New Strategy

[OntarioVanMan]

Leo...this is the Van segment...its a dog eat dog world down here...it much different then your world...if you want proper sleep and proper diet...it is very hard to have the best of both worlds AND make a living at it as Dave has so strongly advocated many a time. It is unfortunate that we SOMEtimes have to push ourselves...David is trying to play by a clean set of rules and struggling at it...I commend him for that part of his effort. BUT I'll not coddle him for his choices on how he chooses to run...and I will be the first to point out the other side of the coin...

 

[danthewolf00]

just going to add my 2 cents

had aload down in waverly,ohio drove from toledo,ohio(9pm to1am did not get unloaded till 6am) from waverly to augesttown,ohio (6:30am to 3pm)just out side of youngstown.ohio 0(get call at 1pm)drive from augesttown to new philadelia,ohio leave at 3pm(spelling is not right i know)drive from new philly to okc,ok made it at 3pm okc,ok time.

drive time from toledo to waverly 5 hours with 5 hours wait/downtime
drive time from waverly to augesttown 5 hours
so far 10 hours drive time with 5 hours down
drive from augesttown to new philly 2 hours
sat for 1.5 do to the load being sized wrong had in the end to leave one pallet
drive from new philly to okc,ok 20 drive time with 1 hour nap
28.5 hours drive time with 6 hours down

i have learned better now......makes me wish we had to log in vans

 

[jaminjim]

Wolf said:i have learned better now......makes me wish we had to log in vans

I'll just bet you do. If you really do, there is nothing stopping you from logging except your bills

 

[pjjjjj]

Being a relative newbie, I shouldn't speak, (but you know, I can't keep it zipped eh?).. but I've heard it said by MANY seasoned in this industry, to take all you can, when you can, cuz you never know what tomorrow will bring.
That being said, of course you have to use some common sense, as well as obey the laws, if they exist.

 

[x06col]

Dat be right. It's all about choices. We all have em. Make a bad one, live with the concequences. Make a nuther one, live with the rewards. it's still pretty simple. Even in the year 2008. So. whatca all gonna do???? Like your life now. Or, really, really like your life in ten years or so??? Your choice!!!!

 

[aristotle]

danthewolf... something to think about: the moment vanners are required to observe HOS, the party's over. Just about the only edge available to vanners is the unrestricted ability to drive. Of course, safety comes first. If you are too tired to complete a run, don't accept it. On the other hand, if HOS come into play you can kiss profitability goodbye( if you're running solo). Mandatory observation of HOS would be the last straw for many van operators. It would effectively kill that niche in the market, except for teams.

 

[arkjarhead]

One thing my granddaddy always told my was the HOS were first put in place to protect the drivers. See all that went down before things got so screwed up. Now no one is really concerned about safety. The Feds and States make rules and regs that are hard to comply with in hopes of catching you slipping up so they can issue a fine. It's all about making money. Then on the other side of the coin you have drivers that are just trying not to get caught. Think about it even if you stay completely inside of the law part, if not all, of your motivation is not to get caught. It's all about money. Make the most you can, however you can, and hope you don't get caught and have to pay the piper. At least that's how I played the game.

I've made plenty of people on here mad before because of my statements about HOS and companies telling you how to run. I've recieved countless pm's from people telling me to quit telling newbies how to add a couple hours on their day if they wanted it so I did. I just don't believe in having someone in Washington, D.C.(FMCSA), Salt Lake City(CR England), Seville, OH (Panther) or any other town I drove for a company out of telling me when I'm sleepy. If I've been driving for 11 hours and I'm tired, I'm tired. If I've been driving for 5 hours and need a cat nap I'm gonna take one. Maybe that is why I had the health problems I did. It's all in how you do things. You know when you need to find a parking spot, so why push it. Also if you ain't sleepy why quit running? You got to strike while the iron is hot.

 

[dhalltoyo]

If you look real close at my post, I clearly stated that I sent a QC message indicating that I was just going to sleep at 11:00pm.

Yes, I arrived at the truck stop around 7pm, ate some dinner, tossed in a load of laundry, dried that laundry too, showered, paid a few bills on line and then went to sleep. These are all usual, reasonable and customary functions of daily living.

