Is there something I can do? (load transfer)

aileron · Aug 9, 2009

You guys tell me, anything I can do, anybody I can talk to so this does not happen any more? Or am I just that unlucky? 90% of the time when I get a transfer load I get the short end of the stick. And here I am talking about the first part of the transfer, not the second part when there is no choice.

Ok, I get this offer from Atlanta to Nashville, TN, 250 miles. Short, but I accepted it because I haven't had a load in 5 days and I need some money. Later on I found out that the load is going to Shawnee, KS.

So, Atlanta to Shawnee is 875 miles, of course I cannot do that. But come on. From 875 I get only 250, the other driver ends up with 625 miles run.
I called and talked to the dispatcher and the response I got was that this is the best transfer location. (Note that the load is a 20 lb box that can be hand transfered, more than that, the transfer is at a truckstop in Nashville.)

How can this be the best transfer location? When I checked, a fairer transfer point would have been St. Louis, which has a ton of vans available, and I would have had 555 miles and the other driver would have gotten 320.

I am getting sick of this. I understand when there is no choice, but this? To me 320/555 is much fairer than 250/625, no matter which way you put it. Do I just have 'stoopid' besides my truck number in their computer system?

Thanks for letting me vent a little, since I feel like throwing up.

layoutshooter · Aug 9, 2009

MMM Have you "ticked off" someone? LOL!!

piper1 · Aug 9, 2009

The way the system decides transfer points is pretty screwy at best. I get a lot that are small loads that will route both of us to Grand Island NY, FX has a guy there who does transfers so the system just routes both vans there (and it is out of the way and costs toll$$). If I see it is small I ALWAYS call dispatch and say hey can we do this in Buffalo (or wherever) at a truckstop. At that point the dispatcher will dig far enough into the load info to see it is small and they ususally will agree, call the other driver, and move the transfer. I think a lot of this has to do with Customer service entering the orders (and all the little details) and then dispatch not really having to get too involved just yet as the DVA goes ahead and does it's thing first.

As for the short end of the stick.....I think it is just dumb luck. I finish a lot of runs into Canada and I can be sitting in Chicago, the load will pass me on it's way east, and I will get DH'd to Detroit for the transfer. Me thinks they will fix stuff like this because to pay a guy to haul the load and another guy DH to go the same direction just to transfer must cost the Fed some bucks. I think the correct corporate term is "we are still actively researching and refining our new software....please be patient."

Didn't make you feel any better did I.......sorry.

aileron · Aug 9, 2009

piper1 said:
The way the system decides transfer points is pretty screwy at best. I get a lot that are small loads that will route both of us to Grand Island NY, FX has a guy there who does transfers so the system just routes both vans there (and it is out of the way and costs toll$$). If I see it is small I ALWAYS call dispatch and say hey can we do this in Buffalo (or wherever) at a truckstop. At that point the dispatcher will dig far enough into the load info to see it is small and they ususally will agree, call the other driver, and move the transfer. I think a lot of this has to do with Customer service entering the orders (and all the little details) and then dispatch not really having to get too involved just yet as the DVA goes ahead and does it's thing first.

As for the short end of the stick.....I think it is just dumb luck. I finish a lot of runs into Canada and I can be sitting in Chicago, the load will pass me on it's way east, and I will get DH'd to Detroit for the transfer. Me thinks they will fix stuff like this because to pay a guy to haul the load and another guy DH to go the same direction just to transfer must cost the Fed some bucks. I think the correct corporate term is "we are still actively researching and refining our new software....please be patient."

Didn't make you feel any better did I.......sorry.

Yeah, this did not make me feel any better, but your post in the other thread about OVM's transponder did it.

I will survive.

hdxpedx · Aug 9, 2009

When you CHOKE revenue from reliable trucks and penalize them with 700mile cut off-- they will leave!! IT'S CALLED BUSINESS!!

Dreamer · Aug 9, 2009

The transfer thing has driven me nuts. I've started to learn a lot of the transfer points. Some areas, such as Nitro WV, Middletown PA, etc... seems 90% sure it's a transfer.. expecially if it's several hrs out, and an odd time. I too have had to 'chase the transfer driver' down the road, both of us doing the same route to an arbitrary transfer point. Thing to remember is, they set the first half up, before they set the second half up.

One thing that might be possible, is AS SOON as you get the load info, and realize it's a transfer, call dispatch, and ask where the final del is.. .and see if a longer "up front" can be negotiated. Don't know if it would work, but it's worth a shot.

As for the 700 mile thing, if people are going to leave over that... GOOD. Sorry dude, no offense... but if you want to run more miles, less money.. go for it. Those companies that give longer runs.. I talked to some at the expo.. they pay 50-60 cents a mile. Yeah, they say 70 something, then after you talk to them, you find out that';s the TOP end.

I know we don't make what we did a year ago.. but I'd still rather get paid more for what I DO run, than run my tail off, wear out my van for 40 cents less a mile.

hdxpedx · Aug 10, 2009

As for the 700 mile thing, if people are going to leave over that... GOOD. Sorry dude, no offense... but if you want to run more miles, less money.. go for it. Those companies that give longer runs.. I talked to some at the expo.. they pay 50-60 cents a mile. Yeah, they say 70 something, then after you talk to them, you find out that';s the TOP end.

