How Slow is Freight at Your Company?

[mbadriver]

I work at Superior Carriers. Since the New Year it seems each week freight keeps ratcheting down and down. It has become pointless to volunteer for extra work, because there simply isn't enough "regular" work to go around.

Anyone else care to comment about the freight slow down?

[shyykatt]

Freight usually is slower this time of year :wink:

[Jumbo]

We are busier than usual. I could work more than my 70 each week and still not catch up. Sorry about your luck.

[Double L]

I think the only segment of trucking that is really busy year round is the reefer haulers. We all got to eat! :wink:

[Jumbo]

I think the garbage haulers and septic drivers may have something to say about that. There are two other things we gotta do.

[Windwalker]

I think freight has slowed down a bit more than most years. I'm pulling a reefer, and last summer, they had more freight than drivers. Near Christmas, they "DOWN-SIZED" by ten trucks, and now they have more drivers than freight. I've had days when dispatch said they have nothing for me, but so far, that's only lasted one day.

First time I've EVER heard of a company DOWN-SIZING. I couldn't believe it.

The price of oil is going to spike again, and freight may slow down even more. It's going to take longer this year to pick up than most years.

[coachman]

I am not seeing any slow down at my company, Produce hauling is going strong, (people still want their damn Bananas and veggies).

[Sammonman]

Flat, and step business is on the rise.

[inked out trucca]

my company hired 6 guys ina month to meet demands of the business. but this place is pretty seasonal. winter months not many people need roofing supplies

[geeshock]

i haul international paper and uline and average 3k+ per week but have noticed a considerable slowdown among most companies

[INKTOXICATED]

starting to get slow here in november. not to many roofers in the snow. hoping to get at least 40 hours a week

[Phantom433a]

I linehaul sheetrock form Vegas to Northern Az and id slowed down SOME after the housing market crashed, but now with winter coming on.....I;ve been only getting 3 loads a week.

[BIG JEEP on 44's]

This is also the reason I'm taking a hostling job at the brewery, as beer/liquor seem to always get purchased especially during hard times.

[Jimbpard]

It's pretty bad where I work.
We have (had?) an account that delivers to all the Rite Aid pharmacy stores in western part of the state, and yesterday, they laid off 14 of the 17 drivers, with pretty much no chance of getting called back because operations are moving 2 hours north to Erie, PA and shrinking to 8 drivers total, which they probably already have up there.

I was spared because I'm on a totally different account hauling steel.:bow:

It sure was a "sobering" phone call though when the boss called me up yesterday and told me he just laid off 14 of 17 drivers, and DIDNT TELL ME I WASNT ONE of them until 5 minutes into the conversation. I thought for sure I was a goner because I have the least amount of time in there, and I was expecting him to tell me they moved one of the older guys into my position.

Thank god for dirty smelly hard wet rainy cold snowy sweaty tarpin flatbeddin, that nobody wanted to do when they had the chance!:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bo w::bow:

[Colts Fan]

They're cutting back at my barn. They are outsourcing my run. :pissedoff: They are cutting the Mon-Fri day drivers to 4 days to shore up on OT costs.

[wanderingson]

It has been slower than normal at my company too. It's a sign of the times, with the economy being the way it is.
The last few weeks has picked up though!
Flatbed work has really been busy for me. I pull van and flat. I guess it pays to be versatile.

[bentstrider]

The container-hauler I'm at right now is quite slow as well.
I'll usually make 3-4 pulls a day, 4-5 days/week, then either sit in the yard in Montebello, or get a load back to Victorville.
For the most part, alot of this is mainly done in the LA and San Bernardino County areas.

Any way, I found out recently that the company does no HAZMAT whatsoever, and that's what tends to lure alot of these O/O's to this company.

I'm basically the only guy there that doesn't know a word of Spanish and I have every endorsement on the CDL.

I'm just doing this right now as a requirement for a rehire to my former company.

[Royedw]

It's awful at the small company I work for in Virginia. My last three checks netted $211, $662 and $150 yesterday. Last week I sat 5 days waiting for a load, the week before it was 4 days. The loads we're getting don't pay a lot either. Yesterday my Safety Director told me one broker offered dispatch a load, 1300+ miles, and wanted us to take it at .88 cents a mile! Another load was at .92 cents. I'm under load now, delivering on Monday, a 400 mile run that pays the truck $450, of which I get .27%.