As it took a few hours to accomplish those tasks, I felt it only courteous to inform dispatch that I was finally getting some sleep...staring at 11:00pm.

As I can read all of the QC messages sent to dispatch, I also know that they can also see them. I spent a few hours in that department watching the screens, so I know what they can immediately view when considering a load offer.

Uh, what does improving my equipment or being asked by a carrier to bring my van into their fleet have to do with my informing dispatch that I am going to sleep? Since you seem to think that has some bearing on the subject, I will inform you that a very prominent carrier contacted me this past week and asked if I would be interested in bringing my truck into their fleet. The offer was, "We would love to have a truck like yours in the fleet." "We know you maintain your equipment and you conduct yourself as a professional." I doubt if I will switch, but it was nice to know that they would contact me personally based upon my track record as an expediter.

You see, when your business decisions are lateral or upward...corporations view that as a positive move. I started with a very small carrier and moved up the ladder.

By the tone of some posts, maybe it is dog eat dog.

I for one, will not follow the traditional view of getting ahead in this world which is, "Yank the guy in front of you off the ladder and kick off the other one below you..so you can climb up the ladder of success."

What I will do is, "Push the guy in front of me up the ladder and extend my hand to the one below me."

FYI, for those who seem so interested in my personal life...I will also be out-of-service for 10 days starting on September 6. Since it is so slow, I thought it a great time to hit the beach condo. If anybody is near the Outer Banks during that time, drop me an email and I'll give you directions. Be glad to break bread with you. I'll toss on some extra shrimp and steaks.

 

[LDB]

You know when you need to find a parking spot, so why push it. Also if you ain't sleepy why quit running?

The problem is that there are plenty out there who, without the rules in place, would not find a parking space even when they know they need it. They are too busy chasing dollars, often due to poor planning and poor financial habits, to focus on safety.

Additionally, sleepy and tired are two different things. Sleepy you definitely notice and feel. Tired gradually creeps up on you, slowing your mental and physical reflexes with little warning or signs. At extremes you will notice it as well, like when the red light comes on suggesting buy some fuel or stall at the side of the road. When you are at that 1/3 level you aren't going to get any warning lights but you are running at significantly less than full capacity. The same holds true when driving during that 11th hour compared to the 1st hour.

The rules are annoying and certain parts of them need revision but they are there because a certain percentage of the population is too selfish to do the right thing and must be bound by rules.

 

[ATeam]

Dat be right. It's all about choices. We all have em. Make a bad one, live with the concequences. Make a nuther one, live with the rewards. it's still pretty simple. Even in the year 2008. So. whatca all gonna do???? Like your life now. Or, really, really like your life in ten years or so??? Your choice!!!!

Or, you can like your life now AND like your life in the future. As the man said, "it's all about choices."

Attitude is everything. Choose, right now, to like your life today. Or to put it another way, count your blessings. Doing so puts you in a frame of mind that allows you to see positive possibilities you would otherwise not see. It opens your mind to think things you would not otherwise think.

You can prove this to yourself with little effort. Take out a pencil and paper and make a list of your blessings. Can you list ten things you have going for you? Can you list a hundred?

Note how this exercise changes the way you feel. Note how the world around you seems a bit brighter. Note how the desire to procrastinate fades and the desire to do something productive grows.

 

[pjjjjj]

The rules are annoying and certain parts of them need revision but they are there because a certain percentage of the population is too selfish to do the right thing and must be bound by rules.

Leo, I have to say that I'm surprised by your views on the above, having heard your views on other laws. The same could be said for ANY laws.. they exist because a certain, perhaps small, percentage of the people won't do the right thing on their own, without 'laws' in place.
Same can be said for anything, gun controls, speed limiters, no smoking in the car with children, seatbelts, etc.
Either you're 'for' government intervention, or you're not. All laws are only there to save us from ourselves.

 

[Moot]

The root of every problem facing expediters today is the van. Vans steal loads from trucks. Vans criss-cross the country unencumbered by H.O.S. regulations, weight restrictions, truck only speed limits, fuel taxes and unwritten laws of common courtesy.

