Stuck In Florida..Once Again

**vamboothe** · 03-03-2010, 10:11 PM

We are a straight truck team that delivered in Miami Monday morning. We moved ourselves closer to Tampa as we have been stuck in Miami for a week before.. Last time we were in Tampa we had better luck of getting out... Does anyone have any contacts in the area??? I have spoken with Dispatch as well as left messages for back-haul.... still we sit.. I am not making money if my truck's not rollin....

**davekc** · 03-03-2010, 10:48 PM

Not always, but it helps if you can go in the ports, do hazmat or DOD leads to get out unless you know where the frieght is coming from either from Panther or brokering your own load.
Either wait it out, don't accept loads there, or DH up to GA, AL, or SC
Backhaul Dept is more effective if you already have the load for them to book.

**Turtle** · 03-04-2010, 02:29 AM

Never take a load which takes you to a place where you are not prepared to deadhead out of, or aren't prepared to sit there and wait for a load. If it doesn't pay you enough to deadhead back out, turn it down. Laredo is like that, so is Miami, lots of places out west.

Last 2 times I delivered in Miami, I got loaded back out the next day, once out of Miami and once out of Boca Raton.

**Kyle06** · 03-04-2010, 05:12 AM

I'll trade you... we are sitting here in Colorado

It has been a year since I was out here (at that time it was a one a day board), had a dispatcher tell me that they where getting 5-6 loads a day out of here HA.... Called and talked to a few after we took the load and they still said they where getting 4-5 (ok now the number is going down) We Get out here and we are number 5 on a 2 a day board....

Sigh... One of those times you knew better, but thought you would give it a chance........ I knew better.. but here we are, Number 4 Now Yey! lol

**vamboothe** · 03-04-2010, 08:00 AM

Thanks for the advice everyone...Yes I know about the never taking something unless you can get out..LOL.. But I also know that when I turn things down my percentage's go down.. So its a catch 22 so to speak...@Kyle... I wish you much luck.. We have also been stuck in Denver....

matter of fact we were trying to get down to Tuscon to see mom-in-law for Christmas and took a load out to Montana as it was a supposed in route to get us down to Salt Lake then onto Phoenix..Hmmmm... after Montana and 2 days of nothingness.. we moved ourselves down to Denver as Salt Lake had gotten a huge snow storm.. Needless to say we spent Christmas in the truck at a truck stop snowed in in Denver for a week... And yes they were saying 4 a day when we went there..Geez...

**davekc** · 03-04-2010, 09:58 AM

I wouldn't pay any attention to those averages. They are based on pro numbers issued. What I mean is, loads that are brokered out are also counted in that number. You may for example see a two a day average out of Reno. The part you don't see is part of that average is cigerette runs that they broker out and never go on a Panther leased truck. Same with liquor runs.

**Moot** · 03-04-2010, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by vamboothe

But I also know that when I turn things down my percentage's go down..

The only percentages that concern me are on-time, safety and profit. I have read here and met drivers that claim they never turn down a load. I tell there is no need to apologize to me for their behavior. Then I get "The Look" and they break off the conversation. Maybe they were bragging.

**dletheridge** · 03-04-2010, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by davekc

I wouldn't pay any attention to those averages. They are based on pro numbers issued. What I mean is, loads that are brokered out are also counted in that number. You may for example see a two a day average out of Reno. The part you don't see is part of that average is cigerette runs that they broker out and never go on a Panther leased truck. Same with liquor runs.

Why don't they put those kind of loads on their trucks? When we were driving for swift we could almost be guaranteed a beer or beer can load out of Denver,Ft. Collins,Golden area.

**davekc** · 03-04-2010, 07:44 PM

Not really sure but I would venture to guess it is either lack of specific cargo insurance for those or permits.
If they don't pay enough, that may be why they get brokered?

**vamboothe** · 03-04-2010, 11:01 PM

Well lets see I am not bragging.. And I have turned down plenty of loads.. I mean to be honest I can not see doing a load that has more DH to it than the loaded.. Those I won't do.. If I can help it..LOL.. And loads going to nowhere-ville I try to avoid.. Guess I now need to consider Miami a part of that.

Before I became a driver here my husband worked for a company out of Mississippi.. He had been an OTR driver for 11 years.. He use to haul chicken out West and Produce back East.. Good miles, but gosh.. It wore him out.. All I did was ride along ,,helping out with paperwork and shippers/receiver's... he made 35 cpm. and if we needed to layover for a day or 2 the boss-man covered the motel..

We have been in this Expedited field only 6 months now and it is as different as day and night from what we are use to.. I do appreciate any advice I can get from the "ole" hands at this..
Matter of fact I had just told my husband that there did not seem to be much comradarie between Expedite drivers as we can rarely get anyone to talk to us that we meet out anywhere... He says everyone is just o busy...LOL

**vamboothe** · 03-04-2010, 11:03 PM

And yeah,, those Beer loads don't pay no where near enough to even get an Expedited truck on their properties although it does seem they might be good for a back-haul...

**Kyle06** · 03-09-2010, 07:28 AM

Well we sat in Denver from Wednesday to Monday... Ended up DHing to Topeka, KS.... Should of done it when we delivered but I was hoping the cat would get me out lol oh well expensive lesson learned....

**vamboothe** · 03-09-2010, 12:19 PM

Expensive learning lessons.. I agree.. We were finally offered DH up to Birmingham.. Owner said take it to Atlanta..OH MY... Race weekend.. Geez..LOL.. Finally got out of Atlanta late Monday evening.. Now sitting in Tennessee.. We made no money last week and this week is starting out very slow...

**Kyle06** · 03-09-2010, 10:23 PM

Originally Posted by vamboothe

Expensive learning lessons.. I agree.. We were finally offered DH up to Birmingham.. Owner said take it to Atlanta..OH MY... Race weekend.. Geez..LOL.. Finally got out of Atlanta late Monday evening.. Now sitting in Tennessee.. We made no money last week and this week is starting out very slow...

Yeah I can feel you there... This week we are starting in the Negative and it's going to be Wednesday soon enough... so far I Think this week is going to be a bust