Why do i here most of you guys bash this form of trucking?? i see alot of you guys say its cheap and don't make much money.. why is that?? i see container port offers there own gas at 1.35 a gallon but i dont know if its some hoops you have to jump through or not.. but i hear alot of guys on this board not like it.. could some of you guys explain at least some pro's and alot of cons??

 

What ports are you planning on running out of?

I know the Port of Houston does not offer $1.35/gallon diesel, and the rates are not much more above $1.00 a mile plus some fuel surcharge! Only recently has laws been implemented to protect the drivers from the junk container chassis that have been on the road for 30 years or more!

Some container haulers in Florida and Georgia shut down their ports last year over stolen FSC's and crappy rates! California is a whole different animal! The ports out there have been trying to make it to where you basically are a port employee, and your truck has to be less than 3 years old, and the list goes on!

I go by the Port here in Houston a couple of times a week, and most of the trucks are older than dirt, in poor repair, and surprised they pass inspection. These guys are running way above the speed limits to get that junk load delivered, to get back and pick up another!

Not too mention, you never truly know what is in those containers! A driver last week was stopped on I-10 for speeding. Upon inspection of the paperwork for the load, the Deputy decided to call DPS and the dogs! Guess what, I load of drugs heading for San Antonio! The container originated in China! Oops! Nope, I like to know what is in my wagon!

Just some thoughts one from a non-container hauler!

 

Do like I did. Call them and they will sent the info. Talk to anyone pulling a can, the hard part here is finding some one that speaks Eng. The more you run the more money you make, it's not drop and hook and a lot if waiting time. The pay around $2.500 aweek gross, so after Fuel and other costs your making avg driver pay. Yes some are making more,but how much of what is BS. I'm not doing it.
I'm not running my truck into the the ground, it has to make me money so I can buy my next truck.

 

If you are looking at Container Port, they make $1.35/mile plus fuel surcharge loaded. Empty it's $.85 plus fuel surcharge. The fuel surcharge is $.45/mile now. There are some other "bonuses" they do too. :roll:

 

the closest ports to me are the ports in the Hampton Roads areas... alot of traffic come up through I-64 and I-295 and i dont see that mean crappy rigs.. you know the usually 99-03 Freightliner Century, or some old school petes.. not many piece of junks i see!!

 

I ended up talking with a guy at the ports last year...he runs for Bridge Terminal Transport, which is basically Maersk's in-house carrier. Long Beach to El Paso and back = $2400. Considering there's no trailer expenses and half of that run is DH, it didn't sound like a bad gig.

 

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/340095_port17.html

Here is just a small taste of a container haulers life. The guys that haul out of L.A. and Long Beach have cut each others throats so much for so long that they are earning next to nothing and it is starting to catch up to them. Their trucks are junk, they regroove recaps, many of them do not change oil or grease the truck. One guy told me from what I could make out in Spanglish he was paid $220 for a 180 mile round trip out of Long Beach took him most of the day in L.A. traffic, where I made $640 and ran about 200 miles/8 hour day in my 3 axle dump. How can these guys survive? The money is just not there.