These vans are owned and piloted by ignorant, filthy people who walk with a slight forward stoop and have bumps and gashes on their heads. Most are retired and don't care how much money they lose. They wouldn't know a P & L statement from a wheel chock. Their only goal in life is the complete downfall of the expedite industry.

Today's van is a direct descendant of the panel truck. Modern vans are used by electricians to haul volts and amperes, plumbers to carry plums and by carpenters to ferry carpet. Young hippie kids that have bought into the "Made In America" campaign have foregone the VW Microbus and have chosen a full size van. These hippie types troll our back roads; seducing our mothers, daughters and girlfriends and leaving in their wake pot smoking zombies. Why else would reality shows be so popular.

Vans are also the vehicle of choice for pedophiles. Perverts ply urban streets offering candy, pizza rolls and hand puppets to entice youngsters to go for a "ride".

The above mentioned people need vans. Expediters don't! If you want to be an expediter get yourself a truck. Not some candyass van with power steering, automatic transmission and only four wheels.

Most shippers don't like to see a van show up at their dock. How embarrassing. They would rather pay higher rates to have a real truck haul their under 2500# loads.

If you want to make a positive impact on your bottom line then we must unite and do away with the van. Once the "B" load has gone the way of the "A" load all trucks will have the opportunity to haul these .80/mile offerings which we so desperately need.

Come this November you can vote for the candidate of change. You can make a difference! You can help change the face of expediting and its structure. Or you can vote for more of the same.

The last 8 years brought us tax cuts. One in particular, the so called SUV tax break, allowed many people to purchase cargo vans. Your government subsidized van owners allowing them to steal your freight, seduce your women, molest your children, plumb your plums and completely destroy the expedite industry.

Please join with me and help BAN THE VAN. Also, say no to drugs, personal responsibility, 60 grit toilet paper, cheap freight, strangers offering luggage at airports and loud pipes.

Thank you and remember, you can make a difference.

BAN THE VAN

 

[highway star]

FYI, for those who seem so interested in my personal life....

The tone of that statement suggests that you're annoyed by people discussing what you've posted. If that's the case, why post it in the first place?

You mentioned a couple of times that you told headquarters that you were going to bed, but you didn't say anything about telling them when you would be available again. Did you? If not, then the load offer was appropriate. Many would have had no problem taking it, myself included.

 

[ATeam]

Leo, I have to say that I'm surprised by your views on the above, having heard your views on other laws. The same could be said for ANY laws.. they exist because a certain, perhaps small, percentage of the people won't do the right thing on their own, without 'laws' in place.
Same can be said for anything, gun controls, speed limiters, no smoking in the car with children, seatbelts, etc.
Either you're 'for' government intervention, or you're not. All laws are only there to save us from ourselves.

Having worked both outside and inside government, and having worked personally with a number of state and federal lawmakers, governors and candidates for public office, I have observed that the people who have the power to make laws tend to pass laws that apply more to others than apply to themselves, and make exceptions that tend to apply more to themselves than apply to others.

A recent example is the California Air Resources Board leveling steep fines on trucks that do not have the "legal" sticker on the engine. CARB could just as easily impound the truck or put it out of service until it is compliant. But they level steep fines instead, because the fines are a major revenue source for that agency and its cause. While their cause may be noble and their intentions are good, they go about it in a way that enriches their agency and adds to their power. It is a classic Animal Farm dynamic in which the reformers become the oppressors.

 

[greg334]

A recent example is the California Air Resources Board leveling steep fines on trucks that do not have the "legal" sticker on the engine. CARB could just as easily impound the truck or put it out of service until it is compliant. But they level steep fines instead, because the fines are a major revenue source for that agency and its cause. While their cause may be noble and their intentions are good, they go about it in a way that enriches their agency and adds to their power. It is a classic Animal Farm dynamic in which the reformers become the oppressors.

