Not always chef....it may have been a fleet owner just putting in a new driver....hence low number but different driver
anyone getting loads?
- Thread starter ditchwitch55
- Start date
Not always chef....it may have been a fleet owner just putting in a new driver....hence low number but different driver
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
ovm wrote:
Then there is that!
Then there is that!
Chef: your 'bad', as you put it (though why that's become such a popular use of improper wording is more than I can figure out) was in repeating something you "heard" regarding another EO member. Absolutely not cricket, old man. Because what's to stop someone from repeating some tidbit they "heard" about you, eh?
Reliable source or not, it's just gossip, and you should know better than to post it in a public forum.
Reliable source or not, it's just gossip, and you should know better than to post it in a public forum.
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
I'm going to address one thing I mentioned in a previous post on this thread, lest I create the wrong impression - as well as comment further on the quoted remarks below.
I mentioned that the person doing empty moves being happy about saving the company money by getting people to move on their own dime - rather take a paid empty move (at least until I threw a wrench into the works)
Just to be clear, I have absolutely no problem with her (or the company) doing that - and here's why:
1. You never know where a load will pop up to be covered. In actual fact, in the instance I cited, I got her to give me the paid move to a "better" location several hundred miles away (this was on a weekend - a Saturday or Sunday night) ...... only to end up getting dispatched on Monday on a load that picked up about 35 miles away from where I was originally sitting (and taking the empty move didn't put me any closer to the freight I eventually picked up) So, in this instance at least, it was money that was totally wasted by the company - it delivered no benefit whatsoever to either myself or the company. In fact, taking the empty move cost me far more than it did the company - because it resulted in unnecessary wear and tear on my vehicle.
2. Do a little math - figure the money involved to empty move whatever percentage of a carrier's fleet - and then multiply that by whatever period of time you care to. I'd guess that any way you cut it, that over a year's time it might just add up to some real money. No big deal probably - if it puts a vehicle on the freight (provided the person in that vehicle wants to run and isn't sitting there waiting on that golden, home-run load that gonna take them to Nirvana ....) - and thereby generates some profit for the company.
3. The company "owes" me nothing - except a fair shot at the opportunity to serve them, under the agreement (contract) we have between us.
Last time I looked, both Panther and Fedex both were not taking on new vans or Sprinters (but were holding orientation to cover driver turnover for fleet owners with vehicles already leased on ....)
Yes, drivers and o/o's do leave - all the time. I don't have any specific numbers about Bolt and how many vehicles are leaving or have left (but I know a few), but I'd venture a guess that those there with the responsibility for o/o or driver retention would prefer to have less turnover - who in their right mind wouldn't ?
Some of the "alot of drivers sitting and sitting waiting" might have to do with the type of load they're waitin' on ......
Here's the deal in case you or someone else doesn't "get it" .... the name of the game in this business (at least from a carriers perspective) is loads, loads, and loads.
BTW, did I mention - it's loads ?
A carrier makes money by booking loads that will generate a profit for the company - and they retain customers by covering their loads whenever asked to do so - and not giving the customer the opportunity (or an excuse) to look elsewhere for that service.
A carrier will likely make more profit if they can dispatch those loads on the trucks that are leased on to them directly - although I'm sure carriers are often able to make money on those loads they have to farm out to a partner carrier. Probably not always, but if I had to guess probably more often than not.
Since a carrier stands to make more money on loads that they can dispatch to their own trucks, it behooves them to have as much geographic coverage as possible. One never knows where an available load (that would generate some profit) might pop up - since past history is never any guarantee of future performance. So coverage is critical.
It costs a carrier very little to have a few more trucks than a few less - and the upside potential is that you can make probably significantly more profit if you have more not less.
Beyond that, the current market conditions and freight rates are determined by the laws of supply and demand - too many vehicles chasing too little freight is gonna mean lower freight rates - that's just the way it is.
One can sit around and moan about how "the companies ought to do something to get us some decent paying loads" or how another company is still paying "X" for a fuel surcharge (yeah ... how long ya figure that's gonna last .... when their competition is only charging 1/2 that rate .... or less ?)
But none of that type of thing is gonna make any difference at all - they just simply are not effective actions to cause a change in the situation.
I'd be curious to know how many folks who aren't happy with the amount they are running have maybe taken some business cards of their carriers sales personnel (or whatever other promotional material might be available) and dropped into a local business or two just to make sure that they are at least aware that your carrier even exists.
The above reminds of an instance I ran into early after I started expediting - I had a round trip on a load - had to take some stuff to be processed and then bring it back to where I had originally picked it up. While waiting for the stuff I was hauling to get done I spent a little time talking to the guys on second shift that handled shipping .... and found out that the only expedite companies they were even aware of were the one I was leased to and Panther. Wow .... And this was a big company - a 24/7 operation.
