At $0.63/mile, that would not even be enough for me to put it on one of my trucks as a partial. I think some of these people throw something out there hoping that someone will grab it to fill in a hole on their truck. I would not waste my time. As far as tankers are concerned, I don't know much about them or the rates that they are getting. I will deadhead out of an area unless I can get a decent rate. There are some who will put something on the truck to offset the cost of fuel, but I figure that it just wastes time hauling something that others will profit from and I will lose money. Since I am not a charity or in business to lose money, I would rather spend my time going to a decent paying load than waste time on something that only pays for fuel.

Lumber was the best paying stuff out of the Mid-Atlantic on that CRST Load Board... There was loads of lumber paying $3 mile AFTER CRST Cut, thing was it was going into a dead zone in PA/MD/WV/ and you had to scramble to find something back. Your better than me CD, I stayed a month, just dropped there trailer off last week in Rockport and bobtail backhome, with the rates $-!t wasn't cutting it.. Not to mention CRST "TARP EVERYTHING" policy, where i was seeing trucks from other companies p/u and delivering at the same place I was and didn't have to tarp, I'm going back to pulling boxes.. Good Luck tho, I hope everything works out for you!!!!

Two weeks and no word from the OP. What do you think is going on GMAN?

Hey Jr., long time no see. Glad to see you're still out there. I kept watching after reading your posts and noticed that many if not most Malone loads were not tarped in this area? Not sure what is going on there other than the fact that, since they weren't paying you for doing it. What'd they care?

Back to boxes yet Hawk? Bel

Maybe he has been too busy making money to have time to post??!!!

I will cross my fingers and hope that you are right on the money GMAN! Hopefully cdreid is racking up the miles so fast..........that he can't even get an internet connection!

I like this positive thinking GMAN!

Hawkjr/Gman etc ive been busy with real life and trucking. And it has been hard getting on here. I have tmobile because im an idiot. If youre a trucker and you arent using verizon imho youre messnig up.
Lets see couple weeks ago i ran west va to iowa and back. Iowa was supposed to be on last settlement but snafu so came on this one. Im pretty sure they screwed up even then and doubllecharged me fuel but havent had tme to check. I literally havent stopped since I got home. Need to get rolliing so i can get some rest! Cleared 17something this week with that iowa run.. should have been more llke 2600 i think.
My normal groove now is to take off sunday eeeeearly (5am etc) and deliver somewhere monday then another tuesday to get those 2 loads and maybe one wednesday on the current settlement. I run til friday mornnig/afternoon then shut down. If im doing good and cant find a good run that doesnt suck ill shut down thursday. Thats just lazyness but ive figured out that flatbed/o/o youre better using your brain than just running like a fool. And honestly i'm almost running like a casual. I dont "need" to make that much money and havent been wise with my money lately. I can pay my bills easily so...

Hawk i think you're making a misitake. First lumber sucks period. And regardless of what crst tells you I tarp loads that need tarped and dont tarp the ones that dont. For instance you do NOT tarp pipe. You're already dangeruosly topheavy even with light pipe. If it's tarped you turned your truck into a topheavy salboat AND you can no longer see if it shifts/loosens/shifts. It's a safety ssue. And i dont haul lumber, ever. It normally pays $1 to $1.20... i dont run a charty for wealthy lumber corporations. If theyre paynig you that high it tells me youre going to lose your ass cominig back. And midwest to pa is a HORRIBLE run. Tolls out the ass, cold, awful driving then you pray to god for a load out that wlll make a proft. No thanks. Plus lumber tarps. Screw lumber tarps. I have 2 on my truck that are just things i have to constantly move out of the way. Need to get rid of them but im paying for them so no. Reconsiider and try something different. And remember: flatbedders dont die 200 pounds overweight of diabetes. We die in FANTASTIC shape fallling off the top of a load :P

I find what works best with malone is this: Ignore EVERYTHING crst tells you about running. I listened to safety at rockport too. He's a great guy and will help you a lot but i dont think he's driven in a long time and is just repeating the company line. He spends 99% of his time on DOT/CSA stuff (that's his job), and not enough on the important things.

