Finally got my own truck

You ate pulling a dry van right? If you want a decent load out of florida get ahold of a produce broker. It's a bit early for melons but i think potatoes are moving. Gonna need vents, but that's only 150 bucks max.

 

I wanted to buy a truck in Nov, 2016.....my wife's cousin, a hard core reefer driver told me to ease off.

He said...Never invest in a truck between Nov & Feb.

I have come to understand why. That 4 months is terrible to a lot of truckers.

@BoyWander I would say that it's only gonna get better from here onwards, till end of year.

 

I am getting about the same 1.5 all miles too. Just have to tough it out until spring. You and I are not any different from 90% of the rest working with loadboard staff. I don't like produce on a van, too heavy (the often pay per lbs) not a flat rate and still claim prone, lumpers involved and typical produce delivery

 

They are either bagged or bulked. If bagged is no different than a load of pallets of canned green beans. If bulk, they load directly onto the floor with a conveyor belt system. And unload either by dropping the trailer on a tipping machine, or with a small bobcat. Either way you will need to spend minutes sweeping the trailer out after. For rates...well back when i pulled produce 10 years ago it was just over 2 a mile from Florida to ohio. About the same rate as bins of melons. If you run a few loads and like the produce game get yourself a reefer. Temperature sensitive produce pays a lot better. Strawberries and blue berries are the better paying loads. But whatever you decide to pull, you get with a produce broker(not a truck broker, cut him out) and just follow the harvest as it works its way north. Id start in south florida and end up in Michigan via delaware and jersey.

 

Where does he get his info from? November and December are always lucrative months. Capacity is tight due to the holidays. And even during a slow year rates are good at least through the first half of January. If I listened to when everyone else said to buy a truck and get in I never would have. If you have the cash and a head on your shoulders there is never really a bad time to get in.

 

Exactly. Even in the worse times there is money to be made. You just gotta work a little harder.

 

@rollin coal ... I'm not gonna argue with your wisdom...but...

As BoyWander Is finding out...it's not been easy the last 2 months....and it coincides with the major drop in freight.

As a new entrant, it may be harder. For seasoned players, it's probably cakewalk.