Stuck
- Thread starter oejadu
- Start date
cableguymn
Seasoned Expediter
The sad part about it. your likely going to have to dead head back to Minneapolis again.
See ya when you get there.
On the plus side, it is suppose to warm up. But I don't think that will happen for a few days.
OR.. You could head west to the Oil Patch and if you are willing to work, you could have a oil field job in a few hours so I am told. But you will need your van to live in.
An here I sit at the TA you previously mentioned.. got to love the long deadheads....But lessoned learned NO RUNS TO North Dakota EVER AGAIN....
cableguymn
Seasoned Expediter
Take your map... Rip it down the Mississippi.. toss everything to the west of the Mississippi. The remainder, for the most part, will be decent freight lines.
While your in Rogers, there is a car museum just down the service road from the TA. Been a while since I have been there but it was a good place to kill some time.
Further down, is a Best Buy/Salvation army. In their lot is an electric car charging port. Be creative, I am sure you can find a way to plug in a heater
I wish I could help you, but I checked with the boss man and there is NOTHING on the freight boards right now for our area. Been slow since the end of last year.
You may find yourself DH'n to Chicago or KC.
greg334
Veteran Expediter
I'm still a bit confused about being "stuck".
I'm wondering if any one still adds in money for deadhead to their bottom rate or if they use any circle chart that shows them the distance from the nearest freight lane to the drop to add into the rate.
Had one of my trucks go to Minot, they hauled some huge rigging there from Detroit. The rate was $4.59 a mile because the driver figured that the nearest work would be in Milwaukee for that truck and added in the additional charge. By chance he didn't have to go that far for his next load - 300 yards - but the customer was happy and that was all profit for the truck above the original $3.39 a mile rate he said he would do it for. You never know if that load is next door or 500 miles away but you never leave yourself without a way back when it comes to the rate.
I'm wondering if any one still adds in money for deadhead to their bottom rate or if they use any circle chart that shows them the distance from the nearest freight lane to the drop to add into the rate.
Had one of my trucks go to Minot, they hauled some huge rigging there from Detroit. The rate was $4.59 a mile because the driver figured that the nearest work would be in Milwaukee for that truck and added in the additional charge. By chance he didn't have to go that far for his next load - 300 yards - but the customer was happy and that was all profit for the truck above the original $3.39 a mile rate he said he would do it for. You never know if that load is next door or 500 miles away but you never leave yourself without a way back when it comes to the rate.
Newtothis
Seasoned Expediter
So agree with the ripping of the map, also that the new guys get the BFE loads dangled in front of them. I was tricked last week myself. Youve been selected to Run a load for one of our "spotlight" accounts came across the QC. Long story short it was crap.. Placed on Houston board as a solo van driver, then EM 600 miles to sit and wait another two days so far for another offer. That spotlight account ruined my week...Lesson learned!
Newtothis
Seasoned Expediter
No prob not wrong.. It's been slow a start in this for myself, time of year?The margins I consider though are for missed opportunities by poor decision making on knowing which loads to turn down no matter if they are served on silver platters. Why DH anywhere if you don't have to?basically my issue was wasted days, sitting hoping for a load then getting a paid Empty move, now then I had hoped for a quicker load after instead of more sitting. Then again I'm learning here.
LOL...OMG...Excuse me for a minute please...I gotta pick myself up outta the floor
... that's a new one! ... and it's a good one too! I've been asked to run loads for "special" customers many times and I am usually happy to do it. But fortunately, they usually ARE a "special" customer and that really was the reason they were asking me to do the load..lol.
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Newtothis
Seasoned Expediter
Exactly why I'm a little peeved! Way to trick the newbie! I guess in my case The "spotlight" will take ya off a decent well moving board to the bottom of a pit, then trade for move to bottom of another, LOL glad to have provided a great laugh and yours gave me a good well needed one too reading it back.
It takes time to figure it out. There are times when deadheading makes sense. We all do it. The trick is that the more experience you get, you'll learn when to drop and run and when not to. Every carrier has different freight lanes with customers in different areas. An area that stinks for one carrier may be a decent place for another, so it just takes time to figure it out. That is also where getting to know some of the other drivers with that same carrier can help a lot. If you keep in contact with 2 or 3 drivers, it doesn't take long to get a good feel for where you need to be.
