Today I signed up another broker and got a load to Wilmington Delaware with a stop in New Jersey. I'll hardly make any money, but at least it'll be a little, and I'll be reaching ahead for longer loads out. I'll pick up wednesday, and will deliver both stops on friday the 2nd.
...okay I just took another one from Berlin, MD to Garland, TX which will still not pay much but which is better than nothing. So finally, I have preplanned two loads ahead.
I had to. I can't compete with the pihrannas. To try to cherry-pick a load as it appears, I'd have to be staring at this laptop all day, and I have to attempt to fix my damn APU (which I probably can't), etc.
These other guys--it's all they do, all day.
I'll have the details on the load in a couple hours, and can then start trying to grab my third load-targeting 1/6 from Garland. If I can't fix the APU here, I can also try to set something up there on the 5th. (I'll be going through NC, TN etc. so I should be able to get away with it not running).
I'll be at the Maine shipper on the Delaware load (and maybe in a door) wed. morning, and be at the first stop probably before close-of-business that day to attempt early delivery of that part of it. If I can get that done, I can be at the final in Wilmington when they open too, and be at the Maryland shipper before 1100 friday.
During this time, I'll be on the boards looking for my third load, which I can be more selective about, and which I'll make sure is a long one.
I now have four brokers I'm on file with, and will collect more as I go. After this murderous holiday season and my inexperienced stumbling around and chasing up blind alleys, I'll then be preplanned two trips ahead and be able to sustain that...
That's important, since this is the one way I can get ahead of the pihrannas on some of the higher-paying loads--by looking at them before the pihrannas have a chance to ace me out of them.
Ok now I'll recheck my email and the boards, looking at Garland TX, and possibly even nail a load down, then go outside and see if taking my fan off would help (you see there's a housing surrounding it, and if I can't slide it all the way off, it won't work).
Wish me luck okbye
Monday, December 29, 2008
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Still Stuck
Well, I can tell by the pillow-cases that my noggin-owie was still bleeding. I hope the hotel doesn't call the cops after I leave...
I can't do anything until tomorrow when the Brokers open. Wayne at the company pointed out to me that some of the shorter loads in this area pay well, so monday I'll broaden my targets.
Unfortunately, my company is probably not set up with the two or three main brokers from which most of these loads emanate, so that even if I'm in time to grab a load, I have to get them to fax stuff back and forth, and the broker may well not commit to me beforehand...meaning I get aced-out. Again.
I have to view this as a contact-making situation. I may lose the first loads I try for, but will get stuff getting faxed back and forth, so that (if the brokers don't reject my company based on it's safety record or something), I'll have my company hooked up with three or four brokers.
A couple of these have websites on which loads are listed. On the last one I visited, I put a bid in on one--just in case my company is already signed up. I'll be saving these sites to favorites, and getting passwords so that I can get at the loads.
While I'll be trying for loads tomorrow/monday the 29th, I have to plan for the faxing and hooking-up stuff, and no loads being put on me until that's complete.
This time, I jotted notes on loads for days through the second, per-company, so that if they tell me that one load is gone, I can ask about the others while still on the phone.
I also searched the load-destinations. For example, one going to Wimington, DE and another going near there in New Jersey would probably have me deliver on the second. In that area, I found some longer loads (one of which I bid on--I'd deadhead 300 miles to go to New Mexico).
Partly because these are the longest of the short loads, then because my deadheads to them are under 170 miles, and finally because of the loads coming out of there, I'm trying to get loads through the 31st down there. I probably get aced out of the ones on the 29th, but by reaching ahead a couple days will have a better shot at nailing one down.
Well, time to resume listening to the Steelers stomp my Browns...
I can't do anything until tomorrow when the Brokers open. Wayne at the company pointed out to me that some of the shorter loads in this area pay well, so monday I'll broaden my targets.
Unfortunately, my company is probably not set up with the two or three main brokers from which most of these loads emanate, so that even if I'm in time to grab a load, I have to get them to fax stuff back and forth, and the broker may well not commit to me beforehand...meaning I get aced-out. Again.