It's a brokers market and for those who stand up and try and get good rates, there are those drivers who will take the low paying loads just to be able to move. So yeah, its slow and I wonder how many of these low paying loads companies like JB Hunt and Schneider are psiking up because their trucks are all over the road, in a manner of speaking!!!

[Bug]

Over here at CRST on the L/P side it has been pretty slow. I sat for 6 days a few weeks ago in Denton, TX and when i was offered a load it was for a total of 150 miles going to Oaklahoma City OK and the worst part wasnt i would have broke even but was told by dispatch Oaklahoma was even worse that week to find freight. So their advice was to not take the load.

[zipy46]

I am doing my second 34 hour reset in a 7 day period as we speak....it really slow right now

[jd112488]

we are busy...gotta deliver them christmas packages. i get me rug. run and then some. my run will go year round, never misses a day. glad i do not depend on that great hourly pay and gotta be home everyday pay that everyone was talking up a few months ago.

[GMAN]

I don't know of anyone who is not slow. Most do more sitting between loads this time of year. The slow economy isn't helping. Lower rates and less freight mean that more trucks are sitting than at other times of the year.

[ct77]

Usually HHG slows down in winter around the holidays but this year business has been very good same miles as during the summer. I guess everybody is relocating looking for work.

[nctrucker1]

I haul garbage from transfer stations to the landfill in 53' trailers. We are working lots of hours, paid by the load, steady work, but not busy like the summer and spring.

[nctrucker1]

GMAN-It really burns me up that the drivers are having hard times, while upper management at the trucking companies are trying to decide how they are going to spend their year end bonus they earned during the year by screwing the drivers out of money.

[dobry4u]

I haul garbage from transfer stations to the landfill in 53' trailers. We are working lots of hours, paid by the load, steady work, but not busy like the summer and spring.


I would think it would pick up this week for a bit, given this is the biggest trash time of year!!!!!

[GMAN]

GMAN-It really burns me up that the drivers are having hard times, while upper management at the trucking companies are trying to decide how they are going to spend their year end bonus they earned during the year by screwing the drivers out of money.


I don't know what you mean about upper level management trying to decide how they are going to spend their year end bonus or how they are screwing the drivers out of money. It isn't only drivers who are having a difficult time with the current economy. I don't know of anyone who isn't having some difficulties right now. Some are hurting more than others.

[marcel27208]

things are kinda slow here at schneider, im still getting a few high paying loads, but alot right now arent paying enough...............

[DaveP]

I deadheaded back to Northwest Alabama from Effingham, IL on Christmas Eve...empty.

After the last two weeks (mostly sitting empty) I'm going to sit here at the house till they call me....(and nobody mentioned anything about a time to head to B'ham)

I've got plenty to do around the house anyway.

[Windwalker]

I was just reading an article this evening, there are a number of companies that are not expected to exist any longer by the end of 2009. Among them are Chrysler and Rite-Aid. AIG, Fannie Mae, Freedy Mac... A couple of them were companies I've delivered to in the past. But, the article stated that they are hundreds of billions of dollars in the red. Sort of makes me wonder just how many millions of dollars their CEOs have been collecting. Companies have gone under in the past, but I don't recall this many, this large, since the great depression. For those of you that have been sitting at a truck stop, waiting for a load, I wish I had some really good answers. But, if I had them for you, I would also have them for myself, and I may need them before long, myself too. Even the food industry gets slow these days. Sure, we all gotta eat... That's not the issue. It 's more a matter of what can we afford to eat. Working for a bakery that makes bread would be far better than working for one that makes pasteries. These days, the bread would have a more reliable market.

In past years, loads coming out of the CT, NY, and NJ area were always good. The past several months, dispatch has not been sending me into Jersey because they could not find return loads there.:eek1: I certainly don't mind staying from that area, but as an economic indicator, it's worse than usual. A bad time to year, and an unusually bad year besides.

So, this past week, I've been on vacation, and I get to find out just how much slower it is this week when the sun comes up in the morning. I may get another day or two at home before I get a load out. Sort of thinking that I may have to use my computer to start writing books and give Stephen King competition.

[DaveP]

I'm with you WW...

12:30pm CST and still sitting at the house. Only got a call to make sure I fax my yearly driving record review thingy in to Compliance.

No problem though...I'm enjoying the break!

Heyyyy....here's a local, 2 years exp.+, flatbed, home every night job in the paper...hmmmmm ;>)

[Rev.Vassago]

I'm just coming out of the house, and I've noticed that rates are beginning to climb compared to a month ago. Stuff that was going for $1.00 - $1.50 per mile is now running for $1.60 - $2.00 per mile.

