Originally Posted by merrick4

You know they say the worst thing to do when you are tired is to sit down.
Been doing a lot of sitting here at home just kind of reading.

So as I mentioned I met with that shipper but that didn't seem to go so well. From the impression that I got from the original contact was that they were tired of dealing with brokers. But that was the owner. I didn't meet the owner, I met the guy who does the trucks and he said he has used the same broker for a long time and he never has trouble getting trucks.

They have trouble getting drivers for their own trucks apparently even though their are many applicants showing up. He says he has two loads sitting now waiting for the drivers to get back.

I got to talking with my neighbor. She works for an import/export company from Brazil. They used to do a lot of stuff bringing food etc here but now they are trying to send stuff from here to there.

She wants me to let her know of products that are being exported and then she can call and see if they need that stuff in Brazil. So off the top of my head I went to her computer and pulled up a website of someplace I had picked up before that makes stadium seating and they export to all over the world. She seemed to like that. Then I pulled up another who manufactures cleaning supplies for domestic use and export. (that load I actually took that stuff right to a place where they were putting it in shipping containers).

So I will keep feeding her the info and then hopefullly if she gets the deal they are going to need trucks to carry the stuff. Really it I always look into the places I am picking up or delivering too anyway, so it won't be nothing to shoot her an email. On top of that of course I was asking quesitons on how she operates and a bunch of other stuff, so if I get nothing else but that information which hopefully I can put to use, it will be worth it. I gave her a stack of my cards too.

I called another broker today that works out of a manufacturer (I know someone who works for that manufacturer) but the guy was a real jerk. I mean he pretty much told me to beat it. I didn't like that but what the hell, in sales I am going to be told "no" 99 out of 100 times anyway. I don't like it but....

I have the audit tomorrow and went to pick up my fuel receipts from that place that does my IFTA. I guess my tax for last quarter was $40 something. The only thing that I don't like is I'm averaging about 6.49 per gallon. I go slow, have an APU, so I would think it would have been better. The only thing I am thinking is that I am starting from a stop position too quickly. I try not to go so slow out of the gate cause I like to keep the flow of traffic moving but I think that is what's killing me.

I really can't recommend that place that does my IFTA tax enough. Such nice people, everything is nice and organized and I feel their fees are more than reasonable.

I'm watching the load boards to get back out, no_worries when does this Valentines day rush start? I want to get out of here next week.

I think this time home has left me more confused as to where I want to go with this. You know with my friend telling me that I need to find good freight in, while I've been thinking that I need good freight out, then I found out about the Miami Free Trade Zone. From what I understand they have transportation companies set up in that place.

On the other hand I keep thinking about that person on this board who did the trucking thing for about 10 years and had bought 8 houses since then. I mean the money isn't so great from this trucking but there is temendous cash flow, and this is only building up my credit liines etc.

Merrick

Did you get that PM from me the other day about credit ??? If not shoot me a email at [email protected] please ???

[merrick4]

Had the audit today. It was much longer than I anticipated but of course I was asking a million questions. I pretty much had everything in order except a couple of things in the drivers file.

He had never seen the Drivers Daily Log program but he LOVED it. As he was going through it he kept saying how nice it was and he wished more would use it.

The only other thing of note I would add is he said there is a private company that the Florida DOT uses to conduct some of the audits as they can't handle all of them. He said that company starting laying off people and went from like 9,000 audits down to 2500.

He also said he calls to set up audits and more and more there are people giving up their own authority and just leasing on.

Seems to confirm what I've been finding out,that this industry seems headed for massive consolidation. Like that old man from Tenn. told me, those that can hang on for a couple of years will be doing well.

Glad you got the sun back no_worries. It has been nice here but in truth only in the 70's though today it got into the 80's. I hate to complain but I don't like it even in the 70's. High 80's to the 90's is what I'm looking for.

So the audit is done and then this weekend I have a family function and then it's back on the road.

I brought my 91 year old grandmother an iced coffee today from McDonalds and she loved it. Drank it all in like 2 minutes. I should be getting paid for marketing for them.


Oh I forgot another thing the DOT guy told me. There was one guy he was doing that had 5 trucks. One was parked and while the DOT guy was there the guy turned down two loads from New York as the pay was too low.

The DOT guy said he recently saw the guy's stepson and asked how it was going. He said the guy sold 3 trucks and was now down to 2 and now making money with a lot less stress.

