The Sky is Falling?

[deep dixie blue]

Things have been getting slower and slower on the load boards but this week it appears as though the bottom has completely fallen out. I did a search on ITS yesterday for flatbed loads within 100 miles of Houston and it came up with 12 (!) loads. Usually there are several hundred. Did another search that included both Birmingham and Atlanta and it returned 9 loads! During the summer this search would have produced at least 600 loads.

The loads I've been calling about are all paying a dollar a mile, some of them less and the brokers are not negotiating at all on them (and don't appear to be having any trouble moving them).

I did a nationwide search on GetLoaded and there were only 3200 loads posted nationwide, while they advertise 140,000 loads per day. On their freight map 42 of the 48 states were shown in red, meaning there were significantly more trucks posted than loads in those states.

Not sure when things will get better but I have talked to several brokers who have all said the same thing: They have never seen things this bad.

Is everybody else seeing/hearing the same things?

[BanditsCousin]

United has a wait list of 60+ drivers waiting on the west coast in the western region (AZ, So Cal, NV). I've done 0 miles this week. One of our drivers at my agency who is strictly dispatched by United got told to deadhead home and call the next year. I've taken over 2 weeks to leave Nor cal and get unloaded in Florida, and have sat for a week and then some. I deadheaded to Atlanta to have Thanksgiving with the fam.

Yeah, things are slow, even in the niche biz. My buddy at FedEx Passport deadheaded out of ere (S. FL) to Michigan to take time off because its slow. Hopefully o/o's manage their money right and can hang tough through the Holidays.

I'm doing my part to help other drivers by taking all of January off to go on 2 vacations. Your welcome

[rank]

I think brokers aren't posting their loads. I think they're saving loads to help their carriers out.

There are only ~30 loads posted in my lanes at any given time on DAT. It's usually in the hundreds. So I call a couple of my better brokers to see what's up and they have freight. I take the load (step) and he tacks on another $170 to make it $1580 (after permits) on 670 miles. WTF? He didn't have to do that.

Booked an RGN load with him today for $1510 (after permits) on 566 miles. Says he's got 20 loads pending before the end of the year.

Last week I got $780 (after permits) on 250 miles.

But there's no freight posted and my phone has only rang once in 3 weeks. Just weird.

I'd say call your brokers they might be hoarding freight.

[deep dixie blue]

One thing that doesn't add up is the fact that, as far as I can tell, the truck stops are just as packed every night as they have ever been.

[lowrange]

One thing that doesn't add up is the fact that, as far as I can tell, the truck stops are just as packed every night as they have ever been.

What's going on, shouldn't the downturn have some kind of silver lining? I pulled into the Ohio tollway rest area and it was filled, the next one too, finally found a place to sleep on the third.

[heavyhaulerss]

Things have been getting slower and slower on the load boards but this week it appears as though the bottom has completely fallen out. I did a search on ITS yesterday for flatbed loads within 100 miles of Houston and it came up with 12 (!) loads. Usually there are several hundred. Did another search that included both Birmingham and Atlanta and it returned 9 loads! During the summer this search would have produced at least 600 loads.

The loads I've been calling about are all paying a dollar a mile, some of them less and the brokers are not negotiating at all on them (and don't appear to be having any trouble moving them).

I did a nationwide search on GetLoaded and there were only 3200 loads posted nationwide, while they advertise 140,000 loads per day. On their freight map 42 of the 48 states were shown in red, meaning there were significantly more trucks posted than loads in those states.

Not sure when things will get better but I have talked to several brokers who have all said the same thing: They have never seen things this bad.

Is everybody else seeing/hearing the same things?

It is real slow. that is why I have advised when getting into trucking, that people new to the industry buy inexpensive trucks, as I did. when a lot of people with those high payments cannot afford it any longer & go out, there will be more freight fo those left. I also can afford to sit & not take cheap freight. I have talked to 3 drivers in the last week who say they are just making enough money to buy fuel & food. they do no not have money to have a tire fixed or pay their bills. they are just hoping that things get better the next day & are behind on every bill they have.

one particiliar man told me he just lost his house & everything he owned 3 weeks ago. he is expecting the repo man to try & find him cause he is behind on truck payment. I dont wish to get more work because of others losing it. though that is what happens in times like this. just like when folks forclose on property. you can, a lot of times get that property easier cause of some one else's misfortune. we go thru these cycles of reccession or depression every so often. in trucking I think it is more often than not. you just dont know when it will start, when it will end, or how severe it will be. but this unexpected downturn, should be expected. especially by those who have lived long enough to have been thru hard economic times before. I hope all member on this forum hang in there. best luck to all..

[lowrange]

It is real slow. that is why I have advised when getting into trucking, that people new to the industry buy inexpensive trucks, as I did. when a lot of people with those high payments cannot afford it any longer & go out, there will be more freight fo those left. I also can afford to sit & not take cheap freight. I have talked to 3 drivers in the last week who say they are just making enough money to buy fuel & food. they do no not have money to have a tire fixed or pay their bills. they are just hoping that things get better the next day & are behind on every bill they have.

one particiliar man told me he just lost his house & everything he owned 3 weeks ago. he is expecting the repo man to try & find him cause he is behind on truck payment. I dont wish to get more work because of others losing it. though that is what happens in times like this. just like when folks forclose on property. you can, a lot of times get that property easier cause of some one else's misfortune. we go thru these cycles of reccession or depression every so often. in trucking I think it is more often than not. you just dont know when it will start, when it will end, or how severe it will be. but this unexpected downturn, should be expected. especially by those who have lived long enough to have been thru hard economic times before. I hope all member on this forum hang in there. best luck to all..

At the risk of killing a good Country and Western song, this guy must not have owned anything anyway. I know two people who went through bankrupcy, it's amazing how easy it is. That might help someone. Either his wife took everything or he was making payments on everything, people go through bankrupcy and keep most of what they own. I don't want to throw the thread off, I'm just trying to keep it realistic. These guys doing so poorly, why weren't they in a company truck? How far into the ground do you drive yourself before you think, 'hm, maybe I ought to change something'.

If you follow the larger economy like the federal budget deficit, the actions of the Federal Reserve, CDS, CDOs and the bank failures...



...unless you are in your 70s or 80s, you may not have anything to compare the next few years to, not in America. We're all down here on mainstreet doing things like we always do, up on Wall street, K street, Pennsylvania Ave...they are destroying everything.

[asdfghjkl]

Say it ain't so!

[BigDiesel]

NO !!!!!!


Of course the sky is falling for those that just work the leftovers on the loadboards........

Just sayin............

[ratface]

All TA's have been packed... Not good... Better to stay home and try again in Jan.

[tweety bird]

One thing that doesn't add up is the fact that, as far as I can tell, the truck stops are just as packed every night as they have ever been.

I might be reading your post wrong but when I see a ton of trucks parked at the truck stop I always take it as a sign that freight isn't moving. Truck stops packed means they don't have anywhere to go. Many truckers DO go out on the road (as opposed to staying home) to try and make SOMETHING when times are slow.

Take Ontario, CA, for example. When the TAs are packed, freight is slow. When they're empty, freight is hopping. That's always been my way of sticking my finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.

[lowrange]

I might be reading your post wrong but when I see a ton of trucks parked at the truck stop I always take it as a sign that freight isn't moving. Truck stops packed means they don't have anywhere to go. Many truckers DO go out on the road (as opposed to staying home) to try and make SOMETHING when times are slow.

Take Ontario, CA, for example. When the TAs are packed, freight is slow. When they're empty, freight is hopping. That's always been my way of sticking my finger in the air to see which way the wind is blowing.

