July shutdown & the Expediters cycle

[moose]

Any word on the road for this year retooling dates/Locations ?

 

[CharlesD]

It didn't affect me much last year. We really don't do a whole lot of automotive freight.

 

[guido4475]

Neither do we, which makes me wonder if the automotive hauling companies will invade the non-automotive freight with cheap crap rates undercutting us during that time.

 

[jelliott]

Supply and demand. When the automotive industry is down carriers pull anything for any price it seems just to keep things moving. If things stay strong till shut down it may not be that bad this year. Some owner operators will take the time as vacation or to do repairs so supply will fall. From what we are seeing it is not going to be a prolonged shut down this year, 2 weeks or less at most plants.

 

[CharlesD]

Neither do we, which makes me wonder if the automotive hauling companies will invade the non-automotive freight with cheap crap rates undercutting us during that time.

That will happen to a certain degree on the freight that is bid on, which is why it's highly important to have something of a customer base or some good broker contacts so you don't have to just rely on bidding on all your freight.

 

[ATeam]

Neither do we, which makes me wonder if the automotive hauling companies will invade the non-automotive freight with cheap crap rates undercutting us during that time.

How many carriers remain that specialize in automotive freight? Many of the automotive plants that shut down were shut down forever. Entire automobile manufacturer divisions were eliminated, never to be seen again.

 

[Vinnie T]

Supply and demand. .

And it can shift in just days...look at Laredo lately, that flipped to a hot spot over night it seems.

 

[davekc]

Many of the carriers have a much more diverse base away from the auto biz. Big change came about three years ago. We have always stayed busy through that period.