BOOM, I'll PM you and then you should be able to respond.

[BOOM]

I tried to PM you back but, it isn't showing in my sent items. Not sure if something went to you or not.

[Kurbski]

Boom, it's probably in your out box. It takes a while sometimes to move pm's here. Im not sure why but it's no biggie and he will get it ok. Just blame it on technology. Sometimes the cyberdog eats it :lol:

PM's stay in your outbox until the other person reads it then it goes to your sent box

[Kurbski]

Thanks Steve. 8)

[merrick4]

Well living out of a truck again. Everything was kind of rushed with me heading out the door and it was so nice out I forgot to grab a jacket. I'm in Ohio now on the border with PA.

Anyway, I forgot to mention something from the audit. The guy said that an O/O does not have to fill out the drivers inspections sheet. I mean we have to do it and log it but apparently we don't have to fill out a sheet.

I'm not so sure though, doesn't seem like they (DOT) knew so much. He even was complaining that they were the last ones to find out stuff. He said his boss was giving a presentation once and some guy interrupted him and said he was wrong. To make a long story short the guy pulled out some paper that he got from Headquarters in Tallahassee and was right.

He also told me he was doing an audit once and was going to write the guy up but the guy pulled out a letter from like 2 years ago and apparently the new info never filtered down to the DOT officers on the ground.

That's why it's good to verify things. You'd be surprised how much bad information is out there on just about everything. I just wish people would say that they don't know instead of just guessing.

Not to digress but last week I bought into a mutual fund in this new Roth Ira I set up (I think I should have set up a SEP Roth IRA) and TWO different stockbrokers at Fidelity told me I couldn't buy into a fund. So I asked to speak to a supervisor and after a while on hold the last stockbroker came back and apologized and said they were wrong.

That's why when I find someone who knows what they are talking about I hold on to them. That insurance agent I recommended to Deep Dixie Blue was one of them. Even when I hit two years (Next month!) unless the price is outrageously lower, I'll stick to that agent. Too hard to find people that actually know what they are talking about.

Anyway, so apparently I misunderstood the guy I was working with. I spoke to him again and he says to find freight coming out of Florida. I know what he said the first time but I'll leave it at that. I wish I would have known that cause I would have put more effort when I was at home. He had me so confused that I ended up doing nothing.

He actually called me and had a load for me out of Florida. The rate was pathetic but I didn't want to cause an issue so I took it. He had like 3 of them that day for the same place. I wouldn't have taken it but I guess you can't leave drivers sitting around.

That place was insane. I guess Armellini does all of their flower work but for the holiday they rented this warehouse for the extra work. That was insane.

It was a load of flowers for Sam's club with a delivery to Walmart DC in Olney, Il. I personally never verify the loading and unloading times as everyone on here says to and I never have an issue. Well this one said a delivery time of 12PM. It was kind of too good to be true as those Walmarts usually seem to have early morning appointments and I had to rush up there. I hate early morning appointments.

Anyway I got there in Olney at about 1AM and parked and went to sleep. Well I wake up and call to see if I can come in early and they tell me I missed the appointment which was at 4AM. I told them I was right up the road and they said to come right over. Amazing really as Walmart is a real PITA. But they took me right in and got in right to a door.

The other guy that came up from the same place apparently got his load rejected for the temp being over. I was a little nervous when I heard that cause when I opened the door I heard beeping which I never heard before. But I was OK. Actually they were real nice there. The people in the receiving office got a big kick out of my accent and they had me repeating things. They said they wanted me to stay there all day and enteratain them as one put it.

Then I got a load right away to Altoona, PA with a stop in Cleveland, OH (man that city is ghetto). All miles came to like $2.25. I told him no at first as I never heard of them, but I checked their credit and called him back.

A couple of weeks ago I had to use the Ohio Turnpike which I usually avoid and I used a credit card. But on this load (I had to take it again as the delivery times were rushed but I charged extra for that. I mean the $2.25 was not what he wanted to pay) Well this time this exit had no credit card thing so I had to write out a check.

Anyway I unloaded and posted my truck. Well I got a couple of calls but nothing really concrete. So after a bit I decided to head out and posted my truck in Pittsburgh and also in Youngstown, OH as I was heading that way.

