How much have cargo vans been running lately?

dodgeboy

Seasoned Expediter
How much have cargo van drivers been running in the past three months? Have you seen a significant drop in the number of loads that you have been averaging? Also, what company do you currently work for?:confused:
 
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Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
How much have cargo van drivers been running in the past three months?

I assume by running you mean miles. I'm more a revenue type guy. September was an average month. October was a good month. I took advantage of lower fuel prices and high f.s.c. My cost per mile for fuel was .16/mile and my f.s.c. averaged out to .316 per mile.

November is looking to be an average November. I ran a short 230 mile load Monday and then took the rest of the week off. Currently I am number 3 of 3 and don't expect to get out until Monday or Tuesday. So I figure the month of November is in the books!

Revenue wise, profit wise, mileage wise and other wise, October looks to be the best month of the year. I should note that I took off 3 weeks in July and 2 1/2 weeks in August. I find that water related activities in Minnesota such as paddling a canoe are best done in June, July and August.

Have you seen a significant drop in the number of loads that you have been averaging?

No. I realize this is the end of the world and all, but like I stated in a previous post, "I feel fine."

Also, what company do you currently work for?:confused:

Panther Expedited Services, Inc. (Doing the van thing)
 

dhalltoyo

Veteran Expediter
Yes.

Available freight is down across the board.

Deadhead miles to get freight have markedly increased.

The number of trucks/vans listed "For Sale" in the Classified Ads continues to grow.
 

Moot

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
Sorry about interjecting a positive experience into this end of the world atmosphere. I guess I dance to the music of a different fiddler. Yea, me and Nero are feeling fine!
 

twinpopusa

Seasoned Expediter
Pretty simple.. Those who have prepared for these times will survive. Especially in a van. Our long loads have been few and far in between. And now Panther is offering us .70 a mile loads. This business isn't for the feint and the foolish!
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
I did pretty well the last 4 weeks out...had one what you would call bad week....and one massive week and 2 well pretty good...so overall it averaged out...as it's been said...you have to look long term, not weekly....this is not for the feint of heart.
 

hondaking38

Veteran Expediter
i am down about 30% from last year....just waiting for most of ya to pack it in so we can start cherry pickin again..
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
i am down about 30% from last year....just waiting for most of ya to pack it in so we can start cherry pickin again..

They seem to be a stubborn bunch...they are hangin in...I like you are waiting for them to drop out...as cruel as that sounds...
 

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
Bein the new guy on the block(started sept 1st), i guess i have nothing to base what i have done on from the past. All i can say is i have not sat longer the 38 hours between any load more then a handful of times during the week, and i have averaged a load a day during the week (mon-fri) while sitting on sat and sun or getting called for a load monday morning. I am more then meeting the expectations I set when i started.

Yea i am running dead head miles, but nithing i consider over the top. And yea some loads i am running for less then others, but nothing has been a loser and i have only turned down maybe 3 loads total.

I guess i am diave or maybe my expectations were low, but i am doin just fine and enjoying this business at this point.

Now, that all being said, lets look at the load sitting in my driveway right now. I told dispatch that after i had dropped, i was deading NE towards Toledo, Oh for thanksgiving. I wasn't gping out of service and of they found something, call me as i moved. I got at far as Texarkana Ark.spent the night and left to head further down the road.Got down road and got a call
to DH 187 mile to pick up in Poplar bluff MO. going to Greenville Oh. DH was a bit out of the way, but it got me to Ohio and paid me to get there so i took it, it had to be in ohio by midnight. Well before I got to the pickup, but not before i was within 75 miles, I get a call from dispatch, the load had changed and i could turn it down it i wanted to, seems the consignee decided to let the 2nd and 3rd shift go home early and not come back till MONDAY, this wes weds afternoon. So I could dump it, keep it, sit in greenville for 4 days, or take it home and drive and extra 200 miles and deliver it at 5 am monday.

Now I had excepted the load, it was paying me and i would be home for the holiday, sleep in my bed and see all of my family. If I dumped it, chances are another carrier would have gotten the load, and neither my carrier or myself would have made anything, so i took it and it is sitting in my drive way. Now I drove right past the consignee on my way home, i'll turn around and leave home about midnight tonight and drive back down there, drop then run over to Franklin Ohio on I 75 and wait for another load. They did give me a few more bucks to cover my fuel back down there.

So I took the load, sat on it for 5 days. did it cost me a load fri or sat ? I don't know, but i made money, the company made money, the shipper and consignee are happy. Again maybe i am a bit diave, but its all good here.

Bolt Express
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Dennis....It doesn't matter what others think....if it worked for you and your happy...thats all that matters pal....good luck and hold on 2009 is going to be a wild ride!:)
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
OVM, Thanks for the list, its printed and laminated and on the dash! :)

I don't know how the Bolt system works....sometimes dispatchers won't or can't give DH but they'll bump the rate or may justify giving you tolls....but if you don't ask they won't offer either...Some people will tell you, you shouldn't have to ask..That dispatch should give you what the loads worth...To that I say..."take your head outta your butt" Ya can't spend "stubborn" or "principle":rolleyes:
 

flattop40

Expert Expediter
Dennis....It doesn't matter what others think....if it worked for you and your happy...thats all that matters pal....good luck and hold on 2009 is going to be a wild ride!:)

You've drawn Bodacious, your hand grip is so tight it will have to pull your arm off to get it lose, and your spurs are jabbed into his ribs. The gate swings open and you say to yourself "help me lord just get through the next 8 seconds".

After 2 seconds you feel like ever joint in your body has been dislocated and now you wish your hand grip wasn't so tight so you could jump off. Your hat fell off at the gate and now you don't look so cool.

Realizing all of this you say to yourself "might as well ride it out and hope for a high score".

Thats where we are at ladies and gentlemen. We have 6 more seconds to hang on and things will get better, not that they are bad now. Still on top and thats all that matters.

I, like OVM, had some good weeks and some bad but from sept-nov has been right on par with the rest of the year.

The Big E
 

moose

Veteran Expediter
i am down about 30% from last year....just waiting for most of ya to pack it in so we can start cherry pickin again..

this is going to you 2 , OVM....

Just my 2 cents ,Ya'hy ?

It aint going to happened !
Think on this for a sec. , will ya ?
with the last bail out for the ones that loan the money for new sprinters ...
and with more and more loosing their jobs ,...
it is as EZ as ever to buy into a van , and get an Expedite job ,
more CV's are in your Horizon ,as old ones go broke , the new ones will continue to come in ...
to protect your income ,,,get a CDL...or something...
i will Crowle back to my woods now...



Moose.
KC ,Casino ...Again ,,,
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
this is going to you 2 , OVM....

Just my 2 cents ,Ya'hy ?

It aint going to happened !
Think on this for a sec. , will ya ?
with the last bail out for the ones that loan the money for new sprinters ...
and with more and more loosing their jobs ,...
it is as EZ as ever to buy into a van , and get an Expedite job ,
more CV's are in your Horizon ,as old ones go broke , the new ones will continue to come in ...
to protect your income ,,,get a CDL...or something...
i will Crowle back to my woods now...



Moose.
KC ,Casino ...Again ,,,

moose..I have a CDL...solo in a straight? 4get it...I make more with less aggrevation...ALL them newbees coming in? No problem...after 8 years in this biz...most newbees don't have any "stick"
 
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