Charlotte and Atlanta at a all time low been stuck for 7 days...

[T270_Dreamin]

Not sure what is going one but sprinter loads are few and far between this week in Charlotte and Atlanta. I guess I'll just blame it on my carrier. Tomorrow is my last opportunity, Friday is do or die. Still sitting in Greenville. Gunna sit this one out and hope for the best, looks like today is a wrap.

Anyone else feeling the same way?

 

[rymilburn]

We just became o/o, went into service last Monday. Got nothing in Los Angeles, a short one in Dallas, and today nothing in the whole state of Texas. Pathetic.

 

[zorry]

A zero day seems worse as an o/o than driving for someone.

 

[layoutshooter]

A zero day seems worse as an o/o than driving for someone.

Double or triple that if your first payment on that new $250,000 truck is due in 10 days!

 

[JohnMueller]

Drivers;

Please think about "Lost Revenue" caused by reluctance to deadhead (even on your own dime) to a better area.

I'm NOT an operations person by any means, and even though Safety is NOT a "revenue producing" department in trucking, I do sometime think in terms of dollars and "sense". I always heard when i worked at truckload companies that owner operators of tractors need to make $600 a day. The operations department always worked hard to make that happen. Now going to the Expedite Industry for the past 20 years, I know that owner operators still need to make $XXX dollars per day to survive. You should know what that $XXX amount is for you.

For each day you sit waiting for a load you have lost that $XXX in revenue. It is hard to make up that $XXX revenue after one day, let alone after 7 days. Know that dispatch is NOT always able to get you a load out of an area. It may make better sense to place a "sit and wait" limit of maybe 24 hours on yourself. If no load within 24 hours, move to an area you know will be better. In some cases that place that is better for loads may be home. Yes you will incur additional expenses, but those expenses can be easier to offset if you are quickly back to creating that lost revenue. Remember, it still costs money to sit.

I hope this helps.

Be safe.

 

[rymilburn]

Drivers;

Please think about "Lost Revenue" caused by reluctance to deadhead (even on your own dime) to a better area.

I'm NOT an operations person by any means, and even though Safety is NOT a "revenue producing" department in trucking, I do sometime think in terms of dollars and "sense". I always heard when i worked at truckload companies that owner operators of tractors need to make $600 a day. The operations department always worked hard to make that happen. Now going to the Expedite Industry for the past 20 years, I know that owner operators still need to make $XXX dollars per day to survive. You should know what that $XXX amount is for you.

For each day you sit waiting for a load you have lost that $XXX in revenue. It is hard to make up that $XXX revenue after one day, let alone after 7 days. Know that dispatch is NOT always able to get you a load out of an area. It may make better sense to place a "sit and wait" limit of maybe 24 hours on yourself. If no load within 24 hours, move to an area you know will be better. In some cases that place that is better for loads may be home. Yes you will incur additional expenses, but those expenses can be easier to offset if you are quickly back to creating that lost revenue. Remember, it still costs money to sit.

I hope this helps.

Be safe.

That's good advice. However, when your somewhere & the closest place is about 9 hours away... You have to double think that, and there's already 5 people sitting there

 

[fifaref2]

Excellent advice that pays off 99% of he time.

 

[billg27]

Now I'm getting worried. I just moved closer to Atlanta hoping to get a load from there. Not even 24 hours yet, but very much prefer making money to sitting. Especially sitting in Atlanta!

 

[paullud]

Drivers;

Please think about "Lost Revenue" caused by reluctance to deadhead (even on your own dime) to a better area.

I'm NOT an operations person by any means, and even though Safety is NOT a "revenue producing" department in trucking, I do sometime think in terms of dollars and "sense". I always heard when i worked at truckload companies that owner operators of tractors need to make $600 a day. The operations department always worked hard to make that happen. Now going to the Expedite Industry for the past 20 years, I know that owner operators still need to make $XXX dollars per day to survive. You should know what that $XXX amount is for you.

