High-Seas to Highways

[devildice]

Originally Posted by danske

DD, If you are a "gambling man", then maybe going to Nevada is not the best place for you. But other gamblers have paid my way thru the buffet line in the casinos.

IF I decide to go and actually gamble (got to be in the right mind set to do so), I usually have decent luck.......knock on wood. In fact the last time I was here, the casino paid the "down payment" for this truck thus allowing to save my own money.

[henboy1]

Originally Posted by devildice

Yeah I'm leased to Landstar, been here for just under 1yr. I agree to a certain extent about agents calling when they can't get a load covered, however, more often than not, the calls are I get are on good paying loads that never make it to the board. Agent sees that my truck is in the area and calls to offer me what they have. I got a call yesterday afternoon on a light weight military load from NAS Fallon, NV to NAS North Island, CA that picked up on Friday and delivered Monday. The rate was 2.35 mile.

Anyways, for now I am happy here. I run into many drivers that are not and some say they will cancel their lease soon. One has to do what is right for them and their family so to each their own I guess.

With Landstar, some make it and some don't.The many complaints on Bco Forum is unimagineable.From San Francisco, I dh to Oakland and then posted my my truck on LandstarBroker.com Load Board -.
I must have had 2-3 calls from agants looking for loads to La.At that time I had found a load from the landstarbroker board, and this was from from Exeter,ca to luboock Tx.
While there, I had never had a call from an agent that I was pleased with.It was either too heavy,going to bad areas or a 53ft step needed.Sounds like you're getting good rates for either posting your truck or they seeing your truck in an area.After I left I also realized that even with a step and a bridge, I was struggling.I was loosing money with a step.Most shippers did not even want to deal with a bridge when it was a flatbed load.Good thread you got going!

[devildice]

Originally Posted by henboy1

With Landstar, some make it and some don't.The many complaints on Bco Forum is unimagineable.From San Francisco, I dh to Oakland and then posted my my truck on LandstarBroker.com Load Board -.
I must have had 2-3 calls from agants looking for loads to La.At that time I had found a load from the landstarbroker board, and this was from from Exeter,ca to luboock Tx.
While there, I had never had a call from an agent that I was pleased with.It was either too heavy,going to bad areas or a 53ft step needed.Sounds like you're getting good rates for either posting your truck or they seeing your truck in an area.After I left I also realized that even with a step and a bridge, I was struggling.I was loosing money with a step.Most shippers did not even want to deal with a bridge when it was a flatbed load.Good thread you got going!

You're right, I think one either does well here, or no good at all. I don't believe there is a middle ground. I thought about getting a step with the bridges that double as ramps, but as I watch the loads, there seems to be more and more shippers that do not want their loads on bridges. Some of it I can understand, but some seem ridiculous. But what can you do, it's their load right? So I've decided to stick with a flat for now.

As for heavy AND cheap loads, there are tons (no pun intended) out there and it's not just a LS issue, EVERYONE wants to put as much on your truck as possible and pay as little as possible.

As for that BCO forum, I am a member there but rarely ever go anymore as it seems like there is way more bitching and whining then anything. It gets real old real fast. Oh, and thanks for the compliment on the thread.

[danske]

Originally Posted by devildice

IF I decide to go and actually gamble (got to be in the right mind set to do so), I usually have decent luck.......knock on wood. In fact the last time I was here, the casino paid the "down payment" for this truck thus allowing to save my own money.

DD, Don't know where you are running this next week. I deliver in Ontario, Canada tomorrow. I will reload in West Virginia Monday night with a load going to So Cal for Friday delivery. Passing thru KY/IN/IL/MO/OK/TX/NM/AZ along the way. If we cross pathes, then dinner is on me. I am still driving the white Pete with red fender and pulling a black roll top stepdeck. I will be looking for your purple Pete.

[devildice]

Originally Posted by danske

DD, Don't know where you are running this next week. I deliver in Ontario, Canada tomorrow. I will reload in West Virginia Monday night with a load going to So Cal for Friday delivery. Passing thru KY/IN/IL/MO/OK/TX/NM/AZ along the way. If we cross pathes, then dinner is on me. I am still driving the white Pete with red fender and pulling a black roll top stepdeck. I will be looking for your purple Pete.

