SLOW TIMES

[randy123]

Is it slow all over or just in detroit, i run for eagle out of romulus mi and the last couple days it has sucked, thay bid on this board on the computer and dont get many runs, well this week, the last two weeks i did good, had a few long runs, now it sucks. should i get on with another company that way i will have a better chance of getting loads..... is jan and feb this slow every year...

any input will be great......thanks Randy:7

 

[LDB]

January is a slow time for expediting. You have to look at this business more than just a week or two at a time. If you only look at it by the week you'll always be changing companies. Talk to the people at your company and see what advice they can give you as well as possibly looking a little harder for loads for you. Good luck.

Leo Bricker, owner trucks 3034, 4958
OOIDA 677319
73's K5LDB
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator 1+ Years of Service
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[randy123]

thanks.

i was not thinking about quiting eagle i was thinking about running for two carriers,(maby get more loads) i set in the office all day and watch them bid on loads, and if thay get one thay hand me the paper work and off i go. but this week its slow, if its just a slow month i will not worry to much i just like to stay busy... Randy

 

[tomar]

hi randy
I've read your earlier post(begining of jan, when you were first starting in this business)and I was just about to write to you and see how are things working out for you, I am thinking about getting into this business, (just waiting for my hazmat, got to wait 45-60 days for background and criminal record check)and since you are new in this and you also live in Metro Detroit area you could give me some advice
also if you are not happy with you company try talking to guys from First Class Expediting, I got a friend who works for them (dispatch)
I don,t have their phone number, but I,m sure you can find it in yellow pages I think they are located in Troy, (I think I can get their number from my friend if you have trouble finding it)
good luck and let me know how thinks are working out so I can join in as soon as i get my hazmat

 

[The Gibster]

Randy, we run as a team for Epes Express and with their business model and low overhead we usually do very well. But this month has been a ball-buster. I'm not trying to promote Epes, I'm just telling you that even these little niche companies that seem like a golden opportunity most of the time can have you running home, cryin to yur momma!

Cowboy up, pretty soon you'll be so busy you'll need to look at your watch to figure out what day it is.


OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH man, we just got a bite! Gotta run from detroit to Las Vegas for a trade show. CaChing! See, keep up your attitude, it'll work.


Gotta run
The Gibster

 

[randy123]

well its working good for me i just cannot sit still and the waiting i will have to get used to, i am used to running my dump truck and doing concrete i know how that business works. expediting is brand new to me so i worry alot (but i like it) i have only been doing it a couple weeks and have seen some of the country and its a blast, if you like to drive and go new places you will like it (sleeping in the van is a pain) the asphalt and concrete business is getting bad the last couple years so i needed something new. randy

 

[randy123]

thanks, have a safe trip..........Randy

 

[Broompilot]

Fellow E/Os I did not go out of service at all in December, I was at the house for X-mas and most of X-mas eve even though the truck was underload. You gotta prepare for these slow months, I have a nice little nest egg, and am just making ends meet here in January with a little padding so not going into Dec profits.

When the freight is running you should be also or your gona be talking to your creditors if you run your business on credit and not cash.

Its not easy to be away but this is what we do, I ran real well in December, and should have stayed out in November much more. Being home for X-Mas is high on my priority list, but thats just X-mas day and eve I did not make a vacation out of half the month of Dec but will in Feb and right now I just may stay out a couple more days in Jan after reading some of these posts.

 

[tomar]

yeah same here , I run powerwashing and maintenance business, but most of my work is for auto dealers and with todays economy and car sales it sucks, dealers don't stock us much inventory as they used to, and on top of that some of them can't even afford to pay other companies for washing their cars, last 4 months i've lost 3 big contracts,
some time ago I used to do delivery for local distributing company and i did enjoy it, so i will be ok with driving long trips
have fun and good luck

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Tomar mentioned First Class. When Broompilot and I met up in Dearborn, there was a First Class truck sitting there. Man, was that thing FILTHY!!! I've seen a couple others on the road that weren't too hot of shape. But, on the other side, there were a couple clean, newer trucks with them too.

