The 1000 Mile Load

[Moot]

ABF can't fix stupid but they could open up their terminals for Panther swaps.

When I'm involved in a swap, I ask for the other driver's phone number. I call the other driver to see if it is possible and if they are willing to swap by hand if I can get us $25 each. I've done pallets up to 400 pounds with no problem. Each driver makes a little money and Panther saves at least $50 compared with swapping at a truck terminal or wrecker outfit.

 

[Moot]

Oh, I got a million of 'em. Well, not a million, buuuut it's close.

It's e-mailed, Moot.

Got it, thanks.

 

[davekc]

ABF can't fix stupid but they could open up their terminals for Panther swaps.

When I'm involved in a swap, I ask for the other driver's phone number. I call the other driver to see if it is possible and if they are willing to swap by hand if I can get us $25 each. I've done pallets up to 400 pounds with no problem. Each driver makes a little money and Panther saves at least $50 compared with swapping at a truck terminal or wrecker outfit.

Now that is a team player.

 

[Rocketman]

Now that is a team player.

Its also a good way to prevent sitting around for hours on end waiting for other pieces of the puzzle to come together.

There was a time when we were doing a lot of swaps between solo straight trucks at C&M. I built a small dock plate and put a pallet jack on the truck. I could transfer a load in a few minutes and be in the bunk asleep before you could mess around with a cross dock. Im told someone got hurt doing it though. I know they started discouraging doing our own transfers. I would much rather do it myself than complicate the process with an outside source.

 

[Bruno]

Every day from the drivers that have a brown stain on their noses. I have never been more fed up with dispatch than today.

You should have stayed at Panther Jake. You would have been driving one of the new truck we got. I heard you got your own truck with Expediters Services. Paul is a good guy and they want you to own your own truck. Congratulation if that is the case.

 

[Bruno]

Keep the stories a little smaller. I am trying to put together the 2008 Panther Paws addition.

Hey Dave call me as I lost all my numbers again because my cell phone wouldn't power up.

 

[21cExp]

Ha!
.......

I just want to fill his van with pepper.

 

[JohnMueller]

Does anyone know when dispatcher appreciation week is?

Star;

It is the week before National Safety Director Appreciation Week!

 

[blizzard2014]

It paid $1.03/mile loaded.

Thanks for turning that one down. We booked it for one of our trucks. Just kidding man! You did what is called "marginal cost verses marginal benefit." Marginal cost was greater than marginal benefit and you made a sound business decision.

 

[skyraider]

Leo, you're the math guy! When I saw your post showing a 104 boxes I thought I screwed up with my numbers. I had to check them twice.

I just tracked the 1000 Mile load. It delivered this morning at 08:18, 42 minutes ahead of schedule. Definitely a better driver than me. Had to have been a Sprinter, cuber or possibly a straight truck. I don't think 100 boxes of this size would have even fit into a completely stripped out extended GM or Ford van.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[ExFedEx]

It paid $1.03/mile loaded.

Who the heck can run for $1.03/mile? With the cost of fuel these days we need to be running for no less than $1.40/mile, and hopefully more.

 

[scottm4211]

Who the heck can run for $1.03/mile? With the cost of fuel these days we need to be running for no less than $1.40/mile, and hopefully more.

In a cargo van?

 

[ExFedEx]

In a cargo van?

Yes, in a cargo van. I just did a Fresno to Paris, Tx, and was paid $2400. 1600 miles at $1.50/mile, 2500 lbs. Corona, CA to Superior, AZ, 400 miles, paid $600 comes to $1.50/mile. Fresno, CA to Portland, Or, 750 miles, paid $1,300 comes to $1.74/ mile. They do exist!

 

[scottm4211]

Yes, in a cargo van. I just did a Fresno to Paris, Tx, and was paid $2400. 1600 miles at $1.50/mile, 2500 lbs. Corona, CA to Superior, AZ, 400 miles, paid $600 comes to $1.50/mile. Fresno, CA to Portland, Or, 750 miles, paid $1,300 comes to $1.74/ mile. They do exist!

I'm not saying they don't exist. So you don't run your van for under $1.40 a mile?

 

[Moot]

They do exist!

So does CARB and oxygen bars, but only in California. I wasn't in California at the time of the load offer.

 

[mjmsprt40]

If I could get $1.40 a mile, I would think someone turned me loose in the Treasury. These days I'm getting $1.08 per loaded mile.

 

[ExFedEx]

I'm not saying they don't exist. So you don't run your van for under $1.40 a mile?

I have, and do, either as a favor or in an emergency situation, or to get me back into LA. I ran a Tempe, AZ to Van Nuys, CA for $375, 400 miles comes to $.94/mile, but it got me home and more than paid for my fuel both directions. On a general basis though, it is rare for me to run for less than right around $1.40, and my brokers respect that. What sucks is that everyone is trying to get out of CA so they snatch up the long loads at $.80 - $1.10 rates, then we out here get mainly instate runs, or Vegas/PHX stuff that is fairly regional, which gets me home most every night or the next day. Can't complain!

 

[ExFedEx]

So does CARB and oxygen bars, but only in California. I wasn't in California at the time of the load offer.

This was the first year I had to get my diesel van smog checked. It passed with flying colors. It's true, CARB wants to force new engines or retrofits on everyone, and it has really had a negative impact on the regular working Joe's like us all, plus the crazy taxes to get the ports and rail yards compliant, not to mention the construction companies. What's that saying, "What happens in California goes the rest of the nation", or something like that? One can only hope and pray that these buffoons at CARB and in the legislature and senate get replaced with common sense, but I don't see that happening. Gov Jerry "Moonbeam" Brown and Mary Nichols, the head of CARB, went to college together, they are buddies from waay back, ain't nuthin' gonna change here...

 

[Moot]

..then we out here get mainly instate runs, or Vegas/PHX stuff that is fairly regional, which gets me home most every night or the next day. Can't complain!

So you get a load back to home right away or the next day? I wouldn't complain either. A gig like that would keep me from spending my waiting time in an oxygen bar.

 

[ExFedEx]

So you get a load back to home right away or the next day? I wouldn't complain either. A gig like that would keep me from spending my waiting time in an oxygen bar.

It just depends on the time of day I drop, if I have plans for that evening or the next day, or whatever. If I have time to kill I'll try to wait at least until the close of business in whatever city I'm in to try to get something going somewhere or back to LA. I had an early morning drop by Antioch, and waited only a short time until I was offered an Oroville to PHX, but someone snagged it for about a buck a mile to get themselves east, then right after that I was offered a Sparks, NV going to Otay Mesa on the Mexican border for $1.27/mile just to get me back into So Cal. So I did some deadheading from the Bay area over the Sierra's into Reno/Sparks, then again from San Diego back to LA, and the whole thing took about three days, so I think that was worth the time invested. As previously stated in another thread though, this business is about an individuals tastes and priorities, and can be tailored around lifestyles and other commitments. I consider it a lucky day when I get something coming back into LA, usually I just dead head back here to get another load going out.

We have Hooka Bars out here, never been to one, nor an oxygen bar either...