No telling where I will be next week, but if our paths do cross, I'll take you up on the free dinner

[devildice]

Friday morning I started looking at the load board and making a few calls to agents to let them know I was in the area and available for a load.

Late morning time a load popped up that was paying $10,300 on 6,200 and some change miles. I immediately called the agent. It was a round trip load from Santa Ana, CA to Peabody, MA and back to Santa Ana. It weighed 25k and no tarp. It came out to be only $1.65 a mile, but on those kind of miles I was all over it. It was going to make a nice payday. As we are finalizing the details, the agent hesitates and then starts reading off the dimensions.......it was 2 pieces 30ft long, total of 84 inches wide and........109 inches tall. Dammit!!!!! He realizes it's too tall for a flatbed and needs a step deck . Talk about a let down. One thing that sucks at LS is that they will not allow over height on a flatbed unless it's a special case, i.e. the product can not be loaded on anything other than a flat.

Now I'm a little bummed out and there is nothing else on the board that is worth my while. By late afternoon I am just about convinced I will be stuck in Nevada for the weekend when one of those agents I called earlier called me and offered a no tarp, light weight load from Golconda, NV to Cheyenne, WY. Picked up Friday and delivered on Monday. I HATE going into WY because it is extremely difficult to get out of for platforms, but this load was paying $2.13 a mile and it would get my wheels turning for at least the weekend so I took it.

I bounced over to Golconda, got loaded and rolling down the road. Since I had a ton of time to get it there, I decided to stop at the Pilot in Wendover, NV for the night. Went across the street to the casino and a few hours later walked out with $300 extra in my pocket. That made this trip just a little bit better .

Come Saturday morning I lazily got up and rolling down the road. Made it to the Love's in Cheyenne and shut her down. I am now about 9 miles from the job site and will just relax here for the remainder of the weekend and cross my fingers I can catch me a load out next week. The last time I was in the area I sat for 4 days before I gave up and started deadheading south. At that time everything was paying in the $1 range and was 45-48k. I am sure it's no different now but will still cross my fingers none the less. Again, wish me luck!!!

[Orangetxguy]

Originally Posted by devildice

Friday morning I started looking at the load board and making a few calls to agents to let them know I was in the area and available for a load.

Late morning time a load popped up that was paying $10,300 on 6,200 and some change miles. I immediately called the agent. It was a round trip load from Santa Ana, CA to Peabody, MA and back to Santa Ana. It weighed 25k and no tarp. It came out to be only $1.65 a mile, but on those kind of miles I was all over it. It was going to make a nice payday. As we are finalizing the details, the agent hesitates and then starts reading off the dimensions.......it was 2 pieces 30ft long, total of 84 inches wide and........109 inches tall. Dammit!!!!! He realizes it's too tall for a flatbed and needs a step deck . Talk about a let down. One thing that sucks at LS is that they will not allow over height on a flatbed unless it's a special case, i.e. the product can not be loaded on anything other than a flat.

Now I'm a little bummed out and there is nothing else on the board that is worth my while. By late afternoon I am just about convinced I will be stuck in Nevada for the weekend when one of those agents I called earlier called me and offered a no tarp, light weight load from Golconda, NV to Cheyenne, WY. Picked up Friday and delivered on Monday. I HATE going into WY because it is extremely difficult to get out of for platforms, but this load was paying $2.13 a mile and it would get my wheels turning for at least the weekend so I took it.

I bounced over to Golconda, got loaded and rolling down the road. Since I had a ton of time to get it there, I decided to stop at the Pilot in Wendover, NV for the night. Went across the street to the casino and a few hours later walked out with $300 extra in my pocket. That made this trip just a little bit better .

Come Saturday morning I lazily got up and rolling down the road. Made it to the Love's in Cheyenne and shut her down. I am now about 9 miles from the job site and will just relax here for the remainder of the weekend and cross my fingers I can catch me a load out next week. The last time I was in the area I sat for 4 days before I gave up and started deadheading south. At that time everything was paying in the $1 range and was 45-48k. I am sure it's no different now but will still cross my fingers none the less. Again, wish me luck!!!

That wasn't a bad rate for plastic pipe. I almost forgot that plant was out there! Still surprised that it is working.

[devildice]

Originally Posted by Orangetxguy

That wasn't a bad rate for plastic pipe. I almost forgot that plant was out there! Still surprised that it is working.

yeah I wasn't complaining especially since it got me moving. Now I have to try and get out of an even worse place




Made my delivery this morning. Unfortunately the directions were not very good. When I called the customer Friday afternoon, I told him where I had picked up and which direction I was heading. He proceeds to give me directions which were realitivly simple.....take this exit go left, 3rd light turn right, 4-way flashing light turn left and the job site is right there.

I take the exit, go left, 3rd light turn right......I go about 2-3 miles down the road and I still don't see this flashing light so I decide to pull over and give him a call. To make a long story short, this yahoo thinks I am coming from NE (I told him the company name, city and state not to mention the direction on I-80 I was traveling). Needless to say, I am completely in the opposite direction to where I need to be.

I get back on the interstate and am now heading west on I-80. I take the exit and proceed to follow his directions......go left, right at 3rd light, left at 4-way flashing stop. Well fortunately I can see the job site because it was not 3 lights it was 2, and it was not a 4-way flashing light but a 2-way stop sign!

There are 2 other trucks there so I pull in behind them. Turns out that the spot where they want the loads is right next to where I'm sitting. In other words, even though I was truck number 3 I got unloaded first. I tried to explain to the guys that those 2 other trucks are ahead of me and his response was "I don't care, you're right here so you're first".

I unsecured everything and went over to explain and apologize to the other drivers. They weren't all that thrilled but told me not to worry as it's not my fault.

Anyways, I am sitting at the Pilot here in Cheyenne and will be calling agents to let them know I am available as well as looking vigerously for a load out of here. Hope I can get lucky!

[broncrider1]

if nothing else theres always lovell/greybull loads


nice talking to you this am.....be safe

[tootie04]

Hope ya got out of there....or else you are buried in SNOW!!

[devildice]

Originally Posted by tootie04

Hope ya got out of there....or else you are buried in SNOW!!

I sure did and barely! However, I did get "caught" in some crappy weather on I-15 in south Utah at the 70/15 jct. Road was shut down for a few hours

[devildice]

The local news in Cheyenne was forecasting 2-3 feet of the white stuff by Tuesday evening/night. Knowing that, I vigorously searched for a load. It wasn't looking too good so I told myself that if by noon Tuesday I didn't have a load I was going to DH south and out of the path of the storm.

Come late Tuesday morning I had a load from Thornton (Denver area), CO lined up going to Mendota, CA. The rate was just O.K., I mean, I would make money on it, but nothing to jump up and down about. The important thing was that I would be (hopefully) out of the area before the storm hits.

It was late afternoon when I finally got loaded and rolling down the road. The question was do I stay on I-25 south down to the 40 to avoid any possible weather......or should I take my chances on I-70? If I take the 25 it adds about 200 extra miles onto my route. I decided to go for I-70. By the time I got to the summit of Vail, the temp was in the low 20's and it was snowing, but the roads were just wet.

By Grand Junction it was dry and temp was 43 degrees. I had planned on making Parowan, UT before shutting down but ended up calling it a day in Green River. It was a cool 40 outside and I slept like a baby without having to idle the truck. The following morning I got rolling down the road and again it was in the 40's and dry. That changed real quick and before I knew it the temp had dropped to 19 and the roads were snow/ice packed. The chain law was not in effect but there were several drivers pulling over and throwing iron. Since my chains are strictly for decoration, I decided to just take it slow and steady barefoot.

As I was approaching the I-70 junction, there were reports over the the CB that I-15 south was closed. Sure enough it was shut down. We sat there on the road for roughly 2 hours. It turned out that the weather caused several accidents with both big trucks and 4wheelers. It wasn't until damn nearly the UT/AZ state line before the weather got better.

I eventually made it to Barstow, CA and shut it down for the day. I was hoping to get farther, but the weather and road closure really put a damper on those plans. I had about 250 miles to go to the job site so I was up and rolling by 4am local. I made the delivery and bounced to the Pilot in Mareda, CA. I had a few load offers but there were all going Bloomfield and Denver, CO. Needless to say I have no intentions on going back that way anytime soon so here I sit. I am hopeful I can catch a decent paying load before the weekend comes.

