A Little Too Much Time Off

Filed Under (Trucking, Trucking - Industry)

I know that sounds odd for people with “normal” jobs, but if we’re not working, we’re not getting paid. It’s good to know we have an account that pays well and wants us to work for them. The bad part is if the timing isn’t perfect, we end up sitting and waiting and possibly dead-heading four hundred miles. The great rate and work we get, doesn’t look so great when it ruins your entire month.

I prefer smaller companies, but now I’m beginning to wonder. When my office admits they have two or three hundred emails to go through a day and they can’t get through them because of the phones ringing. There could be loads in there they are missing and we’re not the only truck that’s been sitting too long. That’s what happens when you finally see other drivers from the same company, you get to see if it’s “just you” or it’s everyone. And when the dispatchers are too busy seeing customers because the “CEO” is out playing instead of the taking care of his company, that takes them away from finding loads for their trucks. A small company that wants to get bigger has some growing pains. Hopefully, that’s all this is right now.

Is trucking slowing down? The economy and the stock market are hitting records, but trucking is sensitive to other factors too. I called our backup company (I always have a backup!) and it’s kind of slow right now for them too. I was talking to the Safety guy and he’s definitely not a recruiter! Some of the things he said, he contradicted a few minutes later, but their numbers are different then what we do right now. If we are still here Monday, I may go over to their office next week and see what’s up. We haul their “Hot Ride” and other freight so they know us pretty well and have already said they would love for us to haul for them. We’ll see.

And to see what we did the last time we had too much time off, see our pictures and two movies from our trip to Alligator Adventure in South Carolina, right here!

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Comments

Jeffro #

I haul fiberglass and steel tanks that my company manufactures, so I’m not one with my finger on the pulse of logistics hauling. The oilfield is still booming, so we are not keeping up with demand for oilfield tanks. The ag economy is strong enough that we can’t keep up with our fiberglass tanks (for liquid fertilizer, etc.).

Your situation would sure have me wondering were I in it as well. Is your company just not efficient in acquiring your loads, or is your niche suffering? I’d say it is your company. It may be suffering from some aftershocks from the fuel price spike as well – I’m sure it takes a while for the shock of increased delivery charges to diminish, even if the fuel prices have dropped considerably. I’m sure you are painfully aware that demand fluctuation is one of the drawbacks to some niche hauling. I used to haul grain – cattle have to eat and the railroads can’t handle it all. However, the rates have always been terrible. There is always something to do, just not much money in it.

And as for the issue of fuel prices(sorry for going off topic, just gonna rant) – I’ll believe they are too high when I see the campers and mobile homes parked. Even at $3+/gal, they were out there towing a gas guzzler of some sort, clogging the right lane as usual. When I pull through a town after school is let out and see the kids walking instead of driving, then I’ll know fuel is too high.

wayne #

Yeah, I know it’s a niche and these things happen, but I still like it. I feel the same way about fuel prices. They must not be that high when Friday and Sunday nights the roads are filled with RV’s and trailers with bikes, ATV’s and boats.

Jeffro #

Oh yeah, if you like it stick with it. What you do seems pretty neat to me – I think I’d enjoy it. I sure wouldn’t want to haul meat – I’ve seen too many people sitting for days waiting on their load that has to be there yesterday.

I’m from the Golden Triangle of beef production, so hearing the bitching when I go by a local truck stop is de rigueur. I don’t care to get out of the Midwest, either, but that is just a personal thing.
Mostly, I don’t want to be gone for more than two or three nights – I have pets at home.

Plus, I truck in a day cab, and I like going somewhere I’ve been before so finding a motel with truck parking before sunset(oversize loads and all) isn’t so stressful. I also have a Cormach crane on board to unload and set the tanks, ladders, landings and so on. So, I’m in a very specialized industry that is extremely dependent on specific market influences. The near future looks promising, but long term might be problematic.

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