Big Time First Quarter Blues

[TJ959]

I'm not as experienced as many on this site but after a little experience I made myself a few rules to follow. Number one on the list is never change companies in the first quarter. never never....Because

1. Your company looks really bad to you in the first quarter. How do they look when it's supposed to be busy? Thats the question.

2. You loose patience when sitting waiting for a load and confidence in dispatchs' ability to load you. That causes bad decisions and much uneeded deadhead. Then you're even more ready to change. At least I do it. Do you?

3.Your new company is bound to look bad to you in the first quarter so you'll get off to a bad start and loose confidence with them right away too.

4. Changing companies costs you and your company money and now you have to learn the new freight lanes and business base before you know what you're doing.

Having said that .... this first quarter is a record low for me. Last years' first quarter was a record as well but looks like it will definately be broken. Someboddy kick me I'm seriously thinking about making a change. As Homer would say "DHOH"!!x(

 

[highway star]

On the other hand, if you've been with the carrier long enough to know what the total picture is, the first quarter is a good time to change in terms of how much revenue will be lost making the change.

 

[nightcreacher]

Do you really think the grass is greener,there are those of us that can make money, no matter where we work,and those of us that, if they had a money tree in the back yard,wouldnt know how to get the money from the branches.
Anyone that quits his job,and goes to another company with out his own research,is just asking for trouble.Just because John D is making lots of money doesnt mean you will.In the busy season in expedite,everyone makes money,the trick is doing it in the slow season,which really can come at anytime of the year.
To do that research,there is but one way,and thats talk to the main party at that company,and you need to see what the other trucks are doing,thats the guys doing poorly and guys doing great
If you think you can survive on what the guys at bottom of the revenue can do,and its better than what you are getting,then its time to move.
You can talk to everyone on EO,but til you actually get into that company,you wont really know how it is.
Bottom line is"work smarter,not harder"

 

[bryan]

Hi

Suggestion:run behind off in Nov, Dec and Jan then sleep in Feb.Kind of like bears and squirrels.

 

[unorthodoxneon]

>Hi
>
>Suggestion:run behind off in Nov, Dec and Jan then sleep in
>Feb.Kind of like bears and squirrels.

I've talked to a few expediters that do this. Run hard when the freight is good and relax when its bad (got to spend that hard earned money sometime right)

 

[bubbajeffh]

I feel I made a mistake going owner operator last December with a company I had been a part time driver for and they joined a company as an agency. I was expecting, and needed to see a minimum of 1,500 miles a week to survive, but saw maybe 1,000 a week (if not less), and the miles I had to actually drive verses what they said it paid where usually 30 to 50 miles off, and the dead head miles were about half of my paid miles. I think I should have waited till spring to see how things went for the others and till business was at a better rate than the winter down times (something we didn't get knowledge of). I am frustrated that I am paying a lot per dead head mile and not getting anyway to make up for it with detention time or more per mile. I am frustrated that dispatch doesn't seem to have an idea where the hot spots are to wait for loads (or maybe they know but aren't giving up the info), non agency drivers get more per mile, dictate what per dead head mile, and get the bigger mile runs. I want to be fair and have everyone benefit, but I feel I am getting the shaft with the runs offered or the non agency drivers are passing on these runs since they know they are garbage, but the agency drivers aren't supposed to pass up offered runs. I am looking to get out and go with a smaller company whom I know or go with the bigger company as an owner operator. I don't know if I can trust the bigger company after what they stated to be a big profit for everyone hasn't shown and whether I will get the runs I need to cover costs with them or am I just going to have more costs and still get the puny runs I have been. The smaller company would have a lot less trucks to keep on the road, but how much per mile can they get me and how many runs? I know the people at the smaller company and I know they will tell me the truth. I am praying for God's wisdom and path for me to take, but I am still nervous and scared.

 

[darkunicorn]

Let me put it this way this is the slow time of the year and I’m running as much if not more with my current carrier than I did when it was supposedly busy period at my last carrier and I now get treated like a business owner and a human, not to mention any names because every time I do the thread gets closed down!

 

[nightcreacher]

its known as make hay while the sun is shineing

 

[babs3361]

My question is... is how can you even figure your 1st quater yet since we still have 8 days left in feb and the whole month of March to go yet? Having said that if you have been in the business long enough and i mean the industry as a whole the first quater is always rough. You should plan for it. In this industry so often it is being in the right place at the right time. I think your rules are good rules so really think of all the reasons for changing companies.