For each day you sit waiting for a load you have lost that $XXX in revenue. It is hard to make up that $XXX revenue after one day, let alone after 7 days. Know that dispatch is NOT always able to get you a load out of an area. It may make better sense to place a "sit and wait" limit of maybe 24 hours on yourself. If no load within 24 hours, move to an area you know will be better. In some cases that place that is better for loads may be home. Yes you will incur additional expenses, but those expenses can be easier to offset if you are quickly back to creating that lost revenue. Remember, it still costs money to sit.

I hope this helps.

Be safe.

Moving costs money and moving to another place that leaves you sitting costs even more. A 24 hour time limit can be a good idea for some and bad for others because for each individual it is very different. If you go home more often then a shorter time limit might make sense if you stay out longer then you can take the higher paying load to a bad area and extend that limit.

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[NorthernBill]

So what beside's experience, can help one decide how long to wait? Is there a source that can provide a history or forecast for load's into or out of a area? What carrier gives there operator's the most info regards loads?

 

[jjoerger]

We waited at home for 2 days. No loads. DH to Atlanta last night. Sitting all day. Very slow today.

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[davekc]

You can create your own over time, network with current drivers or go to free freight sites and see what activity is going on in a given area. Some carriers give you good information, and some dribble out a list of useless information. Type of equipment is another factor. Usually though, if I was sitting too long, I would broker my own loads. Quite a few threads in here on that. Keep in mind, much tougher if doing the van gig.

 

[jjtdrv4u]

So what beside's experience, can help one decide how long to wait? Is there a source that can provide a history or forecast for load's into or out of a area? What carrier gives there operator's the most info regards loads?

there is a whole lot more to it than that.; for example:
have you had any load offers from your dispatch in the 7 days? have you turned down any load offers?
how many sprinters are ahead of you on the board?
these all need to be considered, also, some carriers will move you to another area for a mere token, other carriers leave it up to you to move. a lot of carriers like to have vans stacked up on top of each other on the board.
but 7 days are way too many to sit and wait anywhere, although you are in a good area there, it
could just mean that your carrier is not concerned about getting you a load, or you may have pi$$ed off your dispatcher! usually 2 days are more than enough to wait anywhere.

 

[Big Al]

I am sorry but it is hard to believe you can sit in Greenville for 7 days! I would check out your sources to see if they have your best interests at hand. Greenville is within a couple of hours for most parts of Atlanta, Charlotte, Columbia SC. You are in a niche area, I actually prefer Greenville over Atlanta and about the same as Charlotte. My sympathies are with hopefully you be out soon. There are very few areas that are good at all times.
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[briggie1]

Not sure what is going one but sprinter loads are few and far between this week in Charlotte and Atlanta. I guess I'll just blame it on my carrier. Tomorrow is my last opportunity, Friday is do or die. Still sitting in Greenville. Gunna sit this one out and hope for the best, looks like today is a wrap.

Anyone else feeling the same way?

I been in Augusta all week with only one call a day.

 

[davekc]

One call is fine if it is a profitable load. Only need one.

 

[Murraycroexp]

There also seems to be an trend in the last few weeks, at least on the posted load areas I've seen.
1. No area seems "hot" on Mondays.
2. No morning seems to be super busy right out of the gate.

Now, that said, I filter my load emails and only see loads for vans, sprinters, cubes & small straights. So it's kind of incomplete information. And only in one to five states at a time usually.
So take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Tennesseahawk]

There also seems to be an trend in the last few weeks, at least on the posted load areas I've seen.
1. No area seems "hot" on Mondays.
2. No morning seems to be super busy right out of the gate.

Now, that said, I filter my load emails and only see loads for vans, sprinters, cubes & small straights. So it's kind of incomplete information. And only in one to five states at a time usually.
So take it with a grain of salt.

What? You got something against Chinese five spice or somethin?

 

[Mailer]

What? You got something against Chinese five spice or somethin?

Did someone said Chinese? Lol. Blessings from the mainland China, you all will get a load in the next 48 hrs.

 

[paullud]

So what beside's experience, can help one decide how long to wait? Is there a source that can provide a history or forecast for load's into or out of a area? What carrier gives there operator's the most info regards loads?

There is a website called www.expeditersonline.com that you can post your location in the locations thread and ask for suggestions. A call into dispatch could be helpful as well since they should have a good idea of where freight is moving, keyword should.

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