What Broom mentioned to me that a filthy truck tends to be attributed to not making money. I tend to agree that it's either they aren't making money, or they're slobs. But either way, I think it's up to the company to know what condition their contractors' trucks are in. That can't be good from a business standpoint.

 

[jaminjim]

Geeesh how can the concret bussiness be slow in Michigan, with the roads like that I would think that driving a dump truck would make you rich.:+

Watch running to many hotshots for EGL, they are a money making company to be with BUT, when I was with them there was a whole lot of one way hotshots with dead head back home. While your gross pay maybe good you must make sure that your pay per mile DRIVEN is up where it needs to be. One way to do that with EGL is to run some of there local stuff during the day, or on the weekends when the weekday guys are wanting to be home. I am not knocking the company at all, because with the right Station you can make more profit per mile than with most of us over the road guys, just make sure you keep an eye towards the pay for ALL miles driven.

Oh sorry I forgot, January and part of Feb. are the real slow times for them when I was there.

 

[tomar]

hi all
I got a question for Jaminjim, you said you used to be in hotshot hauling business, can you actually make money doing it, because I did consider this type of business, but didn't really think that with this much deadhaul you can make a living of it.
You mentioned EGL company, I think I've seen their trucks, but I was wondering if they hire contractors with pick-up trucks, I nhave '05 chevy 2500HD, and trailer shouldn't be a problem,
any info and/or advice will help since I still can't decide; EXPEDITING (van o/o) OR HOT SHOT HAULING
THANKS

 

[KYoung]

Hey Tennessee

My trucks dirty almost all the time, not because I aint makin money its because I dont have time to stop and wait 3 hours at a truck wash, I did that in Laredo, if there is more that 3 trucks in line Im not waiting, I'll go somewhere else, if ya know what I mean.

Ken Leam 4474

 

[Tennesseahawk]

Yep... know what you mean. This particular truck was sitting the whole time we were there (2 hours). I can understand if you're running hard. But this guy's truck wasn't just dirty from a month or two of busy. It looked like it went thru a mudstorm.

 

[Broompilot]

T-Hawk is talking Diesel Dirty, you know how sides of trucks get when fuel is spilled and than run for weeks and weeks, well this truck looked like it had a Diesel Bath and then never rinsed off.

If your so busy as to not clean your truck you are missing alot more, items that need to be repaired, warning to DOTs that you do not care about your truck = you do not care about your logs, profession etc.. A clean or dirty truck does not say anything its a reflection upon the driver/company.

I am not here to critize anyone for running hard and not cleaning a truck but those wash's are preventave maintance to me salt rinsed off of electrical lines = longer life and thats just on electrical lines not including metal and moving parts.

My mechanic allways thanks me for my engine compartment being cleaned and he always starts on my truck first thing in the morning cause its cleaner than most trucks that he works on. Now do I make time to get her washed? You bet, I will in a slow time or regaining 70 at a layover drive accross the parking lot at 3:00am to get it washed. Just forget to log it.

 

[bryan]

Hi
Yep it's slow.Any good loads I get at this time of the year I consider a blessing.One of these years I'm going to get smart and have enough money put back.Then I'll just disapear for 2 months.Jamaica sounds nice.

 

[randy123]

yea michigan roads are bad, we only do driveways and small concrete and asphalt jobs. in the winter the citys will not issue a driveway permit, so we sit. i like eagle and the pay is good from what i read. i have learned that once i deliver the load i shoot back to the office asap that way i get what ever comes up, thay do the best thay can to get return runs but it does not allways work out. and if i am their and the driver thay call does not answer the phone i get the run. thew only time i ever see another driver is friday but i only live 4 miles from the office...... this might seem extreem but at the end of every day my van gets washed its only 3 bucks at the local drive thru, i have done this with my dump trucks from the first day...(weather permitting) that way the van is allways clean...

 

[jaminjim]

Sorry it took so long to get back on this question. EGL call an expedited run a Hot Shot. I know nothing about that industry (Hot Shot )

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I find I get more respect from S & R's when my vans clean. If its dirty inside and out they think its a company truck and just bang the load in....grrrr.