Excessive deadhead

[tyoung]

Why do they send these loads to trucks so far away from pickup? I'm constantly getting offers that are 300-500 miles to pickup. For .15/mi , how do they think we can do this? Just the past two days I've had over 10 of these offers. Then I check the VRU to find they dispatched two loads out of center 110 miles away. There were none of our trucks there or near it other than me. They didn't even offer them to me. Go figure!!

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[usafk9]

Are you sure that you have the same qualifications, or are at a better spot in the DVA than those two other trucks?

FWIW, we've deadheaded well over 1,000 miles to a pickup before. In fairness, that's when things could be negotiated in surface, and it was a holiday.

 

[tyoung]

I'm a solo driver in a van. So if I deadhead that far, it only leaves 100-200 miles for the load. According to the VRU there weren't any other trucks in the area. Also have a <75 for my last load that cancelled.

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[Daffyduck528]

U have hazmat and iac? If not it could been one of those loads and you couldn't do it. I've traveled over 1,000 miles dh for a load that I was a little too early for and at the local truck stop I talked to a driver for FDCC that had been there for days. He didn't have the right qualifications for the load. I tell my drivers and any new person I talk to, get qualified with every endorsement/qualification/class/clearance FDCC offers or requests. Some we have we do not like to do but we have them to get extra $ out of those loads or to get out of a bad area or both.

 

[tyoung]

Yes I have both of those.

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[tyoung]

I can't afford to run for .45-.50/all miles. I'm not sure how anyone can. Been doing this for 10 years. Thinking my days are numbered. Not being able to negotiate at all is making this not profitable. Most other carriers negotiate. Maybe it's time to change.

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[interstategar]

I never except any loads that aren't profitable enough to make it worth my while. I might go 300 miles to a pick up if the load is 1700 loaded miles, but never got an offer like that ever, as B unit, single driver. I never pay attention to my acceptance rate and I still get plenty of load opps. I have the I'm IAC qualified, and can run military loads, and run Canadian loads, and placarded Haz Mat loads. My home base is good for load opps being based in Wil. If I deliver to a lousy center I just go to a better center on my own or will head home. Most of the time before I even reach home they have some load opps. I accept them if they are profitable and worth my time. One thing I hate is sitting more than 24 hrs just for a load. Life is too short for sitting and waiting, and waiting.