Fazing out single drivers?

[express1man]

As I read through some of the posts here, I am under the impression that many expedite companies are fazing out the single drivers and using more team drivers. As I am really new to this field, I find that maybe I chose this line of work just when it is starting to die out.

That does not really motivate anyone from sticking around if you think about it. This line of work would be fine for someone that doesnt have a life. You know, no home, no family to support, etc. I am doing my best to stick it out for as long as my family can hold out and I never turn down any loads so work is not a problem for me. Picking up and delivering on time and looking decent when I interact with customers is not a problem for me either.

And believe me when I say I truely do understand the concept of working for myself and operating a business. I know there can be trying times. But I also know when to bale and cut my loses before I starve to dealth. I would team up with my wife but she is home with the children and if they cant keep a single driver rolling, what good would it do to put 2 people into the fire?

5 days now I have been just sitting here not making a dime. It is darn right depressing sometimes knowing that I am over a thousand miles from home and I have no choice but to sit here hoping that things will pickup. I know this cant really be a good thing for the owner of this truck to just have me sit this long. I am pretty sure he has a truck payment and insurance to pay even with no money coming in.

My parents use to say it all the time "Dont put all of your eggs into just one basket". Wonder if there is a way for me to keep myself going while I just sit here waiting on the company to get me loads. I realize uship, people want to pay very little but lets look at it this way. If you driving for a trucking company making only 40 cents a mile then something little from uship is better then nothing. Or what about signing on with more than just one carrier. If one cant keep you rolling you will have the other to fall back on.

So if you know that expedite is fazing out the single drivers then please say so and I will make room for someone else to do this. I have a CDL so I am pretty sure the trucking industry would like to have a driver willing to work a little.

 

[RichM]

Sounds like you are having a rough time but I don't see the solo driver going away. Location is the issue. I drove team for many years and also drove solo. I found the best area for solos to be in is New England and the North East, or the triangle from Minneapolis to Cincinatti to Toronto. This time of the year it's slow,always has been always will be.

 

[express1man]

Maybe that would be an excellent post for new drivers. What are the best areas for freight. I hear that all the time but I dont know where to deadhead to once I drop a load. I just go to the nearest truck stop so I can drop my paperwork right away. I mean what would be an average down time be before you start to ask questions?

 

[LDB]

Where have you been sitting for 5 days? You can only run under one DOT number so you can't sign on with multiple companies. You could run under your own authority as an outside contractor for multiple companies but that adds significantly to the paperwork/insurance/hassles etc. of things.

After sitting for 48 hours your company should have given you a paid empty move to somewhere productive. That's not an indictment of your company, it's an indictment of all companies. With minimal exceptions they are great at booking jobs that send you to Podunk and awful at getting you back to civilization from Podunk. The very best company in existence is mediocre at best when it comes to looking after their drivers. Your fleet owner should also be advising on locations etc. You should talk to your fleet owner about a game plan for future incidents including how long you'll sit in one place waiting and anything else relevant to moving to a better area. Good luck to you.

 

[redytrk]

I am sure every Expedite company would like to have nothing but teams ready to go and in service 100% of the time. Reality says they have never been able to pull this off. Our wonderfull Government dealt a damaging blow to the Solo with the 14 hour clock invoked a couple of years back.

Even so, Solo drivers will probably allways be an important part of this business. THEY WILL NOT BE WEALTHY>

 

[Jefferson3000]

Start making a list of all of the cities where you pick up. Also add cities where you hear other drivers from your carrier pick up. You could even add cities that your hear other carriers pick up from. It might tell you better places to layover.

As for paid empty moves, sometimes smaller carrier won't necessarily offer you this option. However, a good small carrier will normally be looking not just to cover their loads, but to put freight on your truck and keep it moving. But it is a slower season right now, regardless of all the "R" word talk. There is definitely a learning curve to be successful in this business. I think a lot of newbies fight most with the transition from being an employee, where you are handed a list of tasks to get done each day, and being a contractor, where you MUST make business decisions that are smart for your life.

Welcome to the wonderful world of freight.

