Things might be getting even slower....

HighwayRover · Feb 6, 2015

It looks like a "lock-out"/strike is going to shut down west coast ports here shortly.
It's estimated that it will cause up to a 2 billion dollar a day hit on the economy.

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/dea9672e-ad4e-11e4-a5c1-00144feab7de.html#axzz3QzBbDPBH

Treadmill · Feb 6, 2015

Sounds like a problem for container companies and not expediting.

Slo-Ride · Feb 6, 2015

Treadmill said:
Sounds like a problem for container companies and not expediting.

Those containers can get broken down into hundreds of routes and some routes can miss or blow a pick-up/transfer. Giving us work.
Biggest thing I can think of are there will/maybe a few more tractors available for awhile.

Polish_Drive · Feb 7, 2015

My buddy moves containers in Chicago. Union strikes are on going thing. Lucky, air freight is booming because of that.

OntarioVanMan · Feb 7, 2015

And the UAW contract is up this fall....GM and Chrysler can now strike this year....they want to eliminate the 2 tier pay schedule...who will be the target company?.....Michigan is also now a right to work state....members are NOT happy with the UAW brass....could be interesting.

Ragman · Feb 7, 2015

OntarioVanMan said:
. . . Michigan is also now a right to work state....members are NOT happy with the UAW brass....could be interesting.

I just hope it stays civil.

OntarioVanMan · Feb 7, 2015

Ragman said:
I just hope it stays civil.

they ousted thier last President because of it....according to some guys at the Dearborn plant....

apparently the brass without member approval voted themselves some nice pay raises....after the member took that pay cut....are they stupid?....the brass that is....

Ragman · Feb 7, 2015

OntarioVanMan said:
they ousted thier last President because of it....according to some guys at the Dearborn plant....

apparently the brass without member approval voted themselves some nice pay raises....after the member took that pay cut....are they stupid?....the brass that is....

Yes, they are stupid!

I'm hearing lots of anger on the streets. If I hear it , why doesn't the bosses.

mjmsprt40 · Feb 7, 2015

Problem: Division in the union gives the company everything they could possibly ask for. A union divided against itself----.

Been there, done that. I rode the Boilermaker/Blacksmith problems in 1987. Our union had a split because somebody didn't like the outcome of the vote for president of the international, so he decided to form his own union. Stupid reason to divide the union--- right when we were negotiating a contract, too. The company couldn't have asked for more. Local 1248, which I was a member of, was powerless, being in receivership because of the split.

I left in November of that year, got into truck-driving. Been driving ever since.

HighwayRover · Feb 8, 2015

Treadmill said:
Sounds like a problem for container companies and not expediting.

Expediting is tied to all trucking. When containers don't show up at the port, imported raw materials don't make it to the factory and in turn, the plant closes and doesn't need another expedited load like the one you just took. Also as the economic machine slows down, common carriers turn to the "last minute freight" (expediting) for loads and expediters see lower rates from competition. They keep rates low until nearly all the freight drys up. Trucking IS NOT what keeps America moving when the GOODIES can't get to port! Today in America, If you bought it at a store, a trucker brought it there from the docks. It's a much bigger picture than a problem for container companies.

jujubeans · Feb 8, 2015

HighwayRover said:
Expediting is tied to all trucking. When containers don't show up at the port, imported raw materials don't make it to the factory and in turn, the plant closes and doesn't need another expedited load like the one you just took. Also as the economic machine slows down, common carriers turn to the "last minute freight" (expediting) for loads and expediters see lower rates from competition. They keep rates low until nearly all the freight drys up. Trucking IS NOT what keeps America moving when the GOODIES can't get to port! Today in America, If you bought it at a store, a trucker brought it there from the docks. It's a much bigger picture than a problem for container companies.

I just might be old school...but if we didn't rely on foreign trade and just bought "Made in America", we wouldn't be so reliant on the docks!

Ragman · Feb 8, 2015

jujubeans said:
I just might be old school...but if we didn't rely on foreign trade and just bought "Made in America", we wouldn't be so reliant on the docks!

If only it was that simple.

Grizzly · Feb 9, 2015

Well, I happen to be in Seattle ... hoping the delay has a good effect on the ground.

Tennesseahawk · Feb 9, 2015

HighwayRover said:
Expediting is tied to all trucking. When containers don't show up at the port, imported raw materials don't make it to the factory and in turn, the plant closes and doesn't need another expedited load like the one you just took. Also as the economic machine slows down, common carriers turn to the "last minute freight" (expediting) for loads and expediters see lower rates from competition. They keep rates low until nearly all the freight drys up. Trucking IS NOT what keeps America moving when the GOODIES can't get to port! Today in America, If you bought it at a store, a trucker brought it there from the docks. It's a much bigger picture than a problem for container companies.

I'm finding that more and more longhaul trucking companies are dispatching at 50mph, and not charging for it. I won't work for them, because if I wanted to do expediting, it wouldn't be at .36/mi while driving a big truck, that's for sure.