[DaveP]

I'm just coming out of the house, and I've noticed that rates are beginning to climb compared to a month ago. Stuff that was going for $1.00 - $1.50 per mile is now running for $1.60 - $2.00 per mile.

That's a good sign.
Hope we see some more posts like that one.

[jonp]

slowed right down here. The runs have gotten much shorter, more on the 150 - 250 range next day stuff.

[BigDiesel]

I'm just coming out of the house, and I've noticed that rates are beginning to climb compared to a month ago. Stuff that was going for $1.00 - $1.50 per mile is now running for $1.60 - $2.00 per mile.

This is due to many of us O/O's and small fleet owners not running last week and this week.....:roll:

[Rev.Vassago]

This is due to many of us O/O's and small fleet owners not running last week and this week.....:roll:

Then why, pray tell, are rates still high for stuff that is moving next week and the week after?:roll2::roll3::roll:

[BigDiesel]

Then why, pray tell, are rates still high for stuff that is moving next week and the week after?:roll2::roll3::roll:

From the Landstarve board ????

[Triple Digit Bob]

Most of my rates have been in the 1.70pm to 2.40pm range. It may not seem bad however my deadhead has increased by almost 25% due to the extreme lack of freight or extremely cheap freight in Texas. My average for all miles is barely at the 1.70pm mark but it isn't consistent enough. Last year around this time of the year freight going into Ca. from TX paid around 2.00pm with a reload paying almost the same coming back out. This year ALL the freight originating in TX destined to Ca. are moving rapidly for a whopping .85cpm. It has gotten pretty ridiculous. Not sure who would be dumb enough to run over the New Year for .85cpm for 1750 miles. Yes,some doofus booked that load within minutes. WTF?

[Orangetxguy]

I've been sitting since the 20th. I have hauled 2 loads all month. My next load is the 4th. It goes up to NJ, but I will do just like the last 2 loads, I will be deadheading home.

Luckily..the load sunday pays exceptionally well. It is a routed permit load...in a tank. When I get back..I will be back at the bottom of the board. Hopefully some of the local guys will have made some money by then...there are 14 local drivers...and only 3 have worked all month.

Between Thanksgiving and now, our terminal had 285 loads cancelled.

[Triple Digit Bob]

I'm just coming out of the house, and I've noticed that rates are beginning to climb compared to a month ago. Stuff that was going for $1.00 - $1.50 per mile is now running for $1.60 - $2.00 per mile.



Out of Wi. maybe. Out of other areas with the exception of the northwest the rates going outbound are not that high unless they are going into crappy areas where outbound freight is practically nonexistant.

[solo379]

In past years, loads coming out of the CT, NY, and NJ area were always good.
Is that a misprint? Did you mean "coming into"?

[Rev.Vassago]

That has me scratching my head as well. Loads out of the Northeast have always sucked, haven't they?

[Triple Digit Bob]

That has me scratching my head as well. Loads out of the Northeast have always sucked, haven't they?


Yes,I have seen outbound rates as low as .70cpm with no fuel surcharge going all the way to the west coast. And they get MOVED!:confused: In the northeast,especially MA.,they don't care if their load sits on the dock for a year. I was blessed to find a load paying 1.40pm going south. Rates staying in the northeast are in the 3.50pm range but they only go 132 miles and take more than a day to unload.

[Rev.Vassago]

Rates staying in the northeast are in the 3.50pm range but they only go 132 miles and take more than a day to unload.

Those annoy me. I've seen several of them on the Landstar board paying over $5.00 per mile, but they are only paying $400 total, and they want 2 days minimum.

I was fortunate enough to book one from Richmond, VA to NJ paying $2.68 per mile on 300 miles that didn't want to use my truck as a warehouse.

[marcel27208]

i usually never go to the northeast but i happen to get a load out of there yesterday 498miles $712 bucks about 1.43pm which is pretty good!!!

[solo379]

i happen to get a load out of there yesterday 498miles $712 bucks about 1.43pm which is pretty good!!!
Probably to another "dead", or troubled area. Let me guess, Upstate NY, or PA? I assume, you are pulling a box?

[marcel27208]

Probably to another "dead", or troubled area. Let me guess, Upstate NY, or PA? I assume, you are pulling a box?


yeah im pulling a box with schneider(for the moment) and i got the load going(home) to NC, got load out of NC for 2.26per mile to ohio... but this week much different....there is freight on SNI load board but its dirt cheap...makes me wanna stay home for a few weeks!!!

