Mercer Van opportunities?

Ummmm.... Yeah! It only took me 900 miles of deadhead to get that load! And I did it just so you wouldn't get it!



Anyways.... I had a mechanical issue earlier & couldn't post my whole reply.

I am not sure of the exact percentage of my deadhead. The deadhead is my choice & the numbers I posted were with my deadhead. Somedays I will deadhead 300 miles, one load I deadheaded 600 miles, and on this load I deadheaded right around 900 miles... Then there are those days I don't want to deadhead & wait.

If I deadhead it is because it is a load that I'm determined to get... Sometimes it pays well enough to deadhead... Sometimes it'll break or even pay about the same as a load near me. I also look at the load weights. I've deadhead 450 miles once to pickup a load that only weighed 8000 pounds.... I had a load sitting next to me that weighed 46K.... In the end, I got better fuel mileage & 0.02 cpm more.

On average, I'd say my deadhead is roughly 150 miles a load.

 

I look at the deadhead for each load with similar criteria. This summer I managed to have one truck out for ten days. three times he got reloaded at the same dock he delivered at. At no time did he go more than ten miles to reload. I was pretty impressed with myself, however I also know that things just happened to fall in place and that it won't be happening like that again any time soon. But it really made an impact on the bottom line and it did a lot for the driver's moral that trip.

Realizing how weight is an issue in fuel consumption, first do you guys get much in the way of oversize or overweight loads? If so how much increase is there in the rate for the extra expense?

Some of my people do not have TWIC yet, and I understand it is very beneficial to have. The folks in Louisville told me neither hazmat nor TWIC were required, but many freight opportunities would be lost without them. It is kind of screwy that the NY/NJ ports want the SEALINK card. It seems for all the high tech stuff the TWIC has, few places have the readers to use the information contained on the card so it is essentially a very expensive photo ID all of us have paid for. Have to love the way we are forced to pay for a card out of our pockets, then it is not implemented at the facilities because of expense.

 

Overweight I don't think I want to do. Nor have I seen a load being offered that was overweight. I'm sure there are loads that are, just rare. We do pull oversized loads. Those all depend on the areas your in & if the truck is equipped with O/D equipment & lights. The last O/D I pulled loaded in Cadillac, MI with a drop in Utica, NY & finalizing in Kingston, NY. 13,000 pounds, 10' wide, paid $2.92 a mile.

Who'd you talk to? At one time they weren't requiring it. But they are now.

http://www.mercertown.com/site/business-opportunities/mercers-minimum-requirements.html

Every port asks to see your TWIC card. Including the NY/NJ ports. Your correct about the sealink card. I have one of those as well. In able to get the sealink, you need the TWIC. And in able to get into those ports, you need to show both cards.

LA & Long Beach ports are similiar. They require a RFID tag mounted on the truck, I have one of those as well. In able to get the RFID tag you need the TWIC. You also have to show the TWIC & drive thru the RFID scanner to get into those ports.

 

So it sounds like the rates are better for the OD, but considering it was going to NY State which generally commands better rates, that was not as high as I would have liked. But if I'm capable of doing the load at that rate I'd take it.

Is that your bike in the avatar? If so what do you have? My main one got hit by a truck three weeks ago! And my Freightliner got hit by a truck three days before that. Not my idea of a good week. Bike is functional again but not completely repaired cosmetically. That will take another $600 better spent on other things at this time.

 

Yep that me & my bike performing on stage at the HogFest of Tennessee rally. It's a 2006 FXST.

 

If you're around the house this weekend it looks like it will be a great one to ride. Probably upper 70's down your way, low 70's here which to me is about perfect.

 

I'm loading in the morning heading to the west coast

 

After sitting and watching it rain for a couple days? Lucky you!

Do any drivers take their bikes with them? I've seen it occasionally but it seems like it would be a lot of trouble to do. I have a small Suzuki 650 that's much lighter than my road bike, about 330lbs I think. Feels like a toy compared to the big one. I used to keep a bicycle with me all the time years ago, loved to ride in the mountains out in Nevada. Had a route that was a gradual uphill for 32 miles. That meant coming down I didn't have to pedal at all for the same distance, can't do that anywhere in the east that I know of.

Are you headed back to CA?

 

I've seen many that carry their motorcycles with them. I don't, but some day id I ever get this truck paid off I plan on stretching the frame & adding a larger sleeper with a garage just for my bike... It's still in the planning stages.

Yes I'm heading back to Cali.

 

I was stationed out there for about 18 months and rode every day, it is a great place for bikes. Doesn't matter what part of the state you are in, thre is someplace good to ride not far away. I was in Monterey and used to get up early and go down the coastal highway toward Carmel and Big Sur as the sun was coming up. What a great way to start the day!

I'm hoping if I go to Mercer that with a paid off truck I'll be able to do good. it's older but has very low miles on it, about 40% of what would be considered typical. But I won't be stretching it out to carry my bike, I'll just have to suffer.