I've been out on the road for the past month now and I'm still broke. I drive for a contracter and at first he wanted me to team up with someone but when he saw what a hard worker I was and that I was averaging 8 to 10 grand a month busting my hump 24/7 he was so impressed he said I can drive solo all I want. I've just returned home after spending four long weeks out on the road staying in Ohio, Indidana, and Kentucky, and things are slow out there that I grossed less in one month than I did in one week when compared to what I made last year for the month of April. My Contractor Coordinater said business is down by as much as 40% due to what FedExCC was making last year around the same time. What The Hell Is Going On?????? When Fuel Prices were high there were runs galore, now that fuel prices are dropping($1.19 a gal in Georgia) companies are cutting back on the freight that they would've had expedited. Or is FedEx CC giving the freight to their other companies such as Ground or FedEx Freight????
Where Has All The Freight Gone?????
- Thread starter Brandy
- Start date
paperback1
Expert Expediter
I can't understand why?? My trucks have been doing great, if the pace keeps like this, it could be my best year yet!! As far as Fed Ex giving out loads, I know at TST where I have a couple trucks there my guys used to get a lot of fed ex stuff, but not in the last 6 weeks. Hope it gets better for ya
Remember when King Bush I lost after the big "war" victory to Clinton? "It's the economy stupid" Not you: point is economy is stagnant and if economy slows, companies can make their more limited quotas and ship regular freight lines. I work for EPOI and seems we can't buy a NLM backhaul. A dispatcher told me today it's like pulling teeth for an NLM when you really need one out of a tough area. Unless you have a company that has decent primary loads, that is, expedite loads that pick up quickly and ship direct, and some national accounts or broker freight to get you back to their area, you're in deep s... Deflation is now the bigger issue, and co's will keep on rate cutting, and that includes our co's. I was also told by a team that Panther is pushing freight for a song, perhaps $0.75 for a D' load. Gets to point you're competing with others for shrinking freight at super low rates- I try to stay at $1.00/mile for D'rate. Less than that, you won't take care of good equipment, let alone have much left for non-trucking expenses. Deadly combination! No to tax cuts for the wealthy...anyone thinks that will help economy? I got some (good) land in Fla. to sell!
One thing I have said a million times, D units running for anything less than a buck a mile aren't making any money. Does Auto-Quick still exist? That used to be the FedEx CC for beater trucks, but I don't think even that lasted with pay in the .80 a mile range.
-Weave-
-Weave-
I've gotten some real good loads out of Miami everytime I come home and then go back in service. But when I deadheaded up to Ohio, I was getting s--t when it came to good runs. Where have all the good pickup on Friday deliver on Monday runs gone. I'm not dead heading out of Florida anymore, yesterday FedExCC gave me a REAL good one day run that went to Tampa and brought me back down to Miami and to my house.
paperback1
Expert Expediter
SHAME ON YOU
Don't you know that’s how Companies play their games. If you would've told them you wouldn't do it for less then a $1.10 you still would have gotten the load. Dummy!!! I am willing to bet your Company actually bid it at over $2.00 a mile but didn't want to pay you more than 48%
paperback1
Expert Expediter
Some folks never learn, and they are the one's who hurt all of us
IF YOUR LEASED ON TO A COMPANY THAT BIDS ON 80% OF THERE LOADS AND HOPES THEY CAN GET IT I FEEL SORRY FOR YOU BECAUSE YOUR GOING TO GO BROKE. A COMPANY THATS BIDS FOR LOADS IF THEY PUT A BID OF $1.20 GROSS AND GET IT THEY ARE LUCKY. THEIR ARE TO MANY COMPANY THAT WILL BID THE SAME LOAD AT .95 FOR A CARGO VAN THAT IS. CTX DRIVERS ARE KNOWN TO RUN AS CHEAP AS .45 A MILE. LUCKLY LANDSTAR HAS NATIONWIDE ACCOUNTS AND ONLY BID ON THE CRAPPY AUTOMOTIVE STUFF THAT WE HARDLY EVER GET ANYWAY.SO DRIVERS THAT HAUL MOSTLY AUTOMOTIVE PARTS TO THE BIG THREE AUTO COMPANYS ARE HURTING RIGHT NOW SINCE THE ECONOMY IS SLOW.WITH ME SO FAR I HAVEN'T SEEN TO MUCH OF A DROP OFF OVER THE LAST 2- YEARS.
