Trucking 101 - YOU ARE GOING TO SIT!

[Jefferson3000]

The only problem that I can see is when it comes to the contractor, and this seems to be why a lot of carriers have high turnover, they don't depend on a sales staff but rather a number of people who spend time looking for loads to fill their capacity.

Greg,

There is another problem involved here. We have 3PLs that we work with that have boards and some that just blast an email to qualified partners. Some call based on trucks posted in their system or sent to them by email. There are carriers that have many more resources for freight than my company has, but they don't know how to work it for their benefit. It doesn't matter if a client came by a sales call to a shipper, or by a sales call to a 3PL, if the people booking the loads won't offer options, they won't have freight. Some of it comes to having the right people in dispatch.

In others words, barring present economic conditions by which many are consolidating shipments into bigger trucks, some people are just lazy.

 

[JOHNCLARK]

Greg,

There is another problem involved here. We have 3PLs that we work with that have boards and some that just blast an email to qualified partners. Some call based on trucks posted in their system or sent to them by email. There are carriers that have many more resources for freight than my company has, but they don't know how to work it for their benefit. It doesn't matter if a client came by a sales call to a shipper, or by a sales call to a 3PL, if the people booking the loads won't offer options, they won't have freight. Some of it comes to having the right people in dispatch.

In others words, barring present economic conditions by which many are consolidating shipments into bigger trucks, some people are just lazy.

Jeff, where's the love. You don't call or write anymore lol
Sorry, been stupid busy, How's biz?! Once you get to a certain size it's no longer fun, it's politics and butt kissing!!

 

[Jefferson3000]

Jeff, where's the love. You don't call or write anymore lol
Sorry, been stupid busy, How's biz?! Once you get to a certain size it's no longer fun, it's politics and butt kissing!!

January was what it was. Gearing up for a great 2011. Sorry, I've been busy as well. You are a hard man to get it touch with though.

Give me a call this week.

 

[JOHNCLARK]

Sorry!! I will talk to you on Monday. We are currently opening another location and it's hard to find time to grab a sandwich right now. Our deadline is March 7th to be up and running. We had the conference in Vegas and getting prepared for a new recruiting push and Wilmington OH. I hope your going!! Last year was a blast. Send me a PM I will give you my cell.

 

[Jefferson3000]

I still have your cell. Your girl April emailed me last week about partnering with our capacity a little better. Let's do it.

 

[greg334]

John,
I'm not talking about the back-office stuff, I'm talking about the actual bidding process once that stuff is done.

I agree that the complexity of the back-office stuff is sometimes overwhelming and time consuming for the fleet anyone has to manage but with the right tools, it is a lot easier than using cell phones and a white board to keep track of your trucks.

Jeff I agree with you, but it seems that many who just sit on their a** bidding all day long or depending on those partnership agreements make their work a lot more difficult in the long run and their trucks sit longer.

 

[Jefferson3000]

John,
Jeff I agree with you, but it seems that many who just sit on their a** bidding all day long or depending on those partnership agreements make their work a lot more difficult in the long run and their trucks sit longer.

Greg,

I will tell you who is generally sitting right now.

Cargo Vans

Who is somewhat sitting, depending on area?

Sprinters

Who is not sitting and waiting in my fleet?

Straight trucks (even solo)

It just depends also on what kind of gear you have. We generally do not do a lot of automotive freight. We do however do a lot of liftgate and/or special handling loads. I am encouraging two guys that I know that want to switch from a van to a straight to begin to invest in extra equipment when they do. It's what wins for us.

 

[fortwayne]

JohnClark,

Thanks for all the input and maybe someday the newbies will stop complaining and listen to veteran advice.
I went through a lot of the same experiences, found it easier to blame others than to learn from others.
Over the last few years I have learned a lot by asking a lot and listening a lot. I always drove for another owner or was a company driver.
Now, years later, I am an owner operator which means a whole lot more learning the aspects of running a business.
Which means, listen, ask and learn from the people with the knowledge.
So to the newbies, I say I speak from my previous experiences of wearing your shoes, accept your errors as yours, listen and ask.....you will be much better off.

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[JOHNCLARK]

JohnClark,

Thanks for all the input and maybe someday the newbies will stop complaining and listen to veteran advice.
I went through a lot of the same experiences, found it easier to blame others than to learn from others.
Over the last few years I have learned a lot by asking a lot and listening a lot. I always drove for another owner or was a company driver.
Now, years later, I am an owner operator which means a whole lot more learning the aspects of running a business.
Which means, listen, ask and learn from the people with the knowledge.
So to the newbies, I say I speak from my previous experiences of wearing your shoes, accept your errors as yours, listen and ask.....you will be much better off.

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I just speak from experience and several devastating financial mistakes. WOW where I would be if I would have listened!! My business model may not work for others but it works for my O/O's and me!! 98% retention 6yrs. I keep saying it, guess I'm proud!!

