how's business?
- Thread starter jax7
- Start date
leaning tree
Expert Expediter
business is slow for the drivers that dont kiss a** or dont pay internet services or dispatchers a finders fee.... just pay attention to how some other trucks with your co are running while youre sitting,
then try to get to the office when ever you can you,ll see those very drivers in there on a regular basis. pay close attention to the first
and last of the month. i even overheard one conversation with certin higher ups in a company concerning one o/o sending them on an all expence paid vacation it was rather amusing they didn,t see me working in my box, they thought i was inside. there are no such thing as an honest co. anymore the pride in trucking has been replaced with corruption, its olny going to get worse. all in all if you are sitting and dont want to pay
then try to get to the office when ever you can you,ll see those very drivers in there on a regular basis. pay close attention to the first
and last of the month. i even overheard one conversation with certin higher ups in a company concerning one o/o sending them on an all expence paid vacation it was rather amusing they didn,t see me working in my box, they thought i was inside. there are no such thing as an honest co. anymore the pride in trucking has been replaced with corruption, its olny going to get worse. all in all if you are sitting and dont want to pay
paperback1
Expert Expediter
Not as good as it was a month ago, but still doing ok. Down from last month about 20% for me at TST, can't say what anyone else is doing at any other company. Hope it picks up!!:+
WELL IM ALMOST AFRAID TO SAY ANYTHING POSITIVE ON HERE ABOUT FEDEX CAUSE I KNOW ILL GET A WHIPPIN FROM ALL THE FEDEX BASHERS ON THIS SITE BUT HERE GOES... I HAVE BEEN WITH FEDEX 15 MONTHS NOW...THE LAST TIME I SAID SOMETHING GOOD ABOUT THEM..I WAS TOLD..YAH RIGHT..TELL US THAT A YEAR FROM NOW//OKAY HERE IT IS...I HAVE BEEN SO BUSY THE LAst 4 months with them that i have to tell them no..or go out of service and go home just to get some rest. this month i set a record in revenue and each of the last 4 months was better that the preceeding one....i sat over the weekend last week in charlotte..first time ive sat 24 hours in a long time...and no i dont take cheapest loads either..nothing thats not at least 1.00 all miles....ill probably get called a liar for this but i dont care...im happy and makin a decent living....frank
kathynwolf
Expert Expediter
I can't agree with this post. We usualy run team but sometimes run solo when one of us needs to get out of truck for awhile. Most agents are honest and try to do whats right.
While I'm sure there are those who can be bought, they are the exception rather than the rule. Expedite freight is sketchy at best. Some good weeks some bad. On the whole we do well, either as solo or team. We have, in 3 yrs formed good relationships with agents and other drivers, but we have never sucked up to or bought an agent. If you feel this industry is corrupt perhaps you need to find a different line of work. Or maybe you can look at how you treat the agents. If you have problems with an agent why not confront them and find out what the problem is. At the very least bad mouthing and blaming is not a way to get loads.
Kathy
While I'm sure there are those who can be bought, they are the exception rather than the rule. Expedite freight is sketchy at best. Some good weeks some bad. On the whole we do well, either as solo or team. We have, in 3 yrs formed good relationships with agents and other drivers, but we have never sucked up to or bought an agent. If you feel this industry is corrupt perhaps you need to find a different line of work. Or maybe you can look at how you treat the agents. If you have problems with an agent why not confront them and find out what the problem is. At the very least bad mouthing and blaming is not a way to get loads.
Kathy
don mocherman
Expert Expediter
don mocherman It was a bad week at express-1 only one load. No driver can live on one load a week. But try and tell management they come up this reason or that reason why you only had one load.
It was a bad week at express-1 only one load. No driver can live on one load a week. But try and tell management they come up this reason or that reason why you only had one load.Relax Don. You have to take the bad with the good. I have been expediting for 4 years now, and I had no loads last week, so you are one up on me. Be positive, and do not call up and 
at the people at your company- I'm quite sure they want to keep your truck loaded and moving, but couldn't. If I know November right (I do) things usually get really busy at the latter part of this month through the holidays- you might not be able to shut E1 off! Go and rake up some leaves and watch some football. The freight is going to come again- it always does.
