dhalltoyo
Veteran Expediter
Generally speaking, many trucks sitting everywhere.
Last week, a friend allowed me to sit and look at load boards with him. We studied the idle times and the number of units in each area. I was shocked at the number of available units. Worse yet, 70% of the trucks on the boards we reviewed had been sitting longer than 24 hours. He told me that 2 years ago his staff booked 300 loads per day. This week they had not even booked 150 loads; that is for the whole week!
I told him about the offers I had one day last week:
Get an offer to drive 350 miles to a board that hasn't moved a van in 24 hours and when I get there it would make me number 12.
Get another offer to Canada that would require a 150 mile deadhead to a dead board or a 250 mile deadhead to a decent board. Moreover, the FSC was 60% less than the standard rate. That means my loaded mile rate drops by 14 cpm, because I have to borrow from the loaded mile profit to cover the fuel. Hmmm. That particular carrier publicly touts, "We never pay less than the loaded mile rate." Great advertisement, but not truthful. Do the math.
Get another offer to drive 50 miles to P/U, then only 100 miles to consignee and end up on another dead board.
The broker asked, "So what did you do?" "I sat still'" was my response. He said, "Wise decision."
So here I sit at the house. Why? A couple of reasons come to mind.
1. It gives me the opportunity to spend quality time with my wife. That alone is worth a pound of gold.
2. I was able to do some maintenance around the house, and to the truck, that I would have probably paid someone else to do.
3. It keeps me from racking up wasted mileage.
Wasted mileage? I know that sounds a little crazy, but the current decline in available freight has caused me to become very cautious.
Basically, it costs me more to live out on the road than it does at home and I do have the opportunity to make few bucks via a local courier service. Additionally, I have been able to generate a little income with the computer.
But my thoughts have turned toward the ever-increasing number of trucks showing up in the classifieds and on lots; trucks for sale or repossessed trucks. There is a truck dealer just north of Wapakoneta on I-75 that has a huge lot. He only deals in used trucks. Last year he may have had 1-2 expediter type trucks on his lot; now he has 20 or more.
As I sat awaiting GM to service my truck, I began to think, "Gee, what if it got so bad I was forced to sell my truck too!" Hmmmm. It might be more prudent for me to reduce the number of marginally profitable loads and keep those miles off the odometer...should I be forced to sell my truck.
Moreover, every mile puts me closer to a tire repalcement, wheel alignment, oil and oil filter replacement, air filter replacement, spark plug replacement, transmission fluid replacement, differential lubrication replacement, chassis lubrication, etc...ad infinitum, or even [gulp] a catastrophic engine/transmission failure.
Last week, a friend allowed me to sit and look at load boards with him. We studied the idle times and the number of units in each area. I was shocked at the number of available units. Worse yet, 70% of the trucks on the boards we reviewed had been sitting longer than 24 hours. He told me that 2 years ago his staff booked 300 loads per day. This week they had not even booked 150 loads; that is for the whole week!
I told him about the offers I had one day last week:
Get an offer to drive 350 miles to a board that hasn't moved a van in 24 hours and when I get there it would make me number 12.
Get another offer to Canada that would require a 150 mile deadhead to a dead board or a 250 mile deadhead to a decent board. Moreover, the FSC was 60% less than the standard rate. That means my loaded mile rate drops by 14 cpm, because I have to borrow from the loaded mile profit to cover the fuel. Hmmm. That particular carrier publicly touts, "We never pay less than the loaded mile rate." Great advertisement, but not truthful. Do the math.
Get another offer to drive 50 miles to P/U, then only 100 miles to consignee and end up on another dead board.
The broker asked, "So what did you do?" "I sat still'" was my response. He said, "Wise decision."
So here I sit at the house. Why? A couple of reasons come to mind.
1. It gives me the opportunity to spend quality time with my wife. That alone is worth a pound of gold.
2. I was able to do some maintenance around the house, and to the truck, that I would have probably paid someone else to do.
3. It keeps me from racking up wasted mileage.
Wasted mileage? I know that sounds a little crazy, but the current decline in available freight has caused me to become very cautious.
Basically, it costs me more to live out on the road than it does at home and I do have the opportunity to make few bucks via a local courier service. Additionally, I have been able to generate a little income with the computer.
But my thoughts have turned toward the ever-increasing number of trucks showing up in the classifieds and on lots; trucks for sale or repossessed trucks. There is a truck dealer just north of Wapakoneta on I-75 that has a huge lot. He only deals in used trucks. Last year he may have had 1-2 expediter type trucks on his lot; now he has 20 or more.
As I sat awaiting GM to service my truck, I began to think, "Gee, what if it got so bad I was forced to sell my truck too!" Hmmmm. It might be more prudent for me to reduce the number of marginally profitable loads and keep those miles off the odometer...should I be forced to sell my truck.
Moreover, every mile puts me closer to a tire repalcement, wheel alignment, oil and oil filter replacement, air filter replacement, spark plug replacement, transmission fluid replacement, differential lubrication replacement, chassis lubrication, etc...ad infinitum, or even [gulp] a catastrophic engine/transmission failure.
