Beauteous..What you are failing to take into account, is the numbers of trucks that are sitting there waiting to jump on all those loads taht are available.

We are in a very severe economic downturn...to be PC. All the trucking companies that could, doubled, tripled and quad-roupled in size when freight was plentiful, and trucks were demanding top $$$ for the service they provide. The shoe has slipped off the toes now, and loads are not plentiful, rates are in the toilet, and yes...even the newest drivers are having to sit, just like us "old timers".

Maybe if you offered to forgo your wages, they would run you hard as you want to be run???

 

Sit sit sit... That's all I do. I do a delivery, then have to sit from 2 to 15 hours waiting on a load.

I just did a delivery in Fremont, OH on Sunday at noon. Guess what! No dispatchers working, so no load for you! OK I'LL TAKE THIS ONE IN STRIDE! Go chill, get a massage, eat, watch a movie.

Monday morning I don't even have my pants on yet and I have a load. GREAT! (I get the impression it is because I had my qualcomm and sent in the macros correctly and assume it will work like this in the future). OK its a broker load that doesn't even load for 6 hours. OK... GRR. I get the load and head down the road and I'm about 6 hours from destination when I think "I'll go ahead and deliver earlier than my appt in hopes I can get another load on me. I'll still have 4 hours to run." NO SUCH LUCK

and here I still sit.

So I called in and tried to figure out what was going on? Why am I always sitting. "Well, he says, we have new drivers to take care of" I'M NEW! I'VE ONLY WORKED HERE 3 WEEKS!

I said- can I expect it to continue to be like this? 1400 miles a week and sitting all the time?? It is march, freight traditionally picks up now. He said- well I try to get all my drivers 2500 ,at least 2000. TWO THOUSAND?!?!!? Thats 3.5 days of work and 3 days hometime a week in MY book.

All that may seem a little bit drama-ish. But I'm really frustrated. I could care less really about how much money I make. My bills are few. But I do not like sitting around for HOURS and HOURS a day.

So, in the professional opinions of others, how long do I give them slack? How long can I seriously be expected to wait on loads? How many days a week should I put up with it?

Daggumit, I'd go back to schneider if they'd hire me.

 

OK....I'll use the "R" word....recession. We are heading into one and the experts on the economy agree. Listen to the Bloomberg channel on Sirius and you will hear it also. With oil at, or over, $100 a barrel, diesel at $3.60 per gallon, costs rising, consumers wanting the cheapest and best prices going on everything we purchase....its no wonder you are able to get 2,000 miles a week. The "little guys" in the trucking trade are dropping like flies. If they are able to hang on, they are doing it on less income and more expenses.

Times are tough all over....no matter if you are in trucking, real estate, computers, etc. Consumer demand for gasoline dropped to its lowest level in 16 years in January. What does that tell you? Consumers are not driving as much as they used to. Consumer spending is also down. My business is down and I would guess that most of the guys reading this post are in the same situation also. I feel for you but at this point in time your situation is not unique. Englishman is correct....you don't want to job jump around.

The best piece of advice I can give you is this....hang in there. If you like Koch, stay with them. Get to know your dispatcher a little better. Learn how to "work" him so that you get the miles you need. Tighten your act up also so that he has no reason to give you anything but the best runs. Drivers can sometimes underestimate the people skilss needed in this business. You don't have to be a kiss a$$, just treat tehm like you want to be treated. OTR has always been a waiting game. I doubt it will change anytime soon. If you found a company that treats you well, has benefits available for you and your family and you can make a living, then ride it out. Times will get better. It may not be until 2009 or 2010, but they will improve.

BOL out there BeauteousRot.

 

So have things gotten any better for you at Koch? I would like to hear any news of how they are. home time ,time out. lanes mostly traveled.ETC. will they get you time off where you want some times. A friend just started with them and I should be heading over there myself in a couple weeks. I know they sent him out to Ontario CA twice so far. an to Pa from SD,Ca. and hes from Minneapolis. those have been some decent miles from what I see. All Koch drivers input welcome. 8)

 

I have posted before, I stated then, Koch seem to be as good a company as anyone else out there, I have been there 13 months, averaging around 2450 a week, I work out of Lawrence Kansas, on the Kmart account, most weeks I only pull one or two loads for them the rest is all broker loads.....
Good trucks, good boss, good all round......... For those who don't like, go elsewhere, that leaves more miles for the rest of us!