wel. it happened again.

I pulled a total of one lumber load and one brick load this Summer. They paid what the lane called for and went to an area I wanted to go so I took them. It's a rare event to see either one of those paying an "average" lane rate. 98 percent of them pay so disgustingly low. It never ceases to amaze me that they actually get that stuff moved. All I can come up with is it's those guys who think they have to be loaded for every single mile to generate positive revenue.

 

I know a guy who runs NC, VA, SC lumber loads every day all day through one broker. He does 2-3 loads a day and has to tarp each load rain or shine.

That's a hard life if I've ever seen one.

He grosses $3000-3500 week maybe.

Every few months he jumps on the load board and grabs s longer haul no tarp load of air conditioner units going to ohio or somewhere north but always goes back to bad freight because load confs and invoicing is too much for him.

I don't understand.

 

Why don't you guys use more of those quick draw systems? See a lot of them in western Canada...
Would that be considered the same as tarping or no?

 

To each is own. I certainly wouldn't do it, that's for sure.

 

I assume you're referring to a conestoga? I haul load board freight exclusively and a connie could cost me loads, they're very expensive, have fragile rails that too many forklift operators will ruin and it's one more thing I have to maintain. I'll pass. I'd run a side kit before I bought a conestoga.

 

You only run Texas and Louisiana? Perhaps diversifying you running lanes may help? When one is limited, a blow becomes a knockout punch.

 

One of these
I've seen them air actuated to move the sides as well (maybe it was electric, idk)
Seems pretty slick

 

Look at that fragile aluminum track it slides on. Too many ####ty forklift operators out there for me to take a chance on it. If it gets damaged finding that rail could be a nightmare. It also steals some height from potential freight as well.

 

They are heavy enough that you might not be able scale 48k with one.

Also, a lot of big companies will not load them bc they know if the forklift driver with 2 weeks experience bumps it the wrong way, they'll have to pay a lot of $.

I have an old curtain side and there are a lot of loads I ca not take. But I make it. I imagine conestoga owner buy them with particular freight in mind.

It's not really an "I don't like to tarp" kind of purchase.

 

Be a very expensive "I don't like to tarp" purchase.