How Tough Is It For You?

[Papa Rick]

Last week, we were told the pine market was gone, or pretty much is for awhile anyway. One place in TN that I hauled logs to were taking 40 loads a week from the co I hauled for, and now we are on only able to haul 2 loads per week.

Another mill in Menlo GA when I delivered Friday Morning told me to be sure and not come back until 12-12-08, as they had enough wood to last them until the first of the year, but would take only 1 load per week after 12-12.

A mill in Hanceville AL went from being a sure thing to deliver at, to being shut completely down.

When this all started happening the price of lumber has fell to a very low amount as the producers of it donlt have a market for it and can't sit on it for a month or two anymore.

The places that deal in hardwood are now getting twice as much hardwood as before due to everyone cutting hardwood now and it is just a matter of time (week to week) until it will have the same effect of not being able to take anymore wood.

All of this is due to the Housing Market going belly up, and the way the economy has been.

I weathered the storm of something similar to this a couple of months ago, but that was just a passing sprinkle as to what this is!

What advice and or suggestions would you give to a O/O who can hear the waterfall ahead and the sound is getting louder, but can't tell how far away it is before he goes over the falls?

I have a 2003 KW W900L Day Cab, No Sleeper, and a log trailer, no other trailer.

[moe]

I was in a similar situation. After running on my own for 12 years (dry freight) I leased to another carrier. I did my home work, I spent a lot of time making calls and asking questions until I made what turned out to be a good choice. I picked an old company with strong customer ties and good rates. I would much rather be back on my own but 8 months ago my load search would yield around 2000 possable loads. 4 months ago 800 and I checked yesterday and the same search was 146. When the brokers started telling me to take it or leave it I left it. Although I am very happy with the way things worked out for me I hope to re-instate my auth. in the future. Just don't make a rashe decision on a company to lease to if you go that route. I know I'm doing apples an oranges here but I hope this helped.

[solo379]

Well, it's weird! I never saw it that bad. For example i was sitting for 24 hours last week. The weird part is, that i was about 150 miles from Chicago, Indy, Toledo, and Columbus, OH. Which is, IMHO is the best freight area in a country....

[floored]

Do end dumps run where you are? Could look into that.. Dirt, Demo or trash hauling

[Blind Driver]

Odd, you guys are not cutting wood either. We can't get enough pallet lumber due to the high cost of the millls not wanting to vut until the housing market comes back. We need oak and pine constantly.

[GMAN]

You are in a difficult situation, Papa Rick. It would probably be good if you could find a carrier to lease your truck. I know of two independents who are looking for a carrier to whom to lease their truck. The lack of a sleeper will be a drawback. It would be better if you could find a sleeper to put on your truck. If not you may find some short runs to Nashville, Birmingham or Atlanta or Chattanooga. You are also not far from Huntsville. There is usually freight coming out of those areas. Without a sleeper you may find that you are limited in your options are somewhat limited. You may look into hauling fuel or coal. There is a company in Dunlap that hauls coal into north Alabama. Both of these will work with a day cab and you should be able to get home nightly.

[Bandit102]

It is getting really rough everywhere. My reefers are still moving, but not for good rates and it has become a full time job trying to keep them loaded. My flatbed is doing horribly lately. Horribly.

[possum]

It is getting really rough everywhere. My reefers are still moving, but not for good rates and it has become a full time job trying to keep them loaded. My flatbed is doing horribly lately. Horribly.

Man I parked my flatbed and rented a box because the flatbed work got so bad so fast. As for short runs around Tn, Al, Ga, good luck. Man it is just bad all the way around right now. The only wood that seems to be running good right now is in Fl. for some reason.

[Maniac]

Well just to add my 2 cents, chemicals have slowed also, this means that manufacturing in general has slowed, or stopped entirely.

Most chemicals are tied to the auto industry, which I don't have to say is pretty much in the crapper.

What I am experiencing is time in between loads, where we used to unload and reload the same day, it is not happening like that anymore, our rates are not going anywhere, but the FSC has come down some.

I expect it to get even worse after the hoildays, because thats when it generally the slow time anyway.

We are all going to see something we have NEVER seen or experienced in our lifetimes, and it won't be pretty, sad to say.

[Hawkjr]

papa rick there's no paper mills out in kentucky?? is it possible any logging companies around your way haul woodchips??

like the other guys said trash, fuel, and coal would be a good thing to get into to

[rank]

Yeah it seems like it's been getting harder. The phone doesn't ring anymore when I post my trucks. Gotta spend more time searching for loads.

I've been able to stem the tide somehwat by doing more OD loads than usual + doing things we don't normally do like escorted loads & LTL. This week we have a guy out from Sat - Fri...on a 3 pick - 3 drop - 1600 mile trip that grosses $3895. Monday I have to take a barge across the St. Lawrence river to deliver.

Here's my monthly average for my backhauls, after taking out fuel, permits, escorts etc.
That $3.89 number in Sept is an anomoly because it included two escorted loads that increased the average. If you take Sept out, the only only month I was into the "3's" was April, compared to 4 months in '07.


US dollars per loaded mile:

2008
Nov: $2.70 x 3344 loaded miles (so far)
Oct: $2.52 x 5790 loaded miles
Sept: $3.89 x 4302 loaded miles
Aug: $2.56 x 687 loaded miles
July: $2.58 x 4076 loaded miles
June: $2.91 x 4380 loaded miles
May: $2.95 x 2721 loaded miles
April: $3.35 x 1484 loaded miles
Mar: NO MILES (rates sucked)
Feb: NO MILES (rates sucked)
Jan: $1.23 x 3158 loaded miles

2007
Dec: $2.03 x 2058 loaded miles
Nov: $3.42 x 1829 loaded miles
Oct: $2.69 x 2356 loaded miles
Sept: $3.36 x 2750 loaded miles
Aug: $2.90 x 4458 loaded miles
July: $2.86 x 5098 loaded miles
June: $3.22 x 2494 loaded miles
May: $3.26 x 4028 loaded miles
April: $3.49 x 2077 loaded miles
Mar: $2.52 x 4437 loaded miles
Feb: $2.75 x 2012 loaded miles
Jan: $2.72 x 4590 loaded miles

2006
Dec: $1.83 x 2492 loaded miles
Nov: $1.78 x 1779 loaded miles