mercer transportation

I think I'm going to try the UPS thing this winter.
Since I'm lazy with a big house. No offense taken.
Just imagine how long I'll be going down the road with doubles. I'm 81' with a 48' trailer. I'm estimating around 90' to 93'.

 

Anybody know what the kingpin setting is on a dry van.
My step only has a 18" kingpin set back but I think a regular dry van is around 24".
I might have to move my 5th wheel back some more since I only have couple inches between the trailer and drom box/headache box.
My 5th wheel is currently centered on the rear drive axle. I might have to pull a dolly for the first trailer. Would that be like triples?

 

I'd probably be considered a "lazy one" but I'll tell you what, I bust it just as hard on any couple of 50 or 150 mile loads in a day's time as anyone out there burning up 750-800 miles in a day. I don't think anyone that's picky and choosy gets to lay around and catch zzzz's just waiting for good freight to fall in their lap. The "office work" that goes into that is a big workload in it's self. That saying "work smarter not harder", always get a chuckle out of that... man I feel it at the end of the day. It's not any easier just because the rate is better but when the job is done there's more than zilch to show for it. That's not a complaint just a fact..

 

flightline, I couldn't imagine that truck with just a 48' spread let alone a set of doubles, I probably couldn't back that #### thing into a hole to save my life...haha

 

OK, and I see that. When I started my company I thought LS drivers would be a perfect place to recruit from. And to a certain extent that is the case. But I have talked to so many drivers that can't seem to pull the trigger on loads and that seems to be why they are having trouble. So I completely understand what you are saying. We have seen some of that here. Not an issue if someone only needs a small amount of income to survive but when they need more but the list of "won'ts" is long the "will's" it becomes and issue.

I have a driver that I joke about him only driving down hill and the freight has to be pink or he won't haul it.

But I have to say this. Since posting my other comment about Mercer rates I have an understanding about how many people follow this forum but NEVER post. I have a lot of email from Mercer drivers telling me I am wrong and that mile and rates are way down.

 

Not much different than a regular pickup pulling a utility trailer, just have to remember that the trailer comes around faster than the truck..... except the truck takes a football field to come around in LOL

 

bill, that is correct rates are down somewhat , more in some areas than others. you have to find the areas that are higher. with that being the case i put more effort into looking on the load board for areas with better rates and try then to get to that area. i wonder how many take the time while for example sitting in atlanta to unload the next morning will take the time to get on the loadboard and check rates and loads for each state on our load board?

helps to get a feel for things, then the next morning if ya get offered a load , you will immediately have an idea of what going on in the area the load is going to, and can say yea or nay rather quickly.

as far as miles being down, thats never a concern of mine , i could care less about miles . i reach my revenue goal by running the least miles possible with the most revenue.

i think thats where some are off base, they are looking for miles only.

i think rates in general are down, and freight not gangbusters. thats when you have to kick it up a notch.

you can pee and moan , or work at harder and smarter to turn a buck.

for example, it seems approx. 85 million flatbeds have delivered into the philly new york, jersey area. and the shippers seem to be taking full advantage. so the rates out of here after i unload tommorrow would be weak at best.

i could sit here until i could snag a 2 buck a mile load , prob til thursday. or i could take say a 1.70 on a 8000 pound no tarp that goes to an excellent area that delivers thursday where i could easily load out of at 2.50 and up

who would sit , who would take the 1.70 to the good area, or would would deadhead 500 miles to another area?

 

bill, on the pulling the trigger. thats i think the biggest cause of drivers not making it, some cant make that decision.

i see quite a few who wont book a load ahead of time out of fear a better one may come up, i see one meets the revenue requirement i have set and going to a decent area , i pull the trigger.

if i have to pull a lower per mile load, i try to ensure it weighs less than 20,000 so i run my front axle up i gain 3/4 to 1 mpg that way and can save 7 to 10 cents a mile in fuel thus in essence turns a 1.80 into a 1.90

probably screwy but my way doing things .

 

nope not us, landstar drivers they have to muliply by three, carry a two, divide by four, subtract an order of biscuits and gravy. then call the agent to figure out what the truck gets.

 

I'm sitting here drinking a chilled glass of milk and milk came out my nose. I can't tell you how many times when loading next to a LS guy I ask what the load is paying. Impressed with the number the learn that is gross because they can never figure net out until the check comes.