You played that right taking the load to SC instead of FL, assuming you can get a decent run home. That's the kind of thinking that can turn a borderline trip into a decent one.

Apples slow down a little now and then pick up again this winter when they start shipping out of the cold storage to take advantage of winter pricing. However, like Diesel said, the rails are taking a big chunk of business this year.

I run the reefer on continuous on all produce. If you ever run start/stop on produce, apples are the one to do it on. I'm not recommending it, but if you want to, make absolutely sure they don't put a temp recorder in there. They usually don't with apples, but be sure.

A little word of advice on checking load densities for the next 6 weeks. Xmas trees are going to be starting up and brokers will be posting loads 3-6 weeks ahead of time. So, when you are looking for areas to go to, if you just look at load densities it will appear that there are tons of loads available, when 2/3 of those don't pick up for quite awhile. This will definitely be true for OR, MI, and NC and probably some other areas to a lesser extent. For an example check the density in OR and see all the loads posted by IDA-CO (I think that's the one). Then you'll know what you're looking at.

Make sure you go in with full tanks...they'll want to load you to the max on those apples.

Thanks no_worries. Believe me if there is a chance on ruining the freight to save a little I wouldn't do it. The broker said I could but I didn't trust that. Spoiled you say? but the broker said I didn't have to run it on continous. :D How dumb would that sound?

My last load of apples was required by the shipper to be at 34 degrees and my reefer on continous. Always double check w/broker and or shipper and get it on BOL in writing to CYA.

I used to haul reefers till a couple of summers ago, did a lot of Nogales,AZ to Quebec City, Quebec, Canada runs - grapes. They put in a temp recorder in back and asked that the temp should be in the 34-38 range. It could not get down to 32 or below cause the grapes would then freeze. I used to have the reefer on Start/Stop with the temperature set at 33. It used to always re-start before the temp got up to 38. By now you should know the start/stop cycle of your reefer and adjust accordingly. And in AZ in May/June, the black grape season in Mexico, the temp was well above 100 in the afternoons.

I can't blind back, and it's been over 4 years now!

Here is a good site for reefer info

http://www.kambleco.com/Ads_July_2006.shtml


I use these guys from time to time for reefer loads.

Is that all you've been driving Allan? You know an awful lof about the mechanics of these things.

Speaking of mechanics, I was wondering this whole trip out here it was freezing, am I suppose to put the reefer on some sort of temp watch thing so the batteries don't die?

I know it has something but since they didn't set it as a factory default it made me wonder?

I swear I'm done for the day with questions :D Man when I started with the Spanish and como se dice (how do you say) all day, EVERY DAY until I could speak it, some of them wanted to kill me :lol:

Thanks BigD. I like the looks of it already.

I've never had an issue with the reefer battery dying in the cold. However, I wouldn't pull a reefer without jumper cables that will span the two units. You can jump a reefer off your truck and, if need be, vice versa.

Diesel, how is Kamble to work with? I seem to have their shit together but I've never hauled for them so I don't know how their rates are.

Wow Merrick!
Just finished reading all the pages of your thread. What an adventure.
Sounds like you're doing well considering you're new at this.
Thanks for posting all the numbers and questions. I'm sure there are quite a few people who are benefiting from this valuable information.
I'd say don't feel ashamed to ask the dumb questions as you put it. There
are some really great guys on here helping you. I really commend all those who are helping you along. Even offering contacts on loads.
I'll enjoy reading along about your adventures as well as Steve's.
Thanks for the valuable info.
One question: You said you have a decent tractor, ex Covenant power. How did you come across this? Did you work for them? I might have missed something.
I'm still just running around Wisconsin here for a while.
Thanks, Steve

I bought the truck from a Freightliner dealer in Miami. How they got it I don't know as I can't figure out how these companies cycle these trucks. Do they buy them and sell them back? Who knows.

Well a day from hell today. I couldn't see as fog was thick as hell getting out of the Flying J. I banged the side of the rim and as a result of that apparently 2 pallets tipped over and they said they are making a claim of 7 cases.

I called the broker and tried to find out how much as for that amount I'll just pay for it and not have a claim. They just keep telling me to don't worry about it. I hate getting people like that on the phone. The first one said don't worry it will go through the insurance and the next one said there won't even be a claim for that amount. I hate getting different answers.

Good thing I had that website http://nttsbreakdown.com/ntts/programs/main/home.php as I found a place real close so no service call to fix the rim or buy a new one rather.

I had to get an Oregon permit which cost $36.50. I'll tell ya, this newbie (I always hated that word) is tired and wants to go home to rest for a little.

What do you think No_worries? A little time on the beach in the sun? :) Funny thing is now I get home and I am running around taking care of truck stuff and then I just want to get back out so I can get things moving. This business sure can consume your time. But it's a business, and what business doesn't do that?

LOL, what you're saying is definitely true. It does take up a lot of time OUTSIDE the truck. I think Steve's mentioned that once or twice too. Eventually you'll get into a groove and start to plan your schedule in a way that allows you to make the most efficient use of your time. For instance, maybe you'll always stay out for 3 weeks because that's when you need to get PM's done and do your end of the month paperwork. So you get home drop off the truck at the shop, spend a day on paperwork and bills and know you've got the rest of the time for yourself. Otherwise, whenever you get home you're taking care of one or two things as they pop up and they never seem to end. It gets better, but it'll always be more work than you initially thought it would :lol:

Merrick,
Put that little boo-boo behind you fast. They've told you don't worry about it so don't. Learn from the mistake and move on. The sooner the better.
If you worry about it, you'll lose focus on your tasks ahead of you.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Like they all have said. You'll find your comfort zone and things will start falling in place and you'll be making business decisions a lot easier.
Best wishes and safe travels.

How does this calling on shippers work? I was talking with this broker and he was telling me about the transportation sales position at CH Robinson and how they are to call shippers and see if they have need of carriers. I guess we can do the same really.

I mean if I am in Lakeland, FL can I just call these juice shippers and see if they have loads? Maybe not in those words but just wondering? I mean isn't that all brokers do? Anyone care to enlighten me on this?

And while you are at it, I wish someone would explain what those fence looking things on land next to the highway are in Wyoming? Look like pallets standing on their side. Seemed like they were throughout the whole state. They can't be fences as they are only so long.

Those fences are snow drift breaks. They put them up in bad areas where the wind really kicks up and keeps the snow from drifting on the highway.

You can cold call all the shippers you want. Just ask for the shipping department then ask who is in charge of arranging trucks and speak to them.

Stay away from Cheap Shippers!!! The shipper money will always be there. Only been burned by 2 shippers, both produce loads. I cant complain. Since you are hauling produce, get to know the packers, farmers, produce brokers, they view your truck very favorably unlike shippers and brokers with other products. Your truck to them is another load of product sold to the customer. Get to know those people.

Thanks LOADIT. The thing is, and don't laugh, but when I get to these places I'm obviously there on behalf of a broker. Now sometimes of course the broker represents the buyer not the shipper so I can ask but I didn't want to do anything that would be percieved as stealing the brokers customer. I guess there could be big problems with that.


I do talk with the people at everywhere I go but usually it's just friendly talk. Also as a lot of these places now have spanish people there, and I speak Spanish, well they are usually pretty nice to me. Not that they weren't polite before but you know.

I made one big mistake, the CH Robinson broker with whom I was hauling for mostly in the first place, well as I was running on behalf of this other guy I was accepting loads that were too cheap, so when I got to the point that I refused to put another cheap load on my truck, the broker got mad. But I guess if he isn't going to pay me I don't want to haul for him anyway. Hauling cheap as more consequences than you migh imagine I guess. This guy was head of SE Produce too but if we work together again at least he'll know not to put cheap freight on me.

So in the end, like any other business this is going to take time.

So LoadIT, these shippers you deal with and call on are mostly smaller ones than? I guess that would make sense, I mean how are you going to build a relationship with ConAgra if you don't have 100 trucks or more like 1000?

Well thanks for all the help. And thanks Steve for explaining those drift fences, it was driving me crazy wondering what they were.