Anyways, the above are at least a part of the economic realities of this business - you don't have to like them necessarily - but you do have to know about it, understand it, and deal with it - at least if you want to be in this game.
If anyone thinks the reality is much different than the above, my guess is you are seriously deluding yourself.
I mentioned that the person doing empty moves being happy about saving the company money by getting people to move on their own dime - rather take a paid empty move (at least until I threw a wrench into the works)
Just to be clear, I have absolutely no problem with her (or the company) doing that - and here's why:
1. You never know where a load will pop up to be covered. In actual fact, in the instance I cited, I got her to give me the paid move to a "better" location several hundred miles away (this was on a weekend - a Saturday or Sunday night) ...... only to end up getting dispatched on Monday on a load that picked up about 35 miles away from where I was originally sitting (and taking the empty move didn't put me any closer to the freight I eventually picked up) So, in this instance at least, it was money that was totally wasted by the company - it delivered no benefit whatsoever to either myself or the company. In fact, taking the empty move cost me far more than it did the company - because it resulted in unnecessary wear and tear on my vehicle.
2. Do a little math - figure the money involved to empty move whatever percentage of a carrier's fleet - and then multiply that by whatever period of time you care to. I'd guess that any way you cut it, that over a year's time it might just add up to some real money. No big deal probably - if it puts a vehicle on the freight (provided the person in that vehicle wants to run and isn't sitting there waiting on that golden, home-run load that gonna take them to Nirvana ....) - and thereby generates some profit for the company.
3. The company "owes" me nothing - except a fair shot at the opportunity to serve them, under the agreement (contract) we have between us.
What's your point exactly - that many of Bolt's drivers live in Toledo ? No big surprise there I suppose - since that's where they are located and it is right in the freight lanes.
Who is "they" ..... ?
Last time I looked, both Panther and Fedex both were not taking on new vans or Sprinters (but were holding orientation to cover driver turnover for fleet owners with vehicles already leased on ....)
I'm sure it doesn't .......
Yes, drivers and o/o's do leave - all the time. I don't have any specific numbers about Bolt and how many vehicles are leaving or have left (but I know a few), but I'd venture a guess that those there with the responsibility for o/o or driver retention would prefer to have less turnover - who in their right mind wouldn't ?
Some of the "alot of drivers sitting and sitting waiting" might have to do with the type of load they're waitin' on ......
Here's the deal in case you or someone else doesn't "get it" .... the name of the game in this business (at least from a carriers perspective) is loads, loads, and loads.
BTW, did I mention - it's loads ?
A carrier makes money by booking loads that will generate a profit for the company - and they retain customers by covering their loads whenever asked to do so - and not giving the customer the opportunity (or an excuse) to look elsewhere for that service.
A carrier will likely make more profit if they can dispatch those loads on the trucks that are leased on to them directly - although I'm sure carriers are often able to make money on those loads they have to farm out to a partner carrier. Probably not always, but if I had to guess probably more often than not.
Since a carrier stands to make more money on loads that they can dispatch to their own trucks, it behooves them to have as much geographic coverage as possible. One never knows where an available load (that would generate some profit) might pop up - since past history is never any guarantee of future performance. So coverage is critical.
It costs a carrier very little to have a few more trucks than a few less - and the upside potential is that you can make probably significantly more profit if you have more not less.
Beyond that, the current market conditions and freight rates are determined by the laws of supply and demand - too many vehicles chasing too little freight is gonna mean lower freight rates - that's just the way it is.
One can sit around and moan about how "the companies ought to do something to get us some decent paying loads" or how another company is still paying "X" for a fuel surcharge (yeah ... how long ya figure that's gonna last .... when their competition is only charging 1/2 that rate .... or less ?)
But none of that type of thing is gonna make any difference at all - they just simply are not effective actions to cause a change in the situation.
I'd be curious to know how many folks who aren't happy with the amount they are running have maybe taken some business cards of their carriers sales personnel (or whatever other promotional material might be available) and dropped into a local business or two just to make sure that they are at least aware that your carrier even exists.
The above reminds of an instance I ran into early after I started expediting - I had a round trip on a load - had to take some stuff to be processed and then bring it back to where I had originally picked it up. While waiting for the stuff I was hauling to get done I spent a little time talking to the guys on second shift that handled shipping .... and found out that the only expedite companies they were even aware of were the one I was leased to and Panther. Wow .... And this was a big company - a 24/7 operation.
