O/O Trailer and Load Qst.

[jlohden]

Hello everyone. I've been lurking here for awhile, but am now in need of some help. I've worked as a company driver OTR, then got my own truck and have been hauling water in the oilfields for quite some time, and am now wanting to leave this area and go back OTR. Since being new to OTR being an O/O, I've been researching options and am overwhelmed by information. Confusion is definitely setting in. So, I have a couple of pressing questions that, if cleared up, would help me understand the big picture here.

If you have your own authority and want to get your own loads do you use your own trailer? I assume the answer is yes based on what I've read here, but how does that work? Don't you spend a lot of your time sitting around waiting for loading/unloading? Here in the oilfields we're paid by the hour so sitting around waiting is fantastic. When I was OTR as a company driver I had days filled with frustration of sitting around waiting to unload so I could get back on the road and make money.

As for getting your own loads, do y'all who are successfully doing this have a, or several, freight brokers you work with regularly? Do you simply spend time on the load boards? If y'all could point me to a thread that deals specifically with learning the logistics of obtaining loads, that would be great.

Thanks for all the info. on this forum. It's a great resource.

[hamboner]

You are definately gonna need your own trailer if you plan to run your own authority. Loading/Unloading is always performed while you wait or "Live" as some people like to call it and some times it can be a major hassle depending on the shipper. I personally do not think one can be successful in the market like it is now running strictly load boards and brokered freight. You need to have some good paying loads for your outbound freight. I suggest that you lease your truck on to a carrier that has good freight and pays you a percentage until you can learn the business a lil more and maybe make a few more contacts for freight.

[rank]

>If you have your own authority and want to get your own loads do you use your own trailer?
Yes.

>Don't you spend a lot of your time sitting around waiting for loading/unloading?
Sometimes. Our record is 7 hours at a steel plant in Delaware. Of course you have the option of buying more than one trailer so you can leave it at the shipper.

>Here in the oilfields we're paid by the hour so sitting around waiting is fantastic.
When you're waiting to get loaded or unloaded, we try to get detention pay. This can be tricky. The freight broker will sometimes tell you that you will be paid detention, but collecting it can be another matter. Sometimes you need to wait as long as it takes to get loaded, then, once you have the freight, the broker may ...how shall we say..."sympathize" with you and give you a written confirmation of the detention pay that you are owed.

>As for getting your own loads, do y'all who are successfully doing this have a, or several, freight brokers you work with regularly?
I have a list of favourites....and not so favourites. But there are always new ones that you just don't know about. It's a gamble.

>Do you simply spend time on the load boards?
I used to, but my regular brokers kept me busy so I stopped. Now that rates are so poor, I can't be bothered wasting my time so I just post the available trucks and wait for someone to call with a good paying load, which never happens anymore due to it being winter and we run flats. Oh and there is that little matter of the US recession.

>If y'all could point me to a thread that deals specifically with learning the logistics of obtaining loads, that would be great.
There is one that I recall. Perhaps by myself or Steve Booth. I can't remember.

Yes, you do need your own trailer when you run with your own authority. I run a flatbed and really don't sit around much at all and with a flatbed it's usually something special that people are waiting for and you get unloaded on the spot.

Getting loads isn't that hard but getting good paying loads takes some talent which comes with experience. GMAN is a poster on here that offers a service to find and negotiate the loads for you so you could go that route.

[GMAN]

There are loads you can find that require power only, but if you plan on running your own authority you need to have your own trailer. Don't worry about sitting and waiting to be loaded or unloaded. It is part of the business. Most shippers and consignee's don't keep you waiting too long. There are a few who will take longer. If they keep me waiting too long then I just don't haul for them again.

[jlohden]

Thanks so much for the information everyone. It's a lot of great advice and information. I think for now I'll take the advice of leasing on with a carrier for a bit and try to learn a lot more about this aspect of the business, especially through this forum.

Gman-If you don't mind me asking, what is the service that Steve Booth mentioned? I'd like to keep it in mind for when I do decide to get my own authority, if possible.

