Miles a week?

comet_4298 · Aug 6, 2009

Does anybody in (ask the recruiter) know if Express1;Nation Express or any other company,get you the miles with at less an average per loads.
I've been trying to hold on were I'm at,because I don't like job hopping,but that was the the last straw when I set 4 day's and was offered a load for .50 and refused. Went on line to check to see how many other trucks was in the area seen I was placed out of service.To me that was a little under handed,now that show that I just went back in service and lost the the 4 days I've been setting and put me behind the other trucks.Anyway set one more day went out of service and eat 1200 miles home.looks for a better company to put my Sprinter on with,any help,please.

OntarioVanMan · Aug 7, 2009

comet_4298 said:
Does anybody in (ask the recruiter) know if Express1;Nation Express or any other company,get you the miles with at less an average per loads.
I've been trying to hold on were I'm at,because I don't like job hopping,but that was the the last straw when I set 4 day's and was offered a load for .50 and refused. Went on line to check to see how many other trucks was in the area seen I was placed out of service.To me that was a little under handed,now that show that I just went back in service and lost the the 4 days I've been setting and put me behind the other trucks.Anyway set one more day went out of service and eat 1200 miles home.looks for a better company to put my Sprinter on with,any help,please.

If I told you you could get 2500 miles a week at .50/ mile would you be happy camper?

or maybe 1300 miles at .80/ mile?

comet_4298 · Aug 7, 2009

I would like to to work smarter not harder.(1300 miles)

JohnMueller · Aug 7, 2009

In my opinion, it is always tough to answer the recruiting questions based on "miles per week". In Expediting I feel it is always better to think in terms of "revenue per week". "Miles per week" can only be answered honestly if you are talking about "dedicated" runs, which are not part of expediting.

Other factors affect "miles" or "revenue" per week. These include: being at the right place at the right time, your availablility for loads, and also limitations that you place on what runs you will do, and those you won't. Unfortunately shippers do not always ship loads in perfect 550 mile trips - there will always be a mix of short, medium and long hauls.

Thanks,
HotFr8Recruiter

OntarioVanMan · Aug 7, 2009

comet_4298 said:
I would like to to work smarter not harder.(1300 miles)

ok..you passed that test *LOL* you wouldn't believe what I've heard out here in my years...some actually took option #1...

comet_4298 · Aug 7, 2009

OntarioVanMan,thanks............the way I see it for the extra 1200 miles,after you break it down,for $100 to 120 in my case and is not worth the wear and tear to the van and my body.

HotFr8Recruiter,yes I've done put limitations on myself without knowing.......Bought the sprinter with the sleeper,but before I bought it I checked with the company that I was leased on with with the big truck ask what kind of average weight they carried and checked with 3 different people in the company and they come up with around 1200 to 1300lbs. (base on the year),anyway I guess you can figure out the rest of the story,(2pallets and not a lot of weight).

OntarioVanMan · Aug 7, 2009

comet_4298 said:
OntarioVanMan,thanks............the way I see it for the extra 1200 miles,after you break it down,for $100 to 120 in my case and is not worth the wear and tear to the van and my body.

HotFr8Recruiter,yes I've done put limitations on myself without knowing.......Bought the sprinter with the sleeper,but before I bought it I checked with the company that I was leased on with with the big truck ask what kind of average weight they carried and checked with 3 different people in the company and they come up with around 1200 to 1300lbs. (base on the year),anyway I guess you can figure out the rest of the story,(2pallets and not a lot of weight).

That sux....those factory sleepers are very heavy...actually real wood is lighter then particle board...if you only known...hindsight unfortunately is 20/20

guido4475 · Aug 8, 2009

If only I would of know the statistics on the wood weight. I used all particle board, 1" thick for the bulkhead,1/2 for the floors. My E-350 has an empty weight of 7,500 as it sits now.With a gvw of 9,400#

OntarioVanMan · Aug 8, 2009

guido4475 said:
If only I would of know the statistics on the wood weight. I used all particle board, 1" thick for the bulkhead,1/2 for the floors. My E-350 has an empty weight of 7,500 as it sits now.With a gvw of 9,400#

Was it particle board or wafer board? And the density of the board is also a factor....there is some cheap lighter type but doesn't wear well....
Just have the guy.gal at H.D or Lowes weigh a 4x8 sheet and you'll get a general idea...

comet_4298 · Aug 9, 2009

Got looking a few weeks ago and seen that they used particle board, been replacing some pieces with plywood and took the passager seat out and did a good cleaning of the junk that some how got in there just in the last 2yrs.Took to the scales and looks like I lost 220lbs,well I guess I can call and updated my profile for the van weight from 1400lbs. to 1600lbs.(ha,ha,ha).

guido4475 · Aug 9, 2009

HotFr8Recruiter said:
In my opinion, it is always tough to answer the recruiting questions based on "miles per week". In Expediting I feel it is always better to think in terms of "revenue per week". "Miles per week" can only be answered honestly if you are talking about "dedicated" runs, which are not part of expediting.