-Weave-
at the people at your company- I'm quite sure they want to keep your truck loaded and moving, but couldn't. If I know November right (I do) things usually get really busy at the latter part of this month through the holidays- you might not be able to shut E1 off! Go and rake up some leaves and watch some football. The freight is going to come again- it always does. -Weave-
don mocherman
Expert Expediter
don mocherman Well Weaver I hope you are right because it is hard to rake leaves or watch football when you are about to go under (to many one or two load's a week) I didn't sign on to sit at home, truck stop's or wall mart parking lot's I sign on to haul and make a living for myself and my family. I feel company need to be true to there word's about geeting you a load a day. I move from CTX because I was only getting two load's a week to Express-1 (Who told me they could get me a load a day) now I am getting only one load a week. I feel I have the right to let management know I am mad as hell. don
Well Weaver I hope you are right because it is hard to rake leaves or watch football when you are about to go under (to many one or two load's a week) I didn't sign on to sit at home, truck stop's or wall mart parking lot's I sign on to haul and make a living for myself and my family. I feel company need to be true to there word's about geeting you a load a day. I move from CTX because I was only getting two load's a week to Express-1 (Who told me they could get me a load a day) now I am getting only one load a week. I feel I have the right to let management know I am mad as hell. donDon: I do not know how long you have been in this business, but this is historically a feast or famine industry. With a few exceptions, it seems that the "good old days" of the 90"s are gone. Sure, some of the Fedex guys can gloat that they are doing great now, but Fedex lost a lot of drivers in the past year or so, many of whom lost their trucks to the bank. Other's left because they didn't like the management style. Do recruiters and company owners stretch the truth? - Probably. Do drivers fail to be objective in evaluating their opportunities in this industry? - Usually. There will always be too many drivers and not enough loads. An expediting company is not going to survive if its biggest customers call up and are told that they will have to find someone else to take that load. I have no idea how anyone can honestly be expected to survive in this businss if they do not have the financial cushion to fall back during the traditional slow periods. Things usually pick up from now until Christmas. But then again, the economy is shakey, there is the threat of war and consumers are not expected to spend as much this Christmas season. After that comes January and February, traditionally the slowest months of the year. I hope Weave is right -my leaves are all raked up and I cannot stand to watch another Detroit Lions game.
Drive Safe
Drive Safe
paperback1
Expert Expediter
THINGS HAVE GOT TO PICK UP SOON FOR A LOT OF DRIVERS. I THINK WHATEVER COMPANY YOU ARE WITH, NEEDS TO HEAR FROM YOU, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. IF YOU TALK TO THEM AND EXPRESS WHAT YOU NEED MAYBE SOMETHING POSITIVE CAN HAPPEN. LET'S ALL WISH FOR GOOD LUCK OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. TAKE CARE, AND GOD BLESS US ALL:+ :+
rt trucker
Expert Expediter
You must have something going for you. Or else you a one of the "D"'s. I am going broke. They are really getting bad and I never thought I would say that aaabout FCC. One dispatcher insisted I call her regarding load and want me to accept it without telling me where it picked up, where it was going, or the pay!x(
paperback1: I am a bit confused by your comment that we need to complain to the company and let them know what we need. You are making the assumption that they do not know what is going on with the drivers. I think you are mistaken. I believe that the companies know exactly what is going on, that things are slow and that drivers are loosing money. Other drivers may disagree with me, but I also believe that there few things companies can do to help the drivers.
The companies number one responsiblity is to keep the doors open - i.e., make a profit. Without profit we are all out of business. They make a profit by moving freight quickly and for less than the competition. Every day there is a new competitor out there, and the little guys will work cheap to get the job. To be competitive, the big guys find ways lower costs; resulting in less income for drivers. Drivers complain about low pay and begin to refuse loads. The little guy gets the load and goes happily on his way until someone cuts their rates even lower. Big company drivers quit or go out of business. Companies that haul for the auto industry have to keep a minimum number of trucks on the road or they can loose the Ford/GM/Chrysler etc. contracts. The recruiters have to go out and get trucks or loose their job. Therefore they do whatever they must to sign on drivers. New drivers come on board, buy new trucks, loose money and complain to the company - trying to get the company to see what the driver needs! (We have now come full circle with this argument - the company already knows what the driver needs).
