Is this typical?????????

[scotthos69]

Is it typical to make a living one week and not the next three? I have NEVER turned down a run, I'am alway's on time, I never call dispatch, I never complain. But yet, I never work! I have talked to people who "say" they complain and alway's get run's. I find that hard too believe. Why would a company want u calling them and complaining? Don't they want us to make a living? Yes, I drive a van... When I ask about relocating, I was sent to a city that had 7 vans.That pretty much tell's me that the dispatcher's don't know squat! I'm starting to think that these company's don't care if you can make a living or not.... I love my job, for the fact that I'm self employed, but I can't make a living on 3 run's in 3 week's......... Should I call and complain? I wanna be the nice guy but that's getting pretty tough. If I complain, their will be someone else to take my spot.

I know so be happy with the 150. you clear a week......

 

[greg334]

company?

Yes it can be typical.

 

[Dreamer]

Scott,
As greg said, what company, and how long have you been with them? Is this an ongoing trend, or is this the first time it's happened?

As for sending you to where 7 vans already are.. 'usually' companies will congregate more vehicles where they expect more freight.


Dreamer
Forums Administrator
Expeditersonline.com
Truckme.com


"Ability can take you to the top, but it takes Character to keep you there."

- Zig Ziglar

 

[OntarioVanMan]

You don't call dispatch? Boy we call about 3 times a day!!! The squeeky wheel gets greased!!! Make some noise, but don't roll over...

 

[kellmellus]

>You don't call dispatch? Boy we call about 3 times a day!!!
>The squeeky wheel gets greased!!! Make some noise, but don't
>roll over...

OntarioVanMan by calling dispatch how many miles do you average a week,did it go up by calling them?do the dispatchers ever get mad at you for calling them? because they tell you on qualcomm only to text and not to call? or is that just to keep the calls down?

 

[arkjarhead]

if you are new to the company that might be the rason why. i found most companies wouldn't run me hard until i proved to them i could do it and then i had to tell them to give me a break they were running me to hard. you do need to speak up for yourself though. just be polite about.you sure can attract more bees with honey than vinegar.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

kellmellus ...
I really can't say if it helps or not but we have been really busy but then again it's busy time. I don't call between 3-6 pm when it normally busy time that would prolly get me on the crap list....or if I get put on hold I usually hang up...Right now WE are getting 3-4,000 miles a week.

 

[nightcreacher]

your in a van,well welcome to expediting.as you may not have noticed, most companies have more vans than the freight they haul.
look around at the truck stops,there are vans from all companies sitting.this sitting has nothing to do with how long you been with the company,just how lucky you are to be in the right place at the right time.the company gives you a suggested layover area,this isnt always going to be a soecial place for you to get loaded,but your needed there incase the other 10 vans turn the load down the company is trying to dispatch
in expedite you must have a positive attitude,if you start to think negative,you will be finished before you start

 

[CharlesD]

I'm fairly new as well and I have been having some of the same frustrations. My first week I grossed $3600 with very few empty miles and most other weeks I'm grossing around $1500. I can live with that, but the last couple weeks I'm doing a whole lot of sitting and it doesn't seem to matter much where I am. I sat in Texas for a whole week without a single load. Now here's the rub. I'm a pretty patient guy. I talked to a lot of drivers before I got into this and I kind of knew going in what I was in for. So while I'm sitting somewhere being patient, my wife is at home pulling her hair out because I'm not running and making more money. I have tried to tell her time and time again how this business works, but she doesn't have the patience I do. I want to have her on the same page here, because this job is hard enough to do as it is.

She sits at home looking at load boards whenever I'm sitting and when she is seeing loads and I'm not moving, she assumes that the company just isn't bidding low enough to get the loads. I told her that to a certain degree that is true when the competition in a certain area is pretty stiff, but that there are a lot of other factors at play there. We have been looking into getting our own authority and my wife will handle the paperwork end from home with me on the road. I'd like to talk to some folks who do that and see how it works out. All in all though, I think patience is the key. There will be those really good weeks and then some really lousy weeks, but at the end of the day, it seems that the total income averages out pretty well.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Charles you seem to have a good grasp of the world in which we live....Be positive with the wife she may come around..*L*
A week in Texas woulda been a stretch for me though....
What size unit you drive?

 

[CharlesD]

>Charles you seem to have a good grasp of the world in which
>we live....Be positive with the wife she may come
>around..*L*
>A week in Texas woulda been a stretch for me though....
>What size unit you drive?

