Truck shortage?

Vinnie T · May 22, 2008

I have noticed a lot of truckers getting out of the industry.

I also noticed there is a shortage of trucks..E units, teams especially.

Panther called me asking if I wanted to sign back on. If you have a class A and a co driver..even though fuel is high, the time maybe good to get into team tractor expediting. I would say overall it's still slow for cargo's , sprinters, and single straight truck drivers. Team E units... I think could od very well!

Thoughts?

Vinnie

greg334 · May 22, 2008

Vinnie
I will be blunt, as I have said in the past in different ways that if we keep promoting the Expediting lifestyle as easy living in a straight truck or van, we are cheating the people who want to move into this niche market.

I truly believe I made two mistakes, one was listening to people who said that it is all up to me not to fail and the other was not getting my class A. I also believe that the two leading expediting companies here don't leverage the e unit as they could, one of them I know exactly why but the other it puzzles me.

Vinnie T · May 22, 2008

greg334 said:
Vinnie
I will be blunt, as I have said in the past in different ways that if we keep promoting the Expediting lifestyle as easy living in a straight truck or van, we are cheating the people who want to move into this niche market.

I truly believe I made two mistakes, one was listening to people who said that it is all up to me not to fail and the other was not getting my class A. I also believe that the two leading expediting companies here don't leverage the e unit as they could, one of them I know exactly why but the other it puzzles me.

I'll put it to you this way

From what I see, and that's not behind a wheel but behind a computer

..if I had a class A and a co driver and was a driver..Team Tractor Expediting is the only place I would even consider getting into. Why? You can buy a used tractor for the cost of a sprinter and the pay is double and so is the frieght availibility. I would never consider getting anything other then a semi..but that's just me. Right now there is a shortage of big expedite trucks oon the road..period!

Vinnie T · May 22, 2008

ANother thing

We all know this industry is cyclical..it runs in cycles. I believe since so many companies have got out of it and small independants have sold thier trucks rates have gone up and trucks on the road has gone down. At least I am starting to believe there is a positive swing in this pattern for our industry. Again referring to E units. Unfortunatley I thing for smaller trucks NAFTA and the economy has sucked so much industry from this country more companies are consolidating and shipping on big rigs versus expediting small shipments.

greg334 · May 22, 2008

Vinnie,
We are on the same page, I see the advantage of even a single driver with a tractor and this is where I try to lead people because of the overall versatility with a tractor.

x06col · May 22, 2008

Many would have bee there some time ago if.... there weren't the problem of training up the co-driver (read bride) to pull a 53 stead of pulling a 16 to 22. Then of course there is the problem of not being able to have a "taj". That would place us at the same disadvantage as it has wit the straight trucks (if you call it that) by not having the capacity to do the things you need to do. My cabover with a quad axle and 30 ft van has 18 skid spots on the floor, can legally scale 31K load. Buttt.... aino camper. Thus, ain't going to happen very often, unless, they decide it's IS a business, and, not necessarily a way of life. Them days has been over for a while. Sooner ya get it, the better.

Jack_Berry · May 22, 2008

Then of course there is the problem of not being able to have a "taj".

this newbie has gotta ask what is a taj?

RLENT · May 22, 2008

Probably Taj Mahal:

Taj Mahal

greg334 · May 22, 2008

Well living the RV life comes with a price.

What would some do if they would have to sacrifice and live in a box?

Scuba · May 23, 2008

Vinnie T said:
I'll put it to you this way

From what I see, and that's not behind a wheel but behind a computer..if I had a class A and a co driver and was a driver..Team Tractor Expediting is the only place I would even consider getting into. Why? You can buy a used tractor for the cost of a sprinter and the pay is double and so is the frieght availibility. I would never consider getting anything other then a semi..but that's just me. Right now there is a shortage of big expedite trucks oon the road..period![/QUOTE
A cheap truck will cost you a lot more in the long run than a truck thats less than 2 years old and still has warrenty left on it

Vinnie T · May 23, 2008

Scuba said:
Vinnie T said:

I'll put it to you this way

From what I see, and that's not behind a wheel but behind a computer..if I had a class A and a co driver and was a driver..Team Tractor Expediting is the only place I would even consider getting into. Why? You can buy a used tractor for the cost of a sprinter and the pay is double and so is the frieght availibility. I would never consider getting anything other then a semi..but that's just me. Right now there is a shortage of big expedite trucks oon the road..period![/QUOTE
A cheap truck will cost you a lot more in the long run than a truck thats less than 2 years old and still has warrenty left on it

Click to expand...

I have one for sale now in the same price range

500K miles with 100K warranty on the motor and trans, fleet maintained!

They are out there, it's a buyers market right now. Point being with a payment of $700.00 you can still make money!

All I'm saying is E units...tougher to get a class A and qualify..but the frieght IS there! ST8's and Vans are sitting...Tractors are rolling!

Jack_Berry · May 23, 2008

RLENT said:
Probably Taj Mahal:

Taj Mahal

probably right now that i read it in that context. thought it meant something different.

mystictrans · May 24, 2008

We Have been in the biz(expediting) for 4 years now and have heard all along about the shortage of class A trucks. All I now is we drive a class A with a 50ft. trailer,liftgate tval and all. But 90% of all our loads are C&D straight or Straight w?reefer loads!
Like the last one was one piece that was a whopping 600 pounds.Now I am not gripping here I love the small loads as my milage goes way up!But as for a shortage of tractor-trailers
we do not see it. I seems the other way around. But could be wrong

Broompilot · May 25, 2008

You do not have to be a Team in an E unit to make a living, maybee not dedicated to Expedting but your observation is correct. My current Agent has 5 loads all paying more than $2.00 a mile in AK right now for the last week, and more comming.

Problem NO TRUCKS, they ranks are getting thiner. Now its not all great as we are battling the fuel prices but one can be profitable in a TT, it does not have to be Expedite but a general rule you will do very well for all miles in this industry (expedite) vs Truck Load.

The more the options the better the chances of success. This is why I choose to go the T.T. route, what is happened I saw comming, the straight truck was in no way gona keep me as profitable as I once was being a solo. Teams is a different story but I choose not to sleep and live in that close of quarters with another person, works for some but not I.

So shortage of Truck Drivers is now begining to hit the markets, if you can make it I think the future will get better for us.