P2 What is going on?

[themagicoen]

I've been told this is suppose to be the busy season... I've been expecting to be busy. But I have no idea what's going on. Were a team, but all we've been offered is 300-500mile runs with HUGE amounts of deadhead. The best 3 I've turned down in the last week...
1. Deadhead 112 Miles for a REDUCED RATE 88 mile mini THRU Chicago.
2. Deadhead 300 miles for 300 loaded miles to middle of GA
3. Deadhead 150 Miles for 700 loaded miles to Tulsa, OK. Seems good right? P2 only did 1 load out of OK in the last week! Joplin, Springfield, both no freight. I would have to deadhead to KC or Blackhole Dallas.

The only praise I have is the fs is been somewhat good, I'm avg around .35/mile right now, went down with the last 2 loads being .19 and .13. I just got done doing a load with 150 miles deadhead, 700 loaded miles to Conway, AR. Figured I'd get empty moved back to Memphis as usual. Nope, so added 160 onto that deadhead figure. And just right now I just turned down a load going out to grand island, ne. Where in there world am I going to go from there to get another load? Hopefully things get better...

 

[davekc]

Seems odd unless you are in a van. What size vehicle are you in?
Sorry, I just seen on another post you are running a M2. You may want to consider some brokered freight in the farther located places.
As mentioned in another post, we have been busy like the others.




Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[joebob1_30132]

dave you have always been pretty even and steady with your comments and observations and I always like that approach. But buddy it seems like you are towing the line for P2 to point of painting it a litttle rosey. Ive talked to a few p2 out here. I say a few cuz Ive only seen a few. And there is an under current of "wheres the freight" from these guys. This is not a nock, its not personal, its just business. But I think we are starting to see the beginiing of a major shift in this business, because of the ford gm situation. They had a lot of frieght..I started out jammin this 1st quarter.. up over last .. but it sure went soft this second..to the point im almost dead even again.. Does p2 hybernate 1st qutr..only to show up in the second toget going with Gm ford Chry, are there too many trucks out here for the smaller amount of loads this 2nd qtr..Ilike to know..Hey man.. want us all to do good Iwant you at p2 to be slammin..this pie dont need to get any smaller.

 

[davekc]

I probably should clarify a few things. Our situation may be slightly different than some due to Elite services and we obtain a percentage of our own loads. With that being said, I think the whole industry has and will continue to see a shift from the big three. We still do a few auto runs, but they are for the imports.
Also, run counts were higher in the first quarter because of a rush on Delphi parts in anticipation of a strike.
I do agree with many that a shift in customer base will likely continue over the next year.
There will continue to be an abundance of frieght if you know where to look.
Why? Frieght volumes and tonnage are increasing while at the same time there are less trucks and less drivers. It is only competitive in certain sectors of expediting because the exclusive haulers to the big three have lost and will continue to lose their frieght base.
If you are slow for whatever reason, that means you have time. Use that time wisely and start finding your own frieght.










Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

 

[joebob1_30132]

good points!

 

[simon says]

Dave is right: NLM will continue to fall apart, except for the transplants in the U.S. There is freight out there, but one must be ready to take the better paying freight when available, and short runs or "backhaul" stuff to move you. Companies are already seeking to break out of the auto mold, and those that haven't are doomed to die... The big 3 cannot continue to throw money at expedites with fuel prices so high and sales down. One can go to any dealer and get make, model, and color of anything.
I took a dinker to get me out of Breezewood to help cover an important customer at midweek. Next one moved me to MI.- a 200 miler (& home for the nite). Then I took a $1000 load into New York. I blew 1 day getting unloaded, but I don't consider that a bad deal. I made my budget for the week...Next freight may be a weekender out of CT. If you work smart, and keep the wheels moving, you can do all right. If you are a refusenik, sit and wait for only the good ones, your revenue will suffer. Just the facts...

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Simon... refusing has its place. More often than not, I've seen the ones who take everything going out of biz. Perfect example as to what I'm talking about:

Took a load to NJ del Sat, got out Monday. Went to GA, loaded right back out to Harrisburg, PA. Sat for two days with the east coast jamming up with our trucks. Loaded up on Friday for NC for Sat del. THEN!!! We were offered a run back to PA, which reluctantly we took. Big mistake! We sat from Sun till Thu morning with a 350 mi load from MD to NC.

