What is with rates???

thats not hotshot work your doing if I showed up 4 days later after I picked up I'd be ran off and never haul for that customer again!!!

hotshot work is picking up at anytime day night what ever and run it non stop until it drops. If there calling for a hotshot someone is loosing big $$$$$$$ and need it now!!!!!

I'm hauling for Exxon Mobil right now got the call at 3am need you at the main plant by 4am we have a unit down picked it up run in from Beaumont to Baton Rouge,la now I'm waiting for them to rebuild this gear box than right back to the plant I'm getting $1,750 for the run and $100 a hour wait time I've been here just over two hours now and was told it maybe 4pm when there done, so legally you can't do it but that's what they pay for get it there fast.........

 

Hot Shot loads are just that, hot freight that needs to be there NOW!!!!!

problem is, they are classifying 40' float trailers and goose necks as "hot shot" trailers, so people automatically think if it goes on a trailer like that, it is a hot shot load. Most of the time, it is exactly what bayou is talking about. The crap on Shipping Wars is just cheap freight that needs ot get shipped by someone (99% of the time it is not a company) and as you see, Marc is also bidding against the little guys, just like we do in the real world. And most of the time he looses because they drop it to $1.50 mile and you can't operate on that.

As for Hot Shot stuff, i had thought about getting rid of the truck and using the 3500 and moving freight, but i doubt I would make any $$ doing it up here. Oil field is where the money is at, but the problem is too many guys that have no business doing it, have gotten into that line of work. I can't tell you how many guys I see with a rotted out mid-80's dually and trailer with holes in the floor moving a pump or cooling rack in texas. Sure makes it hard for a guy with legal equipment and proper professional attitude to get the job. Juan will move it for $500..... when it should be paying $1,500 for a midnight run

 

One customer I have won't load a one ton anymore because DOT stops them more and 50% of the time are put out of service or have blow outs at night and the truck stop guys don't do 16" tires so there screwed.

I know of one load that ACME did the driver stopped for the night because he was out of hours, after making 20 calls and couldn't get him on the phone they called the police and reported the load stolin few hours later they found him at a rest stop 22 miles from where it dropped.

When they call me they get a driver that can do the job not show up at the plant in shorts flip flops and haven't shaved in 10 years, most drivers don't even know what a TWIC card is and I just redone mine so I've had that five years. I carry everything in my truck a job sight should need steel toes,nomex,hard hat,safety glasses,ear plugs,reflective vest, even a h2s monitor that's hotshot work and why I get the money I do.

 

It's not hard to find $3.50/mile loads for mini floats and $4/4.25/mi freight for semis in Texas. Do I haul 1,200 mile loads at $4.25/mi sometimes but not every month. My all miles on my truck as of today is $3.38/mi yes all miles and I do lots of dead heading.

You do what I call expedited freight where they need it fast but don't want to pay me to move it at twice the price.

 

I'm not saying that it has slowed down a lot, I'm getting picky on what I do yes I get good out bound but inbound sucks I have only moved a hand full of broker loads this year I've only sleep in my truck 21 nights this year just to show you I don't run far much......I see the economy getting worse and I think I made a smart move selling off all my trucks this year. I don't work everyday but I work lots of weekends something local drivers don't like to do.

Also I'd like to say I think the end of trucking for me is coming not sure how soon but with EOBRs ill be done I couldn't make but half the money I do now!!

 

I'm leased to a fairly small west coast curtain van co. We have been running steady all winter. The lumber mills in OR & WA have been running 6 days a week, the loggers worked all winter & it never slowed down a bit. I just brought a load of aluminum down to the Gay Bay from Portland, tomorrow I load beer to Renton WA, both good rates. I'm pre planned on a lumber load for Thursday back to Nor Cal, if I can overnight it I can probably load a Home Depot load Friday PM to deliver in LA on Monday.

At the end of the quarter I know I will be over my magic number for all miles driven. I just run what I'm given & always say thank you to my dispatcher. I went to Denver twice in November, didn't complain & have been I-5 only ever since. What I'm doing works for me & I don't plan to change it aslong as it keeps working.

 

That's LTL , not hotshot