Bolt is a Joke, Bolt hauls nothing but...

[chefdennis]

Cheap freight and Bolt is ruining the business...

How do you like working for the cheapest freight rates in the business? So you still driving for $.40 a mile? Does bolt really pay those low rates everyone complains about... and on and on...I we all have heard it from other drivers at T/S's and seen it on here. And this is NOT at shot at you TJP...

RLent has posted his numbers from time to time, i have spoke in general but nothing nailed down, as i really don't think it is anyones business what i or anyone else makes. But since there are a few threads going right now on "cheap freight " and companies running the freight rates down, i ran some quick numbers and came up with what i have done in the last 7 loads and the last month. Let me tell you, it ain't anywhere near the cheap freight rates people complain about Bolt about...

the last 7 loads, I used the last 7 because i was out of service for 2 days to spend time with my wife and that is the norm run count i would get in a 10 day period.

Miles run loaded: 3201
DH miles to loads: 512
pay per loaded mile: $.81

Now the last month, including the last 7 loads:

Miles run loaded: 7857
DH miles to loads: 1066
pay per loaded miles: $.86

Now during the last month, without going back and looking to be sure, I took about 10 days out of service, that left approx 20 days working...the math is simple to do...i can't say that i am working for the cheapest company out there nor am i hauling cheap freight.....have i been offered cheap freight? you bet, but i chose to turn it down.. I did not and do not figure my DH empty moves to other areas to find freight in my numbers, because i don't sit for 3 days and i move when i decide, not the carrier and i always move on my dime...its my choice and some of the time, ill go out of service to make that move if i want to do something other then just reposition myself to another freight area...

So you can say i am B/S'n, ill show anyone the numbers off of fleetvison just as RLent said he would....and i have..so think what you want, i think those at bolt that want to work, are doing just fine, i know those i talk to are.....

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I guess maybe the newbees have an interest.

For me...you don't really have to justify anything too me...

You say all is well and U R happy..that is all that should matter...

If U R bull crapping us then that is fine too...
another one will bite the dust...
I'll miss you for a minute..
Then I'll grab your load...*LOL*..life goes on

 

[chefdennis]

OVM wrote:

If U R bull crapping us then that is fine too...
another one will bite the dust...
I'll miss you for a minute..
Then I'll grab your load...*LOL*..life goes on

LOL, ain't it the truth!!

LOL, when i started this business just july i was told not to do it, id starve, it was the wrong time, the business was dying, there were too many vans and not enough freight, i wouldn't last 6 months....well i am still here, doin just fine and and since i never hauled freight foe a buck a mile, i don't miss it or complain about it....So you will be a while waitin to "grab my loads!" lol!!!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

OVM wrote:



LOL, ain't it the truth!!

LOL, when i started this business just july i was told not to do it, id starve, it was the wrong time, the business was dying, there were too many vans and not enough freight, i wouldn't last 6 months....well i am still here, doin just fine and and since i never hauled freight foe a buck a mile, i don't miss it or complain about it....So you will be a while waitin to "grab my loads!" lol!!!

Sympathy in the dictionary comes between sh!t and syphlisis.

 

[chefdennis]

OVM wrote:

Sympathy in the dictionary comes between syphlisis. and sh!t

LOL, yes it does! But no one is askin for any of any of them!! As that old cowboy once said, "no braggin, just the facts..."

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I am not hard hearted by any means...BUT

This is a business and many businesses fail everyday....just the way it goes....

Sometimes failure is a good thing IF one learns something...they'll come out a stronger person for it next time if they have the grit to try again...

 

[chefdennis]

Oh i agree 110%...as i have said here in the past, "i have opened and closed more businesses then most people will ever open...some just weren't going to make a profit and some i had no business being in in the 1st place and they were closed because of my lack of insight ( I still have a storage locker full of fitness equipment that ill make somebady a good deal on!)

So yeap, businesses come and go, its what you learned in between opening and closing that can lead you to success the next time...and dang it, i just ran out of propane for the big Buddy...time to head to Home Depot....

 

[Dakota]

Bolt came up in a discussion at the local Ceva office.
Ceva uses Bolt because they will haul for cheaper alot of the time. Not sure if this helps or hurts your discussion. But I decided to put it out there

 

[chefdennis]

I wouldn't doubt that for a moment....as i said, i get offers of what i consider cheap freight as do most drivers in this business no matter who their carrier is....i turn it down but, some one will always haul it, and at times it is handed off to a "partener" carrier....your post is fine, as i said, those are my numbers and i have no problem showing them.....

 

[RLENT]

Bolt came up in a discussion at the local Ceva office. Ceva uses Bolt because they will haul for cheaper alot of the time. Not sure if this helps or hurts your discussion. But I decided to put it out there

I have hauled at least one load that went to a CEVA facility (Liberty, MO) dunno if CEVA was actually the customer or not - the load went 846 miles, was 2 pallets, and weighed around 1000 lbs.

I don't know offhand what my carrier was paid for that load specifically, but the load paid me $0.81 per mile. This was back around the beginning of August.

