What if it Snows?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Dave_in_AZ, Mar 19, 2018.

  1. Blu_Ogre

    Blu_Ogre Road Train Member

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    Have you accounted for the regular seasonal downturn in Platform?

    Boxes having better rpm going into snowpocalyps zones is not atypical for Jan/Feb. The food and retail stuff has more consistent demand volume. Combine that with a bunch of trucks parked for the winter, It's all just supply and demand. When construction and landscaping starts up again in a couple of months things will pick back up for flats.

    Another thing you may be overlooking is that refers can do "Keep from freezing" loads cause they can heat the box also. Those loads drive up demand for refer trailers. I can't think of anybody that wants a load of exploded beer or water.

    Here is a balance point to keep in mind. If they are paying a premium to get a truck to go someplace. Let's just say it's a load of melons for the Cali transplants in Missoula. What's the possibility that area is producing anything that needs to ship out during a blizzard.
     
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  3. Blu_Ogre

    Blu_Ogre Road Train Member

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    Oh did not cover detention time. Just because you are professional enough to meet your commitment and show up on time for the delivery, What makes you think the local kids are not going to take a snow day? You may be sitting for a day or 2 waiting for the kids to show up and unload the trailer.

    Detention/layover is something that should be covered in the load confirmation sheet. That sheet is your contract. If it isn't on that sheet it is not part of the contract.

    Load planning around what folks are (or are not) doing on the far end is always a special exercise in frustration.
     
  4. JolliRoger

    JolliRoger Road Train Member

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    1st reminder. Now go on and get the van. Take advantage of the present.
     
  5. BennysPennys

    BennysPennys Road Train Member

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    Will try to answer this and hopefully will not get to economic policy and wonky with the answer: As Ya'll well know and far better than I do and, being that you guys live it. Flatbed is more dependent on Industrial production made up of Business equipment, industrial supplies, Construction and Materials. You can get month by month data on Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization in a Summary Here: The Fed - Industrial Production and Capacity Utilization - G.17 (federalreserve.gov) You can see for yourself lots of negative numbers in the chart for the areas of Industrial production in the past recent months.

    When this happens with consumer products increasing (inflation) and industrials decreasing (long term growth) it can be a direction of less-than-optimal economic times combined with inflation over a longer period of time. Think of it as a driver who is pushing their gas pedal while dragging their foot on the break peddle at the same time, but they are too dumb to figure out they are doing both at the same time.
     
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  6. JolliRoger

    JolliRoger Road Train Member

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    Probably the bucks missed a month and the does are hanging around to catch up. Serious, wildlife site say the "rut" is somewhat delayed this year.
    Probably this s l o w global warming, ?? not coming into heat on time.
     
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  7. JolliRoger

    JolliRoger Road Train Member

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    In house (cab) forced dispatch?
     
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  8. JolliRoger

    JolliRoger Road Train Member

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    Good thing you did not apply to IBM in the day...
    Slogan: Send me a man who thinks?
     
  9. Blu_Ogre

    Blu_Ogre Road Train Member

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    Global warming is so last month, Ask Dave about the earth's, core cooling.

    I'm sure we can find a science type to publish a paper that the deer need to pull energy from the earths core to go into a proper heat and participate in the rut. They can't gather enough heat fast enough to stay on the calendar and are delaying deliveries of fawn till later in the season.

    *Hopefully you all realize that I am just making up a big pile of pre-compost with this post.
     
  10. Oxbow

    Oxbow Road Train Member

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    I know a cat named Rex!
     
  11. JolliRoger

    JolliRoger Road Train Member

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    Tawm?
    "if you have the money" You don't need either. For that matter; real money like 3 nickels to rub together, be better off without a truck..
     
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