Anyways, the above are at least a part of the economic realities of this business - you don't have to like them necessarily - but you do have to know about it, understand it, and deal with it - at least if you want to be in this game.
If anyone thinks the reality is much different than the above, my guess is you are seriously deluding yourself.
"But why replace them if you have alot of drivers sitting and sitting waiting for a load??"
It's because there are too many sitting in one place, not because there are too many in total. If you spend most of your time in the Midwest you'll often notice there are more vans than loads. With many of the Panther boards, for example, you can often see twice as many vans as the load averages. You would be tempted to say that Panther has twice as many vans as they need. But you get into the outlying areas and you see the reverse, where there are more loads than vans.
Then you've always got a certain percentage who are OOS or unavailable for sleep, maintenance or whatever. Plus you've got drivers who will turn down loads, and you've got to make that up, too, with more vehicles.
It's because there are too many sitting in one place, not because there are too many in total. If you spend most of your time in the Midwest you'll often notice there are more vans than loads. With many of the Panther boards, for example, you can often see twice as many vans as the load averages. You would be tempted to say that Panther has twice as many vans as they need. But you get into the outlying areas and you see the reverse, where there are more loads than vans.
Then you've always got a certain percentage who are OOS or unavailable for sleep, maintenance or whatever. Plus you've got drivers who will turn down loads, and you've got to make that up, too, with more vehicles.
Wow...thought I was reading the "Meaning of Life" there for a minute...and then I thought it was a Turtle post for its length...
If we get a paid move, we DON'T lose our "rot time" it goes with us......
If we get a paid move, we DON'T lose our "rot time" it goes with us......
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
Relent, Good post, especially the part about having the business cards of y=the sales dept. nagle and i are VERY old friends from "sales" days in another industry. I am in touch with him to have salespeople do follow up calls regularly. It might not benefit me personally with another load, but it keeps the company viable and running which benefits me greatly...
The salespeople should be some of your best contacts within the company you lease with....
And Cheri, If anyone wants to post about me, more power to them, but you are exactly right. I should have known better then to post what I "heard", while the source is reliable and i believe it, it was still not the thing to do, again, "My Bad" (sorry, i am agramatical pig) with apologies to Chris for doing so.........
The salespeople should be some of your best contacts within the company you lease with....
And Cheri, If anyone wants to post about me, more power to them, but you are exactly right. I should have known better then to post what I "heard", while the source is reliable and i believe it, it was still not the thing to do, again, "My Bad" (sorry, i am agramatical pig) with apologies to Chris for doing so.........
Suds43
Seasoned Expediter
RLENT WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU? YOU'VE BEEN RIDING MY *** FOR A WEEK NOW!! I'VE HAD ABOUT ENOUGH OF IT!!!!!!
For one thing, you ought to learn how to comprehend what you think your reading. I quoted Chef when he said that he was in Toledo and there were X amt. of units ahead of him and he moved! My POINT was that if there were 13 other units from Bolt sitting in Toledo, don't you think they have enough without adding more????? So why do you want to stir things up by taking things out of context????
Anything I post or make a comment on lately you have to respond with smart *** remarks, if that doesn't work you sent the smart *** remarks to me in pm's!!!!! Think if I remember it was 4 last week! All whining about people on here on how they do this or do that......
I'm telling you, I"ve had enough, GET OFF MY ***!!!!!!!!!!!
For one thing, you ought to learn how to comprehend what you think your reading. I quoted Chef when he said that he was in Toledo and there were X amt. of units ahead of him and he moved! My POINT was that if there were 13 other units from Bolt sitting in Toledo, don't you think they have enough without adding more????? So why do you want to stir things up by taking things out of context????
Anything I post or make a comment on lately you have to respond with smart *** remarks, if that doesn't work you sent the smart *** remarks to me in pm's!!!!! Think if I remember it was 4 last week! All whining about people on here on how they do this or do that......
I'm telling you, I"ve had enough, GET OFF MY ***!!!!!!!!!!!
moose
Veteran Expediter
We have Del. a load into no where Mississippi , and BEFORE excepted the load we have asked our carrier where to DH to , they told us to go 187 Mil. away for a better chance of getting loaded on Mon.
and we did. all back roads .
come Mon. morning and guess what ? Pu is 2 Mil. from where we Del. the night before .
and if asked i will do the same ,
i actually do not see any rezone why a carrier need to pay a contractor to better position the truck ,
i do expect the load to pay for moving the truck to the PU ,once a load offer is on the table -
but that just a common seance of understanding the costs of doing business.