I appreciate that wisdom, I'd have gotten it backwards. I thought one of the perks of slow freight would be less traffic and ample parking. Truckstops full of drivers concerned they aren't making any money...not good. If it gets really bad, the trailer goes to the yard, the tractor to the house, my butt to the recliner.

[solo379]

Not sure, if it's "falling", but you got one less truck to compete, till spring. It's not worth, my time, and effort, so i'm parking it. And yes, i never did see it that slow!

[lowrange]

Not sure, if it's "falling", but you got one less truck to compete, till spring. It's not worth, my time, and effort, so i'm parking it. And yes, i never did see it that slow!

That's just smart if you can afford it. I for one will not be falling into despair, I'm going to roll with this.

The plan:

Work as much as I can. Monthly bills aren't high, a little work will keep me afloat. If that doesn't work, I look into a company job. If that doesn't work, I look into going to Wyoming or Alaska or anywhere there actually is work. If that doesn't work, chill out at the house, grow a garden and put a wood stove back in the house. Whatever has to be done, just roll with it. Wouldn't mind enjoying the remodelled house and my big screen TV for awhile.

[Walking Eagle]

Think a lot of it is what you haul (what kind of equipment you have) and your contacts. I shut down for the year at the end of last month, yep I am lucky and have truck/trailer and house paid off, and had planned to do it anyway as I hate waiting out weather with OD loads. Duno how many calls I have had from agent wanting me to haul loads before the end of the year, dozen or more, in the last 3 weeks.
Best advise I can give is that with equipment as cheap as it is right now, and if you can swing it, get as specialized as you can ! The last freight to recover is going to be the freight with the most equipment around, two axle vans, two axle flats etc.
Oh, and as an aside, my GF makes a run for the phone when it rings. Think she is trying to commit me to any load to get me outa the house Thursday decided a nice picture window in the rec. room would be good so took my chain saw and made the opening now just can't decide on the window I want, have a blue tarp over it though

[lowrange]

Think a lot of it is what you haul (what kind of equipment you have) and your contacts. I shut down for the year at the end of last month, yep I am lucky and have truck/trailer and house paid off, and had planned to do it anyway as I hate waiting out weather with OD loads. Duno how many calls I have had from agent wanting me to haul loads before the end of the year, dozen or more, in the last 3 weeks.
Best advise I can give is that with equipment as cheap as it is right now, and if you can swing it, get as specialized as you can ! The last freight to recover is going to be the freight with the most equipment around, two axle vans, two axle flats etc.
Oh, and as an aside, my GF makes a run for the phone when it rings. Think she is trying to commit me to any load to get me outa the house Thursday decided a nice picture window in the rec. room would be good so took my chain saw and made the opening now just can't decide on the window I want, have a blue tarp over it though

She's trying to get you to leave? You don't say?

[Walking Eagle]

Narrow attitude

[b00m]

Things are slow and quite bad.Freight been slow even in the reefer business as i thought the food business would be able to stay stronger than anything else.But there is so much competition that whatever is being offered as freight disappears instantly from load boards.Expect the worse before its going to get better.Thankfully i got a broker that's taking care of me most of the time at decent rates.

[zipy46]

One thing that doesn't add up is the fact that, as far as I can tell, the truck stops are just as packed every night as they have ever been.

The truck stops are packed here in NV because we cant get across Sierra Nevada mtns to
pickup the loads.

[heavyhaulerss]

[QUOTE=lowrange;428239]At the risk of killing a good Country and Western song, this guy must not have owned anything anyway. I know two people who went through bankrupcy, it's amazing how easy it is. That might help someone. Either his wife took everything or he was making payments on everything, people go through bankrupcy and keep most of what they own. I don't want to throw the thread off, I'm just trying to keep it realistic. These guys doing so poorly, why weren't they in a company truck? How far into the ground do you drive yourself before you think, 'hm, maybe I ought to change something'.

This is very common in o/o circles.