How long is too long waiting for freight to pick back up. I have a local gig drop and hook pays enough to cover the bills and put plenty in my pocket but stories seem to be changing and the Picasso is changing to a 5 by 7 a 2 year old scribbled out. I knew freight would slow down at some point and should pick back up but how long is too long to wait before jumping ship and doing something else. I'm spoiled with the local and got used to be home every afternoon but we're coming up on 6 weeks of minimal work and I'm beginning to think it's time to go off and do something else. I've tried the whole temp o/o work seems like it'd end up coming me more than I'd end up making after renting a trailer and fuel. And everybody else wants a full term commitment which is hard because I'm not sure I want to give up this job as of yet. For 4 months I brought home 10000 after fuel cleared almost 7 after all expenses so I had enough to survive but now it's all starting to fade more quickly than I'd like to admit it seems. There's a lot more to things I couldn't get a hold of the boss (dispatcher whatever you want to call him) for almost a month and I am competing with company trucks (they come first I understand) but Friday when I did talk to my boss I was told I have to survive when we slow down and was also informed that somehow someway it's my fault that I cost the owner too much money when I run. Kinda made it sound like they shouldn't have hired me in the first place if he couldn't afford to pay me. The foreman (mechanic what have you) said they're probably mad because I don't use him to work on my tractor so they can't charge me out the behind for work done but then again I keep my truck in decent shape and don't beat the hell out of it like a company driver so my truck doesn't need as much work done to it. I don't really know what the answer is or what to do I'm looking more so for advise on how to leave but keep a door open Without burning a bridge. I won't survive through may and be able to front fuel money or the bills anymore so it's beginning to get to crunch time. No there was NO CONTRACT to fall back on, boss didn't want one and I didn't figure I needed on that may change as I may end up in MO monday for a meeting Regarding the sitting and catering to the company trucks. I understand everybody needs work. But there's 4 weeks in a month and 4 trucks at the terminal I'm sure you get what I'm getting at. I've never had a problem getting a check, never been wrote up and my pay has always been here Monday morning at 7 a.m. so it is a good deal but the sitting waiting is starting to concern me. Any input would be helpful I'm torn between going back over the road and waiting but right now I'm leaNing towards the road can't sit forever and bills have to be paid?
I would say you are at that point now, if nothing changes real soon it is time to look for a different gig. A short lull is normal, but 6 weeks, unless that is normal for the industry you are serving, I would say you are being taken for a ride. I know in my industry, car haul, we see seasonal volume changes due to the snow birds, model year changeover, tax season, etc. However, these are predictable slow downs or spikes in volume that we can plan for. I feel for you, right now I am preparing for something similar, we have had a contract directly with two auctions for over 12 years now, we even made it through a change of ownership and three different outside logistic management companies coming in to manage transportation for these two auctions. Well, now they have bought a car haul logistics company and are in the process of integrating it into all of their locations, the two I serve will be among the last to be forced to use their system. What this means is our 12+ year history with our local management means nothing, it is a take it or leave it proposition with dispatch now being done in Arizona instead of locally, plus we are going to see a 10-30% rate cut, which will make it hard to continue this operation. I have to make some hard decisions over the next few weeks, such as going back to irregular route work OTR, figuring out how to cut costs to keep doing what I am doing now, folding up and going to work for someone, hauling something other than cars. A lot of scary thoughts and tough choices to be made. Like you, I have become comfortable with the home daily, Monday to Friday gig, low miles for high revenue, dedicated customers so the day is predictable, and it is hard to picture going back OTR right now, but I will do what has to be done to keep from losing everything. I just bought a brand new $81,000 trailer last April, a newer 4 car straight truck at $60,000 and refurbished another truck to the tune of $20,000 before finding out that we were going to be taking a big rate cut, so we have a lot riding on what we do next. I have to think not only of myself but of the two other drivers working with me and one sub-contractor. I feel your pain, but remember, you have to keep the money rolling in to keep the lights on, only you know how much you can take out of the bank before it is gone. Don't put your self in a position where all your reserve is gone from the bank, what will happen next is you will go back OTR and have a major failure without any cash to fix it, you know what will happen next. Have a heart to heart with your current "boss" and explain that you have to make so much to keep going, let them know you will go back OTR until they are busy again, try to be polite and explain your situation without sounding whiny and desperate, but be upfront with them about what you will do and when you will do it if things do not improve. This should help keep the door open to return if the situation improves. Maybe they are having troubles and will welcome you hauling for someone else for a while? Good luck.
