slow flatbed freight

[heavyhaulerss]

is it just my co or is that slow out here? i used to make 2,500 - 3,500 a week to the truck. been down to 1,200 ave. been dead around here. basically haul steel coils. used to get my choice of 4-5 different loads daily. always loaded on a fri to run up north . mi, oh. il, area. it has been over a month since i had a load going north or loade on a fri... loading out of north al area..

[Cam]

I can't help you, but I'm waiting on the answers with great interest. Just tonight I've been wondering if I should be pulling flats to make more money. So you guys feel it too, huh?

[coastie]

I can not speak for the rates, but Flatbed loads in the area of back home out numbers the loads for Dry Van and Reefer loads. On one of the load boards there is 711 flatbed loads, 586 Dry VAn and 398 Reefer loads all within a 100 mile radus of my home town. What I did find strange there are 3 Dry Van loads and no Flatbed loads coming out of my home town, and it more a flat bed load area.

I don't know what it was like before but since I've started I have no problems getting loads.

Cam, you will have so much work you'll need to start crapping in the cab to save time.

[Cam]

I don't know what it was like before but since I've started I have no problems getting loads.

Cam, you will have so much work you'll need to start crapping in the cab to save time.

Started doing this eleven years ago and still waiting on my first cab crap. Could happen, noticed you were right at the intersection of BFE and Timbuktu in the middle of the winter when you...had your first.

I like that about plenty of freight, though. I could never get Gman to simply say, 'yeah, flats generally is better.' :P I need to change something.

[mike3fan]

I'll bet Prodigy isn't sitting around,with all that mega-carrier frieght he's got........ :?

[no_worries]

Volumes for all have come up, although it looks like flats are still lagging a little. The problem is that rates have been slow to adjust and that seems to be magnified with the flats. Of course, they say that the housing market accounts for something like 20% of flatbed freight, so it makes sense. Flat and reefer always pay better than van. As far as differentiation between the two, it depends on where you're at, the time of year, and what the economy's doing. You've got more flexibility with open equipment since it's much more conducive to putting together LTL loads.

I like that about plenty of freight, though. I could never get Gman to simply say, 'yeah, flats generally is better.' :P I need to change something.

I can't say about anything other than flatbed but I've only been stuck 2 times for 2 days without a load. There were loads but I didn't take them because they were like $1.10 to $1.25. I've since changed my mind realizing that good freight is just 1/2 day away and I will gladly take fuel and truck expense money to get there.

This morning I was in Tulsa Oklahoma and shut my phone off at 8:30 to stop it from ringing. There were over 900 flatbed loads available on just one load board within a 100 mile radius.

That happens in PA also and plenty of flatbed stuff going to OK from there so you could just go back and forth.

I'm in it for the adventure, fun and to make some money. I want to see the U.S.. I like being out in the middle of nowhere where it's not safe to leave the truck at night for fear of being eaten by a bear. Yes, I was already in a small rest area with a sign to that effect.

I'm doing just fine and it's really not that much work except when you have to tarp an odd load.

Cam, I think if you do switch to flatbed you will have to crap in the cab or a bear will bite your ass off. Flatbed loads in my experience has led me to the most out of the way places that there just aren't any services. I've learned to keep my truck stocked with everything and fueled up.

[Cam]

I like that about plenty of freight, though. I could never get Gman to simply say, 'yeah, flats generally is better.' :P I need to change something.

I can't say about anything other than flatbed but I've only been stuck 2 times for 2 days without a load. There were loads but I didn't take them because they were like $1.10 to $1.25. I've since changed my mind realizing that good freight is just 1/2 day away and I will gladly take fuel and truck expense money to get there.

This morning I was in Tulsa Oklahoma and shut my phone off at 8:30 to stop it from ringing. There were over 900 flatbed loads available on just one load board within a 100 mile radius.

That happens in PA also and plenty of flatbed stuff going to OK from there so you could just go back and forth.

I'm in it for the adventure, fun and to make some money. I want to see the U.S.. I like being out in the middle of nowhere where it's not safe to leave the truck at night for fear of being eaten by a bear. Yes, I was already in a small rest area with a sign to that effect.

I'm doing just fine and it's really not that much work except when you have to tarp an odd load.

Cam, I think if you do switch to flatbed you will have to crap in the cab or a bear will bite your ass off. Flatbed loads in my experience has led me to the most out of the way places that there just aren't any services. I've learned to keep my truck stocked with everything and fueled up.

Thanks Steve, and I hear you on the adventure, too. The wide open American West is like Heaven on Earth compared to a lot of places. Seriously, I've been to places like Hong Kong where the people practically live on top of each other. Nice to visit, but... I met a young woman from South Africa who was living in Hong Kong. Evidently South Africa can be a bad place to live and she was really an expatriate looking for a home, something we can just take for granted. Hong Kong was an improvement. Heaven on Earth, the American West.

Let me give you a contrasting situation. I delivered in Tobyhanna, PA this morning. I get calls about loads from time to time and some of them are even ok. Problem is, if it's 'ok' it's gone by the time I call and I'm calling back right away. Not crying (not at this particular moment), just contrasting. I think I need to put a stop to this. The information you're sharing just screams it doesn't have to be like this. Need to pray about it. Ponder...but, I do need to fix this.

