I WANT TO PICK YOUR BRAIN

Wingnut · Dec 20, 2007

Ok, I tried to think of a catchy subject title and this was the best I could do on what little sleep I've had. I do have a serious question for all of you: What do you think the odds of a team truck getting a load outta Sacramento,CA between now and Saturday heading east (preferrably to NY) would be???
They would like to be home for Christmas (who wouldn't??)and can't afford to deadhead all the way back this way. In case some of you are wondering why on earth would they take a load out that far if they want to be home, the answer is simple: for the money! The load paid big bucks and they couldn't turn down that kind of money. While it's NOT a catastrophe if they don't make it home for Christmas (their families are very understanding), they still would like to get back. They knew going into this business that this kind of situation might happen and are totally understanding. So.....what do you think????????

slfisher45 · Dec 20, 2007

In my extended family, Christmas gatherings were always on the basis of everyone being available to get together. The order was immediate family first on Cristmas day, then either in-laws with siblings, ( no order) , then other groups uncles, aunts cousins, early December into mid January and make the ones you can.Any order works to celebrate what your celebrating.
It sounds like they took the load so that is their priority. It is a long drive to NY so they will need a load right away from many brokers that can give them a load. A lot of info is missing. TT Straight, Van? Can they haul brokered loads, some companys will pay DH to get them towards home for Christmas. Who do they drive for?

easyrider2697 · Dec 20, 2007

Guess the money was not that good if they needed to be somewhere else, nor did it pay enuff to help cover DH all the way back...chasing that empty pot of gold in my opinion....

greg334 · Dec 20, 2007

Wingnut,
Slim.

It is called opportunity cost - you give up something to get something. In their case they can either give up the money to get home (drive or fly), which means that they will most likely lose the money they gained taking the load or they can enjoy a California Christmas.

I celebrate the holiday differently and for years I worked on that day while others could be with theirs so to me the day itself is another day the meaning behind it matters and they way it is celebrated. They, the people I worked for on that day, felt it was far too important to be with family (even though they were with them all the time) than it was making a few thousand sitting watching TV.

I am sitting at home for a couple medical reasons (Cold got worst and I hit my head on the truck door) and just dying to get out but if it has to be on December 25th, well it has to be.

LDB · Dec 20, 2007

I don't think the question was whether they took a good or bad load but whether there was a likelihood of getting out of there. Before criticizing the decision it's also important to remember we're talking about Sacramento to New York, a distance of 2700 miles or so. At today's fuel prices that's $1000 of fuel to deadhead back. Even most very good loads don't have an extra $1000 in them to burn up in deadhead. Add in wear and tear, oil change, tires etc. and it's significantly more yet. Last year I took a load over Thanksgiving that paid $4400 to the truck for 2550 miles. Like the load mentioned here, it was too good to pass up. The deadhead home afterward would have been 2450 miles and would have eaten up all the extra the load paid. I got 2 follow up loads that got me near home with only about 300 miles total deadhead and kept the excellent pay in the bank. I'm sorry I don't know what freight out of Sacramento is but I do know this is a case to not criticize the decision made.

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sixwheeler · Dec 20, 2007

"pick your brain" ever see that silence of the lambs movie (cant remember which one) where hanibal cut open the guys head, cut out part of his brain, fried it up, and fed it to him? pretty disgusting.

Tennesseahawk · Dec 20, 2007

Everybody and their brother will be wanting to get home for Christmas. Start looking for LTLs now. You might even make enough to pay for fuel. If you're insistant on getting expedite, or your company won't let you get your own freight, I'd suggest your truck head toward LA.

Not ragging on the drivers here. But the high dollar freight going out west comes at a cost. Most likely dh back. And it's been said time and time again... if you have to be somewhere at a certain time, don't go out west beforehand.

-A bore is a person who opens his mouth and puts his feats in it. - Henry Ford

davekc · Dec 20, 2007

Sounds like the load didn't pay enough if they haven't the money to return. Saddle up and head back, broker a load, or chalk it up to experience and wait until after the first of the year.
Then again, there is always luck. Might be a winner in a load lottery.
Oops....there's that "L" word.
Some say there is no such thing.

Davekc
owner
23 years
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JohnO · Dec 20, 2007

Ontario is 420 south
Salt Lake City is 649 east

Iâ€™m assuming the team is in a D unit not sure what carrier.

Solo with Landstar Iâ€™ve done quite well getting load offers east from Ontario.

My experience has been that Salt Lake City has considerably more team loads.

For home time when Iâ€™m on the west coast trying to get back to NJ I would secure the truck and fly home. Home after a 6 hour stress free ride was enjoyable to say the least.

Good Luck!

Wingnut · Dec 20, 2007

THANKS for all your responses so far!! My truck is a "C" straight truck on with FECC. The guys got a little lucky this morning: got a load going to Tuscon,AZ. That's still almost 2400 miles from home but it's still closer than they were this morning.

Like I said in my original post, my guys knew that in this business, there's always the chance of not making it home when you want to, especially around a holiday. They also took that into consideration when they accepted the load to CA. I already know that 99% of the loads coming out of AZ go to CA or TX, which means their chance of getting one coming this way is still pretty slim. I was just "picking your brain" to see what you've experienced for loads out of CA and what you think.

Greg: sorry to hear about your illness & head bump. Hope that you're feeling much, much better!

ATeam · Dec 21, 2007

Taking a good-paying load to CA is a good decision, not a bad one, if you are with a carrier that has freight in CA to keep you rolling once you get out there. Doing so when you want to be on the other side of the country around the same time puts two objectives in conflict; making money and being home for Christmas. It is a matter of priorities.

This team seems to have understood that and made their choice. Better still, while they would prefer to be home, they seem content to live with the choice they made.

The red flag that waves in this situation is, "They would like to be home for Christmas (who wouldn't??)and can't afford to deadhead all the way back this way."

Newbies, listen up. If you are out there any time of year without enough funds in the bank to get you home on short notice, you do not have enough money in the bank. People who operate without adequate reserve funds are not well positioned to deal with the uncertainties of the expedite business.

These uncertainties include getting sick on the road and being unable to drive for a period of time, getting sick on the road and needing to get back home because of it, getting home because someone else is sick, having a truck that gets sick and has to go down for repairs, and sometimes something like developing a strong desire to get back home simply because you have not been there for a while. There are many more uncertainties, including economic downturn and negative turns in the freight cycle, and negative developments with your carrier.

It is a wise practice for expediters to have three to six months of gross income saved up and within easy reach. That way, if holiday timing or other circumstances create the need or desire to get home, the decision to go or not go can be made by you, and not by the money you do not have. By building a healthy reserve fund, you give yourself the freedom to get home and/or take extended time off (be it because you want to, or because you have to).

I understand that for many, it is not realistic to build up and retain that kind of money on short notice. But for all expediters, it is a worthy goal to do so over time.

nightcreacher · Dec 21, 2007

must have taken a ryder logistic to tuscon,that wont be any help getting back to ny,hope they get as lucky as I did,loaded from la to home,then I left again,but I'm home til the 2nd now.