[Rawlco]

I am guessing that what WW was referring to with the "good" comment was: Loads were always "available" in the northeast. Even if they were not particularly profitable there was at least something to do.


Freight was particularly slow for us over the holiday weeks, but this week has been great, for this time of year at least.

[marcel27208]

i feel grateful now, i talkd in depth with a JB owner operator, and he was telling me he has been sitting 24 to 36 hours between loads and getting 700 miles per week, he was on the JB %program he said all loads are cheap cheap cheap!!!!

[thbogle]

The only thing that seems to be moving steady now for me is reefer loads outta CO. and lumber outta MI. Raw materials are starting to pick up. I am pretty sure thats a good thing. I've been hearing from my customers that they will pick up more around the middle to end of Jan and keep getting steadier from there. I dunno just my take on it looking at what freight Ive been getting and what Im told.

[Jackrabbit379]

They keep me running, but sales is down. We cancel a lot of our routes. I guess the economy has some to do with it.

[dobry4u]

I spoke to a friend of mine that runs for PAM dedicated and he hasn't had a load since before Christmas. He was on a dedicated run with auto parts. He is told to call and check every day and nothing. :tears:

[GMAN]

That is pretty tough, dobry4u. I am sorry to hear about your friend. We are all forced to doing some belt tightening.

[Windwalker]

I spoke to a friend of mine that runs for PAM dedicated and he hasn't had a load since before Christmas. He was on a dedicated run with auto parts. He is told to call and check every day and nothing. :tears:
I've gone by a couple of automotive assembly plants lately, and there have been no cars in the employee's parking lots. One was Chrysler, and it looked like a ghost town. Acres of parking, and not one single car parked there. I believe that the annual change-over would be over by now and the new models would be in production. From what I've seen, nothing at all is going on. Most years, the maintenance dept. would be working overtime.

[lazow1md]

Has anyone had any luck pulling oil and gas related loads? These used to be an area of strength and had decent rates.

[GMAN]

There doesn't seem to be much of anything moving. With oil prices suppresses anything related to oil and gas is not doing much either. I had a truck near Cleveland a few days ago. It was a challenge to find something. I finally deadheaded almost 200 miles to find a load that didn't pay that great. That is usually a good area. Apparently, many of the automotive and steel plants are either not working as much or had their hours dramatically cut. It makes it difficult to find a decent load with so many trucks competing for the same load.

[DaveP]

There doesn't seem to be much of anything moving. With oil prices suppresses anything related to oil and gas is not doing much either. I had a truck near Cleveland a few days ago. It was a challenge to find something. I finally deadheaded almost 200 miles to find a load that didn't pay that great. That is usually a good area. Apparently, many of the automotive and steel plants are either not working as much or had their hours dramatically cut. It makes it difficult to find a decent load with so many trucks competing for the same load.

Not only that but because so many HAVE cut their hours this means in a lot of cases the shipping/recieving "window" has also been shortened.

Kind of makes it even tougher to unload then get a decent reload the same day.

[Daddy's Rig]

I work at Superior Carriers. Since the New Year it seems each week freight keeps ratcheting down and down. It has become pointless to volunteer for extra work, because there simply isn't enough "regular" work to go around.

Anyone else care to comment about the freight slow down?
Freight is usually slow this time of year..But right now it's wwaaayy slow.
I only ran about 6000 miles for the month in Jan(out almost 4 weeks)..bout 4000 in Feb(home every weekend)..and now in March 0..so far..Got home Feb 27th..It's now March 4th..waiting on call from
driver mgr now..I believe we're in this slump for the long haul..

[GMAN]

I see some slight movement toward more freight, very slight. this week. For the last several weeks I don't believe that I have hauled more than 2 loads per week. Either the loads were not there or the rates were so cheap that I couldn't make anything on them. I see no point in hauling a load unless I can make something on it.

[Snowman7]

I worked 3 days this week. I've been squeaking out 4-5 lately (30-40 hours). I've averaged 50 hrs/week the last two years, until October. Even if business doesnt pickup vacations will be starting soon so things should get better for me.

[marcel27208]

Loads on the board at SNI have picked up dramatically over the past 2-3 weeks....i mean we have loads going to/from places i havent seen before(more new business) but the problem is that its cheap!!!:( when i say cheap i mean its gotten worse...... at least coming out of NC its very bad.....