Let's Talk Deadheading home!

Kyreax · Mar 21, 2008

OK, so...

I'm based in ARIZONA. AZ is supposedly a wee sleepy for expedited freight. Phoenix is the 6th biggest city in the USA, but we're sleepy. Go figure.

My question is about getting back here sometimes. Suppose I run all up and down the East Coast and Midwest until my azz falls off, then I get the urge to break for home...uh, some 1600 miles away.

If I'm contracted to say, FEDEX CC, how do I get a LTL load that's not expedited just to get back home (i.e. pay my way back?)

UShip? Internet Load Boards? Uh, hold up a sign that says "will ship for food"?

Not that I want to return home ALL the time, mind you. I absorbed what you all said about returning home too often.

How does this work when I'm contracted with a company AND is it worth it?

jaminjim · Mar 21, 2008

From what I have heard the Fed is not real big on broker loads. the easiest thing would be to park it and fly. Hope you have an understanding family/GF.

OntarioVanMan · Mar 21, 2008

I am with you...N/W South Dakota...talk about DH....I do the Uship every once and awhile but it's a pain setting something up....at least it pays the fuel....
One good thing Fargo ND is really picking up for inbound freight..leaves me 380 miles from home...

LDB · Mar 21, 2008

Panther is excellent in this area. They have what they call the hometyme board. If you've been out for more than 3 weeks or so you can be placed on that board. Any refusal of a load not going toward where you need to go isn't counted against you. They will also look for loads going the direction you need to go. They also have no problem with you doing backhauls. You find it and arrange it and then tell them who the shipper is and how much money. They get 15% for you running on their authority and insurance and you get 85%. They definitely have warts, as all companies do, however in this area they are superior to anyone I've heard of. Other companies that will let you do a backhaul take at least 1/3. You'd just have to talk to your company to see what their policy is. Good luck.

Kyreax · Mar 21, 2008

That seems like a good policy at Panther, makes a lot of sense.

I think I heard something about the Fed CC offering a similar service, maybe someone with them can chime in?

greg334 · Mar 21, 2008

FedEx is supposed to have something like hometime and backhaul but it depends on who you talk to. When I was out west for three months, I was told that it would be no problem finding something to cover part of the fuel back towards home. Then when I needed to get home, I was told 'nope just for E units'. So I was going to fly home (cheaper than driving) but then I didn't need to get back home.

I don't know if it has changed, hope it did but I think Leo is right, panther excels in this.

tcoupe · Mar 21, 2008

This is good to know. We too live in AZ and just started working with Panther two wks ago. Tho we don't need to get home often, it would be nice to see that the house is still standing and appologize to family for being gone so long...

Supposedly Panther is diligently working on getting more freight out West?

Kyreax · Mar 21, 2008

Hey tcoupe,

Where in AZ do you live and how do you like Expediting in relation to where you live?

Every gotten any runs in the West?

I'm starving for some West Coast info.

greg334 · Mar 21, 2008

Kyreax said:
I'm starving for some West Coast info.

What? Didn't anyone mention to you what they have done out there?

Ok I will

I spent 3 months out west.

I enjoyed every minute of it except running over prairie dogs, rabbits, snakes, lizards and some thing that looked like a chipmunk. Cleaning dead animals off my tires was not a good experience.

I worked Utah, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and of course California.

I either get stuck in California or Colorado – the latter was DHing 700 miles to pick up a package to go less than 20 miles. Didn’t matter, it paid.

California was a lot of air shipments. Arizona was a lot of high tech stuff because of the reefer I have. Making 3 AM pick up with 100 degree temps was weird.

It wasn't all boring, I had to wait for loads with higher than expected dwell time, so it afforded me time to hunt for things and enjoy life a bit. I like San Diego the most, San Francisco second (tallcal country). I met a few movie stars in LA, one helped me make a delivery and another who needs serous help is still harassing me. I got to eat in Napa with some people I met at Gallo, the wine company. I got to meet a very wealth Mexican who I wrote about here, I later found out we had a mutual friend in NYC. I did enjoy seeing the scrap drive Saturday in Phoenix.