If we would've gone with our gut on the NC to PA run, instead of thinking about rounding our week out, we probably would've had a second decent week. I know they tell you at orientation to take everything cause you never know what will come out of it. You like craps? You play the horses? When you listen to their jargon, that's exactly what you're doing. In taking that PA run, we bet on a long shot, and lost.

Granted... there are a lot of ppl who turn down runs for no good reason. But when it comes down to making money or pleasing dispatch, there's no question as to which way I'm going from now on. I'm not a refusal junkie... especially with my company. They have to have a damm crappy load for me to refuse it.

 

[themagicoen]

Lets add on this one...
Delivered to Fort Madison, IA 470 mile run. Had to deadhead 125 miles to Peoria, Il to be on a board. Been sitting for day and a half, they sent us a load out of Chicago - 430 loaded miles. 119 More deadhead miles to pu and where does it deliver? Council Bluff, IA! So in order to get us back to a board with frieght ANOTHER 150 miles deadhead. So at my current rate of .37/mile for fuel, about $250.00 for fuel. We get 62% + 100% FS, at that rate, we'll make about $100 a peice for a load that will be proably have us sitting till thursday in KC or DeMoine... Ugh this is getting ridculus. When I 1st started in January, we were doing an avg of 1000 loaded miles/trip. Now were at like 350 and only getting 2900 miles/week. I'm ready to say screw this and go home...

 

[kempers_gramp]

I'm seeing the same thing, some decent runs, only to be backed by 300-500 miles of DH to get to a "service center", then DH to the pick up, maybe another 150 miles. Seems there is no relief in sight. The way it is going the government will owe me money at the end of this year thanks to write offs.
I do believe that the waiting game will catch up with the industry. In other words, People will only wait a little while longer for fuel prices to come down before that much needed freight needs to be expedited. If they don't come down, the expediters will be up and running strong again but in slower, more steadily growing spurts. If the fuel prices drop like they are anxiously awaiting, we will be off and running again.
Not to say that fuel prices are the only factor affecting the industry right now.
If I am wrong, which I have been before, you'll be able to buy expeditor trucks for a dime on the dollar. Not that you'll have anything to use them for except hauling ltl freight, in which case there will be so much competition that it will only drive freight rates lower. That is if you can find anybody to drive these ex-expedite trucks. In which case you could actually own an Ex-Fed Ex Expediting truck, with an ex-Fed-Ex, Fed-UP with expediting, ex-expedited truck driver.:+.

One of the problems with buying these trucks will be that they will be ill maintained, so anything you save on them you'll put back into them in repairs and much needed overdue maintainence. Once again the loan will be worth more than the truck.

Yet all of the Expediter Companies are all still advertising to take on new recruits. Go figure!

 

[joebob1_30132]

Yes yes yes...Im only going into my 2yr doing this. Ihave noticed that from the start,,if I can get only a b class to drive a "u-haul" with a sleeper and make this kind of money is ..which has been good for the most part, anyone can. I bought my truck for less thaN AN SUV WOULD COST but my 25,000 truck can potentialy bring in over 150,000 a year...everybody knows a van takes no liscence,,why do you think there are 80000000000000million of them out there. Ican tell you.. the dispatch obligation is met when there are deliveries made. No matter how many it takes to do it
Tri-state,panthII etc dont care the more the merrier, their money is secure when you deliver. the dog eat dog is our problem.. the larger the driver truck pool is the better off they are. why do you think they will finance your truck get you in one or help you with attaining a fleet..when they fiance your truck, you think they want thing back? will they keep their financed truck running hard?? My company has been fair to me throughout And I run hard for them..their words have matched their actions so far, but their only obligation is to the shareholders, they are not a leagally bound job dispensor.. I also have to live and die by this capitolist sword I wield around here from time to time. I wish us all prosperity.

 

[joebob1_30132]

a little addition to my previous remarks.. when your Brothers on the hill and the white house both Dem and repub.. the fat cat at the trough, eating labor leaders get their way with amnesty,, the driver pool will be limitless.... you watch...they will work permit as many as it needs to get it done..Snider Jb hunt etc all have training centers, terminals, down their that will be their solution to the "driver shortage" problem... dont see it coming??? better wake up.