 

[ebsprintin]

cd,

How many loads did you turn down to get this last batch of data that you posted? If I may ask.

eb

 

[chefdennis]

6, 2 of them with hours of each other because i was heading home and the load offers would have taken me out of my way....3 that were just plain to low pay per mile one because i would have had to DH just about the same miles that the loaded miles would have been.....oh 1 more, yesterday, i got the offer at about 10:30 am, couldn't pickup until 8 pm and it only ran 97 miles and couldn't deliver until the next morning....monroe mich to flint mich.....so t turndowns in the last month....dang, thats more then i thought!!

PS: i just looked 1 was 1471 loaded miles @ $.55 cpm,,,,dh was minimal, out of laredo....a few hours later i got an offer with more dh down to mc allen fpr a pickup and delivery to pinedale wy...and the pay was $.82 cpm...so don't buy that all freight out of laredo is cheap.....

 

[Dakota]

I have hauled at least one load that went to a CEVA facility (Liberty, MO) dunno if CEVA was actually the customer or not - the load went 846 miles, was 2 pallets, and weighed around 1000 lbs.

I don't know offhand what my carrier was paid for that load specifically, but the load paid me $0.81 per mile. This was back around the beginning of August.

I know Ceva has a set rate for their drivers. Now as a straight driver I can haul at a van rate if I choose, but usually that would be offered to me as a backhaul. They would never call me and offer me a van load out of my homebase. If hey can't find a Ceva driver then they go down the list of other carriers and am sure they offer them less then what our drivers make.

Unlike some other carriers out there we always get the same rate be it the van rate or straight truck rate, it's not a variable number. This sometimes means we lose bids on the board.

 

[letzrockexpress]

Oh i agree 110%...as i have said here in the past, "i have opened and closed more businesses then most people will ever open...some just weren't going to make a profit and some i had no business being in in the 1st place and they were closed because of my lack of insight ( I still have a storage locker full of fitness equipment that ill make somebady a good deal on!)

So yeap, businesses come and go, its what you learned in between opening and closing that can lead you to success the next time...and dang it, i just ran out of propane for the big Buddy...time to head to Home Depot....

There is a whole lot of wisdom packed into what you've just described.. Living through success as well as failure forces one to know "when to hold em" and know "when to fold em" so to speak. Hmmm... the Chef is a wise man...
You can cut and paste that if you want...

 

[TheOGExpediterGuy]

Oh I see how it is buddy... lol jk good luck man...and what I say if your happy, WHO CARES ABOUT THE REST!!!

 

[Jefferson3000]

Bolt came up in a discussion at the local Ceva office.
Ceva uses Bolt because they will haul for cheaper alot of the time. Not sure if this helps or hurts your discussion. But I decided to put it out there

The question remains: "Cheaper than what?" Panther? FECC?

Spoke to dispatcher of another carrier in the south recently. Their book tariff for a straight truck is 2.35 per mile, including fuel. Two years ago, they were getting the full tariff with current fsc all day from customers, and no one was asking for quotes. They just wanted to know if it could be covered. Now they are lucky to get 1.50-1.60 for a straight and the customers are always asking for a quote and shopping it.

I do not believe that accepting a cheaper rate than you normally would, in order to get move from a notoriously lean area (TX, FL, or the northwest) is going to drive all rates down permanently. Those rates fluctuate weekly, according to numbers of trucks sitting vs number of loads coming out. You may have even gotten a few more cents from your carrier in order to enter that region anyways, so quit the whining. Here are your choices: Sit for untold days, waiting for the PERFECT LOAD, run a bit cheaper one back to your "comfort zone", or deadhead on your nickel.

 

[chefdennis]

Letz wrote:

There is a whole lot of wisdom packed into what you've just described.. Living through success as well as failure forces one to know "when to hold em" and know "when to fold em" so to speak. Hmmm... the Chef is a wise man...
You can cut and paste that if you want...

__________________

Why Thank you Musicman!!!

 

[geo]

when ceva closed our station in cheasapeake va
and given choice to move to richmond va or find
some place else to work

didn't have any ideal how thing would work out as in cheaspeake va was a well oil machine

and with in a couple of day's found out richmond va was also
a well run machine

they asked up front what will you do, will it fit though the door's and won't put me over weight

and before they ask you do something they already know you wil do

it is a team effort and great place to work at
was a good choice coming to richmond va
and all the people in office are super

 

[Dakota]

when ceva closed our station in cheasapeake va
and given choice to move to richmond va or find
some place else to work

didn't have any ideal how thing would work out as in cheaspeake va was a well oil machine

and with in a couple of day's found out richmond va was also
a well run machine

they asked up front what will you do, will it fit though the door's and won't put me over weight

and before they ask you do something they already know you wil do

it is a team effort and great place to work at
was a good choice coming to richmond va
and all the people in office are super

Seems like they are closing alot of offices John Carroll had his office closed too. Kinda scary since we are a one dock operation, but southbend is only an hour and a half, Indy is about 2 hours and romulus(detriot is 3 hours) So I guess i could keep going.

 

[skyraider]

There is a whole lot of wisdom packed into what you've just described.. Living through success as well as failure forces one to know "when to hold em" and know "when to fold em" so to speak. Hmmm... the Chef is a wise man...
You can cut and paste that if you want...

A friend of mine drives a cv for Bolt and he always has a good week and is happy with them. U couldn't pry him away. He has worked for other companies maybe 3 and this one is his favorite , plenty of loads, and no hassles