Anyone else being “starved out” of trucking?

I’ve cut back on eating but increased my drinking

 

@Lennythedriver --

For the sake of discussion....if you decided, say......sometime next week....to go ahead & make a change....would you simply look for another reefer carrier....or maybe something else?

What endorsements (if any) do you have?

What city/state are you nearest?

How much hometime do you want/need? Daily? Weekly? Or less?

-- Lual

 

Heard several small to median fleets having problems. Had a guy the other day ask me if I had any work he could get from me. He has ten trucks and a nice yard, I had asked to park my truck at his location and we agreed to a deal. He has asked if I would help put some miles on his trucks. Was pretty shocked he could not get any loads.

 

That's the best advice I've seen on this forum for awhile. In fact, I think I'll go to Sam's Club and buy two cases of wine to get me through to the weekend. Doctor told me no more whiskey or beer, but Black Box Chardonnay White Wine is ok. Not the best I've had, but the only one where my sugar level stays normal.

 

I think working for a reefer company that hauls their own freight and uses broker loads to get back is risky in the current environment. Irregular route reefer drivers don't have problems with miles. Walmart in-house company drivers probably aren't affected either. Reefer companies with a guaranteed minimum pay probably a good choice also.

 

That formula is very effective actually. That's exactly how Climate Express operates. They have their own freight for outbounds, but many of the backhauls may as well be their own freight as well. So many of our backhauls are the same customers. If a company can secure a lot of dedicated runs both ways, and their drivers are really good, it can work effectively. Then in my mind it helps that were based in Missouri, near STL. Whole lot of traffic there.

@Lennythedriver I'd say stick it out and little while longer if you can. Once snow melts in a lot of places, and it warms up everywhere, the freight will pick up. People spend money the most in warm weather. If your company has 1 outbound customer, that's where it can be risky.....it's never good to be one dimensional and put all the eggs in one customer's basket. It's been too many companies that hauled automotive freight mainly and went under during a downturn.

 

I would offer that those "broker loads to get back"....is the REAL crux of the problem.

Hauling food out....is not.

-- Lual

 

Maybe try finding a job that has a dedicated run.

 

Probably makes the most sense here, typically, the stretch after the holidays, but before "planting season", is usually the worst time. Many schedule vacations in Tahiti around this time, and I strongly urge you to do the same. Do drivers of a like company even talk to each other anymore? I don't mean to be rude, but if one driver was struggling, we all were struggling. In this day and age, it's easy to forget that. Maybe wifey has something for you to do?

 

Well. I can say this.

I haul the same 4 loads every day. They used to be heavy haul loads. These days. I'm lucky to break 80k.

Somebody stopped eating.