Bad example Phil, CARB is enforcing the laws of its state and the federal government laws that states that any sticker, plaque or card on any emission regulated engine must remain on the engine and readable. These laws are there for a specific purpose, has nothing to do with trying to get money or anything like that. The enforcement of the laws may be overzealous at times, but not in this case, I think the CHP was right and the OOIDA was wrong.

Not a biggie for about 95% of the trucks out there, the 5% of the trucks, it is. Some who have worked on their truck or had it worked on and may have ripped it off or worst yet a rebuild who pools the parts together never kept the original emissions sticker with the original engine block. Ignorance of the law is no excuse, you own the thing, the law has been clear and it is federal.

If you didn’t know, the law has been on the books for the last 40 years. The CARB thing has to do with power of the state over the federal government laws; the Federal EPA issue has to do with strict politics…. You know that.

I am with Moot, ban the van!

 

[pjjjjj]

I have observed that the people who have the power to make laws tend to pass laws that apply more to others than apply to themselves, and make exceptions that tend to apply more to themselves than apply to others.

Something about that, just made me laugh. People are just such people, no matter who they are.

 

[mcclain]

Set the negatives to the side.

Focus on progress and postives.

It is through that 2nd second you will wipe away the negatives, debts, etc...............

 

[dhalltoyo]

The QC tracks my movement, showing initial availibilty (start time), load acceptance, arrival at the shipper, departure from the shipper, route movement, arrival at the consignee and delivery.

If you have ever looked at the computer generated screen of QC tracking, it is a line of successive marker icons that are so linked they resemble a straight line. Very high tech stuff. Have you ever seen one?

Moreover, as previously stated, the dispatchers see all of that information when they key up the unit for a potential load offer. The last message appears first; hence, if they see the start time and my last message it should not require a quantum leap in mathmatical abilities to determine that I could not safely run the load. If I have to start doing the math as well...I want more money.

And vanners, do not be fooled into thinking you can run as many hours as you choose to run. A sharp DOT officer will, and they have, ask to see your QC. He can easy determine how many hours you have been behind the wheel. And yes, you, and the carrier, can both be fined!

If you want to run illegally or outside the parameters of sound and safe judgment...help yourself. Maybe that is the dog eat dog mindset mentioned earlier on. Woof! Woof! Bark! Bark!

And since you seem to think it important, otherwise..why bring it up...my comment regarding my personal life was in response to the attempted "dig" regarding my purchase of several trucks and my transition to a different carrier. I never interjected that into the original discussion.

The only thing that annoys me is when my lovely wife leaves open the kitchen cabinet doors and I bump my head on them. She is only 5"4" and I am 6'4". Ouch!

You have a great weekend! I have to marinate a roast for the grill so it will be ready after church tomorrow.

 

[TimeBandit]

My point Leo...was as a solo by his own schedule he didn't go to sleep as soon as possible and wasted an opportunity...as a solo and being what it is out here...and knowing we are 24/7 it's no time to ummm kill time flagerantly

Excuse me OVM. But aren't you the fool that was bragging about having your wife signed on as a team partner a while back and got busted for not having her in the truck with you? I heard you were taking 700 mile loads away from good qualified solo drivers and you were bragging about it. Shame on you for behaving like this.

 

[TimeBandit]

Leo...this is the Van segment...its a dog eat dog world down here...it much different then your world...if you want proper sleep and proper diet...it is very hard to have the best of both worlds AND make a living at it as Dave has so strongly advocated many a time. It is unfortunate that we SOMEtimes have to push ourselves...David is trying to play by a clean set of rules and struggling at it...I commend him for that part of his effort. BUT I'll not coddle him for his choices on how he chooses to run...and I will be the first to point out the other side of the coin...

Look kids. This is the wonderful world of expediting. You don't have the luxury of sleeping on this job. I pulled 2600 miles in three days before. Why? It's simple. You have to bust *** and hustle while you are on a winning streak. Because that lull in freight or "unlucky cycle" is going to find you eventually. When you are running consistant, do everything that you can to keep the loads. If that means you have to sacrifice sleep for a few days at a time, then so be it. Just get yourself a nice hotel room once your money has been made. Stop sniveling like little girls and man up to the new challenges in the world of expediting.