Looking for someone to drive my Truck

Finding freight? That is why I parked my authority in Sept 08.

The big guys like TMC and Rhoel came to my area, SE Michigan, in 06 and 07 and slashed rates in half in most cases. I had regular shippers I dealt with, no contracts, just kinda casual relationships. They would call when they needed me, and vice versa.

I was still running my expedite, mainly for the Big3. I had a couple of brokers/carriers that used me on a regular basis, but then that started going south.

It eventually led to hitting the road and running the south and southwest, that lasted for a few months and then that dried up! That is when I seriously started to consider leasing the truck on to a carrier. Not long after I did.

That is my story. Sure, I could have kept my authority going, but what for? Running for less than $2 a mile with fuel at $5 a gal? I was just spinning my wheels! I was working for free in most cases, and the dead heads were killing me. Which normally found me heading back to the house empty. I figured I am not going to go broke hauling this cheap freight. If I am going to go broke, I'll do it like a man on my couch!

Moving to another carrier this week. Keeping fingers crossed.

Mike

 

i work for a o/o and i get paid a % of what the truck makes what ever goes wrong wit it comes out of my check so i take good care of it try paying like that instend of by the mile and maybe they will take care of it for you

 

Are you saying the O/O makes you pay for repairs on the truck?

 

I was just at the Peterbilt dealer and was talkin with a guy at the counter. Was telling me that TMC just cut the rate to his main customer to $1.10 a mile, no matter how long the load.

 

Yea the trucking business sucks right now but it will improve...in about a year. You will never get rich driving a truck but it is a good job.

 

I would like to have a with you if you still need a driver. I also have reefer accounts with the customer.

if you had a reefer i could help i have a customer that pays fast but i need a job too.

 

At 23% commission (TMC's starting percent pay) that's only 25 cpm to the driver. I wonder if it's true and what people will be saying about TMC as a workplace in a year from now!

 

You do realize that shippers and brokers may LIE in order to get you to haul for less don't you? That is the classic line: "XYZ will haul for $1.10, but since I like you so much I will let you have the load if you match that price." All truckers are being played and most have bought it hook line and sinker. You are a pawn in the general freight game, and if you are going to play the game you have to expect being pushed around by brokers and shippers. Take everything you are told with a grain of salt and a twist of lemon.


Freight out of Florida has always been cheap for us. There is a big scratchback network in Florida and the "in" companies get good rates. The big carriers always get the leftovers at a buck a mile. $1.10 a mile out of Florida could actually be considered an improvement. About time that Florida freight fell prey to the law of supply and demand.

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Waterloo,
If you were able to keep rates up that high as long as you did consider yourself lucky. Freight rates and volume were off well before that. Nothing in this life is guaranteed except death and taxes. Sorry that your own little gravy operation was undercut, but like anything: If you can do well so can someone else.

Besides, the Big 3 have not been able to give cars away, so with that slowdown all the small trucking companies with a spare driver in that area were underbidding each other for a scrap of freight. Do not blame TMC only.

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Pharm,
Just because one load pays $1.10 does not mean that every load pays that. More than likely a $1.10 a mile load out of Florida will lead to a $1.85 a mile load out of SC, then a $2.00 a mile load out of Ohio. You need to take the whole week together, not pick apart each leg.

 

Tuckster, if you're still looking and are an honest guy, call me. I only live 400 miles away from you.