When in Altoona I saw a CH Robinson load near me but I figure never call them; just wait for them to call. Well I'm just about in Ohio and I checked the board. They must have gotten desperate and posted the load for close to $2.00 a mile to Michigan. I was pissed I didn't call. I don't understand why they didn't call me as I was posted close to the load.

There was a load to Virginia too that called me. I proabably should have taken it, but I got very little sleep the day before and really hadn't even unpacked my stuff. Besides I don't think it's so easy to get out of the Richmond area.

I was going to go back to Perrysburg ( I had already planned on DH there and would have come out with a total rate of $1.50 with the last load) but am going to try this area.

I'm just wondering if this is a bad area like Georgia is bad when all the Florida trucks dh to there. So I don't know if Eastern Ohio is bad because of the trucks out of PA. Seems like there isn't too many trucks on the board. So we will see.

Hey no_worries, how much is a reefer PM cost? I had one done at home and I think this guy charged me too much. I had the reefer done, the APU done, and I had him try and move the smoke stack (it's choking the reefer) and a bill came to the house for $462. I don't mind charging me a bit more as I left the truck there for 3 weeks but I just want to know how much I should be paying.

This parking is a pain in the ass, I might just pay the $200 a month and pay for a spot. I pulled the truck outside my developemnt so I could run in and get my stuff and within 10 minutes the police are calling me. I pay over $4,000 a year in property taxes and these jerks can't leave me alone for 10 minutes. So I might just pay for a spot.

Anyone know how long an APU should be depreciated? This thing with the accountant isn't going so well. I told her to send my stuff back but she said she was going to fix everything. I had everything broken down and she mixed a lot together. How am I supposed to monitor costs if it's all together?

She also put the insurance as a regular costs. I mean I thought it was supposed to be split up and the prepaid part would be considered an asset or something like that. I like it better like she did it as it helped me with my taxes this year but I just want to make sure it's right. No_worries does this sound ok to you?

I'm telling you good help is hard to find. Like I said to find someone who knows what they are talking about is hard as hell.

At the family function I attended before I left I was talking with a freind of the family from Scottsdale, AZ (real nice guy too) and he's got a lot of money. He's a lawyer and I asked him if he has partners. He said he doesn't beleive in them; if somebody could do what he does they'd already be doing it.

I kind of always believed in working with people because we all can't do it all but half the times I find I end up doing things myself because I can't find the right people.

[no_worries]

Back at it, eh? I've been keeping an eye on FL; flowers started moving but not much else. Maybe my memory is bad on when the rest of produce starts up there, or maybe there are a lot more trucks looking for loads :roll: Oh well, what did that flower load pay? Northstar, which is Armellini's broker division (I think I mentioned them to you before) had a couple of loads in Miami for around $2/mile earlier this week. I'm seeing some different names down there this year...I think there's been some changes in the flower business.

I've been told the same thing about vehicle inspections by guys here. It's true if you're hauling intrastate in CA. I wouldn't try it interstate though :lol:

Reefer PM's will vary depending on what you have done. If it's just a basic PM; change fluids, check belts, etc., it shouldn't be more than $120-150. You had some other stuff done so it's hard to know how it's broken down. Make sure you're getting a detailed invoice. You can get basic PM's done at TS's and Speedco.

You're fine on your insurance deduction. A prepaid expense can be deducted in the year paid...provided it was not prepaid solely for the purpose of tax avoidance :wink:

An APU should be depreciated over 5 years.

[merrick4]

Originally Posted by no_worries

Oh well, what did that flower load pay? Northstar, which is Armellini's broker division (I think I mentioned them to you before) had a couple of loads in Miami for around $2/mile earlier this week.

Trying to put me out there no_worries . I didn't put the rate in the first place cause it was bad but since you asked I'll have to do it.

Actual miles were, 1193 and it paid $1400 which means it was real bad.

For me I wouldn't have taken that and would have just waited. But I know he took two others and I have no idea how he does this. Actually while I was waiting I was talking to one of the drivers. I told him I wait even a few days if I have to to get my rate and he said he doesn't get paid to wait.

Where were the $2.00 ones going to? The only good thing was this put me in Illinois.

[no_worries]

Sorry :lol: Like I said, the rates haven't come up much there from what I'm seeing, especially for solos. One of those loads went to St. Louis the other went to Bolingbrook...I think. I almost called you (I think they loaded Wednesday) but figured you were on the road already.

If you get bored give me a call, I'm just lounging in the sun in the backyard...then you can keep everything a secret 8) :lol: