Coast to Coast Solos?

Discussion in 'Motor Carrier Questions - The Inside Scoop' started by bbmyls2go, Oct 25, 2010.

  1. bbmyls2go

    bbmyls2go Medium Load Member

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    Feb 19, 2006
    Chattanooga, TN
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    Please, no lectures - been in the biz for 15 years and have finally settled down in Chattanooga. Thanks to General Mills ditching their use of OTR trucks for intermodal, my dedicated fleet of choice for steady miles and decent hauls is gone.
    Like many, I got into trucking for the simple reason of loving the road - that means the long haul. I hired on at CR ENgland when they were boasting 1300 miles average length of haul and I loved it. Schneider has run me at about 400 miles average for my last year before I quit.
    Have been off for two months and calling and emailing everyone under the sun that advertises nationally and have been unable to find any that promise or even offer coast to coast runs for solos. Worse, I am prefering to find SE to the west coast and never see north of I-80 again or any of the "News" (New Jersey, New York, or New England).
    Have checked with Phoenix based outfits and Texas based outfits hoping to find dedicated lanes between them and ATL with no luck.
    Is anyone aware of any old fashioned coast to coast running outfits that have long haul for solos? Don't waste time with national companies - I have reearched them all and they have been an epic FAIL. I have two leads, but both of them only offer
    30cpm which means that to earn $900 with them, I have to drive 3000 miles while I could earn the same amount driving 800 miles less for Heartland or Swift (both have SE regional as well as terminals in Phoenix).
    Anyway, a long shot, I know, but thought I'd toss it out there - need to get thru a couple of more years before I can afford my own truck and my own authority and find my own I-10/20/40/70/80 freight.
    If anyone from Knight or Swift wants to reply, feel free, both companies ignored my email requesting specific opportunities for a Chatt based driver running southern lanes.bb.
     
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  3. EducatedMonkey

    EducatedMonkey Bobtail Member

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    Oct 22, 2010
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    You'll be hard pressed to find anyone doing coast to coast solo anymore. Good luck in your search.
     
  4. bbmyls2go

    bbmyls2go Medium Load Member

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    Feb 19, 2006
    Chattanooga, TN
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    yeah, I just found a thread about an outfit up near Scranton (Calex) and have sent an inquiry though I think my being in Chatt puts me out of their hiring area (FL,PA, and CA). Have had the same difficulty with firms back east in NC who think the 50 mile detour south of the I-40 corridor is to much out of route for their lanes. oh well.
     
  5. flatbedder

    flatbedder Medium Load Member

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    Oct 10, 2006
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    I dont have any suggestions for companies but look around your area for the small fleets/O/O's. In my area ive spoke with numerous mom n pop's that run out to the west coast and back exclusively.
     
  6. Mortar Man

    Mortar Man Road Train Member

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    I don't know this to be gospel

    But I thought someone said that
    DART had some good runs if you don't mind staying out ...

    Might wanna check them out I don't work there but so can't give any solid info
     
    Captbob412 Thanks this.
  7. frdr

    frdr Medium Load Member

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    Aug 25, 2007
    houston, tx.
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    Haul produce. They can't put it on rails, as it has to get to the market quickly.

    Downside: It doesn't pay much, and you do a lot of waiting to load/unload.
     
  8. Mortar Man

    Mortar Man Road Train Member

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    Dec 16, 2008
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    Never go wrong there
    Everyone has to eat
     
  9. Flying Finn

    Flying Finn Heavy Load Member

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    Ontario, Canada
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    Deck work many times is also coast to coast. Although you had better be prepared to work your hiney off. Even in the RAIN! :biggrin_2559:
     
    James j Thanks this.
  10. REDD

    REDD The Legend

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    Dueling Banjoville
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    Call All American Xpress in Calhoun, GA

    They run coast to coast.

    Another one to call id Quest. I'm not sure they are team or not.
     
  11. bbmyls2go

    bbmyls2go Medium Load Member

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    Feb 19, 2006
    Chattanooga, TN
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    thanks everyone - Redd, I submitted an app with All American Express , will look into Quest but think I checked them out earlier and took them off my list.
    Have no flatbedding experience otherwise I might try TMI that is recruiting heavily around here right now.
    Produce and small companies (so far they are one and the same) have been the ones offering very low pay (30-32cpm) so I think I have decided that even though I like the long haul they offer, I'm not crazy about the 15 extra hours of driving and countless extra hours at grocery warehouses to unload to earn the same pay as a 40cpm national regional outfit.
    Kentucky24, I talked to Dart at the Dallas GATS and wasn't impressed (low pay), but maybe I'll revisit their website - 'preciate it!
     
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