West side story?
- Thread starter WestSide
- Start date
The fine citizens of the western states know how to build loading docks and ramps to standards, just like people in the other states do. There are also, believe it or not, non-refrigerated loads that get picked up and delivered in the western states, same as the rest of the states.
FedEx Custom Critical contractors and drivers are discussing their West Coast and western states experiences in this thread. You may find it to be of interest.
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
Im not much for running passed the Mississippi River,but in the past 2 weeks we delivered in Oregon on a friday morning reloaded to SC friday afternoon,then the following Wed,after being home we loaded for Auburn Washington delivering Friday morning reloaded with a 39 mile dead head that afternonn to Findlay Ohio. $19090 for the 2 weeks,with this company may have to go out west more often
Thanks, Phil. I pulled the quote from that forum so that the general public could post comments.
Someone (maybe you!) made the comment that reefers are in high demand in the southwest. Would you agree, and do you find yours to be a huge advantage in garnering loads?
I would agree that our TVAL-qualified reefer is a huge advantage in garnering good loads, and add at good pay. We have seen nothing in the Southwest to suggest that our reefer is in higher demand there than any other region of the country.
It would appear, then, that the West Side story isn't altogether much different than back east, except for frequency of loads. Also perhaps in the distance of runs.
It's surprising to me, a newbie, how subject you drivers are to plain luck in getting loads, being in the right place at the right time. That's part of the attraction to me, frankly, though I'm not intending to rely on a steady income to feed a family and pay a mortgage.
It's surprising to me, a newbie, how subject you drivers are to plain luck in getting loads, being in the right place at the right time. That's part of the attraction to me, frankly, though I'm not intending to rely on a steady income to feed a family and pay a mortgage.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
It's surprising to me, a newbie, how subject you drivers are to plain luck in getting loads, being in the right place at the right time. That's part of the attraction to me, frankly, though I'm not intending to rely on a steady income to feed a family and pay a mortgage.
This hold true for 90% of most of the work for the "important" companies. Many will say it is sweat and toil, hard work planning, executing those plans and so on that makes a difference but it isn't by any means.
You can't predict freight, only guess at it and sometimes you are right and sometimes wrong. It is like the adage, where are the psychics who can predict the lottery numbers, same thing holds true in this business.
The problem with the west is that it is the west. BIG OPEN spaces with a lot of mileage in between. People actually live there and people actually need things moved around there but it all depends on the company.
Having a lift gate and reefer doesn't mean much unless the company sells that service to their customers. Having floor space and being dependable seems to be more of an issue.
If you are "independent", meaning that you can actually book loads that you find, then a reefer is a good thing to have for obvious reasons.
My last out west adventure was 12 weeks, it wasn't all great but it sure wasn't bad. The company kept me unloaded more than loaded and I know that there was a lot, I mean A LOT of work there. If I could I would head out there again because I know better than to depend on a company I was with like that.
Expediting is, after all, primarily emergency freight. Such freight is rarely scheduled far in advance. It's not like routine shipments of retail items to Walmart or Home Depot or warehousing where inventory needs are easily predicted far in advance. You can make informed decision on where to go based on the location of shippers who often ship expedited freight, like exclusive use of the truck type stuff, but it's still just being in the right place at the right time. People will make what they think is a smart decision, and get a load as a result of it, and claim they're smart. They're not, they were just in the right place at the right time. They were lucky, despite those who will tell you that luck does not exist in this business.
Some will go on and on about how they made this great decision and got loaded out right away. Those same people will rarely tell you of the bad decisions they made resulting in them sitting for 3 or 4 days in a location. Instead, they will tell you they never, ever, under any circumstances, have ever or will ever sit more than 24 hours in a single location. But all that's really telling you is they made a bad decision in the first place that resulted in them making the decision to move. In other words, they weren't lucky that day. They weren't in the right place at the right time, so they made a smart decision to move to a place where they hope they have better luck in being in the right place at the right time.
Some will go on and on about how they made this great decision and got loaded out right away. Those same people will rarely tell you of the bad decisions they made resulting in them sitting for 3 or 4 days in a location. Instead, they will tell you they never, ever, under any circumstances, have ever or will ever sit more than 24 hours in a single location. But all that's really telling you is they made a bad decision in the first place that resulted in them making the decision to move. In other words, they weren't lucky that day. They weren't in the right place at the right time, so they made a smart decision to move to a place where they hope they have better luck in being in the right place at the right time.
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greg334
Veteran Expediter
Shhh.... you will start the whole "there is no such thing as Luck" stuff again.
Seriously, sometimes you will just sit to rest in the oddest places after you unload and get a load. Like in the wilderness of Maine or on the Utah/Wyoming border where there is really nothing except cows and coyotes. Sometimes these loads pay well too.
Seriously, sometimes you will just sit to rest in the oddest places after you unload and get a load. Like in the wilderness of Maine or on the Utah/Wyoming border where there is really nothing except cows and coyotes. Sometimes these loads pay well too.
Oh give me a load, to where the buffalo roam...
On a dark and harrowing night outside Williston, North Dakota, there it stood, in the middle of a narrow two-lane road, covered over by blowing snow, unwilling to yield passage. It was the North American Bison. Massive in size, thick in fur, he stood there, staring, nodding his head every now and then, daring me to open my door or blow my horn. I did neither. For what seemed like hours he stood his ground, I stood mine. Finally, he stepped aside and allowed my travels to continue. That was right considerate of him, I thought.
Nothing compares to stopping, middle of the road, at Yellowstone, and yielding to a herd of thousands crossing before our family-filled van. We sat there, awestruck by the mass of roaming fur. I knew I would return one day, vowing that the precious cargo I carried those years would someday find another home, and the next load would...well, at least chip in for gas!
It's surprising to me, a newbie, how subject you drivers are to plain luck in getting loads, being in the right place at the right time. That's part of the attraction to me, frankly, though I'm not intending to rely on a steady income to feed a family and pay a mortgage.
If I may, allow me to advise you against forming the belief that luck is a factor in business success. Don't see your load getting success as a matter of luck. See it as a matter of probability and position yourself accordingly.
When you see where an offered load will take you, don't ask how lucky will I be in getting out? Ask what is the probability that your next load will come from there or nearby? Luck has nothing to do with it. If the probability is good, the load should be considered. If not, wait for a better opportunity.
Load getting ability is not about some outside force called luck that smiles or frowns on you. It's about you getting good at seeing the big picture and gauging the probabilities within it.
This kind of unexpected luck can, and does, happen in this business. Conversely, you can use the wisdom of your experience and place yourself just so, so that your next load is almost a given. And then, sit there wondering what the heck happened.
Don't let anyone give you the idea that luck doesn't exist in this business. It does. It most certainly does.
Problem is, most will dh too far for their odds to kick in. Divine is nice most of the time. Personnaly i'v gathered better paying loads from divine than plan in this biz. But, ya have to understand IF, you are going to bfe, a lot of the return trip needs to be paid upfront.