It seems like there is a vast pool of individuals out there that are willing to jump into this business, with little or no knowledge, and risk loosing their money. As long as this pool is available to recruiters, the situation will not change.
What is it you think the companies should do? How can they become more competitive, get more loads, make more profit and pay drivers more money? As soon as one of us figures this out, we will go out and start our own business and become another competitor.
That's my opinion.
Drive Like a Pro.
The companies number one responsiblity is to keep the doors open - i.e., make a profit. Without profit we are all out of business. They make a profit by moving freight quickly and for less than the competition. Every day there is a new competitor out there, and the little guys will work cheap to get the job. To be competitive, the big guys find ways lower costs; resulting in less income for drivers. Drivers complain about low pay and begin to refuse loads. The little guy gets the load and goes happily on his way until someone cuts their rates even lower. Big company drivers quit or go out of business. Companies that haul for the auto industry have to keep a minimum number of trucks on the road or they can loose the Ford/GM/Chrysler etc. contracts. The recruiters have to go out and get trucks or loose their job. Therefore they do whatever they must to sign on drivers. New drivers come on board, buy new trucks, loose money and complain to the company - trying to get the company to see what the driver needs! (We have now come full circle with this argument - the company already knows what the driver needs).
It seems like there is a vast pool of individuals out there that are willing to jump into this business, with little or no knowledge, and risk loosing their money. As long as this pool is available to recruiters, the situation will not change.
What is it you think the companies should do? How can they become more competitive, get more loads, make more profit and pay drivers more money? As soon as one of us figures this out, we will go out and start our own business and become another competitor.
That's my opinion.
Drive Like a Pro.
paperback1
Expert Expediter
LARRY, I DIDN'T SAY DRIVERS SHOULD COMPLAIN, I JUST SAID THEY SHOULD TALK TO THE COMPANY AND TELL THEM WHAT'S GOING ON, BOTH GOOD AND BAD. TAKE ME FOR EXAMPLE: I HAD A DRIVER WHO'S QUALLCOM WAS BROKE, HE TOLD THEM THIS FOR 3DAYS, THEN HE GOT A LOAD HOME TO JUST OUTSIDE CHICAGO, ON A SUNDAY MORNING HE CALLED AND WAS READY TO GO. DISP. NEVER READ NOTES, SO THEY THOUGHT HE WAS IN MI. I CALLED AND GOT NOTHING. I CALLED LATER AT 6PM AND ASKED STILL THEY SAID NO LOADS, I ASKED IF ANY WERE COMMING OUT OF WISC, IND THEY SAID NO. I TOLD THEM THAT I CAN'T BELIVE THAT NO LOADS WERE COMMING OUT OF ILLINOIS AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NONE. I TOLD THEM MY DRIVER WAS AT HOME, AND EXPLAINED THE QUALLCOM BEING BROKE, THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY KNEW OF A LD ONLY 15MILES AWAY GONNA BE READY IN 2HRS. DISP. LIED TO ME AND I TOLD THEM I HATE THAT. THE NEXT DAY I CALLED AND TALKED TO OPS MGR TO TELL HIM WHAT HAPPEND, AND MY DRIVRS GET LOADS ON TIME NOW, AND I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS WITH DISP. SO YA SEE, JUST TALK AND MAYBE SOME GOOD CAN COME OUT OF IT, TAKE CARE
You are right. You have to let them know there is a problem and if dispatch doesn't seem to be interested in helping, then go over their head. If they lie to you, then you crucify them. There are no excuse for not telling the truth - dispatch or drivers. Sometimes being a little confrontational is the only way to get things fixed.
Drive Safe.
Drive Safe.
the past ten days ive averaged ten dollars a day.My wife is screaming at me that i need to just except this and live with it...well then maybe its time that that these recruiters that promise the moon start making my quallcom,aig insurance,van insurance,and van payments.a year ago i said that my company was the lesser of all the evils out there,well......i can no longer in good faith recogmend this company to anyone.the fact that when i go to the office to drop papers off i see another full lot of units being brought on...load the units u have,dont bring on more people to just sit and loose everything.i just brought home a new baby,this is a hell of a time to starve me out. :-( :-( :-(
and baby makes three
and baby makes three