general commodities dry van

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That's a bunch of Crop! Work Hard! Yeah right. Would you like to run the north and south, back to back non stop for 4 weeks straight? And only receive 500 bucks for the whole month? Would you like to run the east to west coast for 900 dollars, when it takes that much for fuel? Company and Owner Operators are both sitting. Waiting on Loads. Freight is cheap and loads aren't moving as quickly. Yet as a company drivers, you have no worries.,,, as long as you're not sitting too long. They don't have to worry about , fuel, maintenence, truck payments and repairs. Out of All the Years in the Trucking Industry, I have Never seen Freight this cheap. The rates have dropped 50%.!! Yet, what I can't understand is, why does FedEx get to raise their rates? Hey Jarhed,,, Good Luck Over there! I give you my best Wishes for You. You May be Better Off right where you're at. Once a Marine, Always a Marine!

i agree with the O/O parts of your statement. BUT I myself have not been sitting waiting for loads OR sitting on them for delivery.
i have been pretty steady since the beginning of the year. USUALLY preplanned for my next load. 2500-3000 a week (except when hometime falls in the same week)
i HAVE been told by my dispatcher (and other Co. drivers) that i have been "lucky" some have had the same exp as i, some NOT. i dont know if it is "right place at right time" OR the fact i choose to run "super regional" (which takes me out of SE regularly. OR my time mgmt. NOT SURE.

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tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.

Thanks! Yeah, I have read a few threads where co drivers have just hung up the steering wheel (cost of living on the road, vs cost of rotting at home with a bigger fridge). Anyway, shortly after I mobilized in November and left my Insurance Brokerage, I realized how bad it was and how lucky I was to get back in the Corps in 2006 after 16 year out (yeah, thats right. I came back in the Corps at age 41..... because folks said I coulnt do it). Good money, guaranteed check, housing for the wife and kid paid for in Charlotte, etc.... I'm not in harms way yet though. Hopefully get to go to Afghanistan this summer (MORE money, and less of it taxed!). I guess I'm lucky.

Granted, the Health Insurance Sales biz is doing beautifully, actually up over a year ago. But it appears that trend might be turning, considering that even small business owners (my biggest source of prospects) are starting to disappear and close their businesses. One thing is for sure, health insurance is one of the things families in trouble are hanging on to, and folks in my biz save them money and keep them away from yearly rate increases by constantly changing plans every year at renewal/rate increase time (first year premiums are usually guaranteed at a lower amount).

That all said, I'd imagine that after a while, even the health benefits biz will take a hit because there wont be any more money to maintain health insurance. Food and shelter comes before healthcare I'm afraid.

One thing is for sure, I have two options when I get home, because nobody seems to even want to sniff at my former corporate experience, and honestly, I wont go back into a corporate office unless I am allowed to take a belt-fed weapon. Option 1: Continue the health ins biz. Option 2: Manual Labor or Driving Truck (I have an affinity for driving truck although it does not buy me the type of lifestyle I'm used to).

Hope things pick up for everyone by the time I get back.

YES!! nor I!!! due to the reasons stated by doubledear.

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tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.

Not van, reefer, or flat... that's for sure. You all can fight over that!

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You can always tell a trucker, but you can't tell him MUCH!

Guide to Instant O/O and Loadboards thread:
Financial settlements: 50, 68, (80), 82, 123, 166 (cumulative), 166 all repairs/maintenance, 181, 205
Pics: 3, 9, 10, 16, 24, 29, 32, 41, 61, 63, 78, 84, 94, 96, 119, 210, 326
Vids: 47, 48, 63, 74, 77, 80, 82, 96, 172, 211
JasontheRock cost investment summary: 87

i hope not, health ins is one of the best things to have. but seems the high deductible HSA's are becoming ALOT more popular these days. NOT good for the broker of more traditional plans.
med bills are one of the top 3 causes of bankruptcy in the US.

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tip for new truckers: to err is human, to forgive is not D.O.T. policy.

