Ltl markets!

[mcclain]

While most of your expediting companies continue to claw away at each others share of the automotive industry a few (of course that would include me) have found niche markets within the industry.

Medical and high tech industries are becoming more of an expediting feast than the automotive industry will ever be able to be again.

Yet, some of the big dogs continue to bark up the same ole tree, drivers and owner-operators continue to leave and sign on elsewhere and the cycle continues onward.

The only question is - when will the cycle ever change, when will those big dogs wake up and take note they must change with the market, with the economy, with the ever changing labor movement - away from automotive and towards the fields where we see actual employment and economic growth?

 

[csands007]

yes, but the key to finding them will be the problem, got a friend who does tt for medical out of Denver, as Denver is a hub for lots of companies. They do not use the board most trucking companies do, they have their own brokers mostly. I feel as you do this will be a great avenue to pursue.

 

[CharlesD]

I am really surprised the other carriers don't use the LTL boards to look for loads when they have vehicles sitting. I just completed a run that I got from getloaded and it paid as well as most of the expedite loads I've done recently. The funny thing was that it wasn't even that urgent, had all week to deliver it. I went ahead and knocked it out quick just so I could be empty and available for something else.

Anyway, there will always be urgent freight that pays well; the key is finding those loads. The carriers that thrive in the future will be the ones that don't limit themselves to automotive freight. You have to be creative.

 

[greg334]

McClain,
Do you think that you discovered something amazing?

The big dogs (top carriers?) always knew this, they have been doing more than just automotive freight... what automotive freight?

FedEx for example, does not do auto freight. They have a diverse freight sources, they have a Brand, CC taps some FedEx Freight stuff, some Air Expedite stuff and compete with more than you can image.

Landstar the last time I checked does everything. They are kind of larger than you may think. They do a lot of Heavy Haul and special stuff too. Maybe go after White Glove? It would be nice to see them get into this.

Panther, well they are involved with more than automotive freight. They see the need to diversify and have been doing just that.

E-1, well the last I knew they just discovered LTL... well sort of.....

Tri-State, I don't know much about but the last time I talked to one of their drivers, they did a lot of automotive but that was three years ago.

Many are still thinking that many of these companies run the trucks like they did five years ago "must get it there or the company will fold" attitude. Well with FedEx, about 40% of my loads were time critical to a point, the other 60% were "we didn't expect it until Friday". The same goes for my new company, I have had a lot of 'LTL' freight, with a lot of room when it comes down to time, exceptions were some air expedite work I recently did. I know a lot of this is a selling point that's all.

But the other thing is I have been saiyng for a while thatthis is a niche part of a larger industry and there is more of a convergence between main stream trucking and what is expediting. It don't really matter when you come down to it because it is really all 'bout the rates.

 

[Jefferson3000]

Tri-state does do some automotive type freight, but it's all their customer base, and not NLM's.

 

[layoutshooter]

I am with FedEx and I rarely haul automotive freight. In fact, I prefere not too. It often messes up my cargo box and it can often be hard to clean up. Besides, I am a reefer truck and automotive freight is just not "COOL"!!!! Sorry, could not resist that. Layoutshooter

 

[arkjarhead]

When I was in a straight truck I would haul anything that paid my rate, and was legal to haul. I've hauled everything from automotive freight, to hospital beds, to soybean seeds. It all paid well and it all got hauled.

 

[Jefferson3000]

So true. I've hauled everything from automotive to computers, as well as living rabbits and flower bouquets to a dead horse's grave.

 

[mcclain]

greg334 -

No - I did not think I discovered 'anything'. What I was saying was, when will some of these big dog outfits discover an alternative to that automotive money machine they have ran dry.........

True, some of them, maybe most of them even, run other 'industry' freight. But, my point I was making was when will they, someone, anyone - find the next big gold mine.

I am simply saying I believe it to be in high tech medical systems/supplies - that is what is minting the coin at my office!

So - greg, will there ever come a time you can chime in on one of my threads without being so snippy...........chill out dude, its a website forum not the GOP National Convention.

 

[arkjarhead]

If there is another gold mine to be found most likely someone has already found it and is keeping it under wraps, imo.

 

[greg334]

So - greg, will there ever come a time you can chime in on one of my threads without being so snippy...........chill out dude, its a website forum not the GOP National Convention.

I am chilled, I am just pointing out the same thing we all knew for a long long time. Nothing about politics, as I see it, but again everything has to do with politics when you come down to it, sort of like the rate thing.

Well anywho.... onto more important things.....

 

[mcclain]

Ok, that one went over his head.

