Lumber loads out of WA/OR are nothing more than a means for getting a truck from point A to B and making just enough to cover your fuel. They've always been that way. I'm in the SF bay area and loads going north pay great, but unless you have a niche you won't find a lot coming south that pays well. Having a specialty is the only way to survive in the PNW.
ELD Mandate....Any O/O's left the business because of it?
Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by SteveScott, May 16, 2018.
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jamespmack and singlescrewshaker Thank this.
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My experience doing this is a lot less deep than many who are participating on this discussion. However, studying and predicting trends is something I was doing at least 10 years before entering this industry.
What you have probably also discovered is that people tend to stretch the truth and exaggerate things on the internet. Yes, I'm saying that LOL. Sure there's a unicorn rate here and there. Sure there's some experienced hands that know where the honey is. But most of what you're reading is bee ess. Or someone that misrepresents the facts. If I had a dollar for every time someone says I take home $_____ I could retire on just that.
Another thing you may not have reached yet is a level of time in business to come at a broker with a heavy reputation behind you. IMO this happens at about the 5 years mark. When their screen pop displays who you are and your carrier background, they know you're no rookie or fly by night before you even say hello. That is, if you haven't already established all that with previous hauls for them.
The load board rate tools are just that: tools. Pay more attention to changes than actual values. Also helps to remember spot rate means "on the spot" as in right now. If you're not turning the key to go get it right now, every hour or day in advance reduces the risk, and consequently the reward. So a lower rate.
What's happening now is a seasonal lull before the harvests start moving north. Why would a van carrier care? Because a reefer is also a van. I hauled a dry load last week that paid ok. In a couple months I won't even look at that, which will tighten truck capacity in that van lane by two trucks.
Point is there are a lot of dynamics to get to what you ought to quote on a line haul. I've followed your posts and think you're doing ok, no matter what others seem to believe. Don't be too hard on yourself. Stay at it and be a student of what other people are doing to succeed. Maybe it all won't work for you. Just pick what's a good fit and try it out.
I do agree with what you're saying in general. What I find amusing is that the clock still has 24 hours on it, same as before the ELD mandate. And now suddenly people need to be off the road at a special time? Double-u tee eff? -
Last edited: May 20, 2018
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Last edited: May 20, 2018
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“Like nobody ever saw that coming?”
If course there was talk, but I dismissed it as exaggerated fear mongering. I guess I believed in the land of the free where the good Are rewarded for their effort but I am left to shake my head in disbelief when the exact carrier they say they want on the road i.e. the safe one, is the one being targeted for more detailed inspections because he runs paper. When they rolled out CSA and safetstat they were supposed to know who the bad guys were and the good guys were going to get a green light. Yeah right more lies. This is 1930’s Nazi Germany all over againLast edited: May 20, 2018
whoopNride, fordconvert, singlescrewshaker and 3 others Thank this. -
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