One a day equals none a day?

vandriver101 · Jun 8, 2007

Lately atleast for me,I have been running into problems at lower producing areas.The areas that usually produce 1 a day steadily are 1/2 at best a day even on wed-fri.I wanted to find out others experiances with lower producing areas if its the same for them?Areas with less than 2 runs a day.Also other class trucks and carriers.
thanks for your input

O/O B unit Panther #11514 Since 03/06

x06col · Jun 8, 2007

Where are your percieved "lower producing areas", and why would you visit these areas, unless you live there??

Tennesseahawk · Jun 8, 2007

While being on the board less than a day at home, we got a load for the following day. HEAR THAT, EVERYONE? WE GOT LOADED OUT OF DETROIT IN LESS THAN A WEEK!!! :7

Other areas we've gotten out of lately were Laredo, Dallas, and Pittsburgh. No luck out of Washington state tho. We drive a D.

-Vampire Super Slooth Trucker!!!

vandriver101 · Jun 8, 2007

areas with less than 2 runs a day.
Well, you sometimes get runs that take you to poor areas and D/H 300+ miles to a better board is not a good alternative to making money.
O/O B unit Panther #11514 Since 03/06

x06col · Jun 8, 2007

Thanks vandriver for that info. I'm learning more and more about this business everyday. And, someday i'll get it.

davekc · Jun 8, 2007

areas with less than 2 runs a day.
Well, you sometimes get runs that take you to poor areas and D/H 300+ miles to a better board is not a good alternative to making money.
O/O B unit Panther #11514 Since 03/06
============================================
I see two issues.
2 runs a day over what period? 21 days? Can't go by that. Why, because you may be looking at numbers that were produced at the end of the month, rather than the beginning when it is slower.
Additionally, you may have a customer that orders five trucks on fridays only. Quess what? Nothing the rest of the week. But you will see a daily average of one.
Stay in the freight lanes, and you should do better.
Other issue is the van business. You are very limited in the opportunities that you can take advantage of compared to other vehicle types.

Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

OntarioVanMan · Jun 9, 2007

DaveKC said:
Other issue is the van business. You are very limited in the opportunities that you can take advantage of compared to other vehicle types.

Thats why a Sprinter makes sense...weight, height and length.
If your in the van business you have to optimize your position.
Nothing like loading 6 auto bins double stacked that used to be a straight job run.

The Enemy · Jun 9, 2007

I run a Sprinter myself and most of the time I have no problem getting out of "low volume" places. I always get out of Detroit within a few hours of being there, which is good and bad, since I live there. In the past 7 weeks I believe I've spent a total of 10 hours at home. I've gotten out of places like southern Louisiana, Mississippi, and other low volume places. When I'm in a place like that and a load comes up that doesn't pay alot on the FS I still take it just because it will take me to a better board, get me out of the low volume area and back in the main freight lanes.

greg334 · Jun 9, 2007

OVM,
Not to beat up on the sprinter thing or hijck the thread, but yesterday I ran into a sprinter driver for the cat that had his van overloaded - i mean dragging bottom stuffed full. No excuse for it but it makes me wonder what advantage is there of stuffing a sprinter with pallets/bins/containers when things like that should be in a box truck (notice I said box truck)? I mean I could stuff my little Jetta full of tools, wire and even a ladder but that didn't make it a good thing.

Now this is of course outside the fact that there is still a weight limit and when you hit that 3000lbs (or what ever your cargo limit is) of frieght in the van, should you forget the idea that it 3000lbs of weight in your van just becuase you can haul it?

grog111 · Jun 9, 2007

Hmmm....i wonder how that work's in places like kentucky, where van's have to scale?

kangar0085 · Jun 9, 2007

Yeah I have never had good luck from 1 a day boards when I drove my van. It took me a few weeks to figure that out and after that I just ignored those boards.

geo · Jun 10, 2007

i like my sprinter as not having to log it able to carry 4 pallets
but don't like going over 2500 lbs, have had it with in 75 lbs of max weight limit, was short trip so was ok, no hills
because when you get to limits you have to think of other things
pull on the engine to stay at highway speeds , takes more power to run up and down the hill if you run a/c that puts more on the engine and after a while that adds up
plus if your over weight in va and stop and they pull out the scales that's .60 cents a lbs for every pound over