The thing is, unless the company wants to make money out there, there will not be the freight. Companies like Landstar and Panther may be the place to go.

charlee · Mar 21, 2008

We lived in Phoenix up until last year. We have been with panther 3 years....we drive tractor and never had any problem getting a backhaul home or if headhaul into CA or AZ, getting a backhaul out. We pulled a reefer for Panther and hauled tomatoes or cantalopes for 2.70 a mile out of Phoenix (del monte is huge there). There are several vey good brokers we use in the area that like Panther. Our strait trucks can usually get out...last 2 weeks have been slow OUT of the west, but LOTS going into CA and AZ. I think Panther is getting better every day out west.

-charlotte

nightcreacher · Mar 21, 2008

Greg,I had a friend,now retired from fecc,dr unit,he begged to get to California,would make 20000 bucks a month,just running up and down the coast,he stayed out 2 1/2 weeks,then would get a load home to Ohio,stay home until he found way back out west.Ive been sitting in LA for 2 days,but not to lack of freight,just not wanting to go where they wanted me to.This is the 1st time I've sat over a weekend in California,but it is a holiday weekend.Oh and btw,most of the loads i turned down went to Phoenix,1of them went to Sacramento.To bad I dont still live in Scottsdale.another went to Calgory,To far to get reloaded.

CharlesD · Mar 22, 2008

I heard from a Panther driver I met at a truck stop that they have an acccount on Getloaded.com - The Internet Load Board for the Trucking Industry and they will give drivers the login information so you can search for LTLs. I think the rule is that if you find one you want you book it and then call Panther and have them set it up so they get their cut. That's not a bad thing for Panther drivers. I'm just repeating what the other guy told me though, since I don't drive for Panther. I use getloaded quite a bit if all I'm interested in is getting home, or relocating to a better area where I might be able to find something. There is quite a bit on there going to most areas, but most of it is incredibly cheap and some of them won't even pay the fuel for the run unless you can combine a couple of them. Then again, I live in a good freight area and there are a lot of times where I can find a good load heading my way and still get home. I usually get home once a week, with two weeks out being the exception.

nightcreacher · Mar 22, 2008

I guess if i felt it didnt cost me as much to drive home as other places i might go home when ever ,but since my truck costs the same ecery where i go,the only time i will dead head home is if the fuel is cheaper than the week end cost of a motel.@0 years ago,when Roberts was lacking of freight as they sometimes were,trip leasing came into play,as they wouldnt let you run under their authority.It never failed,everytime I would get a trip lease load,they would page,and have a run for me to pick up,and always it paid more than the load board.I once put together a LTL out of oakland ca,was going to be 3 days loading,3 days driving and 3 days unloading,as I was about to go to my 1st pick up,Roberts paged,I called the broker,made him mad,cause in less miles and time ,Roberts load was paying more

tcoupe · Mar 22, 2008

Kyreax said:
Hey tcoupe,

Where in AZ do you live and how do you like Expediting in relation to where you live?

Every gotten any runs in the West?

I'm starving for some West Coast info.

kyreax, we live in kingman. we've only been with panther for 2 wks, so not savvy on anything yet! right now we'd give anything to be stuck out west for a while. we've been stuck in the la, ms, memphis areas for this past week, not knowing hotspots as to how to get out of here. we had already been out for 2 mo's when we left a tt expedited co. to come to panther. looks like we both got some good "out west" info from your inquiry. thank you everyone.... there is hope.

Kyreax · Mar 22, 2008

Yeah, sweet!

Thanks for all the info about the West.

Looks like I'll be needing a reefer! I'll bet anything that it would be a priceless asset in the hot desert. 126 F in the summer in Yuma, anyone?

Anyways, this plan seems to be sweeter by the day.

Falligator · Mar 22, 2008

Ahh....Did my basic training at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. One of the hottest days I can remember it was 128F. Did my basic from June to October. Hottest time of the year. When I left Cleveland Hopkins the temp was 72 and it was stormy. When I got to Will Rogers Airport in Oklahoma City it was 90F at 9pm. Only thing about out west is that it is a dry heat unlike here in Ohio where we get a lot of humidity. Either way you put it 128F is still pretty darn hot.

Tennesseahawk · Mar 22, 2008

In Part 1 of the Gulf, it was normal to be at 120. On the asphalt of the flight line, that pushed it to 140. I don't know how a body can take that for an extended period of time. A lot of prayin for the Sun to go down.