Decisions, decisions huh? Well here's what I did. Completed an in depth forensic analysis, gathered all pertinent information and made my decision. Are the co. units running around you or sitting also? Do you have any trend data to fall back on, any history? Are you getting leftovers or in the rotation? This is all important. If they are purposely sitting you and using you for leftovers then it's time to go. Do a recon and know these answers. I did several spot checks on my yard, popped in at odd hours and checked by on the weekend. I could tell what was going on.......so can you. Remember one in the hand is two in the bush....Also remember the boss see's a report weekly on his P&L. He see's your 10 grand compared to maybe the thousand he pays his drivers, he doesn't see the repair bills coming from is fleet until they are generated...so they don't exist in his mind. I have found many carriers are absolutely repulsed at issuing me a hard earned big check. According to them it's not possible and if it is possible through some rare bird then I don't deserve it. The payroll gal at Union Carbide had a Masters of Accounting. She drew 44k for this position. She was totally teaked off that we were hitting in the 80's...and said so! She openly stated we didn't deserve that much...she had a Masters and we were just drivers. Be sure to give notice and thank the boss on the way out. He will likely ask why....impress him with factual numbers of week in and week out declining revenue. Be sure to back it up that your power was ready and available at all times. JMO Good Luck
I'd find something else. If what you have is better and comes back go back to it. As stated ^ don't burn bridges, but no one is looking out for you like you will. Tell them where you are at, and where you need to be. If it can't happen with them, then no reason to wait for it.
Time to go....reefer freight didn't slow down after the holidays again this year....which makes 4 years in a row....which pisses me off....i look forward to those first couple weeks in Jan...when things slack...but even in bad times reefer frt always close to normal by Feb 1....its April...something big wrong....
Thank you all for the input I appreciate it. I have been up there every week. It seems as though it's picking up of course the terminal will load out plenty one week and the DC won't put enough out or visa versa. I've had a couple scraps left for me 2 days in march...3 actually my mistake but nothing in april other than I get to run the shag 4 hours every Friday for the next 7 weeks. It seems as though it is picking up as I said But I still haven't been called in to run truck either. We had 22 loads sitting in the office Thursday but the DC didn't have anything coming back from what I understand. According to everybody at the terminal this is normal slow time and again in June everybody will get sent home on Friday and the boss as I believe I said wants me to survive when it's slow but also said he needed me and as most know everybody wants an o/o to run full time. I'll head down to st. Joe tomorrow or Tuesday and talk and see what we can come up with and if it ain't going to work I guess I'll pack up and head elsewhere and just remember it was fun while it lasted. To answer some questions asked no there was no rotation I wasn't allowed to come in although 2 weeks ago one company driver was sent to st. Joe every day because there wasn't enough work in lincoln...he complained I offered to run a company truck to st. Joe all week If he didn't want to. If I can't run my truck I'll hop in a company truck it makes me more useful I guess and I dont have a problem with it hey its money it all spends the same. It's just like running the shag I don't mind helping out or doing jobs others don't want too have also offered to run a forklift. I'm rambling I'll stop. Thank you all for the information I appreciate the helpful advise. Hope all stays well with yall and we'll holler at yall later. Thanks and take care
Ok bud, gotcha......and a heads up, it's very hard for a carrier to let an O/O run a company truck. It confuses payroll and irritates the insurance co. Good luck on the rest. Most of the time we know what we have to do, sometimes we need a prod to get it done.......