Just want to add that it is also confusing on who is paying for these trucks. For instance I was in Delaware one time picking up corn and I was asking questions and he said sometimes they hire trucks but as I was picking up for Publix, he said they always obtain their own trucks (me through CH Robinson).

Then you have third party buyers, like right now I picked up apples in Washington and it's for Country Fresh,but I think they distribute to others.
I screwed up in Washington, cause I really got to talking with those kids in the office and I was asking on the harvest times and if they have work all year round. But I do this as I am by nature very curious but I need to put that curiousity to work now. The big question like how many loads you send out a day and stuff like that and leaving my name and number or even getting theirs I didn't do. I have to start doing that.

As far as I know, juice rates out of FL are CHEAP and heavy :lol: But everything is worth checking on further, especially when it's that convenient.

I tell ya, sitting here wanting to get out of CA, rates sure aren't keeping up with the fuel spike over the past few weeks :x

I know about those juice loads I hauled a bunch of them with the company I was with. They are heavy as hell.

The area I'm going to (Gray Court, SC) seems to have quite a bit of stuff, I might make one more trip before heading back to Florida. Really if I didn't need to do a couple of things, I'd stay out here until I figure this system out.

Are you still trying to get your home affairs in order without having to go home to take care of stuff?

I've been getting offers to head out there but I haven't liked what I've seen coming back. Once you get into the search let me know what things look like. I finally booked one out of here for tomorrow. I hate it when it's hard to get out of the house because I know it's going to be 10 times worse once I get out there. Oh well, all part of the adventure :lol:

Shippers vary in size, we are all competing for the same freight. I am not 100% against brokers, but if you want your loads to go smoothly 98% of the time you need to be hauling shipper direct. When you go into a place to load, ask how many trucks a day do you load? ask the loader who to talk to to get some of those loads, get the address and mail that person your flyer with all contact info including fax and email, they will contact you with available loads. Also you can mail flyers to both shipper and consignee on the BOL (they wont tell the broker). If you mail 25 flyers and get 8 contacts to give you freight, you only spent $20, you can stay busy with the 8 contacts and use brokers to move you back to your shippers. Look to do more regional work versus long haul OTR. Maybe make it a point to only run I-95. You have to figure that out.

Thats funny merrick,...I remember when I came to Florida 15 years ago,...I showed some photo's to few guys I worked with,.....they thought my snow blower was a wood chipper :roll: ,......you Southern folk kill me.

I'm not a Southerner, I'm from Mass. I've only been in Florida about 6 years. They have those wood things in New York where you're from? I never saw them in Mass. Maybe out in western Mass I don't know never really been there.

Anyway thanks LoadIt for you answer on the shipper. I really appreciate it. I'll figure things out shortly I'm sure but when I'm trying to learn something I get crazy with the questions.

You're probably right about regional vs. OTR but I want to see what's out here.

This load I'm on the broker was trying to push me to have it delivered by tomorrow morning Sat. I left Washington 3pm EST on Wed. and he wants me there early Saturday morning. That's 2600 miles in roughly 2 1/2 days. He can kiss my .....

He starts telling me about when he was driving for his grandfather when he was in his early 20's. Yeah well I did stupid things at that age too doesn't mean I am going to risk my house and everything else at this age. I was temtped to try cause I don't babysitting these loads and want to get them delivered as fast as possible, but that wouldn't have been too smart.

that broker probably doesnt know the red button from the yellow button.

This is the best way to get direct shippers... Follow this advice from Loadit, it works.

My 2c you did the right thing not taking the other cheap 1....let him get pissed, its such a big Co just deal with another broker in that same Co. at least till he gets over his whiny little attitude which will be soon enough.

Back on the East Coast and won't be going back out West again unless I am paid very well. No_Worries was right to stay on the East Coast, fuel is too expensive to be out there (not that it's cheap here). Even the iced coffee at McDonalds (finally it's even in South Carolina) is roughly $.45 cents cheaper for a large.

I didn't like being rushed by this broker; I rush myself I don't need others doing it.

So tomorrow I deliver then we will play the sitting game again. Seems to be that I am in a good area so I'm not moving for cheap. I do need to get home but I can't get out once I get there. Right now my goal is to pay down the debt I have incurred with this venture. So I will stay out a bit longer and go home take care of what I need to take care of, do the Thanksgiving thing and get back out.

