Texas Frieght Massacre

[blackwood666]

Is anyone having troubles in Texas?
Perhaps I have been lied to by the carrier and/or dispatch as I have last loaded figures now going on 200 hours, the carrier I work for has never had problems I made allot in 08 and yet I know its l slow but why in Texas usually the pinnacle of freight so slow or could it be just too many drivers being hired average behind 3-5 every city it seems now and never was like that in 08.
Company boasts so many awards and new projects but freight for the drivers seems unimportant at least for cargo vans
and sprinters.
And don't even attempt to call and discuss concerns because you get angry dispatchers who when they get you a trip it for 40 Cents a mile and it appears from no where, just to appease your anger.
Is the mighty carrier that uses the lightning bolt in the LOGO the next to hit the bankruptcy roles, too many drivers? too little freight? What do you think?

 

[Balloonman]

I agree with you, as a lighting bolt man myself it seems like they are trying to take care of them selfs rather than the people who are the back bone of the company. It also appears that about the trucks to. Or is it favoritism that the dispatchers have for other drivers.

 

[RLENT]

Is anyone having troubles in Texas?

I haven't lately - I was there (for less than 72 hours) a couple of weeks ago - and ran one load inside the state while I was there. Long load in, and a longer load back out (..... in less than 36 hours after I dropped the inbound)

Perhaps I have been lied to by the carrier and/or dispatch as I have last loaded figures now going on 200 hours,

No idea ..... whatcha figger they lied about ?

the carrier I work for has never had problems I made allot in 08 and yet I know its l slow but why in Texas usually the pinnacle of freight so slow

Because ..... it's slow ?

or could it be just too many drivers being hired average behind 3-5 every city it seems now and never was like that in 08.

Different times these are ....

Before you go down the "too many drivers" road you might ask yourself if you know what the carriers fleet count was when you hired on ..... and what it is now ...

Company boasts so many awards and new projects but freight for the drivers seems unimportant at least for cargo vans and sprinters.

Hasn't been my experience ...

And don't even attempt to call and discuss concerns because you get angry dispatchers who when they get you a trip it for 40 Cents a mile and it appears from no where, just to appease your anger.

Mebbe calling the dispatchers for a little chit-chat is a distraction from them actually finding you (or me) a load .......

Is the mighty carrier that uses the lightning bolt in the LOGO the next to hit the bankruptcy roles, too many drivers? too little freight? What do you think?

Well I dunno .... I left the crystal ball back at the home last time I came out .... but my guess is that I wouldn't be looking for a firesale anytime soon .... could be wrong tho' .... it's happened before (.... once )

 

[RLENT]

I agree with you, as a lighting bolt man myself it seems like they are trying to take care of them selfs rather than the people who are the back bone of the company.

Please explain to us in detail 'zactly how that works ....

It also appears that about the trucks to. Or is it favoritism that the dispatchers have for other drivers.

Yup .... I'm fairly sure that's what it is .... they probably are calling in their cargo van favorites from parts distant to run them Tejas loads .... likely at $2 per mile ..... plus the fuel surcharge !!!

 

[moose]

And don't even attempt to call and discuss concerns because you get angry dispatcher ........, just to appease your anger.

Hard Times ,slow freight , bankruptcy or not...
no one need to get angry , though it up . or move on .
there are many dispatchers out there that can handle pressure very well.




Is the mighty carrier that uses the lightning bolt in the LOGO the next to hit the bankruptcy roles, too many drivers? too little freight? What do you think?

Don't bet on it just yet ,
and even if so ... a sitting van is a free work tool for carriers , it costs them nothing .
you are not the costumer here .
in a large fleet , the carrier have very little insensitive to keep all the vans moving well .
their job is to position as many available van close to where the Expedite fright might come out of .
and the more the merrier .
a sitting van is good for the carrier .
especially if you are not on a flat rate contract .




Moose.
Franklin , O.H

 

[Turtle]

I'll just say that when you are on the benefiting side of those who play favorites, and don't kid yourself if you think it ain't happening, your views of the overall picture will be a little skewed. The opposite is also true, if yer not benefiting.

 

[blackwood666]

Obviously a smart *** reply and you don't seem to understand honesty, but of course some people drink the Koolaid everyday!
Discussion is that not smart *** rhetoric!
I think its strange since I was a one of top earner in 08 for this carrier!
Perhaps easily forgotten under hiring too many drivers for such little work...

 

[blackwood666]

Mebbe calling the dispatchers for a little chit-chat is a distraction from them actually finding you (or me) a load ...
Here' s another stupid remark from RLENT OK here goes: when you don't call dispatch for 2 days and then call in and they have no idea where you are.... funny!
Or they claim they never got your Qualcomm ....
Your life must be perfect RLENT or perhaps you are an office person LOL!

 

[Balloonman]

So you want to know stuff RLENT How about like when you are dispatched to a load, and you have to drive 70 miles. They only give you 25 min. to get there. Or if the dispatchers would get off the computer e-mailing each other, and get to doing their jobs we might not be in jeopardy of losing our N.L.M. contract. Every one thinks that the drivers bog down the lines, well we would not have to call dispatch if they would not keep us in the dark on everything. Like how many rigs are where and how long they have been there. I could keep going on but you need to get you head out of you a.. and figure out what the he.. is going on.

 

[Turtle]

Frustration seems to justify a personal attack. Excellent.

 

[Doggie Daddy]

WOW,2 posts and neither one very cheery. Could it be that ballonman has chosen the wrong profession or did someone pop his balloons?

 

[Balloonman]

Frustration seems to justify a personal attack. Excellent.

Thanks the truth hurts!
I am right he's wrong simple!