The trick to crst is this. If youre ok wth a 600-800 settlement (til things stop dropping off your settlement) then get a reliable loop. Mine is asheville to ohio then try to find a 700-1100 mile run. if not I can grab steel out of our middletown agents. If i can run to Atlanta or the midwest it's easy to get good runs make some money and be home friday (HOMETIME is what im about). I can run asheville to ohio then sc or ga, back up and down and make 600-700 and feel like a slacker. I'm home a LOT. I had my mom and sister picking me up so much they made me leave my car at the truck stop. I just booked a load for tomorrow from sc to chiicago (hard to get to chicago for some reason). Pays 15somethiing to the truck. 3 stops in chicago. I'll clear like 600 on it. This weeks settlement wll be low or negative but thats my fault. Theres a run to ny but the agent isnt answering her phone. and I missed the washington court house load because i was waiting to check on that. THIS is all my fault. I got slammed last week and friday nothng on the board. Should have called to reserve the wash ct house load but I wanted to wait til today to find a longer run. There are pa runs etc on the board but I dont want them and they pay more like 1.50 a mile... and i love dealing with sheila. Major upside... CHICAGO! It's like my second home and you can get Anywhere. ill grab a load from there down south and finiish it friday mornngi then back up and maybe down. Ive found 250 mile runs that paid much better than 700 mile runs bottom line. This run , the next run from chicago then a wash ct hs and middetown to sc run will be on next weeks settlement.. it should be a really good one. if u run a long run by wednesday next week the settlement should be SWEET.

i have to say something about o/o or any businiess. Most guys i see fail do one of four things:
You are a busnessperson.. not a trucker.They expect to have a dispatcher/company hold their hands. You're an o/o now. You'll never hear from malone unless youre not even runnnig then they'll "suggest" loads occasonaly. As long as you're paying your bills you'll only hear from them when you call to get a load put on you or forget some logs. Seriously. You run a business. >>> You are not a company driver... or even a trucker.. youre a busnessperson<<<< . READ GMANS POSTS and you'll get it. He's a businessman and that is how he thinks. If you're thinking "well i need a $1000 a week " youre going to fail flat out because youre thinking short term.. like an employee... or a monkey.. or most people. You may make 400 this week and 1700 next week. If you run HARD and stay out you may make 1200 this week and 3000+ next week. Think long term and bottom line.

ARGH EDITED my kb sucks!!!

Most people ive seen fail it is for one of these reasons:

Theyre entitled *******s. They're jerks to everyone they deal with, go back on their word to brokers, are jerks to shippers/receivers (you know the guys i'm talknig about). A wise man once said "90% of business is relationships". Agents i deal with will bust ther butts and MAKE loads for me and make them profitable. On the other hand if sheila or jaime call me and say " I really need a favor can you run this" i'm on it. Period.

They are "old tiimey truckers!" and afraid of tech. i have a laptop, tablet, android phone, in my truck. When im waiting to unload i'm on the crst load board. I use my laptop to compute Actual miles for each load, Bottom line proft to truck etc. This isnt 1960. if you run by the seat of your pants you're going to lose your ass. Use EVERY advantage. Quit being afraid of new.


They wont try anything new. I had plans/ideas when I started this. Some worked some didnt. The learning curve on this is astronomical. Every week I try new things and every week i learn. NEVER listen to people who tell you x/y/z is a bad idea. Lot of morons in trucking. If it's not working try something new!! you dont know as much as you thnik.

They think like a company driver not a person runnnig a business or think short term. Two examples: only being concerned about what you can run from settlement to settlement and >>> being terrified of deadhead. You need to consder your proft to the truck per day. NET PROFIT is always your primary concern. Nothing else.

Anyway once again thanks for listening to my babblng and i would really apprecate ANY criticism/advice/thoughts. You guys have helped more than you know.

Hoooooah! Sounds like ass kicking mode is in full force!

Lo and behold I speak for GMAN, but I think he might be wiping away a few tears of pride!

Drive on!

I'm come from a family full of Lumber haulers my man, Lumber doesn't suck...I'll haul Lumber all day long, Now Steel on the other hand, that sucks!! But hey to each its own

and yeah, I won't ok with an 1900 dollar settlement (I Have my Own Truck) after tarping and all that stuff... I can make more pulling boxes with less work, no shade though my man, just the freight and money IMO wasn't there

Yes Indeed, we'll get back to Flatbed one day, preferable Lumber, I live in an Forestry Harvest region.. Lots of Lumber Mills around here