How things have changed in this Business

Bruno · Feb 22, 2007

So many things have changed in this business over the 13 years. Lets see if eveyone can add to this postabout the things that have changed. We won't send you nasty E-mails if you mis-spell a word. Nobody is perfect is this world. Now lets see if everyone can understand my 3rd grade grammer as someone put it. lol.

Back in 1995 when I started things was really different then that are now.

#1 All truck's had QC/C-link pager's and not cell phone's because it was cheaper.

#2 A 72 inch sleeper was a big sleeper back then.

#3 Robert's Express. Landstar, Tri-State, and CTX was the only Expedite companies.

#4 Dan Schutz and Freightliner of Knoxville was the leader in building Expediting Trucks.

#5 Roberts Express had over 2000 Trucks

Add to the list everyone.

Drive safe
Dave

louixo · Feb 22, 2007

I had a cell phone, but it wasnÂ´t national coverage,and I would lose the signal in alot of places, and it was still top of the line way back when. Also had a beeper. Had the beeper, before there were cell phones. No qualcom, instead it was constant look for a phone. The big change I think in communications technology, was satellite radio. I remember constantly looking for something to listen to, and if you found something you might be able to keep the signal for 1-2 hours, then it was hunt for another station. Out west, there were several places you couldnÂ´t even find a signal.Add to that, the advent of the inverter, which made it possible to have all kinds of equipment in your truck.

simon says · Feb 22, 2007

Wow- brings back bad memories, even for only 6 years. My first inverter was 400 watts, then a 750, now up to a 2500. I make my coffee now, microwave, etc. Still no fridge, room a little scarce in my 63" Unibilt. 72" would still be my favorite, but could see a 84". If one wants/has a 24' box, compromises must be made. My first sleeper was a 36", added after the fact to a stock Pete, gear-bound straight truck. Had to move the axle after 6 months, as I was too teeter-totter and felt like I would be blown over.
Never had too many problems with phones: still drop signals briefly, but now have a dual-mode digital phone only. Cell towers are much more frequent now. Oh yes, at first carried a container to keep a liter bottle of water cool for about 4 hrs. And yes the pager: it is in the truck, but long since discontinued... What a life!
Best investment overall: the Webasto Airtop 2000; couldn't part with it for love or money!

bryan · Feb 22, 2007

Hi

You forgot Thompson's and TNT Olex.

Bag phone and a Cue pager, now that was a pager mine got ran over by a Ryder truck and still worked.Denny's at 14 mile was a great place to sit.I miss walking over to Mervins and checking out the clearance rack.

No PAPS or PARS, A49's and A8's to get into Canada and stand in line and look through the door at Port Huron and wait for the custom officer to wave at you.Yea it took longer but at least they didn't fine you for every mistake.

Is it just me or did expediter treat each other better back then.It seems more cut throat now.

Pilgrim · Feb 22, 2007

In the mid-'80s with Roberts Express drivers had to find a pay phone and call in every 2 hours or so during a trip - there was no C-link or Q/C satellite. The had about 700 trucks, the only other major player was Tri State, and they were just beginning to expand into the Southeastern US with the GM suppliers. Gas was about $1.25, I think.

pellgrn · Feb 22, 2007

The contracted rate per [Panther] has gone down,fuel,oil,shop rates,showers,tolls,e.c.t have gone up.The sur charges help,however there not consistant.If you sat on a load for 24hrs it was an automatic layover,now the customer won't pay and there's not enough money in the load to pay you the layover or we'll find another trk who will warehouse the freight for free.Better cell phone coverage,we [panther] have alot more loads then we did in the late 8 yrs age.There's more paperwork in general.

pellgrn · Feb 22, 2007

I am grammer challenged,in the last thread i was trying to say 8 yrs ago.I am leased to panther so we have a fixed contracted rate,the 85 cents is a van.I think it's 77 cents now.Is it 58% with Fedx? when i was considering Roberts they paid you extra if you went into or threw N.Y and other Eastcoast areas is all that still the same? i may be off on the 58% so corrct me plz.

silverdollar · Feb 23, 2007

I remember how much nicer drivers were before CBs,I remember when drivers had respect for themselves and other people. I also remember what trucking was like before every layed off, fired or retired AH got into it thinking it was an easy way to make a living or see the country.

geo · Feb 23, 2007

my first truck was ud 1800 nissan, was a great truck to start out in and figure out what i wanted , ran hard and kept on going
as we firgure out what we needed or want look at how far the trucks have come and don't forget eo wished i had this before i started out
might have done something different,
l mccord bought the expedite insdusty to level that is now with the eo and the show
plus all the great people along the way that have helped us get to where we are now

thanks to all people who said go ahead and make a truck stop guide
so we know where truck stop are with in 25 mile range

cue pager was one of best pager out there and now what has happen to cue pager now

Bruno · Feb 23, 2007

>I am grammer challenged,in the last thread i was trying to
>say 8 yrs ago.I am leased to panther so we have a fixed
>contracted rate,the 85 cents is a van.I think it's 77 cents
>now.Is it 58% with Fedx? when i was considering Roberts they
>paid you extra if you went into or threw N.Y and other
>Eastcoast areas is all that still the same? i may be off on
>the 58% so corrct me plz.

