That is the very reason rates are so low. I understand that it isn't your fault that you must haul cheap freight, but if those who continue hauling these crappy loads refuse to put them on their truck then rates will rise. They will have to rise or the load will sit. That would be the best thing for a carrier to do.




My guess is that if they leave and go to another carrier things won't be much better, if at all. Carriers large and small are having problems finding decent paying freight.

 

I agree. We just deadheaded from Nebraska to Alberta to pick up 2 loads going to Texas. Why? Because of the money.

 

I think it depends on the commodity. Food will still move because people have to eat.

We haul a lot of lumber. That market sucks so bad right now. I have bunches of stories about how bad it is.

On the other hand, our beer haul seems to be holding up pretty well.

I guess all the construction trade guys are sitting home getting hammered because they don't have any work.

This is a very weird time we are living through. I would find it a lot more entertaining if I had skills other than construction, real estate and trucking.

 

GMAN, i can understand your point of view about cheap freaight. Partly the reason i dont like unions.

The rates are poor because of the economy, not because shippers take cheap loads. Your explain how the rates will go up if shippers just refuse to take those loads. SOMEONE will move their freight one way or another. But say the cargo just sits.....it will just make the economy WORSE than it already is. Because what will happen, is the law of supply and demand will kick in. Companies dont get their goods in, thus the supply goes down, demand remains the same and the price will just go up. Then people wont buy because the cost is outrageous.

Don't make sense to me.

 

You THINK you know what rates THEY GET.

Ask if they'll let you see a copy of the paperwork from the broker on that $500 load.

I'll bet NOT.

 

who the hell is your DM, because since november, i've been bothing but east of 35, and i seem to have to bitch to keep rolling. my DM pat me on the back last weekend 'making up' for low mile loads from MD and PA and back, gave me a 750mi+ load, which i drove my tail off, picking up saturday and getting to the cosignee on Sunday at 2p. Hoping i could get unloaded sunday (not going to happen) but hoping i could get unloaded monday morning. Find out they only have one receiving dock, and that you have an appointment time. mine was 8p monday. didnt get in any earlier. so i pretty much sat for a day and a half, then get a whole 83 miles since monday. Been sitting in the Memphis terminal because my DM was 'planning ahead' getting two classes i have to take care of before the 27th, wanted me to do them in Memphis. oh yeah, and i still sit here, and it is going on 11p friday night.

 

it helps having a dm and fleet manager who were once drivers, mentors, and both have been with swift for nearly 20 years. it also helps doing favors for whomever gives you a call at some point in the future. all i can say is don't blindly accept favors. ask to see a pre-plan first before saying "yes" or "no". if you tell them you can't do it. don't sweat it. it won't have any effect on your character. if you shine from those favors, you can make some valuable "friends" at terminals. just don't be late on those ones, however.

my pal in sparks lets me see the planning sheets. i get to hand select the load i want to take. whenever i'm there, i take a kmart load from the dc in sparks and haul it over to the dc in brighton, co. the rest of the kmart loads are going to stores in washington state. in denver, i usually get kmart loads that pick up at the brighton dc. the latest one had me taking a delivery down to a store in brownsville, tx. man, it was nice and warm while i was there.

 

I'm willing to bet you arent a first year driver, being able to 'hand pick' your loads. I dont blindly accept anything that doesnt come across the box. The only load i have ever turned down was a load i could not deliver because of HOS. Everything else, even a load outside my comfort zone, i've accepted. (said load outside my comfort zone was eventually unplanned from me anyways, but i did accept it because i wanted to roll)

I think i've conveyed my WANT/NEED to roll enough to my DM that he knows i'm the guy that wants the loads. I've even told him, that i could care less if i get 1-500 mile load, or 5-100 mile loads. They pay the same. But i've told him i want off the 910, and want all 48 (even though i dont like the idea of going into LA or NY/New England) i'm cutting off 50%, if not more, of the possible runs i can get.

and mike....i can tell you must be friends with Father V.

 

3 more weeks and i'll have my $3900 back. my comfort zone goes all the way into canada and cuts out at pennsylvania. i don't do the nj, new york, etc.. garbage. i cannot stand going to the east coast. seems that i-81 is backed up from new york to the dc area during morning and evening rush hour, and i cannot stand hitting up a truck stop at noon, and finding it jam-packed. i also hate quebec with a passion.

los angeles isn't too shabby. just some tight turns here and there, and you gotta stay the hell out of the far right lane. just get into it when you know your exit or junction is coming. however, many of the junctions are either in the left lane, left lanes, or right. that's another thing you gotta know about. the far right lane is one i keep open just because i don't want to keep having to slow way the hell down for traffic entering the freeway.

 

yeah, i know what you mean about the traffic around DC. I was unlucky enough to be going by DC when they had that stupid "celebration of peace" christmas tree lightning ceremony. traffic backed up for 10-15 miles going no more than 10.

Guess right now, my biggest problem is driving at night with the headlights i got. they suck...and i find it hard to read street signs in the city. I end up passing my turn, and end up going 15-20 min. out of my way to get turned back around. My next purchase will be a TomTom, if anything, simply to use it to read streets that are coming up, and so i can plan ahead of time. What i do now (probably should have BEEN doing) is calling the Final, and getting exact directions as to landmarks near where i need to turn. Been doing that the last couple loads i've had...and feel pretty stupid for not doing it earlier. work smarter, not harder...as they say.

I use a paint pen for glass, and write out my route in the upper left corner of my windshield. works pretty handy, then switch to the directions on my Q-comm. Truck stops dont really bother me at noon. I normally pull thru a fuel island up to the payline, run in and grab a bite to eat and run out. Don't take me more than 15 min. to get in and out. As far as truck stops at night, i dont even consider stopping unless the fuel finder booklet lists a truck stop as a "LARGE" parking lot. cause you know the small and medium size lots are already full by 7p