Finding loads

[jaminjim]

Hey Dave, Isee that you post often about being allowed to find your load to take you out of a bad area. Knowing that you have been around the block a time or two ( not an age coment ). Would you mind sharing how often you do this? Maybe a percentage for last year, I know this will vary based on time of year, and locations your drivers are in. And at what price do you consider it worth while.

I hope this is not considered nosey, if it is it is not meant to be. If it is maybe some general info. Like would you do it on Monday in San Antonio, or would you give it a day or so.

Thanks in advance from a smoker.

 

[guest]

I have found that finding your own loads makes the most sense as a means to get home when you need to and as a means of getting from home to a good freight area. I live in Dallas and have booked loads to Cincinnati, Memphis and Indianapolis to get in a better freight area after having been home for awhile (especially if there are already a bunch of trucks there). Most of the freight on the internet load boards will not pay much more than $1.00 per mile with no fuel surcharge for a typical straight truck.

 

[jaminjim]

Thats not to bad if it is not much under a dollar, I firmly believe in not hauling cheap frieght.

The worst load offer that I have been given was by the Company that I used to haul for. 22 stackable skids going from Houston to Columbus OH. Want to guess how much? NO way to high, try agian, No still to much, Okay give up $33.00 Per hour, no per day? no thats right for the whole load.

 

[davekc]

I would say between 5 and 10 percent. You are correct, in that their are numerous things to consider before we do it. Location and the amount of other trucks.
Sometimes the day of the week is considered.
I use a variety of sources. Some are LTL and some are not.
The rate depends on the distance.
0-350 close to a dollar per load if it can be picked up right away.
Anything much longer is nothing less than a dollar, and more often than not on long milage I will book two loads on the same truck. The shipments are smaller but between the two, you can make a decent rate. The northwest is where this can be beneficial.

Same with San Antonio. Depends on the amount of trucks, availability of freight, how many loads per day the carrier averages.

You have the option of holding, going to Laredo or Dallas(depending on the above criteria) or Houston. Total freight volume is the highest in Houston.

Give you some idea








Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[SHADY]

I drive an E unit at T-S and often book me own trips. T-S isn't set up to provide back hauls, so they let us book our own, and take .15 off the top. I like T-S but the truck owner is moving all his Expedite trucks to Landstar Express America. There you don't have dispachers, just Landstar brokers.I think it will be more fun to be my own travel agent. Am thinking of pulling a reefer there, what do you think?

 

[BigBusBob]

I know there's some soreness on these boards with LEA regarding Katrina, but I'm talkin' with more and more drivers (O/O's) in the fleet I drive for (Swift). I'm finding more and more that either have a truck or 2 on with Landstar, and/or are considering Landstar. Not sure about the reefer biz, as most of them pull dry van that I've spoken with.
The primary reason given though for consideration and/or moving to Landstar is dispatch... you're no longer working with a DM (Driver Manager), at Landstar you work direct with the freight brokers. I'm hearing more and more good things about Landstar. Swift goes up and down, sometimes the O/O gets the miles, sometimes the co. driver gets the miles. I think it's a tricky balancing act... and like the old saying goes - and it applies to all trucking fleets big and small...
You can please some of the people some of the time, but you can't please all the people all the time.


I've got 9 months left on a contract I signed with Swift, and I may stay - not sure yet.
Money and equipment talk. I don't drive junk, and while I know I'm gonna sit now and then, if I am gonna sit - I am gonna be comfortable when I do sit.
Swift tried givin' me a Volvo 660, I told them no - and put the keys right back on the DM's desk, and said "I want a shaker". I had to sit a week, but I got one. The reason I did that? I've heard too many repair horror stories on those Volvo's... and their sleeper is 61". The shaker don't have a history of electrical problems like those Volvo 660's do. Plus, the shaker has a 70" sleeper. 9" of sleeper makes a big difference. I wouldn't mind so much if they had the Volvo 770's, as those things are huge inside, but I've heard stories about them too... though I think they've pretty much gotten the bugs worked out of that 770, the Swift Volvo's (they have the 660's) though are infamous for havin' problems. I want a minimum of a 70" sleeper. Esp. when you're out for a month or 2 at a time. I don't take much time off, I really strive to only do 34's on the road. I keep my home time for "at home".

Landstar they say once you get to know the brokers and you take care of them, they'll take care of you. Me? I'd consider them or PII... for awhile, then get my own authority. Prior to driving for Swift I didn't have a class A CDL, having always driven straight trucks and tour busses) The trainer I, he and I had talked often about business and he's plannin' on gettin' his own authority within the next 6 months. He's got 3 trucks on with Swift, but is plannin' on movin' 'em out within 2006. He said I could run solo for him in Sept./Oct. if I wanted to - he's got an older FLD that I'd run. That's the truck I trained in. I don't know who he's gonna sign it on with - but he's talked seriously about just gettin' his own authority and runnin' that way.

What's more profitable?
having your own authority?
or runnin' for a co. similar to landstar where you deal with brokers?
or runnin' for a co. like PII where you've got a dispatcher system?