I have to view this as a contact-making situation. I may lose the first loads I try for, but will get stuff getting faxed back and forth, so that (if the brokers don't reject my company based on it's safety record or something), I'll have my company hooked up with three or four brokers.
A couple of these have websites on which loads are listed. On the last one I visited, I put a bid in on one--just in case my company is already signed up. I'll be saving these sites to favorites, and getting passwords so that I can get at the loads.
While I'll be trying for loads tomorrow/monday the 29th, I have to plan for the faxing and hooking-up stuff, and no loads being put on me until that's complete.
This time, I jotted notes on loads for days through the second, per-company, so that if they tell me that one load is gone, I can ask about the others while still on the phone.
I also searched the load-destinations. For example, one going to Wimington, DE and another going near there in New Jersey would probably have me deliver on the second. In that area, I found some longer loads (one of which I bid on--I'd deadhead 300 miles to go to New Mexico).
Partly because these are the longest of the short loads, then because my deadheads to them are under 170 miles, and finally because of the loads coming out of there, I'm trying to get loads through the 31st down there. I probably get aced out of the ones on the 29th, but by reaching ahead a couple days will have a better shot at nailing one down.
Well, time to resume listening to the Steelers stomp my Browns...
Friday, December 26, 2008
Bad Day
I delivered my shopping carts and discovered that my APU was broke again. It was the fan belt.
I was delivering to a Lowes, so I looked for a lawnmower belt or something there, although they were closed for inventory. Nope.
I stopped at a Wal-Mart, just to take a shot. Slipped on black ice. Having grown up in Cleveland, I have blance and reactions, and don't fool easy. But it got me good. I fell properly, despite my foot shooting into the air, but the tire-tim got in the way and a bashed my head on it.
It really hurt, and I feared a cracked skull, then realized that analytical thinking was a good sign. The pain subsided as I went inside, but I discovered I was bleeding (right through my hair) and made it to the john in time to save my shirts from bloodstains.
Wal-Mart didn't have a belt. All this time, I'm trying to get a load out of here, and all the loads are gone before I can even call.
I found another Lowes and got a lawnmower belt about the right size. Not grooved right, but worth a shot. Then I cam to this hotel (resolved to be stuck til the 29th at least). I started putting the new belt on and discovered that the bastards had rendered it driver-proof.
In order to get the belt on, I'd have to take the fan off...or disassemble the engine. I can see how to do it...well, I'll give it another shot later, when I'm not so mentally exhausted. And enraged.
I still might have a carcked skull, but if my brain was bleeding I'd be comotose now. I have experience in this area, and am pretty sure that the first time I get knocked out I will assume room temperature. I think a Louisville slugger would more likely break my neck than dent my skull. If I committed suicide with a gun I'd aim at my heart to make sure.
Anyway I just realized that I might have the special tool needed to take the stupid fan off through some grillwork.
My alternative is to call the warrantee people and try to find an authorized repair joint just to replace a damn fanbelt. Which might not work anyway. The non-groove will shrink the inside diameter. I can compensate by the alternator placement, but it still might slip. Slippage might then try to force me to tighten it too much and burn out the alternator bearing. Lovely.
I'm in the hotel now because it's cold and I'd have to idle all night to stay alive. I should have got an electric blanket...put that on my shopping list...
Dammit.
There's a bar across the street and I might go there. I'm delaying a shower as long as possible so I don't start bleeding again when I shampoo. Good thing I got some red in my hair. I don't think I rinsed it all out. I can't see it on the back of my head. Maybe I should ask somebody "hey is there blood in my hair?"
If your first thought was that I should sue Wal-Mart, you are a dirt-bag.
Also, I'm a trucker, and was parking where I wasn't supposed to, and if I sued them, see how long ANY truckers are ever allowed to park at Wal-Mart anymore.
Maybe I should sue the tire-rim manufacturer.
Anyway, when I got here I immediately made sure that I was screwed out of every listed load already. Yep.
Then I played some more internet poker and won again.
It's working. Different strokes and all, and it appears that I'm a much better limit-cash player than I am a tournament player. I also do a lot better on bigger tables than on smaller ones.
