Is it slow all over ???

jelliott

Veteran Expediter
Motor Carrier Executive
US Army
IMO...now should also be the shift to inform and educate brokers/shippers/3pls of their liability risks for putting their freight on a non compliant truck/under insured....an automated checking system where 1 click and they can see a complaint truck or NOT....and turn it away.

That would be awesome. But currently nothing like that exists. Other issue is a u it can show valid insurance. But....read the policy and it may not be proper coverage. Many get courier delivery policies that are intended for local couriers or pizza delivery and. It intrastate freight. As well a carrier can sign a contract with a broker, carrier, or customer requiring certain limits of coverage. Then turn around and have their owner operators provide less.

Most all customers require at a minimum, 1 million liability and 100 thousand cargo coverage. If your carrier lets you carry less....this should be another red flag that your carrier is rogue. If they haul GM for instance the limits required are even higher.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
I think many that run for carriers with inadequate coverage are clueless as to what they should and shouldn't have. It is usually the same people when ask "what is your cost per mile"?, you get a deer in the headlight look. They just go for the cheapest.
 
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jelliott

Veteran Expediter
Motor Carrier Executive
US Army
Well multi carriers have very little cost to add units as the expenses are pushed down to the owner operator. So they are happy to add more and more. A traditional model carries the expense so they don't want to add units unless they can generate adequate revenue with them. That is why you don't see many traditional carriers adding vans in this market.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
There are those that thrive on as many units as possible because of all the fees they can collect on. Doesn't matter whether they haul a load or not. Almost a flashback to the North American days where the profit was driven by doing lease purchase deals. Again, didn't matter whether the truck hauled a load or not. Start them out well to build equity and then starve them to repo the truck and their investment and do it all over again.
 
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jelliott

Veteran Expediter
Motor Carrier Executive
US Army
There are those that thrive on as many units as possible because of all the fees they can collect on. Doesn't matter whether they haul a load or not. Almost a flashback to the North American days where the profit was driven by doing lease purchase deals. Again, didn't matter whether the truck hauled a load or not. Start them out well to build equity and then starve them to repo the truck and their investment and do it all over again.

Well no argument there. A number of carriers have a history of lease purchase plans that are not designed or purposely tend not to succeed. But that is a whole different story or thread all together.
 
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fenderbender

Rookie Expediter
There are those that thrive on as many units as possible because of all the fees they can collect on. Doesn't matter whether they haul a load or not. Almost a flashback to the North American days where the profit was driven by doing lease purchase deals. Again, didn't matter whether the truck hauled a load or not. Start them out well to build equity and then starve them to repo the truck and their investment and do it all over again.
That's exactly right. back when I drove 18 wheelers for companies, I would see drivers leasing trucks from their carrier with no chance of ever owning it. the profit for the company was in the lease.
 
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Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Almost a flashback to the North American days where the profit was driven by doing lease purchase deals. Again, didn't matter whether the truck hauled a load or not. Start them out well to build equity and then starve them to repo the truck and their investment and do it all over again.
I remember them. It was North American's dry van division. A similar carrier was Midwest Distribution out of Fort Scott, KS.
 

vandriver2

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
IMO...now should also be the shift to inform and educate brokers/shippers/3pls of their liability risks for putting their freight on a non compliant truck/under insured....an automated checking system where 1 click and they can see a complaint truck or NOT....and turn it away.
YEPPERS!
 

vandriver2

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
That's exactly right. back when I drove 18 wheelers for companies, I would see drivers leasing trucks from their carrier with no chance of ever owning it. the profit for the company was in the lease.
Very true...and sad the Newbies didn't recognize it.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
I remember them. It was North American's dry van division. A similar carrier was Midwest Distribution out of Fort Scott, KS.

Yep. I remember NAVL had all the GMC cab overs and Midwest had the Freightliner ones.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Yep. I remember NAVL had all the GMC cab overs and Midwest had the Freightliner ones.
what GM call them the aerostar or something like that...I drove one up in Canada in my rookie tenure as a tractor driver...when you are a newbee ythat CO scared the crap outta me....had the windows where your feet where
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
what GM call them the aerostar or something like that...I drove one up in Canada in my rookie tenure as a tractor driver...when you are a newbee ythat CO scared the crap outta me....had the windows where your feet where
Astro and the Chevrolet version was Titan. Lots of glass. No much privacy.
 
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OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Astro and the Chevrolet version was Titan. Lots of glass. No much privacy.
that was it Astro...like the dogs name from the Jetsons.....I learned in a conventional and then they threw me a rookie into a C/O...a whole new ball game back up when your steer wheel are right below ya.....LOL
 

paullud

Veteran Expediter
that was it Astro...like the dogs name from the Jetsons.....I learned in a conventional and then they threw me a rookie into a C/O...a whole new ball game back up when your steer wheel are right below ya.....LOL

The cabovers are great for newer drivers but no fun in your situation.
 
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littlejoe

Veteran Expediter
I wished they would bring back the cabover.

They look better than a conventional and we wouldn't have problems with parking at the truck stop! !!
 

paullud

Veteran Expediter
I wished they would bring back the cabover.

They look better than a conventional and we wouldn't have problems with parking at the truck stop! !!

I think they might start showing up again as we see more vehicles following a European design. I have seen a few of the old ones that have been restored and they are pretty cool.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
The cabovers are great for newer drivers but no fun in your situation.
Once I got used to the steering as in backing up it was a lot easier needed less room in tight spots back then 40 foot was the norm and 45's were just becoming popular even then some pickups weren't near big enough to handle that extra 5 feet
 

Murraycroexp

Veteran Expediter
Good morning Detroit!!! Makes one wonder why there's usually only 20-40 units at the Detroiter sometimes. This is just the closest 450 units. Sorry, only 150 fit per page. Untitled.png
 
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