 

[arkjarhead]

I'm going to throw something else in here. I think expedite will always need solos. Maybe to a lesser degree than teams, but the solos will be needed. I know others have already said that, but here is the different aspect. If you read on here for very long you will see that quite a few teams( not all ) think each load has to have tall miles with it. They don't want to fool with a 400 or less mile run. I've heard some say they don't want anything less than 500. Thses people want the long runs because they have 2 drivers. It's their business they can do what they want. Meanwhile the carrier still has their customer's shipment that needs to be moved 400 miles or less. This is where the solo comes into play. Some mileage that most solos will be happy with some teams wouldn't entertain the thought of taking the load due to lack of miles. I want to add one thing here. I know all teams are not like this, but I think we can all agree that are enough out that are to keep solos needed to run the short freight.

 

[cheri1122]

There will always be a need for solo drivers in expediting. Sure, the carriers and owners would like to have teams only, but I'd like to have 2000 miles every week, and all easy loads, too - but it isn't gonna happen, and for the same reason: reality. Good teams can't be pulled out of a hat when they're wanted, any more than can good loads. Or any loads, for that matter.
A good team is committed to the job to be done, and to each other, as well. That kind of commitment isn't found much, outside of marriage, and there are only so many H/W teams who want to drive , you know? There are a lot of teams who are friends, or relatives, or relative strangers, but as DaveKC says, they are rarely together long term. The difficulties of sharing such a small space, 24/7 will split up any two people who haven't vowed to 'love, honor, & cherish' each other, sooner or later. Jeez, how many roommates last for a long time? And they have a lot more space, and opportunity to get away from each other, than two people who are "shut up inside a tuna can", as Ontariovanman colorfully (but accurately) described it.
Besides, solo drivers never have to delay the takeoff because they have a problem with the codriver, lol. (I've heard the stories, of teams who couldn't go, because one of them wouldn't, or couldn't be found, or decided to go home, NOW!

 

[iceroadtrucker]

Somthing for ya to ponder.
I have talked to quite a few Individuals from different Companies
Right now I Should feel fortunate. The reason I talked to the Panther folks and the FedEX Folks and Even LandStar, and for the most part here is what I have been told. The lucky ones lets say for Political Reasons, They tell me they are moving and realy getting good freight in this so called slow season. Now mostly they are the drives that are part of big fleets of the the said companies.
Now for the Unlucky ones the Individuals team or not they tell me they are doing more sitting then running or getting a run then it canx.
One may think this is very interesting and there is so much truth in it that it isn't funney when one would use the catch pharse
HE who has the most Toys Wins.
In this case Most Trucks. Hmmm
I guess the Companies tend to lean toward taking care of their big fleet owners then spreading the wealth.
Case and point. However it isnt right and the Companies along with the employees that tend to cater to them are wrong.
Far as single drivers go the STONE I work for can put it where the sun dont shine. As when I team he dont give out the big cahoona runs but single runs, for a team in the truck. I could see a good team run then a couple helpers ect. I also understand by what greg has said on here and terryanrene as well that the majority of the runs are single in the Expadite business.
Hmm well here is food for thought. If the companies would stop the crapola of favoring their big fleets and learn to feed the others as well maybe then the brother hood of the business would come back together, untill then i just see it dog it dog business in other words cut throat.
Prime Example there are people at the Companies that drive the big LOOKIE trucks that are the first to call the company and drop the dime on ya. Just to make them selves look better. They do it all the time and every companyS got em. Heck they are even on here I would even be surprised if Cave Man himself isnt a MOD.
Not even a week ago I read a blog on here on a Team from a un mentionable company was running around and turning people in.
What a Buch of NARKS. Well NARKS GET BURNED where I am from
Give em a spade then tell em to dig a hole and jump in.
Some the big ones more than others. They say they are looking out for the good of the company but actualy looking out for themselfs to make themselves look good.
Now the Above Has been stated to me many times over by different people I have met . (The Unlucky Ones)
One day the brother hood of the Industry may again appear but the way the times are and the Economy I just dont for see it happing.
To the Compaines You all need to start being fare on giving out loads
stop catering to the big fleeters and take care of evryone spread the wealth around.
Each member that is attached to you is an asset. Dont matter how great or small there fleets are weather it be one truck or 100.
Each unite should be given a chance, No more of the one side catering that U Know that happens but deny it.
Dispatchers stop feeding the Rich and making them richer spread the wealth so others can provide for there familys. You know who you are and if you are one then admit it and change for the better. If your getting some kinda of commision then commision your self in spreading the wealth to the others. Or is the Truth realy that the Big Fleet owners are lobbiest and they have you and the Company in there back pocket. It was said any one can be bought for a Price. My question to you and I challenge you are you realy that Cheap.
Its like saying Ya dont smoke but yup behind the closed doors ya lite up and are puffen away.
I think Ives said it plain and simple with out the hoopla
Well
Yippi KI Yea U KNow What
ICEROADTRUCKER
Ridge Runner