Prarysun · Jun 10, 2007

Are the Sprinter owners getting more for that heavy freight? I am speaking to the "cat"? I have a Sprinter on with them but most times have to fight for a higher rate when we can take more than a normal van. Loading over 2500 lbs is IMO suicide. It is rated for 3000 lbs but have had 2800 and felt bad to me. If you are not getting more for your van when overloaded i.e. over 2k, then you are getting a bad deal considering the investment you made. To get back to the original thread, staying in slow areas makes no sense to me. I have deadheaded 300 miles to get out of a funky area and most times proves to be a good idea. Luck has some measure but spending a little to get to a better area makes alot more sense than sitting several days spending money and making none. Just my opinion....

Dianne

Tennesseahawk · Jun 10, 2007

Sometimes staying in a funky area can "hit you a homerun". If no other trucks are around you, the customer has no choice but to load you up. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

-Vampire Super Slooth Trucker!!!

bryan · Jun 10, 2007

Hi

Sometimes it doesnt matter where you sit if the expeditor load Gods are against you.Don't **** off the fairy's.

Im averaging 3.5 loads per week since March.I was averaging 5 per week in Jan. and Feb.and 7 per week in Nov and Dec. Works great when the loads are +500 miles but stinks when they are -300 miles.

Good luck.

nightcreacher · Jun 10, 2007

From my experiance,if an express center shows a load a day,doesnt always mean a load a day, for example,7 loads are dispatched on saturday,so the following week will show a load a day,I never pay attention to the statistics from dispatch.

RLENT · Jun 11, 2007

>Are the Sprinter owners getting more for that heavy freight?
>I am speaking to the "cat"?

I am - anything over 2500 lbs pays the "C" rate. I'm not with the "cat" though.

>I have a Sprinter on with them
>but most times have to fight for a higher rate when we can
>take more than a normal van. Loading over 2500 lbs is IMO
>suicide. It is rated for 3000 lbs but have had 2800 and
>felt bad to me.

If you are running the stock rear anti-sway bar then I would imagine it would feel bad - and might actually be suicide, depending on the circumstances. The stock sway bar is for crap.

I had a driver from another company tell me that he had run a load of around 3800 lbs in his Sprinter (2500) - and it was for a significant distance, although I can't remember the exact details of from where to where.

>If you are not getting more for your van
>when overloaded i.e. over 2k, then you are getting a bad
>deal considering the investment you made.

Yup .... I'd agree.

vandriver101 · Jun 11, 2007

Bryan,
Gatta laugh on that one!!!
Man, thought getting and delivering the freight was hard enough!!!!
Not including keeping the truck highly maintained!!!
Now I have to keep in check with the freight gods?
What do thay want (first born)or half of the proceeds?LOL
Man I just cant win!!!
O/O B unit Panther #11514 Since 03/06

vandriver101 · Jun 12, 2007

Davekc,
You do bring a strong point,that you cant always count on the 21 days but must consider,that freight may have been loaded up on the end of a month,rather than start of the month.(very strong point I have overlooked).Thankyou
Now Freight Lanes 101,LOL
O/O B unit Panther #11514 Since 03/06

greg334 · Jun 12, 2007

â€œI had a driver from another company tell me that he had run a load of around 3800 lbs in his Sprinter (2500) - and it was for a significant distance, although I can't remember the exact details of from where to where.â€

See this is why I think people donâ€™t just get it.

A 2500 SHC has around a 5257 lb (appox) curb weight, (Note - with no personal equipment or no securement equipment or a driver) and has a Gross Vehicle Weight of 8550 lbs â€“ leaving 3293lbs (appox). Around 300 lbs of equipment need to be added â€“ not including the driver (who may be as much as 250lbs), so this leaves about 2600 lbs of cargo capacity on the top end.

Doesnâ€™t anyone weigh your sprinter with the equipment and driver?

Also suspension modification do actually help you, but when you hit that scale and the guy/gal is in a bad mood or get pulled over for a spot check and get weighed and that person checks that sticker which says what the max weight is, it is a quick way to ruin your day.