Hey your Grammer is okay I'm the worst when it comes to that on here. Nobody is perfect. Your right on the 58% but it's now 60% they gave us a raise a few months back. Thanks for posting on here keep up your posts.

Dave

Dreamer · Feb 24, 2007

I think the biggest change is the info availible. Back then, there was no sites to go get info on expediting. I'd never heard of it before I started driving for a friend. In those days, you found out about it by CB and talking to guys in the truck stop.

Now, you can get the pros and cons, info from other drivers, plus 10 opinions from folks who know NOTHING about the company in question, but just wanted to give advice!

Dreamer
Forums Administrator

--------------

"Good will, like a good name, is achieved by many actions and lost by one."

Zig Ziglar

nightcreacher · Feb 25, 2007

that was 4 hours

nightcreacher · Feb 25, 2007

>>I am grammer challenged,in the last thread i was trying to
>>say 8 yrs ago.I am leased to panther so we have a fixed
>>contracted rate,the 85 cents is a van.I think it's 77 cents
>>now.Is it 58% with Fedx? when i was considering Roberts they
>>paid you extra if you went into or threw N.Y and other
>>Eastcoast areas is all that still the same? i may be off on
>>the 58% so corrct me plz.
>
>Hey your Grammer is okay I'm the worst when it comes to that
>on here. Nobody is perfect. Your right on the 58% but it's
>now 60% they gave us a raise a few months back. Thanks for
>posting on here keep up your posts.

>
>Dave
you dont remember the 62% and 46%,that was before the 58%

RichM · Feb 25, 2007

As Steve said you called in every 4 hours to report your location,if you had to you could bump your location and nobody but you would know. In the middle of the night it was not unusal to be on hold for 20 minutes freezing in a pay phone.

terryandrene · Feb 25, 2007

How 'bout the call when the Cue pager beeped, call upon arrival to pickup, call when leaving pickup, call every 4 hours, call when arrive at delivery, call with POD, call when arrive at Layover, call when checking into hotel; all this from pay phones because no one in our shoes ever had a cell phone. Even after the agony of all those phone calls, there were plenty of folks that resisted the luxury of the $18.75 a week Qualcomm

At least they paid $45 for hotel for each day we didn't take a run between 1000 and 1800 eastern time.

RichM · Feb 25, 2007

But I could unload in Detroit at 0800 and get a Grand Rapids layover while you unloaded in Grand Rapids and received a Detroit layover. Neither one of us would make it by 1000 so the motel charge would not be paid.

When I first started I had a minimum guarantee of $800 a week provided I refused nothing and stayed in service for the whole week.
This was rarely paid as there was an incentive on the Roberts dispatchers to make sure you did over $800 for the week.

Biggest improvement was and is communications.

ATeam · Mar 1, 2007

Having only been in the business 3.5 years, and that after cell phones and the internet were invented, only four changes of consequence come to mind.

(1) Fuel prices rose from about $1.25 per gallon to levels sometimes over $3.00.

(2) Hours of Service rules changed (twice).

(3) Panther acquired Conway Now.

(4) FedEx changed its compensation schedule.

While they are changes of consequence, they are far from fatal. Change is a fact of life in all industries. Successful people adapt and move on. No one in expediting has ever been promised the right to succeed. The industry offers opportunity, not security.

nightcreacher · Mar 2, 2007

>I am grammer challenged,in the last thread i was trying to
>say 8 yrs ago.I am leased to panther so we have a fixed
>contracted rate,the 85 cents is a van.I think it's 77 cents
>now.Is it 58% with Fedx? when i was considering Roberts they
>paid you extra if you went into or threw N.Y and other
>Eastcoast areas is all that still the same? i may be off on
>the 58% so corrct me plz.

original Roberts pays were 62% out bound 46% closer to home,which all was changed to 58%,and is now 60%,both ways

Bruno · Mar 3, 2007

Steve I remember the 62% going away from home and 46% going towards home. Alot of guys like Roger and Bill Hunt would take a load then go right back home because of that.

There was no VRU, no DVA.

Drive safe
Dave Mayfield
FedEx Custom Critical
13 years as an O/O in Expediting.