mercer transportation

I have a friend that is filling out an application right now, if they bring him on I may just give him these tarps to get him started. If not, I will probably give them to some other new guy next time I'm in louisville.

 

Have no fear @Razorwyr First, I am the worlds slowest trapper period . I've been at this 5.5 months now and I'm afraid I'll never be in that 30 min. club. However, I must admit I am slowly getting faster. I've learned a few tricks like the "truckers hitch" that makes getting tarp tight a lot easier. I do want some light lumber tarps tho. We just have to stick with it.

 

Thanks, I have been killing time today since I am just sitting around twiddling my thumbs this weekend and have been looking into some tarp options and I think I am going to get a couple 24x27 lumber tarps. I believe just having to throw only 2 tarps even on a full load will speed me up, plus having the flaps, like I said before, will make it easier for me to make it look good. That alone should cut my time in half. I'm not worried about how long it actually takes me to tarp, I just know the shorter runs usually pay more per mile and since I take so long to tarp I end up wasting half the day doing that. In order to make any money, I tend to go after loads that are 3 day runs, but then because I am being a little picky on that, I end up deadheading a little more and taking loads that pay a little less per mile. I'm doing well overall, definitely no complaints there, I just know that I have a potential to make more once I find ways to cut time at the shipper and receiver.

 

I'm trying the short run stuff right now for the second time. Not sure I'm a big fan. Lots of extra work and in the end I haven't realized any extra $. Yes my PPM is now closer to 3 then 2 but the added hours of work has brought my gross way down. I'll fiddle with it for a few more weeks before I head back home. It took me a couple of weeks to learn the tricks to making good $ out west. I need to give the Ohio valley a fair shot.

 

Yeah, that's kind of where I'm at. I can take a $3 load going 200 miles and burn the whole day to get $500 after fuel or I can take a $2 load going 1200 miles and get $900 a day after fuel.

 

Here's a hint for you guys "trying" short loads. Many agents have drivers that just run local. Those loads don't get put on the boards, they just get what the local guys need. Making friends with agents, showing them you are reliable, can pickup and deliver on time, can get you good loads, if they like you they will contact customers that may have loads that will suit your preferences better. Agents usually have a much larger freight pool to choose from than there are available drivers, they don't always go after load to places the majority of drivers don't want to go to, however that doesn't mean nobody wants to go there. Ask them in person, this is not something most coordinators will do for you. So many guys only want the long runs, as I'm seeing here "short loads are too much work" is a common theme. This is flatbedding, it's supposed to be work, and it's your job not entertainment.

I learned a long time ago to just get a tarp to cover the load "good enough" on these short loads. You can spend hours tarping so it looks nice, which for the most part nobody cares, or you can get that load delivered and try to get a 2nd or even 3rd load for the day. Three local loads at $500-$600 each is not impossible, and they can be tarp loads if you "just do it."

I do LTL loads that tarp. I may have three or four daily stops and cover 450-500 miles a day, I can't spend all day untarping and retarping. I've done these particular loads enough now that the only thing holding the tarps on is the straps, no bungees, and there is nothing flapping in the wind. Be creative and find new ways to accomplish a task that are easier than how how everyone has always done things before, in how you load, unload, and in how you run your business. If you do things the same as the "average" driver then you can expect only average results. The advantage of being at Mercer is that you are free to trying different things until you find what works best for you.

 

Yes, for that reason I'm still "fiddling" with they way I approach these loads. And the more I do in this area the more the agents are offering me. As I mentioned, it took time for me to get good on the west coast I'm sure it will take time in this area too. I know there is always a better way of doing things so I am always trying to improve the way I'm doing stuff. I'm still new to flats and have a lot to learn. My statement of not being a big fan doesn't mean that I don't think with a bit more practice it won't improve, just that at the stage I am currently at it sometimes feels like an uphill battle. But I keep fighting and taking tarp loads so that I can get faster. I have to give myself a lil extra time with loads due to my speed but that is improving. Hopefully in a few months or by next summer I will be a lot faster and I will be thinking that this is a breeze. For now I'll just continue to learn.

 

Thanks for the advice. Since I am new to flatbed ding as well, I'm still in that mode where I go overboard on securing everything too. Again, things that slow me down. I know it will get faster with time and I am by no means complaining of the work. I actually enjoy it. It forces me to drink more water instead of cokes and I get to excercise, something I rarely felt like doing when pulling a reefer. I'm not a health nut, but I do like to be at least a little healthy.

 

For you guys thinking about the two tarp piece set for 8ft drops. I suggest unless you are willing to spend the money on those parachute light weight tarps, you reconsider. I got those and they now sit unused in my barn. I'm way too old to be dealing with two hundred pound tarps. ill use three smaller, easier to manage tarps. that third tarp only adds about 15 minutes at each end.

 

I'm looking at a few different sets, but I'm still young and capable of breaking my back for a few more years. I think the ones I'm looking at weigh 105, but I'm considering a set that they weigh 86 as well. I dunno. We will see.