Question?

Sarkus · Jul 11, 2007

Is anybody else real slow right now? When do we expect business to pickup after the 4th of July holiday? I think most of the auto plants shut down for retooling for the new model year in July.

Very little freight out of my home area (Detroit) since late June.

Anyone's thoughts????

Sarkus
B Unit

mrgoodtude · Jul 11, 2007

Sarkus
I stopped going to Detroit a year ago because of the demise of the big three and suspect it will be along time before I go there other than to cross the border.
I suspect the little push you got in June could be attributed to the 2nd quarter inventory adjustments.
I hope you are able to get out of that area soon.

Rikk · Jul 12, 2007

It will probibly be dismal through the end of the week (Hopefully

) Holiday weekend, changing economy, a busy June, etc.

Rikk Sullenberger
KG4AAO
D-Unit

The Enemy · Jul 12, 2007

During the week of the 4th I ran 1300 miles from 2 loads. This week its only wednesday and I'm already over 1500 miles. Not bragging about my miles in any way, just letting you know there are some of us that got lucky and have been running descent during this shutdown. I had no problem getting out of Detroit on tuesday, I delivered there monday night, went home and picked up tuesday at noon. I usually get out same day if not next morning, but I think its cause I live there and they don't want me to spend time at home, lol.

Nick Marcu
O/O
Tri-State #044

davekc · Jul 12, 2007

The answer to your question probably depends on how much US auto freight your carrier handles. We had a truck in Detroit the Monday after and took a load to Georgia. However, it wasn't a auto related load. Some plants are retooling so they should pick up some after this week.

Davekc
owner
22 years
PantherII
EO moderator

rollnthunder · Jul 13, 2007

I took the 2 week shut down off.Most of the first week dispatch was calling and offering me good loads out of the detroit area going to texas and the crazy thing was they where seeing alot of back hauls to ohio from texas.So i think the some freight was there if someone wanted to make a few dollars.Its always a gamble in this business.I finally made sure dispatch new i was off the board so they wouldnt keep calling me.Then i broke my foot.So see i should have went to Texas or something

nightcreacher · Jul 14, 2007

it will always be slow for someone driving a B unit,between all the expedite companies,and all their B units,how much B feight do you think their is,especially when C units take it too

OntarioVanMan · Jul 14, 2007

>it will always be slow for someone driving a B unit,between
>all the expedite companies,and all their B units,how much B
>feight do you think their is,especially when C units take it
>too

Always slow? Do you mean for this 2 weeks or all the time?

nightcreacher · Jul 15, 2007

OVM,, you know this industry is pure luck,you can know the hot spots,but if your luck isnt with you,you wont be loaded,so those great layover spots will be slow as there will always be to many trucks in those spots,especially B units

ATeam · Jul 15, 2007

We have had a slow first-two weeks of July. I don't think it is because of the auto industry since we haul very little automotive freight. Part of it was due, I think, to the 4th falling on a Wednesday; motivating a number of shippers to take off a long weekend or the other on either side of it. Part of it was luck of the draw. We just were not where the freight was. Finally, truck maintenance contributed to our slow times. We happened to be near our home dealership and spent some time there that we might otherwise have not come off the road to do.

We are predispatched now for a Monday pickup and are keeping our fingers crossed for a strong month-end finish.

RLENT · Jul 16, 2007

The week of the 4th, and the week prior, were both fairly slow for me. Luckily that coincided with needing to do some vehicle maintainence and some stuff around the house.

This past week has been good though - I did my highest ever since I started back in March '07. Hoping it continues for another couple of months anyways.

guest · Jul 18, 2007

also D and E taking B loads

Jefferson3000 · Jul 18, 2007

Air freight is slow as well. One forwarder said it's the worst they've seen in 5 or 6 years. I think most of the sales people at shippers are discussing vacation right now rather than sales. If you're not fully prepared to ride this status out, then it would probably be a good time to jump ship into something else before the bills get TOO far behind. (This isn't directed at any one in particular.)

Drive Safe!

Jeff

Driver for 15 years
O/O for 13 years
OOIDA #829119