OVM says: "the learning curve always takes a turn through the wallet". I hate to admit it, but he might be right on that ONE thing
You also have to remember that the carrier needs to get the load moved. They very well could have been a good customer. It probably was a time for some negotiating on the original load offer though. Some dispatchers do seem to have a "used car sales" gene. You just have to learn which ones and be on your toes when dealing with them.
Added: Just FYI, it does no good to get peeved ( as easy and understandable as it is). You just have to learn to stand your ground in a professional, polite as possible way. You will gain a lot of respect by handling it the right way. What you really want to be is the guy that they know they can count on to do that crappy load, but they know before they call that it's gonna take some $$'s.
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Newtothis
Seasoned Expediter
Thank you for all of the supportive information. I joined this forum for advice and support not to mention the occasional good laugh. What you say Makes sense...I guess it boils down to wanting to keep busy just like everyone else without the drama. Having a slow time but I knew ahead this time of year can be.
I always keep calm and professional with the dispatch.. I save the peeved part for when I hang up.
For those who find the "spotlight" to the west message entertainment let me quote the rest of that Qc message... You have been selected to run a load for one of our spotlight accounts, a spotlight account is one that generates significant business for Panther and our owner operators.
I guess the part I missed was I'm just a driver so it wasn't gonna generate that much regardless... LOL
I always keep calm and professional with the dispatch.. I save the peeved part for when I hang up.
For those who find the "spotlight" to the west message entertainment let me quote the rest of that Qc message... You have been selected to run a load for one of our spotlight accounts, a spotlight account is one that generates significant business for Panther and our owner operators.
I guess the part I missed was I'm just a driver so it wasn't gonna generate that much regardless... LOL
cableguymn
Seasoned Expediter
This right here is a good indication you should ask for more money, or kick the load to the curb.
Yes.. They need to cover the load. Yes I am willing to do it but we have to agree on price
BTW.. I did end up doing the load that generated this message. No I did not get first out (First out in Gillette Wy??!?!?!?) I did get a empty move back to KC AND 1.30 a mile when my normal contracted rate was .77
It did take me saying no twice first. It was past down the row (I think there was 3 of us sitting there) twice. When they finely called me I was nice, I just told um I knew better than to go to WY with out some sort of payment for getting back.
Yes.. They need to cover the load. Yes I am willing to do it but we have to agree on price
BTW.. I did end up doing the load that generated this message. No I did not get first out (First out in Gillette Wy??!?!?!?) I did get a empty move back to KC AND 1.30 a mile when my normal contracted rate was .77
It did take me saying no twice first. It was past down the row (I think there was 3 of us sitting there) twice. When they finely called me I was nice, I just told um I knew better than to go to WY with out some sort of payment for getting back.
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Newtothis
Seasoned Expediter
This may come across as a dumb statement to some but remember I'm new. I would have loved to ask for more $ per mile on my mentioned spotlight to Texas run but what seems to stop me is the whole stat thing . If they refuse my ask of more $ I would be placed at bottom of board with a turndown. So it's been double bladed sword for me. Wait 2-3 sometimes crawling up a board I guess I dont want to take the risk or maybe I should have! When things pick up I better start taking more risks instead of being put in opposite position of more DH back anyway.
Did you deliver to John Deere?
I used to take every load when I first started with Panther. That was until I ran 4 150 mile runs in 4 days and discovered I was just running my wheels off and not getting anywhere. They called me again with a small 50 miler and I turned it down and ended up getting a 700 miler a few hours after that. The "whipping boy" routine abruptly ended as the lady seemed so offended and shocked that I snapped on her and said I don't want the short run and that I needed to make some money. I had to stand up for myself! But there were other times when I took a mini in Detroit and then moved up to the top of the ltst to get a very nice over-night run because dispatch hooked me up.
That type of scenario will never happen with Panther now because of the 16 hour rule. So, even if you get "hooked up" with a nice load after the mini, you will be swapped because of the 16 hour clock! Any how, you have to balance the good with the bad. Now, do you want to take a 50 mile run on a friday afternoon and ruin your chances of getting a long weekend load: no! You have to review each and every load on a case by case basis!
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