Ontario ca TA was a ghost town

dabluzman1

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
Wow, what a difference a few weeks make.
The last three times at the TA in Ontario the front lot was jammed, overflowing,
just saturated with expediters. There were tall ones, short ones, fat ones, skinny ones.........but, on the 16th of March............THREE Fedex D or DR units were in the lot. Thats it. Weird.
 

AMonger

Veteran Expediter
So is Texas doing better, too?

2012: Ron Paul or not at all.
The lesser of two evils is still evil.
 

leezaback

Seasoned Expediter
Owner/Operator
good news to hear, last time out in Feb, there were 30 expedited trucks-every company represented. hopefully everyone keeps running
 

skyraider

Veteran Expediter
US Navy
I have 2 friends in van with Panther, they are sitting way to much and these 2 guys have been out there for years. 3 weeks and 2 runs and lots of dead head trying to get a load for one driver and the other is not much better. Dispatch told one that that first out business is a dead system, that was his opinion.
 

davekc

Senior Moderator
Staff member
Fleet Owner
I have 2 friends in van with Panther, they are sitting way to much and these 2 guys have been out there for years. 3 weeks and 2 runs and lots of dead head trying to get a load for one driver and the other is not much better. Dispatch told one that that first out business is a dead system, that was his opinion.

We have been busy, but not seeing much van freight. Good news is, we have no vans. As for first outs, that has been dead for over a year now.
 

tryhours3191

Seasoned Expediter
Spent the weekend in Palm Springs. Going back in service in the morning in Ontario CA.

Sent from my DROID RAZR
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Diane and I are there now (Ontario TA). It is business as usual with a number of expediter trucks in the front lot representing FedEx Custom Critical, Panther, Landstar, T&K, Blair and maybe one or two others.
 

tryhours3191

Seasoned Expediter
Diane and I are there now (Ontario TA). It is business as usual with a number of expediter trucks in the front lot representing FedEx Custom Critical, Panther, Landstar, T&K, Blair and maybe one or two others.

Kristi and I will be there in morning maybe we will see you there

Sent from my DROID RAZR
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Kristi and I will be there in morning maybe we will see you there

Tryhours,

We arrived late yesterday (Sunday) afternoon and will be here through early afternoon today. We got dispatched this morning (Monday) on a load that picks up later today.

Everyone else,

Procedures seem to have changed since we were here last (front lot of the TA East in Ontario, CA). A uniformed security guard knocked on our door this morning and politely told us to go inside to get a day permit. He also told us to spend money here and show the receipts at the counter to the woman who issues the permits. He was vague about how much money to spend but wanted to know if we had spent money inside.

He also told us to park the truck such that the rear bumper is flush with the curb so the lawn care people can get to the grass. (No trucks complied with that. All bumped their rear wheels on the curb.)

I don't know how consistently this is being enforced. The drivers in the FedEx truck next to us have been here since Saturday and have been getting the daily permits. I did not ask them about how much money they spent or what receipts they showed.

The security guard explained that they went to this permit system and money spending requirement to keep the bobtail tractors from complaining about unfair treatment. They have always been run out of the front lot and forced to park in the big lot where you must spend a certain amount of money each day or pay to park.

UPDATE: The woman at the TA counter who issues permits tells us that free parking in the front lot of the Ontario TA is over. It now costs the same to park there as in the big lot. Permits are required and, as we saw with security this morning, they are checking.

How long this will last and how consistently it will be enforced is anyone's guess. All I can say for sure is that it is being enforced today.
 
Last edited:

zorry

Veteran Expediter
I would hope that my Carrier would make arrangements to obtain a long term lease on a certain number of spaces. They could do this at a much better rate.Will they be the first to step to the plate and do this ?
 

zorry

Veteran Expediter
Personally,understanding what it costs to own and operate a parking area I have no problem spending $20 per day to park. Also, this is easier for a team.It's the short stays that hurt.
 

cranis

Expert Expediter
Driver
If I remember right the T/A in Jessop Md, have just a 2 hour exception, and then you pay to park, this is nice for the short termer who is just taking a break, they also do this because of local people for the warehouse across the street are parking in the lot during layover for up to 3 or more days while at home.. int the Balt-wash area. NOw they could have changes this since last year but this is how I remeber it.
 

Monty

Expert Expediter
"25 miles across the sea, Santa Catalina is waiting for me ...."

Well, maybe not, but 25 miles from Ontario, up I-15 is Hisperia .... the Pilot, The Outpost .. all free, and away from the smog.

I always took that place instead of Ontario.

And just 11 miles north at Siearra Ave, (I think) is a jack in the box and a bunch of other outlets, they have truck parking alongside the road there, and I'm sure the vans could get into the parking lots.

Loose those truckstops! ;)
 

BigRed32771

Expert Expediter
If I remember right the T/A in Jessop Md, have just a 2 hour exception, and then you pay to park, this is nice for the short termer who is just taking a break, they also do this because of local people for the warehouse across the street are parking in the lot during layover for up to 3 or more days while at home.. int the Balt-wash area. NOw they could have changes this since last year but this is how I remeber it.

Jessup, as well as pretty much every other pay lot we've ever been to, still has the 2 hour free exception to paying. Rates have gone up a bit at some of the lots in the last year. Ultra-One Platinum cards get a free overnight at a pay lot each month, a real good reason in addition to the discounts on fuel at TA/Petro to buy fuel there and earn the points.
 

ChanceMaster

Expert Expediter
Just there in Ontario, went in to get permit, no questions asked about money spent, or to show receipts. The cashier seemed ambivalent as she handed us our daily permit. The security guard was happy to just talk to us, I told him I had my permit, and his attitude was "whatever".

Sent from my PC36100 using EO Forums
 
Top