WOW some of you people scare me!! i have to ask what size trucks you all are running?? claycomo mo. last friday ...yep sucked i got out of there on wed. but was only crappy loads going for .60 mi. to CALI. needless to say i passed and went to chicago. as for the PANTHER loads (d) going for .80 mi. i dont know who you are talking to but i can assure you even the NEW contracts at panther pay $1.20 mi hell even the vans pull for more. and for anyone making less than $1.00 a mi. as the other driver said....time to sell your trucks cause the $$ will run out soon...best of luck to you all......ps. how many of you are fedex c.c. owners??
I would like to see everyone on this board tell people whom are looking to get into expediting that now is not the time. A few of us are doing well but the vast majority of us are drowning in fiscal hot water. Why encourage anyone to enter the world of expediting at this time,when doing so, statistically speaking, will most likley lead them to financial ruin?
People attracted to the expediting industry will grasp at any posititve encouragement. When they ask how well everyone on this board is doing,there may be a dozen people that state that business is very slow and they are becoming insolvent. Then, invariably, there are one or two people who interject their opinion that all is well, that they are very busy,and that they can't understand why others claim to be doing poorly. Many of those who desire to get into expediting may believe that those whom are doing poorly are doing so because of individual insufficiencies and not because of the current state of affairs in our industry. They will think that because they they are of reasonable intelligence themselves, that they will be like those whom are doing well.
I would like to see those few that are doing well not paint a rosy picture of our industry at a time when our industry is in the worst fiscal shape of its history.
People attracted to the expediting industry will grasp at any posititve encouragement. When they ask how well everyone on this board is doing,there may be a dozen people that state that business is very slow and they are becoming insolvent. Then, invariably, there are one or two people who interject their opinion that all is well, that they are very busy,and that they can't understand why others claim to be doing poorly. Many of those who desire to get into expediting may believe that those whom are doing poorly are doing so because of individual insufficiencies and not because of the current state of affairs in our industry. They will think that because they they are of reasonable intelligence themselves, that they will be like those whom are doing well.
I would like to see those few that are doing well not paint a rosy picture of our industry at a time when our industry is in the worst fiscal shape of its history.
Very well stated !! But you know the old saying "misery loves company" unfortunately people would rather watch everyone else drown while they are.Ifor one am all for thinning the heard so to speak anyways,as maybe this would help drive up freight costs!! there is no reason for people to be away from home and family for so long to only make what you could make as a co. driver and be home every night! Am i wrong???
Marty,
Let me respond to your comments as a newbie who is entering the expedited freight industry soon. My wife and I have read and considered the positive and negative comments alike. We've talked in person to numerous drivers, fleet owners, and recruiters. We've concluded that you cannot determine the facts of the industry from any one person's view of it or experience in it, positive or negative. We've also concluded that when it comes to success or failure, expedited trucking is no different than any other industry.
In law, there are numerous people who enter the trade who never should have been lawyers. They eventually leave. The technology trades have been rocked by market forces in recent years. Massive numbers of well-qualified people found themselves out on the street when just a year before they were at the top of their game. In finance, thousands of stockbrokers washed out of the industry when discount brokerage, no-load mutual funds, and online investment information emerged. Even state-employed bureaucrats are getting laid off these days.
Yet in law, technology, finance, and government, there are many thousands of people who continue to chart successful courses through the storms. They are doing just fine for themeslves and the people they serve. While you'll have no trouble finding an attorney, technician, stockbroker, or bureaucrat tell you to pursue other opportunities, you can also find others saying you can do fine in today's economy.