Well, while HSA's are definitely becoming more popular, you have to remember that most brokers (including myself) do handle them. As a matter of fact, I legally represent every life and health product by every carrier I'm contracted with. If someone really wants a smaller premium, I'll talk to them about HSA's and setting up a seperate HSA account, which is portable to whatever carrier you are covered by. So, brokers and agents of a particular company, say United Healthcare or Assurant for example, will have no problem moving that product.

And you are 130% correct that Med Bills are one of the top three causes of BK.

I dont think you have anything to be worried about. Even with The Magic N..... Obama, Insurance Carriers are not going to disappear. What I meant by the biz taking a hit is that each individual customer of health plans will be less likely to buy coverage for their family if the decision has to be made between health coverage and providing their family with food and shelter. Sad.

BTW, if you think HSA's are getting popular, google "HRA". Health Reimbursement Accounts. The employer puts several hundred pre-tax dollars into your paycheck, you buy your own individual health plan. Thats when you call me and I give you a few quotes to choose from. (If I'm not driving a truck)

My brother in law has been an owner op. for almost 35 yrs. and he is screaming about the current rates. He said the same things you did, about rates being cut in half. There is freight if your willing to haul it for .80 to 1.30 per mile. He said if he has to go below 1.30 he's just going to park his truck until spring.
I am currently furloughed from CSX Railroad, we have 38,000 empty rail cars sitting, and over 500 engines idled in various states on the east coast and in the mid west. It's slow everywhere, and I don't see it turning around any time soon. I work with guys that have 40 yrs. on the rails and they also said they've never seen it so bad.

Even RAIL is taking that big of a hit??? I remember spring of last year when I was still driving flatbed everyone talking about how the trend was to ship via rail then regional truck to the destinations. Apparently it was cheaper. Didnt realize rail was getting hit like that too, but I guess it makes sense. Not much shipping anywhere because people just arent buying anything anymore.

Everyone go out and buy something expensive........ NOW!!!!

Rails will be picking up sooner or later.
That's in the Master Plan for this country. All the countries are in the process of being turned into a One World Order. The First Bush , Administration already started it. Our money will be changed into Euro's.
But before all that happens ,this country will fall into a spiral downhill affect with the economy, before it crashes. Eventually the Rails will pick up and will move freight long distance. The health industry will crash too. But thats another subject for another time.
Right now, the only worry a company driver has, is losing his/her job from the downsizing of companies. And it's not just the truckers. The whole economy is feeling the effects. Right here on my local news, they were talking about employees losing their 401 plans for the sake of not reducing their pay rate. Or they have the choice of working lesser hours, with lesser pay.
The banks are crashing, and this starts the spiral downhill effect. Most businesses can't live on Credit. They have to operate on a cash flow system, at the level they are at. That means downsizing. The feds are trying to bailout the banks using our tax dollars.
I heard a large group of truckers at a truck stop talking about , instead of giving the banks the money, the Feds should give all the people 20,000 dollars each , and the people will get this country turned back around.

The health industry, is another subject. First too many doctors are leaving this country to practice in other countries. There is a shortage here already of doctors in this country. They can't afford to practice here in this country. Second , after the economy crashes, the health industry its self will come to a halt. With the economy that has already crashed, many people will be without insurance. Eventually health coverage will be "Only" for the Real Rich that can afford it. Believe me, that won't be too many people. Businesses won't be able to carry it any more. But by then, many companies will already have gone out of business.
There won't be many Large companies around, surviving, that people can work for.
If anyone ever watched "Little House on the Prairie", we will be eventually be living our lives , like in that era. Being Self Sufficient!. People won't be able to rely on Corporations to work for.

It's a Scary Subject to focus on, and to talk about ,, but It's Going to Happen. The year of the Y2K was the beginning of the One World Order System. Watch what happens in the next three years.
History does Repeat Itself.
And if any 'ole time Trucker remembers many years ago, how the Rails complained about the trucking industry taking over their work. The Rails will have that chance to get it back again.
There is Nothing New Under the Sun. And the government will create Infrustucture work, like they did back in the 1940 depression era. Which they are already talking about.

The rise and fall of Rome. Nothing new under the Sun.