I was sort of fooled, the way I got here. I won in casinos, then got eroded playing cash games online. So I switched to sit-and-go tournaments, which I've done for like 6-7 months now. And did a little worse than break even, so that over time, I always seemed to lose. (This is limit Omaha Hi-Low and Horse---not Hold-Em).
Last week, I started fooling around with Limit Hold'em cash games. Apparantly, playing all those tournaments has somehow made me a better (internet) cash player, because I have won every single session...except one six-player game where one lucky idiot superspazz knocked me out.
On one site, I was down to 3.60 and now got 11 bucks. On another I had 73 and now have 88. I win from 20 to 80% (I quit while ahead--don't know how I'd do hanging around).
At these low stakes, there are a lot of lottery players and rookies, but I do have the casino experience to guide me. I'm not going to add any money, but will gradually increase the stakes as my waddage goes up. And if I get loads past casinos, might go in next time.
I was delivering to a Lowes, so I looked for a lawnmower belt or something there, although they were closed for inventory. Nope.
I stopped at a Wal-Mart, just to take a shot. Slipped on black ice. Having grown up in Cleveland, I have blance and reactions, and don't fool easy. But it got me good. I fell properly, despite my foot shooting into the air, but the tire-tim got in the way and a bashed my head on it.
It really hurt, and I feared a cracked skull, then realized that analytical thinking was a good sign. The pain subsided as I went inside, but I discovered I was bleeding (right through my hair) and made it to the john in time to save my shirts from bloodstains.
Wal-Mart didn't have a belt. All this time, I'm trying to get a load out of here, and all the loads are gone before I can even call.
I found another Lowes and got a lawnmower belt about the right size. Not grooved right, but worth a shot. Then I cam to this hotel (resolved to be stuck til the 29th at least). I started putting the new belt on and discovered that the bastards had rendered it driver-proof.
In order to get the belt on, I'd have to take the fan off...or disassemble the engine. I can see how to do it...well, I'll give it another shot later, when I'm not so mentally exhausted. And enraged.
I still might have a carcked skull, but if my brain was bleeding I'd be comotose now. I have experience in this area, and am pretty sure that the first time I get knocked out I will assume room temperature. I think a Louisville slugger would more likely break my neck than dent my skull. If I committed suicide with a gun I'd aim at my heart to make sure.
Anyway I just realized that I might have the special tool needed to take the stupid fan off through some grillwork.
My alternative is to call the warrantee people and try to find an authorized repair joint just to replace a damn fanbelt. Which might not work anyway. The non-groove will shrink the inside diameter. I can compensate by the alternator placement, but it still might slip. Slippage might then try to force me to tighten it too much and burn out the alternator bearing. Lovely.
I'm in the hotel now because it's cold and I'd have to idle all night to stay alive. I should have got an electric blanket...put that on my shopping list...
Dammit.
There's a bar across the street and I might go there. I'm delaying a shower as long as possible so I don't start bleeding again when I shampoo. Good thing I got some red in my hair. I don't think I rinsed it all out. I can't see it on the back of my head. Maybe I should ask somebody "hey is there blood in my hair?"
If your first thought was that I should sue Wal-Mart, you are a dirt-bag.
Also, I'm a trucker, and was parking where I wasn't supposed to, and if I sued them, see how long ANY truckers are ever allowed to park at Wal-Mart anymore.
Maybe I should sue the tire-rim manufacturer.
Anyway, when I got here I immediately made sure that I was screwed out of every listed load already. Yep.
Then I played some more internet poker and won again.
It's working. Different strokes and all, and it appears that I'm a much better limit-cash player than I am a tournament player. I also do a lot better on bigger tables than on smaller ones.
I was sort of fooled, the way I got here. I won in casinos, then got eroded playing cash games online. So I switched to sit-and-go tournaments, which I've done for like 6-7 months now. And did a little worse than break even, so that over time, I always seemed to lose. (This is limit Omaha Hi-Low and Horse---not Hold-Em).
Last week, I started fooling around with Limit Hold'em cash games. Apparantly, playing all those tournaments has somehow made me a better (internet) cash player, because I have won every single session...except one six-player game where one lucky idiot superspazz knocked me out.