Greg, I wasn't bringing politics into it. What I meant is that everytime you make a comment on one of my threads you tend to be snippy and want to take a cheap shot at me - kind of how they do things at the GOP convention.

Nothing to do with politics there bud - just taking notice of your tone and approach towards me.

Now, if I am being to sensative, well my mistake and sorry abou that.

Like you said - on to more important things. I have a truck I need to book out of CT. One unloading in SC, another in FL, with four more unloading later today - guess I need to get busy doing work instead of typing this stuff.

Have a great day!

 

[x06col]

I am really surprised the other carriers don't use the LTL boards to look for loads when they have vehicles sitting. I just completed a run that I got from getloaded and it paid as well as most of the expedite loads I've done recently. The funny thing was that it wasn't even that urgent, had all week to deliver it. I went ahead and knocked it out quick just so I could be empty and available for something else.

Anyway, there will always be urgent freight that pays well; the key is finding those loads. The carriers that thrive in the future will be the ones that don't limit themselves to automotive freight. You have to be creative.

I understand completely there charles. How'd ya like to have seven (7) ltl's like that going the same direction?? That wuz my record with the 30 footer.

Why don't they???? Mainly because of the lack of skills and gumption in their dispatch and driving force (bout covers it, eh), that figgured it wuz too much effort to orchistrate such a move, and in the drivers case didn't "wanna" bump that many docks. Wuz always fine with me.

 

[pjjjjj]

I understand completely there charles. How'd ya like to have seven (7) ltl's like that going the same direction?? That wuz my record with the 30 footer.

Why don't they???? Mainly because of the lack of skills and gumption in their dispatch and driving force (bout covers it, eh), that figgured it wuz too much effort to orchistrate such a move, and in the drivers case didn't "wanna" bump that many docks. Wuz always fine with me.

Bet it'd be fine with a lot of drivers too, if given the opportunity. But then the carriers would actually have to do something to earn their 31% besides answer the phone.

 

[x06col]

Nah pj, the drivers didn't "wanna". Ya couldn't even get em tipped off the first step to go pick up a three skid seventy cent load. After all they (only) had room for fifteen more skids. The that's not the way it happens attitude, or, how you "expedite" attitude is overpowering. Many will never understand the fact if'n yer gonna be successful.... ya gotta figgure how to live- to fight anuther day.

 

[mcclain]

Colonel -

YOU ARE RIGHT!

Must of these yaks don't want to think and work at the same time. They want to hold the wheel and drive, back up to one dock, load, drive to the drop point and drop.

That's it!

Ask them to do two, three and four picks to load and max the profit of their truck and they complain about the extra work to make the extra dollar and the extra profit..........

I am up to 12 Owner-Operators after this weeks orientations and I think only 2-3 will actually be here in 60-days as the other 9-10 will fail because of their laziness to understand how we do things........which is MAXIMIZE YOUR TRUCK FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND FROM FRONT TO BACK!

Bad news is, you really don't know how hard someone will work until you bring them on and only then do you find out that most of them can't handle the hard work it takes to be truely successful.

Afterall, most are happy just to eat a meal three times per day, pay the critical bills that come through, and then have the nerve to complain on how tough it is and how worthless the company the work for is-------------thier success starts within themselves and thier failure is created by not understanding how to build thier own success and not expecting it to be handed to them.

 

[Moot]

I am up to 12 Owner-Operators after this weeks orientations and I think only 2-3 will actually be here in 60-days as the other 9-10 will fail because of their laziness to understand how we do things........which is MAXIMIZE YOUR TRUCK FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND FROM FRONT TO BACK!

Nice turn over rate. Why waste your time and lease on O/O's that you know will fail within 60 days? I'm confused.

Like you said - on to more important things. I have a truck I need to book out of CT. One unloading in SC, another in FL, with four more unloading later today - guess I need to get busy doing work instead of typing this stuff.

I'm even more confused. Is there fuzzy math involved here or am I missing something.

 

[BigRed32771]

Ok, that one went over his head.

Greg, I wasn't bringing politics into it. What I meant is that everytime you make a comment on one of my threads you tend to be snippy and want to take a cheap shot at me - kind of how they do things at the GOP convention.

Nothing to do with politics there bud - just taking notice of your tone and approach towards me.

I admit I didn't watch any of it (too busy that week), but are you suggesting that the Dem's didn't take snippy little shots at the GOP during their convention? If so, it would have been newsworthy for it's uniqueness in recent political "debate." Surely at least one speaker took a shot at Pres. Bush???