Florida and expediting

Sawbones · Apr 3, 2006

Hi all,
Well, it has been a year and I thought I would revisited this question so, I can determine if it is time to take the jump. I have done the research, I had listened intently to every pro and con posted here and elsewhere. I have watch the job boards, and continue to see a need. And from what I am seeing now, it looks like frieght is up and people are, shall we say, a bit more comfortable than a year ago. Now, to the heart of my question, is expediting in and out of Florida on the rise? I figure it has to be, because with a 1000 new people a day to my little are alone, there has to be a demand. I am not looking for a weekly either, at least every couple of weeks. By the way, I am in Tampabay area. Thanks for everything.;-)

davekc · Apr 3, 2006

Based on several load boards, I would say it is steady. Since there is little industry, the trend is still alot of frieght in, with maginal amounts out. The bigger carriers can get you out but it is a competitive market on outbound frieght.
Most of the people that enter Florida are either retired, in construction, or employed in the tourist/service sector, rather than industry.

Davekc
owner
21 years
PantherII
EO moderator

ATeam · Apr 3, 2006

The answers you received a year ago when you asked the same question stand as valid today.

LDB · Apr 3, 2006

Inbound feast, outbound famine.. or at least significant shortages.

Leo Bricker, owner trucks 3034, 4958
OOIDA 677319
73's K5LDB
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Sawbones · Apr 4, 2006

O.K., so since it would seem I can get home rather easily, how far North would I have to dead head to get back into the traffic lanes? Atlanta? Birmingham? Charlotte? Thanks for the answers.

RichM · Apr 4, 2006

Atlanta would be your best choice

dieselphreak2K · Apr 4, 2006

As much as I heard about sitting in Florida, I was there last week, Miami to be exact, and Panther had me leaving with a load that was 15 miles away, and i only sat 2 hours.

Sawbones · Apr 4, 2006

That is good to hear, but I wonder if that was a fluke? Might I inquire as to what you where able to get going north from there? I understand if the anwser is no, or I am P.C. incorrect.

pantherii · Apr 5, 2006

personal experiences and I live in winter Springs,fl, most the freight coming into Florida is in Panama city, pensacola, and Miami.
I've never picked up a load in florida, we always d/h to tifton,ga or get close to columbia or charleston,sc.

TheGoodGuy · May 4, 2006

You didn't say what you will be driving. I've been expediting out of Florida (Central Fl area) with three different company's, in both a D unit and a Sprinter Van. 99% of the time we d/h to Columbia, or Atlanta for loads to get us back in the system. Or you can stay at the house and wait a week or two for a load...MAYBE.

God Bless America

bernieh48 · May 5, 2006

Well we are a d unit team and we live in Ocala,Fl. We drive for Conway Now and have no problem getting to and from FL. Our loads generally d/l to Sarasota, Tampa, Miami,Palm Beach And so forth. Our p/u's coming out of FL are generally out of the Tampa, Ocala, Gainsville, Jacksonville areas. We have consistently been to and from FL approx. once a week. Now we have also been with Fed Ex Custom Critical and never got to FL at all. So you have to make your own choices though.

Jefferson3000 · May 28, 2006

Hi everyone. I am new here. I run hotshot type deliveries within the airfreight forwarding community out of Tampa. Ok, enough of that!

I have to say that I see so many more of you folks in the last six months than ever before. At least ONE every day in my out of town travels. I have seen as many as six in one work day. Mostly straight truck or tractor. (I assume some of the vans may not be decaled as noticibly, especially with smaller carriers.) I certainly see more in north Florida, starting in Wildwood/Ocala area. But I do see a lot of South Florida as well. Of course, I can't always tell how long a truck has been sitting at the rest area, or whether he is dead heading when I see them. But there defintely is more time time-sensitive freight moving thru Florida. I'll admit that even in my niche, freight has been much slower this spring than last year. I did lots of longer runs on Jan and Feb. than the last couple months.

Here's the ones I see the most:

Fedex CC,
Tri-State,
All State,
and occasionally Panther II.

I saw 2 TTL trucks 2 days consecutively. (differnt trucks, but they both happened to have the same fleet owner even.)

Thanks for leeting me take part in your forum.

Jeff