Mercer Van opportunities?

Oh, now I see, it's THAT kind of blue pony ...
I hadn't thought of it that way

 

Poor REDD I just called him and warned him about the snow and ice along I-10 sure hope he makes it to Cali ok......lol..ok roshea did REDD miss any of the fill in the blanks on your questions?????? he is busy today but I have time now......over all we like it here...VANS well I several friends on vans and I lean to the flats over-all...its Mercer's specialty.......it is the slow time of the year no matter here you go.....the word has been for a year now that if you can make it till March 2010 you ill "make it".......we have been doing cut backs for over a year just to make it though this...still there are no gurantees........but as for companies the drivers need to be willing to run and not overly picky on the loads right now........if you are doing flats you need to be able to haul the weight......Mercer looses loads every day to companies with lighter trucks......

 

Yes, sometime next year we all hope and expect things to improve. People that are paying attention are wondering what effect CSA2010 is going to have. Maybe more drivers and companies running legal, and will there be a massive decrease in available drivers once it is in full force? For the remaining drivers that would be good, at least in theory.

So what are the weights on loads that the company is losing out on? In that case I'd say an all aluminum trailer would have an advantage. I know a lot of O/O's want fancy long wheelbase trucks that also come with a weight penalty, is that part of the problem also?

 

The weights vary...

The load I took out to Cali had me grossing 80,180 full of fuel. The load back into El Paso weighed 23K. Then the load from there to Houston only weighed 10K. Today I loaded 46K.

 

You really need to stop getting your weather forecasts from Al Roker.

 

Thanks REDD. I have my approval now to sign on whenever I decide, and to get a trailer, or trailers if I put on more trucks. So far I must say they have been the most cooperative and helpful people I've ever dealt with for processing an application and getting information. I've go so many loose ends to tie up here I don't know how long it will take to complete things. I'm still trying to figure out how to get a plate for the tractor just to get it out to Louisville.

Did you and Lil Blue get your trailers through them, or on your own? That will be the only payment I have since all trucks are paid for, so I'm hoping I can do okay especially starting at this time of year. I think I need to do a mod to the exhaust if I am to be legal to run to Cali. I can't find out much about getting it done, except in Cali itself. Somebody has to have the parts outside of that state. Your truck is probably newer and meets the regs, at least for another two or three years.

Heading back to GA after Houston?

 

I'm not sure about her, but I did lease my trailer from them.

I have no emissions on my truck at all. It is a 2001 & from what I have been told is that it is good until 2012... Then I'd probably stop running Cali.

Nope. In a motel right now getting my 34 hour reset... Then off to Jersey. If I don't get a load out of there, I'd probably deadhead home for turkey day.

 

Mine is a 98 and I think it falls under a different classification. They've sure made it hard with all these regulations anymore. You can barely find the details about some of this stuff. And without the internet how in the world would a driver, or anybody else, be able to keep informed about all the changes taking place? The only time we would learn about some of these rules is when we get inspected and cited for breaking them.

You can justify DH back from NJ, that's a pretty long way!

 

I did it just a few weeks ago.

 

If you can handle DH like that occassionally and still show the numbers you posted then that's a good thing. I'm looking for a place to park so I can take a few days and visit with my mom up in PA. If I take a load up it saves the expense and time of driving up on my bike, then back here, wasting two travel days.

If you can get something even part way back that should help a lot, I know freight out of the NE has been pretty slow in some spots. And you don't have any extra time to wait I guess if you are wanting to get back before Thursday.

Do you have any idea how much the typical 48x102 combo weighs? Which model and year did you get?

I still have lots of little questions, just day to day kind of things. Do you use Mercer logs or just get your own? And how do you turn in paperwork? I know they talk about terminal pay, but running TO a terminal could greatly increase out of route miles. Can you give me an idea of how the pay system really works?