I believe if yod did a study of 100 new drivers who enter enter the trade this year, you'll find that well over half of them will be out of the business five years later. I also belive the same holds true for most other professions. If you know of a place where guaranteed success and prosperity can be found in today's economy, I'd sure like to hear about it.
If you belive newbies should stay out of the trade today, what would you have them do instead?
Let me respond to your comments as a newbie who is entering the expedited freight industry soon. My wife and I have read and considered the positive and negative comments alike. We've talked in person to numerous drivers, fleet owners, and recruiters. We've concluded that you cannot determine the facts of the industry from any one person's view of it or experience in it, positive or negative. We've also concluded that when it comes to success or failure, expedited trucking is no different than any other industry.
In law, there are numerous people who enter the trade who never should have been lawyers. They eventually leave. The technology trades have been rocked by market forces in recent years. Massive numbers of well-qualified people found themselves out on the street when just a year before they were at the top of their game. In finance, thousands of stockbrokers washed out of the industry when discount brokerage, no-load mutual funds, and online investment information emerged. Even state-employed bureaucrats are getting laid off these days.
Yet in law, technology, finance, and government, there are many thousands of people who continue to chart successful courses through the storms. They are doing just fine for themeslves and the people they serve. While you'll have no trouble finding an attorney, technician, stockbroker, or bureaucrat tell you to pursue other opportunities, you can also find others saying you can do fine in today's economy.
I believe if yod did a study of 100 new drivers who enter enter the trade this year, you'll find that well over half of them will be out of the business five years later. I also belive the same holds true for most other professions. If you know of a place where guaranteed success and prosperity can be found in today's economy, I'd sure like to hear about it.
If you belive newbies should stay out of the trade today, what would you have them do instead?
A-Team,
I wish for you great success in this industry!
Nurse, to answer your question. There is a great shortage of nurses in this country and with two years of education you can start out making a great deal more money than you will at expediting. There are other fields of occupation in which there are also shortages of qualified workers. Unfortunatly the expediting industry has a great excess of people doing it.
You state that in our industry there will probably be a failure rate of 50% in the course of the next 5 years. In actuality there will be more than that in the next year. Most expedited companies are experiencing a 200% to 300% turn over per year at present. One company who was one of the strongest in this industry for many years has just laid-off a large percent of it work force.
Business is slower than it has ever been in this industry. Many companies are cutting back on expediting due to the loss of revenue they are experiencing in this current economic slow down. Many companies have turned away from dependance on a on-time delivery supply chain due to the events of 9/11. After witnessing a disruption in air freight immediatly after 9/11 many companies decided it was in there best interest to start wharehousing more of their products. Their fear was that if this country goes through a major terrorist attact that maybe all forms of transportation might be shut down by the government leaving them without needed product.
A-team, I am not going to say that you shouldn't come into this industry. I have no way of knowing if you will succeed or not. I have no way of knowing your financial needs or if you care whether or not you will just be making it or if you desire to do a little better than that. Only you can determine if you should take the risk. I am just asking the people whom have been in expediting for a long time not to paint too rosy a picture of this industry in its current shape. People who have been in expediting for years know that very few of us are making it in this industry right now. I just would like to see us give a more realistic picture to newbies inorder for them to base their decissions on.
I wish for you great success in this industry!
Nurse, to answer your question. There is a great shortage of nurses in this country and with two years of education you can start out making a great deal more money than you will at expediting. There are other fields of occupation in which there are also shortages of qualified workers. Unfortunatly the expediting industry has a great excess of people doing it.
You state that in our industry there will probably be a failure rate of 50% in the course of the next 5 years. In actuality there will be more than that in the next year. Most expedited companies are experiencing a 200% to 300% turn over per year at present. One company who was one of the strongest in this industry for many years has just laid-off a large percent of it work force.
Business is slower than it has ever been in this industry. Many companies are cutting back on expediting due to the loss of revenue they are experiencing in this current economic slow down. Many companies have turned away from dependance on a on-time delivery supply chain due to the events of 9/11. After witnessing a disruption in air freight immediatly after 9/11 many companies decided it was in there best interest to start wharehousing more of their products. Their fear was that if this country goes through a major terrorist attact that maybe all forms of transportation might be shut down by the government leaving them without needed product.