 

[nightcreacher]

Balloonman,have you ever spent anytime in your dispatch office,I think not.Your dispatchers dont have the time to be looking for their friends to take that all important load.A customer calls,they then contact the trucks in the area,and if it gets to where you only have 25 mins to pick up the load,that is usually cause maybe 10 other trucks turned it down.Think about it.

 

[Balloonman]

WOW,2 posts and neither one very cheery. Could it be that ballonman has chosen the wrong profession or did someone pop his balloons?

I didn't see anything but truth!
perhaps you wear colored glasses
I have a successful blog so I am used to these critics please understand people sometimes are like zombies and fall for anything and everything.
I have been doing this quite awhile both in cargo van and semi so i didn't fall off the truck yesterday, truth hurts and people get scared that someone in the front office will read it and black ball them. some people need to grow some!

 

[Balloonman]

Balloonman,have you ever spent anytime in your dispatch office,I think not.Your dispatchers dont have the time to be looking for their friends to take that all important load.A customer calls,they then contact the trucks in the area,and if it gets to where you only have 25 mins to pick up the load,that is usually cause maybe 10 other trucks turned it down.Think about it.

Looks like you work for FEDEX not the company we are talking about DUHHHHHHHHHHH?
Does driving Semi verses a van make people need lithium?

 

[blackwood666]

Balloonman,have you ever spent anytime in your dispatch office,I think not.Your dispatchers dont have the time to be looking for their friends to take that all important load.A customer calls,they then contact the trucks in the area,and if it gets to where you only have 25 mins to pick up the load,that is usually cause maybe 10 other trucks turned it down.Think about it.

I have before and they work hard yes, but asking a question can be a nightmare if its not put the way they want it to be, or it involves something pertinent about loads etc.
Besides don't you work for Federal Express or did you just like the picture?

 

[DougTravels]

I Predict that his thread is about to get real nasty, and I really don't see why. Re read the 1st 2 posts they seemed a little upset at their situations, but they did not say anything wrong.
Then comes Relent breaking down each thought, putting some comments on each. Some of which seemed to be little digs.

I just don't understand why.

 

[buckeyewildman]

guy,s i think most of the problem is just plain frustration believe me it not for lack of trying and i do not believe they play any favortism in dispatch call and speak to the correct person in the office will they give you the answer you want probaly not but maybe it will set your mind at ease and i believe after sitting 200 hrs i would of took it on myself to maybe move somewhere on my own or here a thought maybe try and get some freight on your own maybe even an ltl maybe to pay for fuel at least would of helped so is dispatch entirly to blame in my humble opinion no should they share the blame maybe
who am i to say who should shoulder all of it after all you are in bussiness for yourself are you not at times you may have to make a decision you don,t like or that may not be popular with the boss YOURSELF

 

[chefdennis]

I also ran for Bolt, my last run to Tx was the 2nd week of Jan., ran from Savanna Ill. to Laredo. Sat less then 24 hours at the J, NO OTHER BOLT VANS or SPINTERS. Got a short run up to San Antonio then within 24 hours DH'd to Del Rio then loaded out to Densin Tx 400 miles.

I then sat in the Dallas area for about 36 hours and got out to the southside of KC, MO.

I looked back and since sept of last yr when I started, I was in Tx 3 times, each time I had a load within the state and then a load out. I haven't DH'd out of TX yet.

As to them playing favorites and dispatchers not knowing you. 1st I'd love to know how to get on that "fav's" list, I thing that if you were one of the top producers for them last year, you;d be a fav to begin with it might make an already good income better. Now 1st I'd love to know how to get on that "fav's" list, And 2nd, they have a few new dispatchers in the last 3-4 months so there is a chance that some people don't know your name. Hell from time to time, I don't recognize a dispatchers name or I'll forget it within a minute of hanging up, good thing i wrote it down huh!!


If they are in bad financial shape, they certainly wouldn't be alone, but i wouldn't worry too much, I know the sales staff is keeping busy husling business too. And that leads to another thing, if you are worried about a lack of freight and the financial health of the company, how often do you talk to bboth shippers and consignees about them using Bolt and calling them direct instead of 3rd party? Jim Nagle is the sales manager and he will be more then happy to supply you with a fist full of his business cards. I call him with leads of companies I leave his card at 3-4 times a month. And no , I don't work in the office, I don't even work for Bolt, I just have them find my freight...and they do apretty good job....thats one thing to keep in mind, you don't work for Bolt, you work for yourself, and yes they are thinking about their bottom line, just as you are thinking about yours............as it should be...........

So with all of that said, I have to ask, if you really feel bolt is screwing you over, and this is for both of the 2 complaining, why stay???

PS: While I am a newbie in this industry, there ain't no way I would ever sit anywhere for 200 hours to wait for a load. Unless I am in a high freight area (based on the load history) I am pretty much moving ON MY OWN after 36 hours, and I ain't takin the $.10 a mile empty move pay either, when I move it is on my dime, not theirs.....sitting 200 hours, in my opinion is just nuts, that is 8 days of sitting and waiting, I'd be pullin what hair i have left out........then I'd start scratchin at the inside of the bunk area of my van to get out. 8 days, thats just craziness........

 

[blizzard2014]

I agree with you, as a lighting bolt man myself it seems like they are trying to take care of them selfs rather than the people who are the back bone of the company. It also appears that about the trucks to. Or is it favoritism that the dispatchers have for other drivers.

I doub't that is the case. I have a friend who works for bolt and they have been laying off dispatchers, phone operators, and customer service representatives. The difference that you are seeing in freight levels over that of last year is indicative of the struggling economy. A company can't make freight appear out of thin air, and yes they can find you a load for 40 cpm because that is lower than the other cut-throat companies are bidding. Why would you be ****ed about getting a load for 40 cpm after sitting for 200 hours? I bet you can at least make 100 bucks off that load while being routed into a better area.