I am going to take LoadIt's advice and get some flyers and such made up. I guess I will get a 1-800 number as that is more professional. As Pepe found out from that company he got screwed from, if you aren't big at least look big. As they say fake it til you make it.

I actually have a girl that will get on the phone for me and do many other things that will need to be done.

I'm having big trouble with this fifth wheel. There is still too much slack. I'm wondering if the kingpin might be defective as it is brand new. The last fifth wheel got cracked at the frame and they put a whole new one on. I get a heavy load and back with the slack. I think they think that I am just being a pain in the ass but when I pulled into the dealer at Tampa a few weeks ago they guy got in and pulled forward and felt the slack and said immediately this isn't right. Apparently the spring was broken by the lock and they fixed that and sent me on my way and within 10 minutes the slack is back.

When I get home I am going to take it back to the dealer but I just don't know what the problem could be. I have a new trailer and now a new fifth wheel. Something is defective.

Trying to get a load again. Preprint Logistics wanted to give from SC $1.15 to Chicago with 6 stops.

Another one to Sunrise, Florida, I would have had to deadhead about 96 miles and it would have come to $1.86. $1350.00 for 622 miles plus deadhead. I declined but am still thinking on that one.

That Sunrise sounds OK but I'll bet it's gone already. I just checked and there is pretty much NOTHING coming out of Sunrise but maybe you could expand the search radius and see what your overall comes out to.

It's going to Sunrise not coming from there. I'm not sure if I read your post right ,if not sorry. I know once I get there I won't be coming out that's for sure.

I read an article last night in Logistics Inbound or something like that about now it's the shippers turn as far as prices etc.

I had one to the Bronx for $1.80 but no Bronx for me.

I'll go to Mass but no NYC

Ya, my post was not clear. I meant it's a good rate going into there but you won't get a load out.

I was offered $2.80 on a long run to the Bronx not too long ago and said no way. They asked me how much would it take. I said no amount, I will not go and I guess plenty other drivers said the same thing.

Everyone I call now is taken. Called to Canton, MA. Taken.I think this needs to be done earlier. I have been at it for a couple of hours now though.

As for Sunrise, that would be to go home nothing else. I would probably have to deadhead to Plant City to get out.

[big sigh] well I might as well go get an iced coffee.

Keep your cell phone handy and be ready to roll. Sometimes those last minute calls are the best.

Good luck!!!

Just called one from S.C to Fort Smith, AR 950 loaded pays $1250.00. I feel like I'm in Bizarro land or something. I mean how does someone earn a decent living off stuff like that?

Merrick...are you mostly calling out on loads posted or do you have your truck posted as well? If so are you getting calls coming in but at deadbeat rates....or silence with you checking the phone to make sure it's still turned on :)

Truck is posted and making calls. Someone just called they wanted me to go from Duncan, SC where I am to Knoxville, Tn to pickup and then to Ohio I forget the city but she wanted to pay $500 on about 400 total miles. I figure if she needs to deadhead someone that far she can pay more.

TQL called and they wanted me to do an overnight run from SC to South Florida. I told him $2.65 a mile as I don' t want to run overnight. He saw in the computer that with the other guy I was with I went from North Carolina to Miami for $1700. Gman popped right in my head at that point cause he warned about hauling cheap and getting a rep.

I told him I don't want to do it but if so that's my rate but in a polite tone of course.

Anyway I hope this is worth me posting all of this. As I have mentioned I don't care about people knowing my numbers so instead of taking a load and saying nothing else was here I am trying to give a complete picture of the process and hopefully learn something to boot.

Still sitting. Just got a call where I had to deadhead to Gainseville, GA and then 6 stops ending in Lincoln, RI. From Gainseville, Ga to Lincoln RI is 1029 miles plus 124 miles deadhead and then all the stops and he said $2800 which came to about $2.15 and I asked for more and he said no so I said no. Too many stops.

Dont feel bad....we are sitting in AZ and are being offered 1.00 and less a mile....one was 800.00 for 2600 miles out of LA cali.

tootie