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March Locations and Nonsense...HAHA

guido4475

guido4475

Not a Member
Good morning, everyone!

Hey John! Remember when I had the same thing going on? 3 weeks without a load? Bouncing all over the place empty? No matter what, if it could happen, it did. When they did find a load, it was either too tall due to growth while I was on the way to pick it up, or whatever reason. Thank God we had somewhat a sense of humor about it, I mean, after all we have tried,what can ya do? ......

Than you suggested I get a 3 skid vehicle and can the van. Previously before that, I wasn't buying that way if thinking. I was like, what is 1 more skid capability going to do? Most Sprinter guys say 3 skid loads are not that common.

But we did what we did. I got the 3 skid vehicle, and it has been so much better since than. I was counting the amount of 3 skid loads I have hauled, but have stopped since that amount of 3 skid loads has paid for this van. Not all loads are 3 skids. I'd say 25% are. But it does and will make a difference, as I have found out. Nothing wrong with being as versatile as possible. I can't tell you how many times I had to pick up a "Sprinter load" only to have the guy come out with a 12 inch square box. It happens alot. I cant explain it, and am not looking for an explanation as well. Some may say the small amount of 3 skid loads does not warrant having a 3 skid vehicle. But when I was in Laredo months ago and I got a load coming back up north, but the #1 next to me did not, because the load wouldn't fit in his 2 skid Sprinter, I knew it was worth having.
 
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OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
guido4475 said:
Good morning, everyone!

Hey John! Remember when I had the same thing going on? 3 weeks without a load? Bouncing all over the place empty? No matter what, if it could happen, it did. When they did find a load, it was either too tall due to growth while I was on the way to pick it up, or whatever reason. Thank God we had somewhat a sense of humor about it, I mean, after all we have tried,what can ya do? ......

Than you suggested I get a 3 skid vehicle and can the van. Previously before that, I wasn't buying that way if thinking. I was like, what is 1 more skid capability going to do? Most Sprinter guys say 3 skid loads are not that common.

But we did what we did. I got the 3 skid vehicle, and it has been so much better since than. I was counting the amount of 3 skid loads I have hauled, but have stopped since that amount of 3 skid loads has paid for this van. Not all loads are 3 skids. I'd say 25% are. But it does and will make a difference, as I have found out. Nothing wrong with being as versatile as possible. Some may say the small amount of 3 skid loads does not warrant having a 3 skid vehicle. But when I was in Laredo months ago and I got a load coming back up north, but the #1 next to me did not, because the load wouldn't fit in his 2 skid Sprinter, I knew it was worth having.
Click to expand...

Now you addressed Turtles issue....How about Scotts?.....
 
jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
good morning guys! I like that part about the extra two sales managers put on and I suspect one or two of Ken's latest trips might not have happened before. So kudo's to the growing sales dept and I'm looking forward to that non compete clause being over!:)
 
jujubeans

jujubeans

OVM Project Manager
And hat's off and kudo's to our very articulate drivers on here! You all state your cases extremely well!:)
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Ya know I am not a big believer in the numbers game.... just the nature of this business goes against using numbers....it is always changing...better inventory control, so much is out of our control...
to judge even by what we did last year is really obsolete information to a certain extent...as it is like saying that customers needs will be the same now as even last year...

example..last month manufacturing increased .08% what does that mean?.....more product made, more loads to move?...Does it tranlate into more expedite loads or more truckload business?...
 
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guido4475

guido4475

Not a Member
OntarioVanMan said:
that HUGE sprinter is a 2 skidder?....holy crap!!
Click to expand...

It was Todd's old Sprinter, the one where he built the permanent bulkhead in it. As far as I know, it is still there.

One thing nice about having a permanent sleeper like that is that you know you'll always have a place to sleep, loaded or not.
 
OntarioVanMan

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
guido4475 said:
It was Todd's old Sprinter, the one where he built the permanent bulkhead in it. As far as I know, it is still there.