[devildice]

You know I either have completely rotten luck or really good luck, there's never any middle ground. Here lately I think "Lady Luck" has been riding in my jump seat.

I got awaken early Friday morning by a phone call from an agent offering me one of 2 loads from United Rentals in Modesto, CA going to either Round Rock, TX or San Antonio, TX. Of course I picked the San Antonio load and the best part is that it paid 1.99 mile which is a decent rate for California.

I bounced about 75 miles up the road to Modesto and loaded one S-45 Genie "man lift" weighing barely 14k. 2 chains and 1 strap later I was rolling down the road. The entire run went smoothly and without incident. The best part was that the weather was perfect. I got to the house Sunday evening and made the delivery early this morning.

I am now sitting back at the house for a few days of rest and relaxation before I think about heading back out.

[tootie04]

enjoy your time off!!

[devildice]

Originally Posted by tootie04

enjoy your time off!!

Thanks...I always cherish every moment at home and this time has not been any different

[devildice]

Well I've been home for a couple of days now and have knocked out a huge chunk in the ole "honey do list".

With the holiday season just around the corner, my son coming home for X-mas, and the typical slow down in flatbed freight......I had told my wife before I came home that I was only planning on staying at the house for a few days and then getting back out there and hitting it as hard as the freight would allow me to in order to take some time off when my son comes home.

Today I booked a load from Brady, TX to Greenwood, SC for a Friday pick up. The load is light weight and surprisingly pays very well for Texas. Since I got the major stuff done on the "honey do list" I'll use the rest of my time at home sitting on the sofa watching Maury and Jerry Springer

[danske]

Originally Posted by devildice

Well I've been home for a couple of days now and have knocked out a huge chunk in the ole "honey do list".

With the holiday season just around the corner, my son coming home for X-mas, and the typical slow down in flatbed freight......I had told my wife before I came home that I was only planning on staying at the house for a few days and then getting back out there and hitting it as hard as the freight would allow me to in order to take some time off when my son comes home.

Today I booked a load from Brady, TX to Greenwood, SC for a Friday pick up. The load is light weight and surprisingly pays very well for Texas. Since I got the major stuff done on the "honey do list" I'll use the rest of my time at home sitting on the sofa watching Maury and Jerry Springer

I am going to be delivery near Louisville, KY either Monday 9 Nov if I can get in early else Tuesday. I see you are going to be in South Carolina, maybe our paths will cross next week.

BTW, I missed that snowstorm last week when I loaded out of Raveswood, WV with a pickup in Wichita, KS and drops in Calexico and Compton, CA. The drop in Calexico allow me to take US54 out of Santa Rosa, NM down thru Las Cruces, NM and onto I10. South of Santa Rosa there was a little packed snow and ice, but it was only for 20-30 miles.

Last week was a very good week for me. I had a restart in London, Ontario on Sunday 1 Nov. I delivered in Cambridge, ON Monday and reloaded in Raveswood that evening. Made my pickup in Wichita Wednesday at noon. Delivered in Calexico Friday morning and Compton in the afternoon. Reloaded in Santa Fe Springs, CA Saturday morning and drove to my brother's house in SF Bay Area. It was about 3500 miles for 6 days running. I headed north out my brother's place last Monday for the Northwest.

[broncrider1]

*this is an offical announcement*

you now owe me beer for winning the worst day this week contest


have fun running this weekend, i'll be in the LA area until, well until god knows when....LoL

also, check the BCO board, seen a couple bad notes for your reload

[devildice]

I know that the economy is crap and we are entering the slow season for platform freight, but for the past couple of weeks you couldn't convince me of that.

I guess ole "Lady Luck" was still with me because I have been running constantly and with good rates. I have had as many as 3 loads booked back to back before I even picked up the first. I have not sat more than over night and although I may not be laughing all the way to the bank, I certainly am smiling ear to ear

I decided I (and my log book....lol) needed a break so I booked a load to Laredo, TX and bounce to the house after delivering it for some must needed rest and relaxation.

[GMAN]

I am glad to hear that you are staying busy, devildice.