I know we don't make what we did a year ago.. HERE HERE!!!

I don't do .50-.60 mile frt. I hear the pay and take/leave it!!.. Being forced off the opportunity because of a few extra miles over 700-- is the PROBLEM!

aileron · Aug 10, 2009

Dreamer said:
.....
One thing that might be possible, is AS SOON as you get the load info, and realize it's a transfer, call dispatch, and ask where the final del is.. .and see if a longer "up front" can be negotiated. Don't know if it would work, but it's worth a shot.
....

Dreamer,

As soon as I get an offer I punch the pro number in the computer and it tells me where it picks up and where it delivers. This is how I found out about it.
Immediately I checked St. Louis, actually it is St. Charles, since that is a place where we do lots of transfers and there were lots of vans sitting there.
I called the dispatcher that sent the load and I asked about it. I only asked why Nashville not St. Louis since that would have been fairer for both drivers, her only answer was that Nashville is the best transfer point and the load is already dispatched and she cannot change the transfer, mind you, I did not ask any of that. I don't know, favorite driver maybe?

You know, sometimes you loose some, sometimes you loose some. No way to win, no matter what. Now this, a while ago a 711 mile run that I ended up with 350. Oh well, life goes on. Thank God for hope, that is all I have left.

LDB · Aug 10, 2009

hdxpedx said:
penalize them with 700mile cut off

I understand wanting to make as much as possible but please enlighten me how it is safe to allow more than 700 miles in one stretch since I have family on the roads in three different areas and want them safe always.

On the OP, swaps are a major problem everywhere it seems. A friend at another company refuses all swaps unless they tell him prior to acceptance where the swap will take place. He's not against both trucks getting a decent/fair run but like you doesn't want to see it turn into an 80/20 situation. Since most loads have pretty limited routing options and since swap points aren't numerous it should be pretty standard to know up front, at least for a dock high vehicle. For a van, when it's light enough to hand move from one to the other, it should be left up to the two drivers to choose their meeting spot in the vicinity of Podunk. Especially when a dock isn't required every attempt should be made to equalize the paid miles as much as possible.

hdxpedx · Aug 10, 2009

-- IT's the OLD-RULE auto-matic disqualification of an OVER #700-- that's the problem!! Say 710 -- deadhead to p/u and it's disqualiflyed to a single driver- got to be cut in half . transfered or whatever over 20-30 extra miles over #700 miles!! PASSED UP! I truely don't care to drive over 700-- but 700+ 715,725 or what ever, shouldn't be disqualification city-- especially with our new CHEATER RATES!!

piper1 · Aug 10, 2009

hdxpedx said:
-- IT's the OLD-RULE auto-matic disqualification of an OVER #700-- that's the problem!! Say 710 -- deadhead to p/u and it's disqualiflyed to a single driver- got to be cut in half . transfered or whatever over 20-30 extra miles over #700 miles!! PASSED UP! I truely don't care to drive over 700-- but 700+ 715,725 or what ever, shouldn't be disqualification city-- especially with our new CHEATER RATES!!

There must be a place to go and get longer runs and no 'Cheater Rates".............................................................................. Let us know when you find it.

interstategar · Aug 16, 2009

"As for the 700 mile thing, if people are going to leave over that... GOOD. Sorry dude, no offense... but if you want to run more miles, less money.. go for it"

There's another option-give an option to run more than 700 miles
on runs. Those who don't want to run can stay at 700 mi and below, and those that do want to run more than 700 mi let'm. No reason to cut the rates. We will make our 85 cents a mile and make more money. There's no DOT rules stopping us, just Fedex CC
rules they made up themselves. There's no logical reason we shouldn't be running the same miles as our competition.

As far as transfers the load opportunity should be labeled TRANSFER when its offered instead of a driver having to guess its one. Go to the Extranet and suggest it. If a number of us do they might add that. Also just hit zero on the phone for an opportunity to talk to someone before it times out.I never stay on the clink for loads just for that reason. I've bid up the pay on loads when they can't cover a load. On one load that picked up 225 mi from me in Richmond VA I called up and was told they can't pay me more than the offer. 5 minutes later they called me up and paid me what I was asking for. There's always room to negotiate when no one will take a load at a super cheap price.

aileron · Aug 17, 2009

Well, it happened again last week. The second time in the same week. I will not bore you with the details, but from 850 miles I ended with 300 for the first part of transfer. I checked and there was an express center right in the middle with 4 vans sitting there that would have made it fair for both of us. I talked with my CC, got nowhere. I really want to talk with Jason Frederick about it. I was told that I cannot talk to him, but she will send him a message and he will call me back. No call yet, but still hope..........

interstategar · Aug 22, 2009

If you want a call from Jason Frederick you have to write him a letter directly to him, state your issue, and leave your phone number in the letter. Talking to your CC and asking for a ph call back from him won't work. He'll call you back the same day he reads your letter. I've already gotten 2 calls from him from 2 letters I wrote directly to him. I'm batting 1000%.