One thing nice about having a permanent sleeper like that is that you know you'll always have a place to sleep, loaded or not.
Click to expand...
everyone has their personal preferences..what ever works for them....:)
 
RoadTime

RoadTime

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
OntarioVanMan said:
Ya know I am not a big believer in the numbers game.... just the nature of this business goes against using numbers....it is always changing...better inventory control, so much is out of our control...
to judge even by what we did last year is really obsolete information to a certain extent...as it is like saying that customers needs will be the same now as even last year...
Click to expand...

Very true. I don't blame any one person, well maybe one but he still got re-elected haha. It don't take a rocket scientist to know the economy is still in the dumps. The business that was there before may not even be around now or working at minimum capacity. Yeck, even my local Hooters has closed twice in the last two years unable to make a go of it :p From my own observations, I noticed the slow down start last June, and after the last July shut downs things have never been the same imo. Every month bringing the old good bye to the prior month and hope for a better one. For myself, I don't know how much hope I have left. Until the economy rebounds, I don't see much changing. The little hope I do have left, really hopes that I am dead wrong on this, and that things will bebound to an acceptable level very soon for all of us.
 
jelliott

jelliott

Veteran Expediter
Motor Carrier Executive
US Army
Well I think we will all agree this is not an "ordinary" economic recovery. I do blame Washington for the slower than normal first quarter. I honestly believe that during the fourth quarter business saw two things. One was the looming unknown of the fiscal cliff. The second was that we had no tax code passed for 2013?? Businesses held back on capital orders waiting for the "unknown" storm to hit, pass or be legislated away. All of that did not happen until January. Even if orders started to get placed towards the end of Jan they are probably not just starting to trickle into the transportation world. Now we have sequester and who knows what if anything that will mean. The good side is the stock market does not seem to care about all of this stuff much anymore. Sadly I think even the average American has kind of grown to ignore it. Washington has cried wolf too many times. Americans need to demand more from Washington and with that BOTH sides of the aisle! They do not realize the effect that their continued lack of action and leadership are causing on business and thus the workers of America.

Whew!
 
Dreamer

Dreamer

Administrator Emeritus
Charter Member
I'm a '3 skid' and it's been slow for me too, so I don't think it's the number of skids. I've talked to a few different drivers out here, and it's crazy.. one will tell me he's having the best weeks in a year, the next can't get loaded.. I'm somewhere in the middle. hate to use the term 'luck' but it really does seem to be luck.. where you end up. I know everyone I've heard from around Ohio is sitting, in normally busy areas. Seems all the small guys are sitting there too and under bidding. Then, I fueled up at the Detroiter early this morn.. 22 vans sitting there, many no-name.

Well, this last two weeks has been rough.. but hangin in, tryin to keep the faith. My wallet is starting to hurt tho LOL.


Dale
 
jelliott

jelliott

Veteran Expediter
Motor Carrier Executive
US Army
I was getting ready to announce my candidacy for office!!! LOL

I don't think it was all 2 pallet vs 3 pallet at all. We saw slower volumes in truckload and flatbed as well. I just was pointing out that the 2 pallet was our greatest struggle during all of this. Far from our only daily struggle! :)
 
Wolfeman68

Wolfeman68

Veteran Expediter
Fleet Owner
US Marines
I haven't posted on here for some time for a couple of reasons. Primary reason was my six month battle with doctors whose sole purpose in life seemed to be to poke, prescribe pills, run tests, and have a competition to see who could suck the most blood out of me. Other reasons were the slow freight and the negativity in here. I didn't need to be more depressed than I already was.

The battle with the docs is over. The cure was as simple as keeping the cap tight on a soda bottle to keep the fizz in. My biggest problem was that I felt I wasn't in control of what was happening to me. Who do I blame for that?? The docs, God, voodoo beads lost power? Nope, myself.

So who's to blame for slow freight?? The economy, Obama, John, dispatch, sales, OVM, Turtle, Scott, everybody, nobody. I think the latter, at least for the overall picture, it really doesn't matter. What can we do? Our trucks are our business, we control them, change the operation. I've been making changes constantly. What works one week, doesn't mean it'll work next week. The new normal is nothing is normal. In short, adapt as much as possible. I don't expect John and Load 1 to make it better for me, I expect to work with them to make it better.

Anyway, that's my two cents. Agree, don't agree, your choice. If anyone is looking for me, I'll be around making sure the cap on my soda bottle is tight.
 
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