A-team, I am not going to say that you shouldn't come into this industry. I have no way of knowing if you will succeed or not. I have no way of knowing your financial needs or if you care whether or not you will just be making it or if you desire to do a little better than that. Only you can determine if you should take the risk. I am just asking the people whom have been in expediting for a long time not to paint too rosy a picture of this industry in its current shape. People who have been in expediting for years know that very few of us are making it in this industry right now. I just would like to see us give a more realistic picture to newbies inorder for them to base their decissions on.
>I believe if yod did a study of 100 new drivers who enter
>enter the trade this year, you'll find that well over half
>of them will be out of the business five years later. I also
>belive the same holds true for most other professions. If
>you know of a place where guaranteed success and prosperity
>can be found in today's economy, I'd sure like to hear about
>it.
Ateam, you know me from misc.transport.trucking. In that group you were given a wide variety of the most varied thoughts on this subject from a very wide group of people.
In expediting as well as the professions you cited, there are a variety of reasons for success or failure. Some of those who fail in expediting would have most likely failed in other ventures throughout their lives.
In this current market, we have diminished opportunity for profitability. There are currently many who are knowledgable about this business that are having tough times and some are failing. Others continue to do well while recognizing that the current situation is less than ideal.
Still others who you would think much more likely to fail continue to thrive. Some of this can be attributed to plain dumb, blind luck - i.e. being in the right place at the right time.
The dumb luck part of it is the gamble. There really isn't any way to control what customer will call from a given area with a big dollar load. Some areas run hot for a while then nothing comes out of them for weeks. Other areas seem to have a steady but moderate demand for expedited freight. Catching the right break when you need it is the one variable that is not totally within the control of anyone who does this.
In reading the previous responses to the original posts one could compare expediters to deer herds. In prosperous times the herd flourishes and numbers increase. Good health is enjoyed by the majority. In lean times, starvation and disease affect large numbers of the population. Despite this, there are always a few specimens who are in extremely good condition. Others end up as roadkill. It's what we're seeing in the expedite business today. It's a crapshoot.
The best truck, best planning, and 100% availability aren't getting the job done for some. Others stumble through with something that is best compared to devine deliverance.
>enter the trade this year, you'll find that well over half
>of them will be out of the business five years later. I also
>belive the same holds true for most other professions. If
>you know of a place where guaranteed success and prosperity
>can be found in today's economy, I'd sure like to hear about
>it.
Ateam, you know me from misc.transport.trucking. In that group you were given a wide variety of the most varied thoughts on this subject from a very wide group of people.
In expediting as well as the professions you cited, there are a variety of reasons for success or failure. Some of those who fail in expediting would have most likely failed in other ventures throughout their lives.
In this current market, we have diminished opportunity for profitability. There are currently many who are knowledgable about this business that are having tough times and some are failing. Others continue to do well while recognizing that the current situation is less than ideal.
Still others who you would think much more likely to fail continue to thrive. Some of this can be attributed to plain dumb, blind luck - i.e. being in the right place at the right time.
The dumb luck part of it is the gamble. There really isn't any way to control what customer will call from a given area with a big dollar load. Some areas run hot for a while then nothing comes out of them for weeks. Other areas seem to have a steady but moderate demand for expedited freight. Catching the right break when you need it is the one variable that is not totally within the control of anyone who does this.
In reading the previous responses to the original posts one could compare expediters to deer herds. In prosperous times the herd flourishes and numbers increase. Good health is enjoyed by the majority. In lean times, starvation and disease affect large numbers of the population. Despite this, there are always a few specimens who are in extremely good condition. Others end up as roadkill. It's what we're seeing in the expedite business today. It's a crapshoot.
The best truck, best planning, and 100% availability aren't getting the job done for some. Others stumble through with something that is best compared to devine deliverance.