 

[AMonger]

It's been mentioned many times that some companies would love to have a CV, Sprinter, ST, and TT on every corner in case a customer from that area calls. Doesn't matter to them if that truck runs or sits. As long as that unit isn't costing them money, and in fact, they make money off that truck, and it's in position closest to a potential customer in the area...

 

[chefdennis]

QC fee's, escrows, weekly admin fees, etc...all extra streams of income for the big carriers that have 200 cv 200 sprinters, and God knows how many ST and TT's.....Amonger is right, when the numbers are over the top big, they are making big money off thise fees...

The Carriers that are small enough and still growing and that post here are those that work to keep the balance of their contractor in line with the demand to move freight and they work to keep their units moving...and they aren't making money off of fees....

 

[JOHNCLARK]

QC fee's, escrows, weekly admin fees, etc...all extra streams of income for the big carriers that have 200 cv 200 sprinters, and God knows how many ST and TT's.....Amonger is right, when the numbers are over the top big, they are making big money off thise fees...

The Carriers that are small enough and still growing and that post here are those that work to keep the balance of their contractor in line with the demand to move freight and they work to keep their units moving...and they aren't making money off of fees....

Fee's?? With all the competition, who charges fee's??

 

[chefdennis]

I can think of 3-4 carriers off the top of my head....and none ofthem are small carriers..3 large and 1 midsize.....

Don't get me wrong, when their is a value attached to a fee, I am ok with that, I pay less for my QC with all of the "extra" stuff i get now then i did with the carrier i left that only offered the basis QC...thats a value i can live with....

 

[stack]

Is it better to start out running teams for an owner operator already sighned on with a company than it is to buy your own straight truck and start on your on.

 

[Poorboy]

Is it better to start out running teams for an owner operator already sighned on with a company than it is to buy your own straight truck and start on your on.

It's better to drive for an Owner Operator for a while and learn the business. That way you can determine if expediting meets your needs without the expense of buying a truck.

Sure wish I would have known about this site before I bought my S/T back in 2000

 

[bluejaybee]

Is it better to start out running teams for an owner operator already sighned on with a company than it is to buy your own straight truck and start on your on.

Starting on someone elses nickel is always a good thing. You will see if this is really going to work for you. You will get first hand knowledge and a paycheck without much of an investment.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Fee's?? With all the competition, who charges fee's??

All State has a yearly $200 processing fee....

Express-1 HAD a $150 processing fee...but dropped it when truck and workers comp insurance rates went up..

BUT the FSC is calculated on the Mid West Average...which is the 3 lowest rate in the nation...currently there is a .04 cent difference between the National rate and Mid West rate...
AND they round off the next LOWEST penny.....

if the calculated rate for the week is .149 cents....the operators get just the .14.....

 

[fortwayne]

Most 'carriers' on this site aren't really carriers, but rather non-asset carriers, which means they don't own the truck equipment.
Thus, they can afford to place a truck at every corner because they have no capital expense tied up in doing so.
From their side that makes sense, heck they did their research, set their business plan and that is that,
Now, isn't it about time owner operators do their research and find a carrier with a business plan that would work within their own business plan?
If your plan isn't working, if your not happy, take an honest look at your plan. Maybe your plan and the carrier's plan are not to be. Maybe the problem is you plan. Maybe it is the carrier, maybe its simply you......sorry, but sometimes that can be the case.


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[OntarioVanMan]

Most 'carriers' on this site aren't really carriers, but rather non-asset carriers, which means they don't own the truck equipment.
Thus, they can afford to place a truck at every corner because they have no capital expense tied up in doing so.
From their side that makes sense, heck they did their research, set their business plan and that is that,
Now, isn't it about time owner operators do their research and find a carrier with a business plan that would work within their own business plan?
If your plan isn't working, if your not happy, take an honest look at your plan. Maybe your plan and the carrier's plan are not to be. Maybe the problem is you plan. Maybe it is the carrier, maybe its simply you......sorry, but sometimes that can be the case.


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That is exactly what my case was...a change of plan....my former carrier changed their plan and my life needs changed...I am not saying E-1 is bad....just bad for me....we were a world apart.....so ....here I am...at Load-1.

 

[fortwayne]

Bingo.....we r here together. No BS from these people, they tell u the straight line and they wouldn't give you a line just because you might want to hear it.
Honesty and ethics still remain in trucking there are just fewer carriers that have those as part of their business plan and working relation with their owner ops.
Without those all the rest IMHO is just BS and pointless dripple that causes an op to constantly change their biz plan.
Thank goodness we know by their actions, not just words, Load-1 is holding upto their end so we can work within our biz plan.
Its all about doing your home work, each and every day, each and every trip.

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