 

[LDB]

Well, there you have it. The secret is out. Yes, the companies are deadheading the big bad fleet trucks hundreds of miles to take the loads out from under the wheels of the little solo truck sitting a mile from the shipper. Then again, it could be location, acceptance ratio, equipment and other factors that are determining who gets the loads.

I posted about my experience sitting in dispatch some months ago. It was lengthy enough I'm not duplicating it here and I'm not digging it up. If anyone is interested they can go back and read it. Summed up, dispatch is far too hectic and busy for them to be looking around for special trucks. The computer pops up the truck within reach of the load that's first out and if it's equipped for the load it gets the offer.

I'm sure that once in a while a specific dispatcher may play favorites or return a favor but overall it doesn't happen.

 

[arkjarhead]

Well if they are to busy to look for special trucks they are to busy to return the favor they promised you when you took the peice of crap load,huh? So basicly dispatch was just lying so they could get the crap off of their desk. I knew never trust a pencil pusher.

 

[iceroadtrucker]

Leo
So you worked dispatch.
WITH OUT THE DEAD HEAD
Here ya go 4 loads on the board 4 trucks , loads 1 and 2 big loads loads 3 and 4 not so good.
Truck 1is ahead of the pack but not a popular truck he gets offered load 3
Truck 2 is a big wig truck he gets offered load 1
now if Truck one says no to load 3 then he gets load 4 offered
tell me it dont happen and I and show you it does all the time.
Now Truck 1 got the first offer and it was A bad load.
again he who has the most trucks wins. \
By the way all the Trucks are the same Class and Catagory. and Equipment.
One last thing, Was not long ago I attended the companys cookout, it was realy for the company Big shots and its Desk Jokeys, any way to make this a short slick ice patch. I was in slacks and a polo shirt. sorta fit in with the mix. I was standing behind a group of ladies that were talking aloud to each other and the sub was on how they got guys to take loads that no one wanted. They were laughing at all they had to do was talk sweetly to the guys and they take em for them. They thought this was so funney and how dum we realy were. Latter the next day they officaly met me. Needles to say I just smiled at them, and U know what I was thinking I dont need to say it. Kill it with kindness some times it works and then somtimes it dont. I dont think the Nice ladys will forget that day. I know I won't.
The case is now on ICE
ICEROADTRUCKER
RIDGERUNNER

 

[LDB]

Ark, some of them will and do say anything just to get the loads covered. Many of them do honor what they say and look for a follow up load or whatever they said they'd do. That's part of what's keeping them too busy to play favoritism.

ice, you've made up your mind and a little thing like facts isn't going to get in your way so I'll just go with what I know from being there and you can go with what you think from however it is you think you know it.

 

[arkjarhead]

I'll take your word for it Leo. Mainly because I see you as a straight shooter. My experience has been anytime they said they would pay back the favor they never did. Maybe just hit or miss on getting the favors returned. Of course you can't make loads appear to return a favor.

 

[RLENT]

This past Monday I got a load that took me close to the home office and I was planning on going out of service for this week anyways, so I ran by after I dropped - primarily because I wanted to put faces to the names of people I had been talking with from Dispatch. Unfortunately I was not able to meet some of the folks because at the time I was there (around noon) not everyone was in.