Well I have an idea where the freight goes... Take this for example.
I was in owensboro kentucky and had just dropped a load on my way back to Louisville. I get as far as Dale, IN right there where I-64 and US 231 meet had just pulled in to get something to drink and no sooner do i pull the parking brake I get this kickass load offer going 800-something miles to new Jersey paying $1300 something dollars to the truck. Naturally i accept the load picking up in Bowling Green (routing me 130 miles right back where I just came from an hour before. Well it wasnt until AFTER i acceped the load I find out the load is going to transfer in lexington, ky 162 miles from the pickup and was only going to pay me $190 or something like that . Well after I stop on the side of the road and retrieve the Qualcomm that landed on the step and was banging against the side of the truck after i tossed it out the window, I find out I cant even pick this stuff up until 10:00 that night. Once I got to the Pickup in Bowling Green, I back up to the dock but I wasnt about to back all the way up to the dock and call my facilitator and ask him what was going on. Now I am aware of the fact that FCC usually doesnt dispatch single drivers over 520 miles on a run, why was I supposed to be their gopher just because they couldnt cover their tails? Why Couldn't it transfer in allentown or somewhere like that? why did i deadhead 130 miles to take the load 162 miles to lexington and furthermore why was the freight hazardous and when i accepted the load it was marked with an "N" under the haz? field?? Finally, I convince him to let me take it to Cincinnatti for a 4am delivery...by this time it was 10PM }> Well I get the friehgt on the truck around 10:45 PM and have 3 hours and 15 minutes to go 260something miles.. Well Somehow I made it there on time thanks to the 65 mile an hour speed limit and a truck that can exceed that by far. So I ask you, if this stuff was supposed to transfer in Lexington, Why couldnt they send the driver (which was a team truck) to bowling green and have them get the freight to begin with?? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
I was in owensboro kentucky and had just dropped a load on my way back to Louisville. I get as far as Dale, IN right there where I-64 and US 231 meet had just pulled in to get something to drink and no sooner do i pull the parking brake I get this kickass load offer going 800-something miles to new Jersey paying $1300 something dollars to the truck. Naturally i accept the load picking up in Bowling Green (routing me 130 miles right back where I just came from an hour before. Well it wasnt until AFTER i acceped the load I find out the load is going to transfer in lexington, ky 162 miles from the pickup and was only going to pay me $190 or something like that . Well after I stop on the side of the road and retrieve the Qualcomm that landed on the step and was banging against the side of the truck after i tossed it out the window, I find out I cant even pick this stuff up until 10:00 that night. Once I got to the Pickup in Bowling Green, I back up to the dock but I wasnt about to back all the way up to the dock and call my facilitator and ask him what was going on. Now I am aware of the fact that FCC usually doesnt dispatch single drivers over 520 miles on a run, why was I supposed to be their gopher just because they couldnt cover their tails? Why Couldn't it transfer in allentown or somewhere like that? why did i deadhead 130 miles to take the load 162 miles to lexington and furthermore why was the freight hazardous and when i accepted the load it was marked with an "N" under the haz? field?? Finally, I convince him to let me take it to Cincinnatti for a 4am delivery...by this time it was 10PM }> Well I get the friehgt on the truck around 10:45 PM and have 3 hours and 15 minutes to go 260something miles.. Well Somehow I made it there on time thanks to the 65 mile an hour speed limit and a truck that can exceed that by far. So I ask you, if this stuff was supposed to transfer in Lexington, Why couldnt they send the driver (which was a team truck) to bowling green and have them get the freight to begin with?? GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
I will tell you from a lot of experience is that when you take a load thats going to transfer,right away you work out the miles and you tell dispatch where you want to transfer the freight.99% of the time they will do that as it relieves them the responsibilty of finding a location another truck etc. Make sure you want to tranfer in a major city where they can locate trucks. If they try to come back and short change you simply say"Sorry not enough money in for mr,find another unit".That statement always works,just because you are a solo driver,it doesn!t mean you should be penalized.