Fuel for Thought

Never Give Up

I’m frequently trying to remind others and myself to not give up on their week. After a frustratingly slow week some drivers will throw their hands up and declare the week over and head home. This last weekend for me was another example why holding out for the weekend can turn a week into something it wasn’t. Thursday had me low on the list and thinking through my plans for a weekend of sitting. Friday morning nothing. By Saturday noon I had recorded two more loads worth a couple hundred miles, and I was about to make a self inflicted empty move across the state from Detroit to Grand Rapids when dispatch called.  Another load, this one from Detroit to within 40 miles of my Grand Rapids destination. I ended up sitting at one of my preferred layover spots without having excessive deadhead to get there. Friday noon to Saturday afternoon doubled the productivity of my week.

During my first year of expediting I quickly learned the importance of staying available and in the freight lanes over the weekend. Back then I still had a monthly weekend obligation in Dallas each month, so by mid-week before my weekend appointment, if I didn’t have a load heading in that direction, I was deadheading. Dallas being a weak location for expedited freight, it took another half week to get back into an area with respectable freight.  One lost week was easily 2000 lost miles for that three hour appointment. Weekend loads or keeping momentum through the weekend can easily account for a quarter of a month’s revenue.

This hold-out-for-the-weekend principle has applied to the three expedite carriers I've been associated with.

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