My rides...if only I had something to do with them now, lol.

Crazy times right now. No work, phone quit ringing...can't seem to connect with anything worth hauling. What's going on...saturation has arrived maybe?

It's a shame when an owner operator actually looks forward to a national DOT blitz to see if it cleans up the pool...but I doubt that will scratch the surface of this.

So meanwhile, I can stare at my iron and reminisce of the days when I actually worked...

 

Tain't m' first rodeo friend....

That white tractor had a tape measure pulled on it about 4 times before I released the brakes. Went from Bethel, Pa. to Orange, Mass. across I-78, 287N, NY Thruway, Berkshire spur, I-91, rt. 2 to it's new home, and proud to say never scraped an underpass nor took down one cable TV wire. Reason was...I make sure things are 13' 6" tall max, or thereabouts.

Exactly a week before this white one was loaded on, I had a 2016 Western Star on of my buddy's who broke down on the NY Thruway I went and rescued. His is about 3 feet longer, and a bit taller with 24.5 rubber instead of 22.5's... so his rear axle was planted between the trailer axles on the stantions (and I loaded it the opposite direction) and again, never scraped a bridge, took out a phone line...was 13' 6" according to the tape measure.

I appreciate yer jesture, but I got a pretty good handle on what I do day in and day out since 1978, just ain't finding it very consistent at the moment.

I hear you on that bowl of soup scenario once a week...but my wife would get pretty onry if that's all I provided until it gets back to normal, and the creditors won't accept soup, so I gotta continue to work at making something happen sooner than later.

And, we just moved here from another spot 35 miles away almost two years now. I don't have it in me to do another move...and please, would you send me that crystal ball of yours on loan, so I can see the place where I need to be where everything is nothing but rainbows and unicorns dancing in the streets all day?

 

Appreciate the kind offer, but I think I'll keep her. The price would be way outa your realm if I considered it anyways...Too much sweat equity into that one to put a normal number on it.

 

Hahaha, UShip...there's a good one. (no offense to you whatsoever Old school 362...) They make me look good. I've moved a couple of machines locally for customers that called on UShip. BOTH of these people waited several weeks for a truck to show up that promised immediate arrival to load; and both never did. One actually called and said he was sick. Then when I quoted the price to do the move, they said "If you get here TODAY, I'll give you an extra $100.00". One guy showed me his paperwork from UShip with $700.00 cash clipped to it, I charged him $500.00 and he tried to give me the full $700. I know, a lot of people would not hesitate to grab it all...but I just took my $500.00 and said to bring his family (4 kids there,) out for something nice on me.

On a lighter, more positive note; I'd been doing my due dilligence since my slow period I was encountering when I started showing up here again frequently, trying to figure out where I could find some quality work. I landed a relationship with a "personal dispatcher" from a search I was doing. The timing was right on both of our sides, as I needed someone that could look for, call brokers, and negotiate the best deal...fill out carrier packets, get set up, etc. That was KILLING me having to do all that plus the trucking.

This woman has been in the field for 10+ years as a dispatcher, etc. and she has the "edge" needed to deal with brokers. I had a load I found on May 9th going from Maine to Scranton, Pa. and I had nothing else in sight but that. I was going to deadhead back home.

She called me as I was loading Monday and had me in a 3 way conference call with a broker, putting together the deal to load a piece of equipment in Philly going to Columbus, that paid me $4.00/mile and weighed 4900 lbs. (That's right...) I did that, then Thursday morning reloaded in the very same place I delivered going to port of Wilmington, De. for $3.10/mile. Then I deadheaded home, but got a call from my own customer and ended up grabbing a bulldozer in Ct. going towards my home for an additional $500.00. (I grabbed that with my trailer, then transferred it to my A Model rollback for ease of getting to the customer's place.)

It turned into a wicked week for me revenue-wise, and this gal took the weight off my shoulders by doing all the behind-the-scenes work for me and let me do what I do best. And, she's very, very reasonable. I pay her weekly before I ever get paid, as she needs the money and I need the help.

If any of you flatbedders, stepdeckers or rgn'ers are interested in using her for finding some loads here and there, we (her and I,) are in the process of building a small team of about 5-6 QUALITY, professional, level-headed businessmen that would be interested in her services as a personal dispatcher. Again, I was impressed with her style in dealing with the dispatchers and brokers, and her negotiating skills. She can help you stay rolling, as she does me. I never skipped a beat since the first day she came aboard. Hence the absence from the computer time, lol....

I loaded a Peterbilt tractor in N. Wilksboro, NC last Thursday afternoon going to Bordentown, NJ. Was described as being 12' high on the rate confirmation. It was a lot taller than that, so after a couple hours there dealing with removing the front tires, deflating rears, etc. I got it down to an "acceptable" height, (I won't reveal the number, as it may not have been acceptable to many others,) and had to re-mount the wheels, blow the rears back up, etc. in the receiver's yard the next day. I explained to my gal that I'd really like to get a few bucks extra from the broker for my labor and time. Usually, you're screwed. By golly, she got me what I asked for. That made me happy and sealed the deal.

If anyone's interested, again, if you have a flat, step or RGN and need someone to deal with the headaches of finding, booking and negotiating for loads...you can PM me and I'll get back to you with the info.

Just keep in mind, I'm trying to help her as much as anyone else that gets involved, so be honest and up front, and willing to pay her....and you'll be surprised at how much of the burden will be lifted off your shoulders if you're doing it all by yourself now.