I got my truck paid off the first year. The concept is to be flexible and to do what it takes to make money with your truck. Staying with the same company or the same kind of system or the same kind of freight...I say all these things have got to flex as well. Enough of jumping through hoops to get a load.

[mike3fan]

I delivered in Tobyhanna, PA this morning

You're just a stones throw away Cam I am sitting in NJ waiting for some hours,kinda tough turning these loads down,because I don't have any hours 8)

[Cam]

I delivered in Tobyhanna, PA this morning

You're just a stones throw away Cam I am sitting in NJ waiting for some hours,kinda tough turning these loads down,because I don't have any hours 8)

I know it, $1.50 hub and up against your 70. How many guys who dispatch themselves are ever up against the 70?

My approach has been to not call anyone about a load but just sit there and wait for the phone to ring. Occasionally I send an email and that works pretty good also.

This morning my phone started ringing about 7:30 and I shut it off at 8:30. When I'm in a bad freight location my phone rings about noon or 1pm and it's usually not a bad rate but they need me to move and hustle NOW! They usually don't fool around and I can tell the tone of there voice.

I have a load going from here to there, loads in 1 hour, pays $1,200 for 500 miles. Can you leave NOW? .......YUP!!!

I've learned to be prepared and ready to go at a moments notice from like 11am to 2pm when I'm in a bad area. After that I'm pretty sure the phone won't ring and it's NAP TIME!!!

I have a nice load now. Steel rods about 42,000 pounds, no tarp and easy to strap down and go.

[Cam]

My approach has been to not call anyone about a load but just sit there and wait for the phone to ring. Occasionally I send an email and that works pretty good also.

This morning my phone started ringing about 7:30 and I shut it off at 8:30. When I'm in a bad freight location my phone rings about noon or 1pm and it's usually not a bad rate but they need me to move and hustle NOW! They usually don't fool around and I can tell the tone of there voice.

I have a load going from here to there, loads in 1 hour, pays $1,200 for 500 miles. Can you leave NOW? .......YUP!!!

I've learned to be prepared and ready to go at a moments notice from like 11am to 2pm when I'm in a bad area. After that I'm pretty sure the phone won't ring and it's NAP TIME!!!

I have a nice load now. Steel rods about 42,000 pounds, no tarp and easy to strap down and go.

Newbie, you evidently don't know what a bad freight area is. I mean, if only I could have your troubles. :wink: I'm at least a year away from doing anything like you are doing. Things I want to pay down, have to buy a trailer, I don't even have my accounting and tax preparation all down yet. I like what you have going on though, it's what I had in mind. All the freedom and evidently plenty of good paying freight, too.

[mike3fan]

I like what you have going on though, it's what I had in mind. All the freedom and evidently plenty of good paying freight, too.

This is not meant as a negative comment at all,but until we start seeing some hub miles compared to money I'm not so sure.I think Steve has said a couple of time that he is avg. around $1.60 a mile loaded(unless that has changed and he hasn't said) and I know his deadhead has to be around or above 10%.

I've been avg. $2.08 a loaded mile and can only get $1.55 avg. after deadhead,I don't expect Steve to have 25% deadhead like me but it would be interesting to see total miles to gross.

[Cam]

Ok Steve, you're up! But, let me see if I can't figure out a little of what he's thinking.

One, he's happy. He does what he wants to do, goes where he wants to go (within reason, of course), and works when he wants to work. I doubt he'd want to 'sell' all that for a higher rate.

Two, he can, as LOAD IT put it, protect his equipment. He can look for the lighter loads and if he's got to get to the other side of Donner he can insist on it.

Three, he's quite profitable, though that $1.50- hub, company trailer etc., etc., by itself that would be hard to beat.

How did I do, Steve?

[mike3fan]

You know I have to agree,Steve does have incredible freedom,but he started with a boat load of money paid cash for everything and no offense,but basically doing this as a hobby at this time,while I wish I was in as good finiancial shape as Steve unfortunately like most Americans I am ***** deep in credit card debt and need to do what I gotta do.

I am more jealous of Steve than critical.

[rank]

I think it's been soft in the northeast for the past few weeks. 1.40-1.50/loaded mile for flats. The only good loads have been OD.

[GMAN]

I could never get Gman to simply say, 'yeah, flats generally is better.' :P I need to change something.

Yeah, flats are generally better. :P You didn't mention better than what. Cam, it depends on what part of the country you run and the time of year whether flats are better. Flats usually require a little more effort to run due to the tarping and being out in the weather. You are not always out in the elements, but that is the nature of flats. Overall, flat rates tend to be higher than vans. How is that, Cam? :wink:

[no_worries]

Three, he's quite profitable...

Care to share how you arrived at that conclusion?

[Cam]

Three, he's quite profitable...

Care to share how you arrived at that conclusion?

UUUhhhhh....???? Let me guess, this question is a carryover from another conversation/thread to which I am not privy? 8) I never was one for ripping Steve. He's done more in a year than I've done in eleven and that doesn't bother me at all. If he's averaging 1.60/mile loaded and he has a penchant for the longer loads going out West and his deadhead is at least reasonable... :idea: