Your Sprinter Sleeper

panthercub

Seasoned Expediter
I accepted one load that would have been too long for a 2-skid van; there was no additional pay involved. They knew upfront what my available length was and knew I could fit it. Obviously I could say I would have lost money by not getting the load; otherwise, nothing extra.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
and that is the exact logic most carriers use....

you are in a tough position , stand your ground and not give the space away for free or maybe lose the load and potential income...

carriers play on that...they say "well you jumped the list and are getting out before the others so you are making more money"

You can bet your booty the carrier has charged the extra for the space...
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Depends on the carrier. Some do, most don't. For most, it's all about what will fit as far as dimensions and weight, since the customer is renting the entire truck, whether it's one skid, an envelope, or more than 2 skids.

No they don't get the whole truck....

they have the AVAILABLE dimensions that I am selling ..

I have 49" wide by 12 foot long by 68" high...that is what is for sale....that is what is on record.

let me clarify a bit...if the shipper buys a CV that is what they get...anything over 100" long, over 48" high is not a CV. But I do have extra space for sale...
 
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Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
What I'm saying is, the customer rents the entire truck, the advertised load capacity of the truck, regardless of how much or how little they decide to ship, and number of skids or the weight doesn't matter, as long as it will fit into the truck's dimension and weight limits. With general freight and LTL, freight is usually booked by the pound, and 2 or 3 skids will pay more than 1 skid because of the additional weight of the second skid or third. That's generally not the case with expedited, where the truck gets rented based on dimensions and weight limit rather than by the pound.

For example, I've had a few occasions where I'm at a shipper picking up a single skid going to some location, and I notice they have second skid sitting there labeled for the same location. They were going to send that skid by a second van. I've asked them if they want me to go ahead and take it. They've asked how much more will it cost, and I've told them that since it'll fit and as long as the two skids don't weigh more than a certain amount, then the cost for one or two would be the same since they are renting the load capacity of my van rather than sending the freight by the pound or by the number of skids. I run into that about 6-8 times a year, actually. Happened just a few weeks ago, out west, where I was dispatched to pick up one piece, 200 pounds, and at the shipper they were commenting that they were having trouble finding a second cargo van to haul the other two skids. Well, the skids were 36 x 36 inches, which fits exactly into my 108 cargo length. I told them that I could fit all 3 skids in there with no problem, since the total weight was within my limits, and that the cost was the same for one or all three. They were happy.
 

panthercub

Seasoned Expediter
So, if I were to do it again, if it comes down to a matter of more comfortable living space, or the capacity to fit 3 skids, I am going with the former. 3 skids just doesn't seem to come up that often.
 

AMonger

Veteran Expediter
For example, I've had a few occasions where I'm at a shipper picking up a single skid going to some location, and I notice they have second skid sitting there labeled for the same location. They were going to send that skid by a second van. I've asked them if they want me to go ahead and take it. They've asked how much more will it cost, and I've told them that since it'll fit and as long as the two skids don't weigh more than a certain amount, then the cost for one or two would be the same since they are renting the load capacity of my van rather than sending the freight by the pound or by the number of skids. I run into that about 6-8 times a year, actually. Happened just a few weeks ago, out west, where I was dispatched to pick up one piece, 200 pounds, and at the shipper they were commenting that they were having trouble finding a second cargo van to haul the other two skids. Well, the skids were 36 x 36 inches, which fits exactly into my 108 cargo length. I told them that I could fit all 3 skids in there with no problem, since the total weight was within my limits, and that the cost was the same for one or all three. They were happy.
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Do you do that only if they are having trouble moving it, or do you offer all the time, regardless?
 

ebsprintin

Veteran Expediter
Looking good eb! What became of that beautiful coral colored recliner? Was it upholstered in genuine Naugahyde™???

If that recliner was mine to keep it probably would have been "genuine imitation", but it was a gift from my sister to my mother. I had to at least try it on for size.

eb
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Do you do that only if they are having trouble moving it, or do you offer all the time, regardless?
I do it all the time, regardless. I would normally not have any idea that they are having trouble moving the other skid. Normally, I show up and ID myself and tell them I'm there for a pickup going to wherever, and they hand me paperwork to sign and load the van. Normally I have no idea what they may be shipping out, other than what I'm there to pick up. But on those rare occasions that I notice something, I'll mention it and make the offer. Sometimes they place the second skid on my van, sometimes they don't for reasons of their own.

I once was picking up a single skid, a rather large box, and noticed another skid with a smaller box sitting right next to it with a label showing the same consignee. I made the offer, and they declined. Turns out, my skid contained 32 missile warhead body assemblies, everything except the "go-boom" explosives, and the second skid contained the actual "go-boom" parts. They said that not only do they not ship both of those containers on the same truck, they won't even ship them separately with the same carrier. :D
 

ebsprintin

Veteran Expediter
Just a couple months back I was early to the shipper. Too early for them to load me, so they made me sit. A cargo van came and got loaded. I chatted with the driver, and we figured out we were going to the same place, and I figured from what I saw that the entire order would fit in my sprinter. My turn to load and I got the small leftover part of the load. Shipping supervisor kept admiring my sprinter as he prepared the order, and finally he got around to the dimensions. I could tell he was kicking himself and at the same time trying to figure out how to order one of these higher volume vehicles next time.

eb
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
To be honest...business first...if a customer has that second skid and it does not go over 2,000 lbs I'd do the favour,

after that if it exceeds the parameters of a CV, now this is where I sell my services, I'll explain that he/shipper would save money even with the upgrade in rate as 2 vans would be more costly then my upgrade. Then I call customer service get the approval....yippee a .30 a mile raise...:D


Some would say well I just dinged a CV out of a load...I say tough...because now we have a happy customer that will probably use us as first call carrier...it is a win situation.
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
EB,
I had the opposite happen.

I get to the shipper, they have ten skids, I can only take 6 of them. They tell me another truck is on the way for the rest.

So I wait for the other truck, it is an E unit, empty E unit and they take 4 and I take 6.

I would rather let them take all of them and get something else but the agent said split the load because he makes more money this way.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
EB,
I had the opposite happen.

I get to the shipper, they have ten skids, I can only take 6 of them. They tell me another truck is on the way for the rest.

So I wait for the other truck, it is an E unit, empty E unit and they take 4 and I take 6.

I would rather let them take all of them and get something else but the agent said split the load because he makes more money this way.

See..I think that is just wrong for the business...sure another truck gets paid and a carrier/broker makes more money..
It's a rip job...are we not to supply the best service available to a customer?
 

ebsprintin

Veteran Expediter
EB,
I had the opposite happen.

I get to the shipper, they have ten skids, I can only take 6 of them. They tell me another truck is on the way for the rest.

So I wait for the other truck, it is an E unit, empty E unit and they take 4 and I take 6.

I would rather let them take all of them and get something else but the agent said split the load because he makes more money this way.

And I think in my case it was the broker's decision too. And the reason why the shipper wasn't happy, he was trying to figure out how to avoid being a repeat victim. I guess this is why there is always room for people who can find a way to work smarter.

eb
 

highway star

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
And I think in my case it was the broker's decision too. And the reason why the shipper wasn't happy, he was trying to figure out how to avoid being a repeat victim. I guess this is why there is always room for people who can find a way to work smarter.

eb

Am I missing something? The shipper should simply order the right size vehicle. If the call to the first choice carrier can't get it done, go down the list. I've been involved in these deals as well, seems to happen in automotive quite a bit. A less than scrupulous broker/carrier can easily take advantage of someone that doesn't really give a flip about spending the companies money. They just want to make one call and be done with it.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Thankfully many more shippers are sprinter aware..:D


In Gregs example he said the shipper had 10..so why was he sent there by his broker? and the broker sells yet another truck....no wonder we think brokers are crooks..they are...
 

jugbutt

Seasoned Expediter
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how are you charging your system? Solar? Love the set up!
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
I charge the house bank with the vehicle's alternator, using a battery separator.
 
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