Pilgrim's Mt. Pleasant, TX (Hopper)

Our truck pulled into Pilgrims in Mt. Pleasant, TX at 12:00 (noon) on 08/07/15, there were 15 trucks ahead of ours, they told us it was taking about 20-30 min each to load. Giving the math we should have been loaded between 21:00 - 23:00 that night. My guys rolled out at 12:00 (noon) on 08/08/15. The line did not go down, the workers were not lazy, the guys said they were working as fast as they could. What would be the problem, not enough workers to do the job. They require a wash out and don't want to reimburse for it. They wan't a wash out for about anything that was in the hopper prior. We hauled organic feed prior, and were picking up feather meal from them. The same products that they were stating we needed the washout for were also in their product and then some. I have no problem with getting a washout if the customer wants it, providing they are willing to pay for the washout, the extra miles and the extra time involved. Luckily for us, I had the guys stop along the way and get the washout to just be prepared for the possibility.

Total Lost Money for this project:

Washout: $50.00
Time Lost: 24 hrs @ $100.00 per hour $2400.00 (based upon what this truck could do in one day with two drivers)

Total revenue loss for this project: $2450.00

If the management at Pilgrims had to pay that or half of that for each truck that they were loading they would:

A: hire more people to get the job done faster
B: only order the number of trucks they needed
C: pay up and not worry about it (we know that is not going to happen)

Remember not to let your emotions play when posting, only use the facts, do not make up bogus things when using another's name, that would be legally considered libel. Just stick to the facts and the truth and you will not loose in a lawsuit. In this case I have two drivers and myself, time ins and out, to back up our statements.

 

I would agree with you normally, but the guy that was about three trucks in front of my guys had been there since the day before, he had 36 hrs waiting to get loaded. I have already gotten phone calls from other hopper guys and my guys confirmed this, they were loading their own trucks (even if they came in behind ours) before they were loading the outside carriers. So it goes to reason that they don't want to loose money on their trucks but it is ok for us to loose money for them. Don't worry, the next time somebody ask for our truck to go there we will be adding in the $2400.00 to the basic rate per mile. This is how we do it here, we may take it on the chin one time, but after that we either get paid in advance or we won't haul from or to that location any more.

 

When you run spot market, as you well know there is not a contract as the Mega-Carriers have. Nor am I interested in going to contract with these type of companies. Those type of contracts are lopsided for the shipper, so the only recourse a small carrier like myself has is to let others know the truth, and the next time they call for one of our trucks we do exactly what you say, jack up the rates for the previous lost revenue from going there. Maybe if all looked at my numbers and started asking for the extra $2400.00 going in, then who cares if it takes 24 hrs to get loaded. By the way when we hauled frac sand they indeed paid the $100.00 per hr for our trucks. I have other customers as well that pay that money. The bottom line is that this location would rather load their own trucks vs outside carriers. OUTSIDE CARRIERS BE WARNED!!!

 

Yeah, I know what you are talking about. My guys and I were having this talk last night and were getting ready to deadhead back to Peculiar vs sitting it out. My guys said they would ride it out because they know that I will tell the truth to the rest of the truckers out there, and also put a price out for others to know what to ask for going in. Sometimes we take the hit just to get the information, I had heard for a long time how bad it was there and had never sent one of our trucks in before. I had already pushed the price up more then the other trucks were getting because of past information. Now that the information is confirmed by my truck, I have a moral obligation to tell others the truth, along with an evaluation as to what the problem is, and the cost to fix the problem. I figure that Pilgrim's won't want to pay my consulting fees, so here is the way to get them to pay the rest of you my consulting fees. Not saying we won't go in again, but next time it will cost even more. Once they fix their problem I will let everybody know, and then we can lower the price a little for them.

You know the deal there will be another sucker that will go in there without knowing what is about to happen to them. I feel that if you already know, and can bid accordingly then you are better prepared for the battle. You notice I am not griping about the rate per mile from my customer (the buyer).

 

If they request the washout then yes. Please read the prior product, and before you tell me to suck it, remember that we can't just run down to the local blue beacon and get a washout. Washouts used to be paid for in both the hopper and livestock world. Now that freighthauling brokers are here they think we should do more and more for free. By the looks of your pay to date I am believing that you are a freighthauler, tell the bull rack or the hopper guy to suck it and see what happens. When you are ready to start Riding Dirty give me a call and I will show you what real trucking really is.

YTD: $102,654.52 with one truck only running on average 1600 - 2000 miles per week. So there you go SUCK IT!!