Moose.
and we did. all back roads .
come Mon. morning and guess what ? Pu is 2 Mil. from where we Del. the night before .
and if asked i will do the same ,
i actually do not see any rezone why a carrier need to pay a contractor to better position the truck ,
i do expect the load to pay for moving the truck to the PU ,once a load offer is on the table -
but that just a common seance of understanding the costs of doing business.
Moose.
i had a great week mi. to tenn 638 miles then i got one from alabama to sc 484 miles then from there s.c to maryland 552 miles then maryland to new york saturday morning 421 miles.. so yea freights moving. total for the week 2095 paid miles in a van. right spot at the right time.
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
Huh ?
Well, I can tell ya .... I'm really impressed with the fact that you are using the CAPS LOCK key ........
LOL - I'm sure that's totally true ...... generally, I would hope that I do fairly decent with it .... but I'm prone to making a mistake here and there. No claims for perfection here.
No, I don't necessarily think that 13 vans sitting in Toledo at one time means that Bolt has too many vans signed on.
That wasn't the intent - I merely lost track of some of what had been said earlier in the thread - and missed the point you were trying to make. My apologies for that - got it now.
I've said it before and I'll say it again now - if one speaks in public, in this case on an open forum, one should reasonably expect that others might well have something to say about what one says.
I'm perfectly willing to have someone comment on what I have said - comes with the territory. If I couldn't deal with that, the solution seems fairly evident to me - just don't post.
I think if you examine the content of my initial PM to you, you will find no smart*** remarks directed at you whatsoever - just my opinion on certain matters. Anything that came after that was in response to your communication - which I could characterize but won't - since I understand the meaning of the word "private" in "Private Message" ....
It was 4 PM's on the 6th (a single day, not a week)
First off, that is total generality (which might well suit your purposes), secondly, that is an unfair characterization of what I actually said ..... and you know it.
You asked a question on a forum and I responded to it in a PM. You then responded to that PM (and subsequent ones I sent you which were in response to your continued communication) and apparently you didn't much care for my responses.
Well, ok - sorry, if you didn't like what I had to say - but I'm not apologizing for what I said.
In any event, you are at this point coming dangerously close to revealing the content and subject matter of my PM's to you - and I'd just like to point out to you that that is a violation of the EO Code of Conduct. My advice would be to just let it go.
As long as you - or anyone else, for that matter - posts on an open forum I'll feel free to comment on it as I see fit - just as you (or anyone else) is free to comment on what I have to say (as many do and have done)
If ya don't like it, there's an easy solution ......
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What company are you leased on with? Just curious!
Seems we have a dog here that is not trained too well. Y'know there have been some posts about folks "changing the way they do business" and remark how happy they are with their decision. As mentioned before - good spots are not good EVERY day, and slow spots are not slow EVERY day. A couple years in the business don't impress me much, but with the challenging times right now, If"what i've always done" ain't working, i'd be looking around. It has always amazed me that if folks are going to wait a week for a load, why not take a chance on a run to Arizona and wait in 70 degrees steada spending a week in
toledo (yuk) in January. Take a chance. Columbus did, an it worked out pretty well. Staying out a couple months at a time is admirable as long as you are running and didn't pass up an opportunity to be home and take care of business when you were close. But, way too many get to the lounge chair and homestead a week or three to make up for it. It seems times are in fact slow, but sitting moaning and groaning, steada doing "something" even if it's wrong, ain't gonna fix your problem.
toledo (yuk) in January. Take a chance. Columbus did, an it worked out pretty well. Staying out a couple months at a time is admirable as long as you are running and didn't pass up an opportunity to be home and take care of business when you were close. But, way too many get to the lounge chair and homestead a week or three to make up for it. It seems times are in fact slow, but sitting moaning and groaning, steada doing "something" even if it's wrong, ain't gonna fix your problem.
It's been slow for me too. I just started with BOLT after wasting a few months with TRY HOURS. Happier here even during this slow time. I don't mind sitting for days but would like to know where NOT to sit. I'm in Columbus OH and wondering if Cleveland or Toledo would be better even with more vans ahead of me.Or Indy for that matter as that is closer to home for me. BTW, I have tried to log onto the BOLT forum and emailed the guy...but to no avail yet.
My UNIT is B490
Be safe
My UNIT is B490
Be safe
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
DH'd up from Marion IN. to Indy. Loaded and heading to Janesville Wisc, nothing long, a couple hundred miles, pay is ok.
I am at the J...in S.Beloit when your unloaded in the morning..YOU buy the coffee!!*LOL*
chefdennis
Veteran Expediter
I unload at 9:30, i'll be on here and see if you are still there.
Becareful...quite a storm passing thru....I have NO intention of driving in this crap....thats for you rookies!!*LOL* There's always another load!!