lack of empty trailers

I think its just you, I never have a problem finding an empty trailer...

 

I got to work it tomorrow so you can't have it....

Besides its a little trailer, your shipper would probably look at you funny when you back into the dock with it....

 

Smarty pants.

You're not the only one, 1nonly. Especially this time of year. Often, businesses will "hide" their inventory in transit around tax time. Right now, they are putting it into high gear for the holidays and using our trailers as storage because they ordered more than will fit in the warehouse.

And then there's the year-round Great Texas Trailer Chase. It's nothing new...been going on since before I was a company driver.

Just use your Macro 38 and make it the planner's problem.

 

my biggest beef, are with terminals who let you stay hooked to an MT trailer on the yard. Like New Boston or Memphis, you have to drop it. All terminals should be that way. I go to Gary, drop a T-call, then get a PP, then look for an MT on the Gary yard, to find there are 10 of them....8 of which are hooked to trucks, and half of THEM dont even have Preplans. So then i have to get directions to go look for one. If we can't help each other out, why should i bring in an MT trailer into a terminal, have to drop it to pick up a t-call, just to make another driver's job easier? we all drop our MT trls....it makes everyone's job a little easier.

 

Phoenix makes you drop the empty also.

In the other terminals I know where to check for "hidden" empties ... sorry I'm not telling.

 

Or how about Manteno that has like 60 new '111' series trailers, but unless you're a daycab driver, you cant pull one out of there. I had a Costco load, needed an MT, and hooked to one of the 111 trls, only to be told 'it was on hold', and that it ment it was probably sold. Really? Swift is in the habbit of buying brand new trailers, never using them, then selling them? Okay, memphis.

Funny thing is...few days later, i saw that very '111' trl, sitting in Morris, IL. Costco DC.

 

I believe that series are 14 foot tall trailers. I had to take one of those brand new trailers from Manteno to Granite City/Wood River/Something Beach over there. My home terminal in California was absolutely freaking out sending multiple messages "ILLEGAL TRAILER, NO 14'S IN ILLINOIS!!" etc lol.

Reminds me of the time I pulled a Walmart trailer 2700 miles and computer didn't recognize the trailer in the Swift system.

 

Believe me folks, it is NOT just a SWIFT problem. It was one of my worst complaints about Knight. Finding an empty was a true knight mare. . .