Seasonal?

in-Transit · Mar 18, 2015

Anyone run seasonal ? If so what season? And why? Been off most of this year and seriously trying to figure out what I should do! Hate the heat thinking of tinkering all summer and going back into service this fall and winter... Any opinions ?

Sent from my flying circus

scottm4211 · Mar 18, 2015

This will be my last winter. From now on we'll be spending it out west.

dstites24 · Mar 18, 2015

Ekhedge said:
Anyone run seasonal ? If so what season? And why? Been off most of this year and seriously trying to figure out what I should do! Hate the heat thinking of tinkering all summer and going back into service this fall and winter... Any opinions ?

Sent from my flying circus

EKhedge, since I'm no longer there I just want to wish you the best on whatever you do I will stay in touch and let you know where I land. The seasonal work usually doesn't work out to well because the carriers will want Qc removed and all that good stuff and once your inactive for a certain period of time you run into other things such as you should have to take a new drug test, possible refresher course on the company and the list could go on and it all depends on the amount of time off.

rollincoal · Mar 19, 2015

I don't necessarily work seasonally but only end up working about 7 months out of the year. This year probably will be closer to 8 or 9 months. If you're independent it's no big deal just take time off. If you're leased on at a carrier the vast majority will have issues and expect you to be working most of the year. Which is about like being an employee imo. If you own the truck and pay the expenses you should be able to take time off whenever, for however long at the drop of a hat without having to answer to anyone. That's how it is at my company. That's how it is at Landstar. That's how it should be everywhere.

Dynamite 1 · Mar 19, 2015

Thats how it is here also !!!!

xiggi · Mar 19, 2015

I've worked at several well known expedite carriers, none had a problem with extended time off. I can see where it could affect small fleets adversely.

Hyperdrive · Mar 20, 2015

You would think small carriers would like for some trucks to stay home for their slower seasons. Would help with retention by keeping their full year drivers busier in the slow months.

xiggi · Mar 20, 2015

A small carrier usually will not have more than one truck in a given area, so I would guess they want what they have in service unless of course it's just a couple weeks out of service.

OntarioVanMan · Mar 20, 2015

rollincoal said:
I don't necessarily work seasonally but only end up working about 7 months out of the year. This year probably will be closer to 8 or 9 months. If you're independent it's no big deal just take time off. If you're leased on at a carrier the vast majority will have issues and expect you to be working most of the year. Which is about like being an employee imo. If you own the truck and pay the expenses you should be able to take time off whenever, for however long at the drop of a hat without having to answer to anyone. That's how it is at my company. That's how it is at Landstar. That's how it should be everywhere.

considering most employees only work what....8-9 months a year if have a 5 day/40 hr a week whatever job...why not us?....

fastman_1 · Mar 20, 2015

OntarioVanMan said:
considering most employees only work what....8-9 months a year if have a 5 day/40 hr a week whatever job...why not us?....

8-9 months? I need to slow down I'm working to much!

rollincoal · Mar 20, 2015

Sure but as you know trucking is just different than anything else. For most drivers just having weekends off would be a step up. Even that sometimes means 1 day weekends. It's a hard life. But if you're covering most of the big expenses there is no excuse for not having full control over when, where, and how much one works. The flip side of that being not everyone is cut out to handle it. Without some structure in place they'd go to ruin.