Other factors affect "miles" or "revenue" per week. These include: being at the right place at the right time, your availablility for loads, and also limitations that you place on what runs you will do, and those you won't. Unfortunately shippers do not always ship loads in perfect 550 mile trips - there will always be a mix of short, medium and long hauls.

Thanks,
HotFr8Recruiter

What good is the "revenue per week" thinking if a driver has a ton of miles accumulated for minimal pay? Eventually he will go bankrupt,because his cost per mile will be higher than his pay per mile, because he is deadheading everywhere chasing loads to get that "revenue per week".

guido4475 · Aug 9, 2009

OntarioVanMan said:
Was it particle board or wafer board? And the density of the board is also a factor....there is some cheap lighter type but doesn't wear well....
Just have the guy.gal at H.D or Lowes weigh a 4x8 sheet and you'll get a general idea...

It was waferboard that I used on the bulkhead, 1",side wall,1/4",ceiling,1/4" floor,1/2" and side doors, 1/4" with foamsheet insulation on the sidewalls, ceiling, and doors.Floor of cargo area is 3/4" plywood, stained and poyurethaned. lol.

OntarioVanMan · Aug 9, 2009

guido4475 said:
What good is the "revenue per week" thinking if a driver has a ton of miles accumulated for minimal pay? Eventually he will go bankrupt,because his cost per mile will be higher than his pay per mile, because he is deadheading everywhere chasing loads to get that "revenue per week".

Guido..now you are thinking...Recruiters love that "revenue per week" gets most people to sign...thats NOT thinking...

They seem to think IF we make $2,000 a week is great Revenue per week" The thing is and the next question one should ask....what was involved in making that $2,000? How many miles? How many DH miles? Obviously if one has to run 4,000 miles to make that $2,000 it is not so good...

or better yet...average rate per mile for ALL miles.

OntarioVanMan · Aug 9, 2009

comet_4298 said:
Got looking a few weeks ago and seen that they used particle board, been replacing some pieces with plywood and took the passager seat out and did a good cleaning of the junk that some how got in there just in the last 2yrs.Took to the scales and looks like I lost 220lbs,well I guess I can call and updated my profile for the van weight from 1400lbs. to 1600lbs.(ha,ha,ha).

Great work Comet!! That will make you money...you can't lose on that bet...

JohnMueller · Aug 11, 2009

Guido and VanMan;

Categorizing "Recruiters" would be similar to me categorizing "Drivers".

My point was that way too many drivers think only in terms of "Miles per week". I can usually give an accurate "average" number of miles to the person posing the question. I need additional info from that person to provide the correct, and honest response. I ask them "Are you a(n):
1). Above average driver, with no limitations?"
2). An above average driver, but please tell me of any limitations you have
3). An average driver
or
4). a person who spends more time getting out of work than they do working."

I attempted to respond to this post to help someone interested in our industry, with an honest response. Sorry if you felt it was not.

Now, think about this. When you do a 20 mile run, do you get paid a minimum which is much higher than 20 miles times your mileage rate, or a percentage of a higher rate? Wouldn't it be better to take a mix of short, medium and long hauls, rather than to focus solely on long hauls that leave you sitting in a bad area for days waiting for a load? Do shippers only ship long runs (to achieve your "Miles")? Reality is that there is always a mix of loads, not only long loads. Can anyone driving a truck within this industry tell me how many miles they are going to drive next week? If you can't answer that as a driver, what makes you think a recruiter can? So much depends on you, the driver; being at the right place at the right time, your availability, what you accept and decline, etc...

Thanks,
"HotFr8Recruiter"
John Mueller, CDS - SAFETY DIRECTOR

OntarioVanMan · Aug 11, 2009

HotFr8Recruiter said:
Guido and VanMan;

Categorizing "Recruiters" would be similar to me categorizing "Drivers".

My point was that way too many drivers think only in terms of "Miles per week". I can usually give an accurate "average" number of miles to the person posing the question. I need additional info from that person to provide the correct, and honest response. I ask them "Are you a(n):
1). Above average driver, with no limitations?"
2). An above average driver, but please tell me of any limitations you have
3). An average driver
or
4). a person who spends more time getting out of work than they do working."

I attempted to respond to this post to help someone interested in our industry, with an honest response. Sorry if you felt it was not.

