Requesting knowledge

[TFTN-one3B]

I've been in expedite for about four years now, so not an expert by any means......but I'm trying to figure out if it's time to jump ship with the company I'm contracted with. I understand the market has been slow the past few months, but I'm getting tired of making 200-600 mile deadheads before I can get anything out.

So my question is, is it just me being impatient, and the market has really gotten this bad? Or could it be something the company I'm contracted with is or isn't doing? They have the ability to send me anywhere east of the Mississippi with whatever rate they can get...

Thanks ahead for y'alls knowledge!

 

[Living the dream]

It might be who you are contracted with. What type of vehicle are you driving. An if you don't mind me asking who are you contracted with.

 

[BigStickJr]

First. Congratulations that after 4 years you don’t think you know it all.
Congratulations on hanging with one company for 4 years if that’s what what you did.,
Finally congratulations on discussing a move before just doing it irrationally.
What type of truck/ qualifications?
With these long deadheads, whats your % of Deadhead ?
If you don’t mind sharing, what do you generally haul, to and from where, and what’s your overall revenue ?

In my DR unit I learned to do Long deadheads as long as I could keep my overall revenue over $x.xx per mile.

 

[ntimevan]

A few questions,,,,
What type of Vehicle..?
What State is home. ?
How long out between Hometime ..?
Can you cash flow expenses without Carrier assistance ..?
Paid Miles weekly that your looking to average..?

Common Sense doesn't come with Directions

 

[TFTN-one3B]

I own a promaster, have been and OO for 2 years. I really can't say the company, because I would never bad mouth someone unless they deserve it. But they arent one of the big ones, but not one of the tiny ones either .

I used to let them send me out west until I started getting burned. Now I stay east of the Mississippi....and was doing pretty good doing that. But now it's dried up. Beginning of the year I was grossing above average for expedite with them....now I'm lucky if I get over 1K a week. According to them they havent any issues with me seeing how I'm one that never has late drop offs and typically can run up to 1200 miles straight .

 

[TFTN-one3B]

Michigan, 3-5 weeks out before a 3-4 day home time. In service 95% of that time .

Honestly i don't expect certain milage or pay. But for average times, I look to gross at least $1500-2000 a week .

 

[BigStickJr]

I have no van experience, but it seems like you’re with a decent company.
I’d think you’d have to look at how others are doing with your company.
If their % of Deadhead is the same, its just the market.
If theirs is lower, what are they doing differently ?
Good Luck to you. And remember patience is a virtue.
Is your company doing anything different to cause a change to longer deadheads ?
Are you running into different areas than in the past ?

 

[Worn Out Manager]

Also, no DH pay is OK if loaded rate is good, but .80 and no DH is knot. Just talking to one of our other drivers with CRE today and noted that in 2014 there were 11,000 vehicles listed on Sylectus, now it is approaching 24,000. My guess is 60% are CV/Sprinter or small yellow boxes. Of that 80% are solo (again guess) so that would mean your competition has grown over 4 years by +6,000. May not be your carrier??

Note, I'm knot an expert either. In fact I don't even know enough to stay out of the rain some days

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[Ragman]

... In fact I don't even know enough to stay out of the rain some days

 

[BigStickJr]

... In fact I don't even know enough to stay out of the rain some days

Baytown?

 

[Worn Out Manager]

Baytown?

Ah, the good daze of Expediting

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[TFTN-one3B]

I have no van experience, but it seems like you’re with a decent company.
I’d think you’d have to look at how others are doing with your company.
If their % of Deadhead is the same, its just the market.
If theirs is lower, what are they doing differently ?
Good Luck to you. And remember patience is a virtue.
Is your company doing anything different to cause a change to longer deadheads ?
Are you running into different areas than in the past ?

I allowed them to get me runs out west at first. That is if the pay was good enough and I could get back out from where I was going .They like to just assign loads but that ended when they admitted they were sending us to places they knew they couldn't get us out of without any plan. Not to mention they don't throw you a few bucks to dead head to a better area so that is another reason for not going west of the Mississippi.

 

[TFTN-one3B]

Also, no DH pay is OK if loaded rate is good, but .80 and no DH is knot. Just talking to one of our other drivers with CRE today and noted that in 2014 there were 11,000 vehicles listed on Sylectus, now it is approaching 24,000. My guess is 60% are CV/Sprinter or small yellow boxes. Of that 80% are solo (again guess) so that would mean your competition has grown over 4 years by +6,000. May not be your carrier??

Note, I'm knot an expert either. In fact I don't even know enough to stay out of the rain some days

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I definitely have thought about that. I believe there are an increase of van drivers from the mandated EDL's, but they don't stay in long because they can't make the money they did in a truck. I've heard many companies are going to selectus from Qualcomm and other forms because it makes it more convenient so it's difficult to tell if it's more drivers....or more companies being smarter.

Either way a few hundred gross a week isn't going to cut it.

 

[TFTN-one3B]

Also, no DH pay is OK if loaded rate is good, but .80 and no DH is knot. Just talking to one of our other drivers with CRE today and noted that in 2014 there were 11,000 vehicles listed on Sylectus, now it is approaching 24,000. My guess is 60% are CV/Sprinter or small yellow boxes. Of that 80% are solo (again guess) so that would mean your competition has grown over 4 years by +6,000. May not be your carrier??

Note, I'm knot an expert either. In fact I don't even know enough to stay out of the rain some days

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Oh and what's dead head pay?

 

[Worn Out Manager]

Oh and what's dead head pay?

When I worked for Bolt it was .10 after 50 miles. I think it's different everywhere. We work for "all miles" paid at full rate. But that's like Amazon Prime, just because you don't pay shipping on a separate line you know it's in the price.

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[TFTN-one3B]

Oh and what's dead head pay?

When I worked for Bolt it was .10 after 50 miles. I think it's different everywhere. We work for "all miles" paid at full rate. But that's like Amazon Prime, just because you don't pay shipping on a separate line you know it's in the price.

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Lol I kmow what deadhead pay is....was insinuating that I didn't because the company I'm contracted is so cheap they fight me over dry run pay. "Well the customer doesn't want to pay it so you just drove 65 miles for nothing".

 

[RedBird]

I definitely have thought about that. I believe there are an increase of van drivers from the mandated EDL's, but they don't stay in long because they can't make the money they did in a truck. I've heard many companies are going to selectus from Qualcomm and other forms because it makes it more convenient so it's difficult to tell if it's more drivers....or more companies being smarter.

Either way a few hundred gross a week isn't going to cut it.

I’m confused by your statement that

“I’ve heard many companies are going to selectus from Qualcomm and other forms..........”

I’m not sure you’re aware........Sylectus is a load board a majority of Expedite Carriers join to find freight for their vehicles whether they be company, or leased o/o’s. Qualcomm last I was aware is a form of satellite communication used by carriers to keep track of drivers and their trucks.

Although with new technology in the communication industry I believe that Qualcomm is not as popular as it once was before smart phones and their GPS apps tracking capabilities.




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[BigStickJr]

He lost me at mandated EDL.

 

[DollarSign]

... In fact I don't even know enough to stay out of the rain some days

Hey, that's a Sprinter! Find a Transit. LOL

 

[DollarSign]

He lost me at mandated EDL.

He's saying since that came into play for Str8 and T/T, van market in his opinion gotten bigger. I get ask all the time about Sprinter market. I tell them the truth, yeah go ahead and try it. Won't be long you'll be back in that Str8 or T/T. LOL