Slow Cargo Van Freight Toledo-Detroit

vanman10 · Apr 27, 2011

WOW! A couple weeks ago I went from hardly having to wait for a load to getting two short loads in two weeks. Is this what everyone else is experiencing? Is April generally a slow month? (Only been doing this 9 months), is cargo van freight slow in other parts of the country?

Thanks,
Jim Brandenburg
Try Hours, Inc.
Unit #9128

fastman_1 · Apr 27, 2011

yep its gotten thin for me.

LisaLouHoo · Apr 27, 2011

I don't know for sure, but things slowed down considerably after Japan's earthquake, then the fuel prices went sky high...it could be a combination of reduction in global freight and shippers seeking more cost-effective means of transport.

"Bruises fade and bones will mend-but a psyche can be ruined FOREVER" : LisaLouHoo, c. 2008

geo · Apr 27, 2011

here in va bought my new van in feb and just 11 weeks old tomorrow have 13,000 on it

greg334 · Apr 28, 2011

Really, a slow down in the Detroit area?

I know of two vans running their a**es off with work, a lot of auto freight and a lot of just 'stuff' freight. Like Geo, their vans are getting used a lot and at times I wish I had one.

gatorfan068 · Apr 28, 2011

Re: Slow Cargo Van Freight

I spoke with a couple owners and they say that van freight is very slow. I thought by now it would pick up.Talked with some drivers and they are sitting 4-6 days.Hard to deadhead with gas over 4 bucks a gallon.

OntarioVanMan · Apr 28, 2011

Yeah the ones running for .60 a mile all in. R probably running...No Thanks! IMO

lhannah · Apr 28, 2011

OntarioVanMan said:
Yeah the ones running for .60 a mile all in. R probably running...No Thanks! IMO

Exactly this. There is plenty of freight coming out.

jelliott · Apr 28, 2011

Since the situation in Japan, small freight has definitely slowed down. Vans and Sprinter loads are down, straight trucks are a bit slower, but tractors are running strong (not sure why). I think a number of foreign auto plants shut down, and many other suppliers and manufacturers slowed down production. At the same time this throws extra capacity into the market. I think it will steady out and start to improve over the next few weeks. We are already starting to see some positive trends this week.

greg334 · Apr 28, 2011

SO John, you deliver to foreign auto plants like the ones in that country they call Canada and that one they call Mexico?

chefdennis · Apr 28, 2011

Been in service with the new truck since march 25...17 runs over 10,500 loaded miles, and OVM, you know they haven't been anywhere near $.60 a mile....Thanks John & Load 1...

OntarioVanMan · Apr 28, 2011

chefdennis said:
Been in service with the new truck since march 25...17 runs over 10,500 loaded miles, and OVM, you know they haven't been anywhere near $.60 a mile....Thanks John & Load 1...

Thats for sure....BUT Mr Elliott said that local airfreight around the DTW for CV's was well...just untouchable @ .60....and Laredo is just a joke....for SOME carriers....

Monty · Apr 28, 2011

Speaking of cheap .. (and slow)

I'm in Kansas City ... was called about a load to Milford, Ut ... (which one of you got it?).

I told the agent I would do it for $1.30 to the van, (for the road trip value only!) .. as I knew there would be a lot of deadhead back out of there ..... nope ... someone took the load, and I presume the reason was they hauled it cheaper than I would.

chefdennis · Apr 28, 2011

Oh yea we all know there is cheap freight moving. my post was to the fact that when you have the right type of truck, you will be busy..I am getting loads that cv's and most sprinter owners with a brain wouldn't take..but I can handle them because of this truck is built to do it...and yes i am still getting CV and sprinter loads, as well as bigger loads

As the old saying goes..."size does matter"

And as we at Load 1 are seeing more and more...the CV just may be on its last leg...yea there will always be CV freight, but the mid size on up carriers are starting to move away from them...

Also, the next time you are in Laredo look at the number of CV's and the number of sprinters and cubes...use to be CV's well out numbered the Sprinters..not so anymore...

OntarioVanMan · Apr 28, 2011

Notanewbie said:
Speaking of cheap .. (and slow)

I'm in Kansas City ... was called about a load to Milford, Ut ... (which one of you got it?).

I told the agent I would do it for $1.30 to the van, (for the road trip value only!) .. as I knew there would be a lot of deadhead back out of there ..... nope ... someone took the load, and I presume the reason was they hauled it cheaper than I would.

OR they lived in that direction or had family and could kill 2 birds with one stone.... I would take one like that if it were going to say Rapid City SD....

blizzard2014 · Apr 28, 2011

I just did 2400 miles in three days, all van loads, all light weight, all for over 88 to 90 cpm. I am waiting on a return load from MN back down to Nashville. That will push the week to around 3100 miles in 5 days, all in a cargo van. I don't think cargo vans will ever be outdone! Oh, I was loaded right out of MT Clemens Michigan on Tuesday morning just 15 minutes after being unloaded. I onlyhad to drive 3 miles to Clinton Township to get the load and then got loaded out of Nashville after 10 hours, just 6 mile deadhead. I don't know about the other people out there, but i've done 7800 loaded miles in 3 weeks. I'm not gonna complain. It's shaping up to be a 10k mile month for me.

Jefferson3000 · Apr 28, 2011

We've done well this spring. I do think things slowed just a bit, starting last month. I figre it was either Japan or Libya and the markets. Last week was slow though. People are shopping more and I think many were low-balling to get trucks home for the holidays. This week has been much better.

Jack_Berry · Apr 30, 2011

came back into service 1159 wed after being home to fight a sinus infection/easter.

got a load thurs morn 1130 to kalamazoo. went to bed and the phone rang for a recovery load buchanan to pittsburg. then got a call mid afternoon for wv to cincy. not earth shaking mileage but for 26 hrs better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

the load we got to pittsburg was because the team that had it stopped at the vet

their chihuahua was having puppies and the 4th(where do you keep 4 puppies in a chihuahua?) had to be a C section.

thanks whoever you are.

jhamlin · Apr 30, 2011

Very low Sprinter loaded miles here in SW Michigan in April. Little more than half the miles I did in April last year - seems the volume fell off abt 30 days ago, shortly after the Japan event. Not sure it's just that however, 'cause it's more than automotive that's slowed significantly. My carrier says it's partly because companies close their books in April (??) Not buying that one bit . . .

Jim