Re: West Coast Runs Reconsidered

[layoutshooter]

Yes, I should have said that too because that's right, it applies to all of them, from Load-1 to Landstar to FedEx.

What I stress to a lot who ask my advice, which is taken pretty often than not, is always have an exit strategy, not just for the business but for the carrier.

In Phil's case, he has no where to go unless he changes that attitude. Say he goes to Landstar, he may not get anywhere near the level of prestigious work he has gotten from FedEx and the shipper will expect to load his truck with a forklift but the bigger issue is he will compete with SuperBs and D units just the same as if FedEx only had WG CR units. Panther may take him but may not.

Change is not always easy. It might not only be the prestigious work. I get the same kind of freight that he does. When I have talked with other carriers NONE say that they can keep me at my present income level. Is that true? I have NO idea. I can only go by what they tell me.

Competition is designed to bring down rates. That is what is happening. It also often lowers standards. I see that happening too. Even at FDCC.

 

[davekc]

Change is not always easy. It might not only be the prestigious work. I get the same kind of freight that he does. When I have talked with other carriers NONE say that they can keep me at my present income level. Is that true? I have NO idea. I can only go by what they tell me.

No one will promise you anything, but to think there aren't other opportunites that pay better is that age old myth.
Just have to look a little harder.
Remember, "It isn't what you make, its what you keep".

 

[layoutshooter]

No one will promise you anything, but to think there aren't other opportunites that pay better is that age old myth.
Just have to look a little harder.
Remember, "It isn't what you make, its what you keep".

Oh, I know, I never stop. When I have I ask HARD questions. So far I have not heard what I wanted to hear. The recruiter at Panther just laughed.

 

[davekc]

Oh, I know, I never stop. When I have I ask HARD questions. So far I have not heard what I wanted to hear. The recruiter at Panther just laughed.

I bet he did.

 

[layoutshooter]

I bet he did.

Things are changing quickly. We are starting to climb out of a few holes, FINALLY. The truck will be paid off late next year. That will open up things a bit. We just keep plugging away and exploring what is going on out there.

 

[davekc]

Things are changing quickly. We are starting to climb out of a few holes, FINALLY. The truck will be paid off late next year. That will open up things a bit. We just keep plugging away and exploring what is going on out there.

That is the key ingedient. Exploring.
The more you look, the more opportunites you are likely to find.

 

[layoutshooter]

That is the key ingedient. Exploring.
The more you look, the more opportunites you are likely to find.

I am open to suggestions too.

 

[Jefferson3000]

Sorry to inform you guys who are cheerleaders for your "reputable" carriers, but the reason you aren't getting loaded in the "hard" spots is because your dispatchers are asleep at the wheel.

Case in point, I recently had a new customer of ours call at 4PM to line up a pickup for 8AM the next meeting out of good ol' Orlando, FL. The load wasn't a home run. It was only a 250 miler or so going to a town right on I-95 in Georgia. After calling several Alliance members and finding out that the trucks they had posted had not been updated in some time and were no longer there, I spoke to an agent at a larger carrier. When I told him that I had a run picking up the following morning, his response was, "He's already been sitting for about 72 hours and I can't leave him there until morning. I'm gonna deadhead him up into GA tonight, so that he can get a run from there tomorrow." Rather than calling the driver and offering him some paid miles that would take him north, giving him revenue to DH further up to SC if he desired, he chose to tell the truck that there was no freight and that he should deadhead out. This same carrier missed out on an 1100 miler the previous week, even though they had a truck within an hour's drive. But hey, it's an owner op, so what does he care?

If you guys are having trouble getting out of FL, CA, CO, or UT, it isn't because of the lack of opportunity. Many times it's because the people in your office are LAZY.

 

[davekc]

Jeff,

I think the contention here is the Fed is getting the same freight, but moving it with their company trailers.

 

[Jefferson3000]

Yeah, I understand the specific reason this came up and it is sad.

 

[x06col]

Yabut, you have to consider the fact that the dispatchers have to try and load a so called "truck" with a 4 skid capacity. Might have a little to do with it.

 

[ATeam]

Yabut, you have to consider the fact that the dispatchers have to try and load a so called "truck" with a 4 skid capacity. Might have a little to do with it.

Not in this particular case with this particular carrier. Diane and I have never had trouble moving in and out of California or making good money while we were there with our six-skid truck. What changed was not the freight or the size of the loads.

What changed was the introduction of company-owned equipment and preferential dispatch to put some of the freight we used to haul on company-owned equipment. The result is trucks regularly stacking up in CA in ways they did not before.

 

[Jefferson3000]

Not in this particular case with this particular carrier. Diane and I have never had trouble moving in and out of California or making good money while we were there with our six-skid truck. What changed was not the freight or the size of the loads.

What changed was the introduction of company-owned equipment and preferential dispatch to put some of the freight we used to haul on company-owned equipment. The result is trucks regularly stacking up in CA in ways they did not before.

Is this Custom Critical owned equipment, or Fedex Freight/LTL trailers, since it's basically all one thing now?

 

[ATeam]

Is this Custom Critical owned equipment, or Fedex Freight/LTL trailers, since it's basically all one thing now?

Tiny FDCC was once a self-standing operating company within the larger FedEx Corporation. That changed some time ago when FDCC became a subsidiary of FedEx Freight, which is a much larger operating company within the FedEx Corporation.

