HOS And Cargo Vans

[letzrockexpress]

It seems to me the New Hours Of Service doesn't make a whole lot of sense from what I can discern but, being that it it will potentially cause straight truck and T/T delivery times to be pushed back, I think it could well be a boon for van expediting. On a load of, let's say, 600 miles that a straight once could have feasibly delivered in 14 hours on the old system, the freight could easily be held up for an additional 10 hours with a solo driver, or at least a couple hours with a team on this new system. If that load is 2 or three skids, shippers could very likely begin to rethink the idea of demanding a dock high truck if it means waiting an extra day.
Woo Hoo!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

It seems to me the New Hours Of Service doesn't make a whole lot of sense from what I can discern but, being that it it will potentially cause straight truck and T/T delivery times to be pushed back, I think it could well be a boon for van expediting. On a load of, let's say, 600 miles that a straight once could have feasibly delivered in 14 hours on the old system, the freight could easily be held up for an additional 10 hours with a solo driver, or at least a couple hours with a team on this new system. If that load is 2 or three skids, shippers could very likely begin to rethink the idea of demanding a dock high truck if it means waiting an extra day.
Woo Hoo!

yipper...that is my thinking...even tho when straights lost an hour drive time a few years ago it did not really boost our business noticably....maybe here is hoping losing a half hr will....Actually it will be customers that will have to change their scheduling...

 

[ATeam]

I don't know about a boon for cargo vans, but it is certainly reasonable to expect some loads to come off straight trucks and go onto cargo vans because of the productivty decline the new HOS force onto straight trucks. I believe one example of this very thing has already been posted in the Open Forum.

Thinking about the kind of loads we haul in our straight truck with the credentials we have, it would be rare that a cargo van could serve as an alternative. There are team-driven cargo vans that can do what we do, but they are few in number, seldom in the same area we are, and can only haul what will fit in a van.

 

[BigCat]

Don't count on it. We drive 11 hours not 14. Those other 3 hours are basicly a cushion if the shipper takes too long so if that is the case they dont plan on taking too long to load it just happens you cant plan that. If it is a load that tight most shippers look for teams too. I'd say vanners are trying to be a little optimistic.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I don't know about a boon for cargo vans, but it is certainly reasonable to expect some loads to come off straight trucks and go onto cargo vans because of the productivty decline the new HOS force onto straight trucks. I believe one example of this very thing has already been posted in the Open Forum.

Thinking about the kind of loads we haul in our straight truck with the credentials we have, it would be rare that a cargo van could serve as an alternative. There are team-driven cargo vans that can do what we do, but they are few in number, seldom in the same area we are, and can only haul what will fit in a van.

It has been a steady decline for straights since the advent of the 3 plus CV.....can you imagine how busy you'd be IF we weren't out there....my goodness....

Not necessarily you Phil...cuz your special....just the common straight driver....

 

[mjmsprt40]

It still has to be able to fit the vehicle. I lose out on a lot of loads because I can't handle 10,000 lbs payloads. That's heavy straight and tt territory, and the new HOS rules won't change that. Physical dimensions of smaller weight loads can be a stopper too. It may weigh only 1,500 lbs, but be too large in L+W+H to get in, which means a straight may be required for it.

For stuff that will fit, though--- yes, it could make a difference. We may see more work on the time-sensitive stuff that would fit a van (Sprinters being included in the umbrella "van" for this purpose) that might otherwise have gone in a straight truck.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

It still has to be able to fit the vehicle. I lose out on a lot of loads because I can't handle 10,000 lbs payloads. That's heavy straight and tt territory, and the new HOS rules won't change that. Physical dimensions of smaller weight loads can be a stopper too. It may weigh only 1,500 lbs, but be too large in L+W+H to get in, which means a straight may be required for it.

For stuff that will fit, though--- yes, it could make a difference. We may see more work on the time-sensitive stuff that would fit a van (Sprinters being included in the umbrella "van" for this purpose) that might otherwise have gone in a straight truck.

Once the market adjusts to the new rules...I don't really see a big impact...if there is an impact at all....

 

[ATeam]

It has been a steady decline for straights since the advent of the 3 plus CV.....can you imagine how busy you'd be IF we weren't out there....my goodness....

A steady decline for straight trucks? I'm not saying you are wrong, but do you have data to back that up, like maybe truck counts in expedite fleets before and after "3 plus CV's" were introduced?

I can see where a driver of such a van would be predisposed to believe such a thing, but what data do you have to support the assertion?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

A steady decline for straight trucks? I'm not saying you are wrong, but do you have data to back that up, like maybe truck counts in expedite fleets before and after "3 plus CV's" were introduced?

I can see where a driver of such a van would be predisposed to believe such a thing, but what data do you have to support the assertion?