[Mackman]

whats the oilfields not working out. If you dont mind me askin what is the horly pay for a tractor in the oil fields and why are you leaving

[jlohden]

I was working 14 hour days and making approx. 1000.00 per day pulling water off pits, etc...

Yeah, it's a ton of money, but it's in Wyoming, which is a horrible place. I've been screwed around here more than I've ever been in my life. There are only a handful of companies to lease on with, and it's impossible to get your own contracts b/c of the good-ol-boy system, and the companies you can lease on with are all crooked. I've had to fight for my money from several companies through attorneys and the state labor board. Good money is only worth so much. All the stress, battles, and horrible living conditions up here aren't worth it. You tear up your truck, can't get out of your house b/c of the snow/ice/mud. I've torn up my personal pick-up. My wife can't leave the house b/c she's afraid of getting stuck on a hill, going into a ditch, or wrecking. The people are awful and I'm just ready to get back to Texas where I'm from.

I don't recommend working up here at all unless you really want to take it up the rear.

[GMAN]

Thanks so much for the information everyone. It's a lot of great advice and information. I think for now I'll take the advice of leasing on with a carrier for a bit and try to learn a lot more about this aspect of the business, especially through this forum.

Gman-If you don't mind me asking, what is the service that Steve Booth mentioned? I'd like to keep it in mind for when I do decide to get my own authority, if possible.

The service to which Steve Booth was referring is a dispatch service. I started a dispatch service for those with their own authority. The service takes some of the burden of running your authority away. It isn't a service for everyone. Basically, I look for loads, negotiate the best price, check broker or shipper credit and book the loads. Some people like looking for loads and the negotiating process. Others don't really want to deal with this aspect of the business. Usually, I can get better paying loads for those whom I dispatch than they have been getting for themselves. It takes time to find the better paying loads. It is very difficult for some who run their authority to find the better paying loads. Some take whatever is offered. I charge a flat percentage of the rate. You only pay a fee when I book a load for you. That seems more equitable for both parties than a flat monthly fee.

[jlohden]

MackMan-I wanted to clarify something. I think I was making $72-74 per hour driving my own truck. When I first got up here about a year and half ago I drove a company truck for a bit and made $18-20 per hour. But, it's really expensive to live here and you do not get what you pay for--buying a house/renting/everyday expenses. I know when I first came here I thought it was a great opportunity, and I know it can really sound that way, but now I wish I had never come here. I just don't want to glamorize it at all and hope to keep other people from making this mistake.

[rank]

MackMan-I wanted to clarify something. I think I was making $72-74 per hour driving my own truck. When I first got up here about a year and half ago I drove a company truck for a bit and made $18-20 per hour. But, it's really expensive to live here and you do not get what you pay for--buying a house/renting/everyday expenses. I know when I first came here I thought it was a great opportunity, and I know it can really sound that way, but now I wish I had never come here. I just don't want to glamorize it at all and hope to keep other people from making this mistake.

Best of luck to you...but be careful not to make another mistake by getting your own authority.

[jlohden]

What is your reasoning behind that Rank?

[rank]

>What is your reasoning behind that Rank?
It's just a tough way for a family man to make a living IMO.

Looooooooong hours and maybe not much pay. High failure rate. Uncertain future. No protection from fuel costs. No benefits. One bad day (accident) and your career is finished. Unless you have a good sized start up fund, you are likely one big repair away from losing everything.

[jlohden]

Thanks for your input. I think it's a good thing for me to think about. For the time being I'm going to lease my truck on and we'll see what happens from there. I do appreciate your info.

[rank]

I've seen my 3 year old daughter a total of ~4 hours in the last 3 days.

[jlohden]

Well, I can completely understand that position. I don't have children and my wife and I won't be having any and I lived here in WY without seeing my wife for about 1 year and 3 months, so seeing her twice a month would be better than I've had it. But yeah, it's definitely a sacrifice.

[rank]

It's just a bizzarre way to live isn't it? Best of luck whatever you do.

[jlohden]

LOL, yes a very bizarre way of life. But, in this day and age, unless you're a doctor/lawyer/a lucky SOB, you've got to eek out any kind of living possible and make enough to pay the bills.

Thanks for the advice