Now, think about this. When you do a 20 mile run, do you get paid a minimum which is much higher than 20 miles times your mileage rate, or a percentage of a higher rate? Wouldn't it be better to take a mix of short, medium and long hauls, rather than to focus solely on long hauls that leave you sitting in a bad area for days waiting for a load? Do shippers only ship long runs (to achieve your "Miles")? Reality is that there is always a mix of loads, not only long loads. Can anyone driving a truck within this industry tell me how many miles they are going to drive next week? If you can't answer that as a driver, what makes you think a recruiter can? So much depends on you, the driver; being at the right place at the right time, your availability, what you accept and decline, etc...

Thanks,
"HotFr8Recruiter"
John Mueller, CDS - SAFETY DIRECTOR

My apologies for my seeming to pick at yet another recruiter...sometimes we drivers think on simpler terms.
I have learned all that you said... There are so many details one learns out here...little things that make so much difference...even I can't remember them all...maybe I should write them down..different situations arise that call for a different solution then the time before...there is so much one has to learn...and fairly a recruiter can't know all....

BTW...Do you have a program to follow your recruits? or just like most and dump them out there and the job is done?? Very cold really....they are a recruiters investment are they not? Just how badly a really new driver feels out in some parking lot, not getting enough loads and yada yada....that call could make all the diff....what he/she is doing wrong and all that good stuff....that they haven't been abandoned and used.....and then they give notice that they are losing their van and the usual speel...gee you shoulda called and we could've of talked...too bad...

The job title should be if I was an owner of a carrier.

Recruitment and Retention Director!

JohnMueller · Aug 12, 2009

Ontario Van Man;

I learned a long time ago that GOOD drivers are comparable to a 10 carat diamond in terms of their value they bring to the company each year. Back then, that was about $100,000 in revenue. I firmly accepted that concept, and still believe it to this day. Our turnover is less than 24% a year.

Hope that answers your question.

Thanks,
HotFr8Recruiter
John

fastman_1 · Aug 12, 2009

OntarioVanMan said:
My apologies for my seeming to pick at yet another recruiter...sometimes we drivers think on simpler terms.
I have learned all that you said... There are so many details one learns out here...little things that make so much difference...even I can't remember them all...maybe I should write them down..different situations arise that call for a different solution then the time before...there is so much one has to learn...and fairly a recruiter can't know all....

BTW...Do you have a program to follow your recruits? or just like most and dump them out there and the job is done?? Very cold really....they are a recruiters investment are they not? Just how badly a really new driver feels out in some parking lot, not getting enough loads and yada yada....that call could make all the diff....what he/she is doing wrong and all that good stuff....that they haven't been abandoned and used.....and then they give notice that they are losing their van and the usual speel...gee you shoulda called and we could've of talked...too bad...

The job title should be if I was an owner of a carrier.

Recruitment and Retention Director!

I've spent a few years with John and might be back again when I find a straight truck, during the time I was there John and I spoke often about how I was doing, even had his Home Number. John is 1 of the few that will shoot straight with you. so I would say Yes John keeps tabs on the drivers.

guido4475 · Aug 12, 2009

So let me ask a few questions that have stemmed from the previous posts.Does PTL hire only straight trucks at this time? The problem I have with some companies is that they claim to be a 100% o/o fleet, but come to find out, some of their fleet owners are actually people that work in the office, whatever position it may be. To me, that is conflict of interest and not fair to the real o/o. Too many times have I found out I got loaded around when I was #1 out. And, yes, I do take all runs given to me, unless it is ridiculous deadhead, delivery time, etc. And, yes, I also agree with Ontario Van Man about Recruiters that dont follow up with drivers. Maybe I am wrong in my thinking, but I strongly feel someone should at a company.It costs far less to try and retain a driver than to have a carousel of drivers always going in and out of a company.To be honest, I absolutely hate hopping from company to company.But too mant times I have been at some larger companies and when things started to go bad,I would call and ask if I did something wrong, or did I **** someone off? Please keep in mind, I dont call and bother dispatch every 2 hours to see if they have found a load.How can they look for a load if they are always talking to drivers?And I am always a firm believer in "don't bite the hand that feeds you". And if a dispatcher is having a bad day, I will try to cheer him up with a stupid joke or something.Or if they are busy and I am sitting, I will tell the dispatcher to give a lost driver my phone # and I will get him to where he needs to be so dispatch can do what they need to otherwise.I used to dispatch in 1989 so I know how it is.What "I am trying to say is, so many good drivers get left slipping through the cracks unnoticed until it is too late, and then the company asks, "what happenend?"

OntarioVanMan · Aug 12, 2009

HotFr8Recruiter said:
Ontario Van Man;

I learned a long time ago that GOOD drivers are comparable to a 10 carat diamond in terms of their value they bring to the company each year. Back then, that was about $100,000 in revenue. I firmly accepted that concept, and still believe it to this day. Our turnover is less than 24% a year.

Hope that answers your question.

Thanks,
HotFr8Recruiter
John