I have a 2007 Sprinter, the extended 170" wb. Most of the time I keep fairly busy, but the last couple weeks has been incredibly slow. It is a bit frustrating. My wife's main concern is the payment we have on the vehicle.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

"My wife's main concern is the payment we have on the vehicle."

Join the crowd on that one...I too have a Sprinter and Texas has not been a problem of late....but thats the luck factor working...

 

[scotthos69]

OVM, 3,000 to 4,000 a week? And, you call 3 time's a day? What do you say when you call? I've been with this company for 1 year now. I've worked for UPS for 10 years and Fedex Ground for 4 year's. Both company's have said they wish they had 10 employee's like me. Because, I do my job right, I don't complain, and I alway's have a positive attitude. I know what your going to say, then go back to UPS or Fedex, well I like being self employed.........I know what it take's to be an Independent Contractor, I was at Fedex Ground. If I was a dispatcher and you called me 3 time's a day I'd make sure you sat for day's........... I've heard you like to stir thing's up in these forum's. 3,000 to 4,000 mile's a week gimme a break!!!!!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Scott scott scott...tsk,tsk,tsk....

When you don't know anything about the person your addressing you shouldn't be so negative about them...The only thing you got right is the fact I try to stir things up abit in here! And is provoking thought so bad or should we just accept the boring???

3,000-4,000 miles....WE do it standing on our head!!! I or WE are a team!!

Its called communication...I pay them dispatchers a good rate of pay!! Remember WE pay them. They work for me! I've loaned them MY equipment and contracted THEM to find US loads! For which we pay a good price!
BUT the key word is partnership or co-operative...Team work?

I'd fire your butt in a NY minute or less. Your dispatching skills seem less then desired for this business. Maybe when you worked with COMPANY EMPLOYEES this was the norm....

PS...Please don't infer you know what I am going to say....

 

[lisalewis]

We drive team in a straight truck so my advice comes from our point of view:

We don't accept EVERY load...some loads are just crap.

If the load is going to a crappy area ask for extra money to get you to a better location after delivery...the worst dispatch can say is no. (right)

Ask for full Dead-head if they are "begging" for you to take a load...they almost always help out with that to some extent.

Loads with little miles...ask for a first out when offered the load to help keep you moving. Don't forget to CALL dispatch requesting your first out or you won't get it!

Don't sit forever! I know it sucks sometimes to eat the fuel to move (been there and done that) so move wisely...know how many trucks or vans are sitting on various load boards and how many loads average there daily and move to a better location.

Hope this helps...Good Luck

 

[OntarioVanMan]

so lisalewis..you talk to dispatch a couple times a day?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Scott..I just seen you started this thread asking for advice and then I give you some and YOU say you'd sit me for days for phoning??

I call for advice!!! I ask where trips are popping up and where the action is...E-1 will tell you. Some carriers treat it as a secret.
Is it not in the carriers best interest to steer you where loads are going out of and maybe if ya move a few miles they can win a bid and WE BOTH make money...does it have to be such a guessing game?

 

[scotthos69]

You'd fire me in a NY minute for doing my job right? In orientation we're told not to call dispatch. It also say's on qualcomm, do not call dispatch about relocating but send a text message. I send a message everyday (if I'm not sure where to relocate to) I'm alway's told to sit tight. So, communication is not the problem here. As far as deadheading, I sat in Minneapolis for 3 day's, I was the only one there, I ask everyday if I should relocate. I ended up deadheading to Janesville,WI. 250-300 miles. Got a load out the next day. The question is, is it typical to make a living for a couple week's and then nothing for a couple of week's. It seem's that right place right time play's a huge factor in this business. I just need to learn where the right place is so I don't loose 3 day's of work.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Ok..I'd fire Fdx for training you like that...not your fault.

An old adage comes to mind...believe everything you read?

Orientation isn't the Gospel.

Trust me Scott...make the call...but not between 3 and 6pm they are busy and you will be told. The staff is very talky most of the time and you can get a feel...be reasonable or not too long but be friendly and
light. It's a working relationship between you and load planning.

They ALWAYS say hold there for awhile, we've never been paid to move...They are very reluctant to pay a van.

Just because they say stay you DON'T have to stay...do what you feel is best for you. Staying and waiting for the dime can be an expensive decision.

 

[scotthos69]

You'd fire FedEx for training me like what? For being responsible, for being efficient, for working hard, for being dependable, for not complaining, for not being sarcastic like OVM? I'm doing what my company ask of me, and I don't work. Don't disrespect my skills, and my abilty.