I have nothing....and those numbers probably don't exist.....but think about it Phil....just for a moment.....where did all the 3 plus loads go before the advent of vans like ours?....

 

[letzrockexpress]

A steady decline for straight trucks? I'm not saying you are wrong, but do you have data to back that up, like maybe truck counts in expedite fleets before and after "3 plus CV's" were introduced?

I can see where a driver of such a van would be predisposed to believe such a thing, but what data do you have to support the assertion?

Yeah, well... As you know I'm a Liberal... I chase Rainbows and believe in Unicorns too.

 

[jjoerger]

I don't see the new HOS causing us to lose any loads. With our loads scheduled at 47 mph I don't see where we will be unable to do team runs within the allotted time.
We just did a 1435 mile run. Two 30 minute breaks. Two driver change overs. One fuel stop and we got stuck in DC traffic at rush hour. We still delivered two hours early.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I don't see the new HOS causing us to lose any loads. With our loads scheduled at 47 mph I don't see where we will be unable to do team runs within the allotted time.
We just did a 1435 mile run. Two 30 minute breaks. Two driver change overs. One fuel stop and we got stuck in DC traffic at rush hour. We still delivered two hours early.

Even IF the 30 got in the way....it is between your carrier and customer to allow the right amount of time...I mean add 30 minutes to delivery protect time.

 

[cheri1122]

It seems to me the New Hours Of Service doesn't make a whole lot of sense from what I can discern but, being that it it will potentially cause straight truck and T/T delivery times to be pushed back, I think it could well be a boon for van expediting. On a load of, let's say, 600 miles that a straight once could have feasibly delivered in 14 hours on the old system, the freight could easily be held up for an additional 10 hours with a solo driver, or at least a couple hours with a team on this new system. If that load is 2 or three skids, shippers could very likely begin to rethink the idea of demanding a dock high truck if it means waiting an extra day.
Woo Hoo!

If those 2 or 3 skids weigh north of 3000 lbs, or are too big to fit, or are picked up and/or delivered to a dock that can't [or won't] handle less than dock high vehicles, it still has to go on a truck. The weight could probably be divided among 2 [or more] vans, but the other loads cannot. My last load could have gone on 2 vans, being a total of <900 lbs for 5 skids, but it wouldn't have got there any quicker [well, not a lot, lol], because it was well within the time constraints of 11 hours.
I understand the hope for reason to be optimistic, but even shippers in a big hurry can't change physics - if it requires a truck, they just have to deal with that. FWIW, I don't think the HOS changes make any sense either.

 

[ATeam]

I have nothing....and those numbers probably don't exist.....

While we many not have access to them, the numbers certainly do exist. Every expediting carrier knows on any given day how many vans, straight trucks and big rigs it has in the fleet. I cannot imagine a carrier not retaining such information to be looked at over the years. To some extent, I think the numbers could be dug up from FMCSA and DOT data if nowhere else.

As to your other question, what's to say the market did not grow to produce more 3 skid loads to haul without taking any off straight trucks, or that shippers adjusted to Sprinters by using two of them to do two loads of three skids each, instead of using three vans to do two skids each?

 

[ATeam]

For stuff that will fit, though--- yes, it could make a difference. We may see more work on the time-sensitive stuff that would fit a van (Sprinters being included in the umbrella "van" for this purpose) that might otherwise have gone in a straight truck.

If I remember correctly, the example that was cited was that of a cargo van that got an expedited two-skid load, with the two skids comming off a larger LTL or TL shipment. It happened because, under the new HOS rules, the LTL or TL truck could not get the full shipment to the consignee in time, so a van was called in to deliver enough of the shipment to supply the consignee until the full shipment arrived.

We've done expedited loads in our straight truck for the exact same reason (keep the consignee supplied) from time to time.

 

[BobWolf]

Is the thirty minnite thing still an issue? Realy?

The math is simple..
24 hours a one day.
we can be on duty 14 hours a day.
We can still drive 11 hours a day NO CHANGES
take a 1/2 hour break.
3 & 1/2 for everything else
Detention rate $45.00 per 15 minuites and starts after 15 minites of waiting. Yep, thats my rate and this definitely gets a shipper or receiver moving.

Getting your truck loaded and down the road?

Priceless.

For everything else theres whining about the new H.O.S.

Bob Wolf.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Some are going to drown in their tears over this one for awhile....lol

 

[purgoose10]

I was going to respond but I'm under qualified and the air is so thin up here I just don't have the energy.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Responding would indicate a sign of life.
Also responding would indicate a lower brain function which I've been told Iam quite qualified for...lol

 

[BigCat]

Well since I haul mostly roll stock I doubt you guy in the vans affect me. One roll of paper I haul would cause you guys vans to ride wheelies. lol Straight truck loads,doubtful but I guess entirely possible.