The entity buying the trailers is FedEx Custom Critical. I would not go so far as to say that FDCC and FedEx Freight is "basically all one thing now." There are more differences than similarities in how these two entities are structured and operate. That may be changing over time, I don't know, but they are two distinctly different operations today.

 

[denny2010]

We will have same colors....lol...but im just a rookie. Driving around.in this crazy place trying to make some.money. I don't think its bad. But was in california with about 15 other trucks. I got out after day and half.sometimes. doesn't seem worth it.but then is does. Just glad for the chance.

 

[TeamCaffee]

Within 24 hours we were out of there as well with a nice run to Washington now...

 

[mrgoodtude]

Within 24 hours we were out of there as well with a nice run to Washington now...

Ok Linder no bad karma inferred but Me thinks it is easier to get freight outta California than Washington state.
I truly hope you and Bob get out quickly but am less than optimistic about the decision to run topside.
Please keep us updated on your success..
PS..Would love to hear more about the new truck as Cyn and I are toying with the idea of buying a dry box...
Do you have a "tag"? How much can you haul?
Inquiring minds wanna know!!!

 

[TeamCaffee]

Here is a threat about the truck. I will add pictures when we get out of the rain as we have added our Air Tabs and Tool Boxes. We do not have our wheel covers as they modified them and we will get them next time home. We can haul 16,500 and what we are fighting is a heavy front end which is pretty common. So far the truck has done nothing but impress us and we are still in hog heaven.

As for Washington we took the load for enough money to go south some and we will see what happens. I agree Washington and Oregon can be the pits for a dry box unless DoD is moving.

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/truck-talk/47075-caffees-cascadia.html

 

[x06col]

Not in this particular case with this particular carrier. Diane and I have never had trouble moving in and out of California or making good money while we were there with our six-skid truck. What changed was not the freight or the size of the loads.

What changed was the introduction of company-owned equipment and preferential dispatch to put some of the freight we used to haul on company-owned equipment. The result is trucks regularly stacking up in CA in ways they did not before.

I'd bet it's a four skid truk with all the other stuff you have in there. Regardless, jes think of the revenue possibilities when the stars line up for the fed. They place 8 four skid loads on a 53 all going in the same general local......that is 8 contracts worth $2.25 per mile.....my math says it be $18 buks a mile. Hooooah, that be my kinda revenue...

Really not too hard to figgure whom may be the more importinest in this Carrier Contractor game....specially, when the only freight you see, is what they spoon feed you.

I'll agree that a run from SF to Chicago might pay $36,000 but, they have overhead ya know....drivers on the dole to deliver each shipment and such....but it still ain't bad.

 

[Brisco]

Two thoughts have been on my mind over this whole ordeal Phil has brought up. (this thread and down in the FedEx Forum)

Remember, my thoughts here come from an outsider looking in, cause everyone knows I'm not out there with you guys, OK!!

First off, I've been reading for years that most drivers, except for a few (Phil & D), do not like going to the West Coast due to how hard it was to get back East once there. Very few here praise going to Cali, period. Now, I wonder if FDCC made the choice to place "company owned" units up and down the West Coast to service those customers that their FDCC "Contractors" could not service because of the high "Turn Down Rate" for runs heading "into" Cali that I'm sure they have. (just by reading drivers here that do not do Cali runs)

Could this be a decison made by Management to get those West Coast customers covered in the most beneficial way??? I mean, if I was in Management and noticed a trend where business was backing up, or being lost, due to the fact the Company could not keep "Contractors" within that West Coast customers base area, mainly because the "Contractors" wanted to stay on the East Coast where the runs were abundant, then I too would place company owned equipment in that base area to keep those customers serviced. Know what I mean. (this may not be the case, but it does have some common sense involved, especially with the reputation "west coast" runs have here on this board amongst all these "contractors".)

Second thought here is a little more detailed.....

I understand the trend/routine for the West Coast runs was that a "Contractor" would grab a load off the East Coast heading west. Once they dropped that load in Cali somewhere, they might have to do a couple of "minis" there in Cali for a couple of days until they got that "Back East" run they wanted. Now let's say FDCC's business has been picking up on the West Coast. FDCC "Contractors" only want runs OUT of Cali and not IN Cali, so a lot of West Coast Customers orders for service within their area were being denied/turned down when offered to these Contractors. Choice was then made by FDCC to supply company owned trailers to keep customer base serviced.

OK, now the West Coast Customers deliveries along the West Coast are being covered by company owned equipment, and the "Contractors" are having to wait a couple/few more days longer to get a run heading "Back East".

There is now talk here(and probably behind the scenes) amongst individual "Contractors" and "Fleet Owners" who are making a decision to TURN DOWN all West Coast runs originating from the East. What do you guys think is going to happen when the time comes that FDCC happens to have no "Contractors" on the West Coast to take that load from Sacramento to Chicago?? Or from LA to Baltimore??

Worst case scenario is that loads are going to start getting covered by "company owned" equipment who are then going to be right there with you guys on the "east coast" being given Preferential Treatment when it comes to offers you "Contractors" have had free will at. Then worst worst case scenario would be that FDCC realizes the cost savings/customers being serviced better overall effect with company owned equipment all across the country, and "Contractors" start slowly getting phased out.

This may seem a little far fetched, but it is something "Contractors" out there need to seriously consider. My "thoughts" would not take place overnight. Changes - Scenarios like this would take time. But, it very well could happen. Know what I mean.