THE ADVENTURES CONTINUE - DFO gets a truck and hops on Schneider's IC Choice Program

I'm going to keep the one I originally picked. They didn't have anything in with a tri pack diesel unless you went to one of the premium trucks for 5000 down.

 

Question?If you and chicknwing were both sitting side by side,rested fueled and ready to go trucking and each of you accessed your respective load board at the same time; Would each one show the exact same load opportunities?

 

Good ? I'm gonna guess as long as they both access it at same rate of speed and computers refreshed identically. Yes

 

I truly believe different IC view different loads. Have not had the chance to prove my theory however a friend on the same board sees loads I do not. I can search by ST number and see it but with the same search criteria we see some different loads. He is based out of SC and we are based out if GB. That may be the difference. Not sure though.

 

I agree with CW.....one of the things I started doing lately, was setting a daily goal ($700).....in a way, it kinda helps make sense of the board.
Second, you said you booked yourself out a week and a half. Why? You're missing out on a lot of freight by covering up your calender. I typically don't book any more than the one I'm under, the one that gets me out, and, if the rates are right, the one after that. Right now, (Tuesday night) I'm booked till Friday night to Atlanta. I looked at what the board had to offer over the weekend, didn't like what I saw, so I'll look again tomorrow.........remember, it's just Tuesday and I'll be mty in Atlanta on Friday.....plenty of time to find something nice and Atlanta always has freight. Don't book early in places like Atlanta and Dallas......there's no need to. On the other hand, if you book yourself into BF Texas and you find something, anything to get you out, grab it.
Next, what kind of 'tools' are you using? By tools I mean wireless access. I have Verizon and I can go just about anywhere and log on. Mine runs about $120 a month and I use FoxFi rather than Verizon for my access. So, for guys like us who don't have someone at home to watch the load boards for us, we can roll at 6, stop and check the board at 8:30, at 12:00, at 2:30 and when we park......while it would be nice to have someone check to boards for us, it isn't necessary to be successful. However, having wireless access anywhere you go is.
Don't be lazy. It takes work and patience to put a good plan together. You're gonna book that $1500 load to Texas that has 3 days under it, and I'm gonna book 3 $700 loads at the same time.....I win.....BIG.
Finally, never lie about money. I have never "pre-arrived" myself, and I never would. The way I got it figured, it's a lot easier to explain why I suck, ('cause I've been doing it most of my life) than it is to explain why I lied.

1. never run cheap unless you got a really good reason to.
2. never go anywhere that you don't know how you're gonna get out.
3. there is a reason why that load pays $2.50......figure out why and base your decision on that
4. patience pays
5. set a daily goal, and work from there
6. don't miss out on revenue because you don't want to run your truck on Monday. One way or the other, you'll get your money
7. wake up every morning and thank God you have no one to answer to but yourself
8. tip your waitresses and bartenders; they're your friends

good luck!!


good luck,

 

I agree with this 100%....this exactly what I do. I book as I go, no need to tie up the truck.

 

I guess I'm just going to have to get in the habit of stopping a lot more often to check the load board. I honestly hate stopping, especially if it's a truck stop. Because it's never a quick stop having to get off the interstate, navigate whatever intersections there are, get into the truck stop, find a parking spot, back in, park, and get the laptop powered up. It is never a quick stop doing that, it's at least a 30 - 45 minute ordeal. Plus, I've spent so long training myself to keep that truck moving LOL.

Rest areas are a bit easier, assuming I have reception there. A surprising number of them seem to be cut off from a decent data signal, have no idea why.

But I'll just have to change how I do things. $2.00 a mile freight is pretty rare for me, but if it's actually pretty common, then I'm definitely missing out. Thanks for the info guys.

EDIT: I keep seeing people saying not to run cheap, and that naturally makes sense. But what do you guys consider as too cheap? I hate $1.10 per mile freight as much as the next guy, but if that's all there is, it's better to run that than it is to miss a truck payment. That's one of the big disadvantages to leasing one of these new trucks... I literally can't afford to take a day off and wait to see if better freight shows up. Even when I go home for hometime and take two days off, I have to make sure I have some cash put back for that next check, cuz I likely won't make much. That's why I only go home every 4 - 6 weeks.

 

manage yourself.....that's the whole deal, bro.
If you were managing an employee, would you have him stop every hour to look for a load, or would you have him stop every couple of hours or so, take a pee, walk around, and hop on the load board for a couple of minutes?
Manage yourself....thats the hardest part for some folks

 

I agree with most of the things dip said.
My personal goal is also $700 a day, $4200 for the week. I usually book myself out 3-4 days. Sometimes though if I can string together good loads paying over $1.75 per mile I'll do that.
I don't stop during the day and check the load board, I drive. I'll check in the morning, on my 30, and at night. I'll also check during live loads/unloads. I have not had a problem yet finding mostly good paying loads, with a few exceptions! I do always check for am exit strategy before I go anywhere though, even if it means a lengthy deadhead sometimes.
And of course when you have to go to a certain place for whatever reason you are limiting yourself. Like when I go to FL to visit my kids.
Hope this helps, good luck!

 

If your operating expenses are more than the rate skip the load. Say you're in Florida and the only loads are paying .98 cpm total and you know your operating costs are 1.10 per mile then you are paying .12 cpm to haul that freight as well as taking up your day under a load or maybe longer. I would expand my search area and look for better paying loads even if I had to BT a little farther. I understand it costs to BT and you should limit it if at possible. I'd rather pay to move to a better freight lane DH and be free to take a load than pay to haul someone's freight and be stuck under it. I also consider the possibility of something happening and possibly having to relay the load so not only did you pay to haul their freight but if it needs relaying now your hit with the repower charge. Just my .02 cent I wish you success.