I did however get to meet most of the team. I spent a little time there (probably 20 minutes or so) and I'd actually like to go back sometime and sit and do nothing other than just observe for a few hours - preferably when it's busy - very busy. I got a chance to talk to a couple of the Dispatchers for a little while in between calls. At the point I was there they weren't getting totally slammed .... but it was steady - with probably half or more on the phone at any given point.

Couple of things I heard - the one girl had just offered a load to a certain kind of vehicle - wasn't alot of miles but it sure seemed to me that it paid pretty well (although admittedly it wasn't the vehicle type I run, so what do I know ?) The O/O that it was offered to turned it down. She was somewhat frustrated, in that here she had managed to get a load for these guys .... and they go and turn it down. Not hard to imagine that these guys are the ones complaining about the lack of miles at the end of the week. ..... bird in the hand ....

At this point another dispatcher chimed in with her experiences in dealing with a certain O/O who always seems to want the pay info for each load broken down and out fifteen ways to Sunday - to the net effect that every time that she has to deal with this guy that it's a twenty minute conversation.

My immediate thought on the above was "Good grief - who is this guy ? (meaning the O/O) Does he not understand that these guys (the Disptachers) actually have a job to do - and that he is not the only truck in the fleet that might require their attention ?"

Generally, my conversations with Dispatch on load offers tend to be about 3 or 4 minutes AT VERY MOST - and most of them are probably under 2. I figure they got other things to do (hopefully) and I sure don't need to be wastin' their time with frivolous crap like asking "Well .... what does that FSC come out to per mile ?" .... after they have ALREADY given me the total FSC amount. In fact, I don't even need to know what the FSC is - I just need to know what the load pays total - and if I know my cost of ops I oughta be able to figure out whether it's a stinker or not. Generally I don't even ask - they got a load they need covered - that's why I'm here - so far it's been working out for me. But that may not work at every carrier.

On the otherhand, if I call into Dispatch and I sense that is slow or they aren't getting slammed, I will talk to them for a little bit - on relevant business matters.

Last carrier I was at had one primary dispatcher - and EIGHT incoming customer phone lines - not including the TWO additional lines reserved for drivers to call in on. There was generally one other person in the office at any given time that could help out if it got busy ..... still .... ten phone lines between two people .... eight of them potentially with anxious, impatient customers wanting to either book or inquire about the status of their loads. Yeah - it's a real cakewalk .... no doubt. I'm real sure that playing favorites is right up there at the top of the hit parade.

Does it happen ? .... yeah probably - at some companies, with some individuals .... but probably not anywhere close to the extent that it does in certain O/O's minds. And possibly it happens with some valid justification, at times. It's business afterall - no one is automatically ENTITLED to load offers - they're something you earn by holding your end of the business relationship up - hopefully in spades - by demonstrating competence, by being on time or early, covering loads that need covered, being available, being professional and not giving Dispatch a bunch of needless grief, etc., etc.

The only thing you really have when you lease on with a carrier is an opportunity - to a large extent, it's up to the individual to make something out that.

I dunno about big fleet owners - we're a fleet of one and not a truck just a Sprinter so my experience is probably not exactly relevant to this discussion - but I have been kept plenty busy at my carrier over the last five weeks. Maybe it's happening somewhere but I sure ain't experiencing it.

Ice, I ain't gonna tell ya it don't happen .... but on the otherhand if you got the goods showing it does, well then show us your cards .... otherwise .....

 

[nightcreacher]

Ice,ive been in fecc dispatch many times,there isnt time to be looking for any certain truck,besides,their computer system does all the truck picking,its called DVA.I'm not a fleet owner,although at one time I did have more than just this one truck.ill put my revenue against any fleet owner in FECC,except the reefer units,dry box is hard to compete with reefer trucks

 

[jaminjim]

Does ICE even run expedite?

 

[dragontrans0304]

Having worked dispatch in a previous job, I was far too busy to trying to cover loads to play favorites. If one truck turned the load down I would offer it to the next closest, if I couldn't cover it with any of the trucks within 250 miles of the pick up point the load was posted on various load boards.

 

[nightcreacher]

iceroadtrucker or should i call you marvin,tell the guy that you drive expedite

 

[davekc]

I thought some of those posts looked oddly familiar.