300. I accepted this as an expense of being an owner/operator and continued on to Seville OH. My truck went through Panther and I started hauling freight two days later on a Wednesday.
Afetr my second trip, I had stopped in Knoxville TN for the night (a Friday). Saturday morning, I awoke to coolant leaking out of my truck. I put the truck in the shop and had the leak fixed as well as replacement of the coolant reservoir; $500 in repairs, in which I had to take an advance off my first settlement to pay for.
Two trips later, I was going through Nashville TN on my way to Atlanta GA. My 'Check Engine' light started flashing and my temperature gauge was showing my engine running hot. I pulled into the Nashville T/A and saw that my water pump had started leaking heavily. I was out of money to have any repairs done and Panther was not able to advance me any more money.
I called Blake and told him the problem. He stated that he would take the first repair and the inspection off my first settlement, but he would not take care of this repair. I asked to have the repair done and have it added to the second payment. He said that he will not pay for anything up front.
I canceled my lease with Panther, had the trailer recovered, and had Blake recover the truck from Nashville TN.
In the end, I realized the following: (1) this company was, or still is, being investigated by the FL Attorney General (this came from OOIDA), (2) all they are interested in is your money, (3) the trucks are recycled from one guy to another with no repairs being made (in other words, the next guy to get my truck will have to repair the water pump), (4) the people that work there have no self-respect nor human decency (to think Chuck had the nerve to say "Good Luck and God Bless."), and (5) SAVE YOUR MONEY - DO NOT GO HERE!!!
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