On one site, I was down to 3.60 and now got 11 bucks. On another I had 73 and now have 88. I win from 20 to 80% (I quit while ahead--don't know how I'd do hanging around).
At these low stakes, there are a lot of lottery players and rookies, but I do have the casino experience to guide me. I'm not going to add any money, but will gradually increase the stakes as my waddage goes up. And if I get loads past casinos, might go in next time.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Like Pullin Teeth
Speaking of which, the whole left side of my lower jaw hurts, despite a dentist's assurance that there's nothing wrong on that side. Dammit. And I missed my brand new cellphone when I did the laundery and...yeah. And the blow drier didn't work.
I took a weekly rent, but kept searching for loads. I found out that my company's safety rating blackballs me with a few major brokers, and I had to miss some really good loads because of it.
The reason I took the weekly is that it quickly became apparant to me that I'd have to reaqch farther ahead in time for a load out in order to actually have a chance at it. After finding out that Schneider and JB Hunt won't deal with me, in deperation I reached out to the 29th for a BNSF load out of Oklahoma, going to Massa...that eastern state.
It's over a 500-mile deadhead for a 45,000 lb. load, but I did some math and then made the call. It pays enough to net me 800 bucks or so, despite the weight and deadhead, so I grabbed it. Part of this is the fact that I had the route mapped mentally and knew that I'd be going by certain fuel stops where I could save quite a bit over the national average, and arrive at the reciever with maybe half a tank.
That means I could have some range to escape that high-priced diesel-zone before needing fuel again. (Apologies if you are bored--I'm just being honest about how I must think in order to stay afloat. On the off-chance another driver who's in trouble reads this, it will be of genuine benefit to them.)
Another factor is that I can easily route myself around the bulk of the tolls without burning extra fuel and canceling the savings. (I go 6.3 miles out of route and it costs over two bucks).
Another factor is that it's a nice, comfortable load which I'll enjoy running. And yet another is the fact that I should be able to get a load back out of that region.
The drawback is that Bear Logistics dominates that region, and they won't deal with my company, either. If neccessary, I might well look up and call the area paper mills fishing for a load myself---if there aren't contractual or procedural blocks preventing that.
However, once I have the load details and everything is confirmed, I'll immediately start searching ahead of 1/2, when I deliver. That's farther ahead than even most carriers look. With a little luck, I can have myself preplanned out of there (and be looking ahead to where that load will go).
Yet another factor is the fact that that's on the coast, so I have a good chance of a long load.
Another is the fact that I can go right by the terminal and collect my mail--including a computer plug I had ordered.
Assuming that when I call Wayne again he gives me the load specs and it's locked-down, I can relax somewhat. I'm paid through friday the 26th, so I can check out and cover the 500-mile deadhead on saturday, and get another reset in before loading on monday.
Meanwhile, I can use this time to dig up a load back out of there before the pihrannas get it first, and possibly establish a rythm which will deliver more miles consistantly.
I'll also continue my new online poker strategy. While I really like the sit-and-go tournaments, I'm frustrated by how often idiots win them. By reraising preflop with a pair of sixes. By raising with four spades before the turn (a 25% chance)--and getting it about half the time. By raising an A3 in early position in Omaha Hi-Lo and flopping 245.
But I won in Casinos. In cash games. So I'm fooling around with plain old regular limit games, and doing much better in limit Hold 'Em. It doesn't seem to be as rigged, for some reason. I mean, trips aren't very common, nor are the higher hands. A single pair will often win. If you raise AK suited, you win the hand about as often as you're supposed to.
Limit games are the way to play, unless you're a millionaire. If you play a no-limit or even pot-limit game for any starting stakes, you have to have the waddage to call rich idiots who try to buy every pot.
Limit does enable river rats to call when they should fold, but this is better overall, because they cough up more money that way. And it's not expensive. I can fold all my crap, and don't worry about bullies stealing my blinds. The blinds don't go up--they're fixed. I can get eroded down quite a bit and still come back, as long as I keep my cool and play smart.
I find that players tend to get a bead on me over time, so if I raise they won't call, and if I call a raise they always suspect I'm trapping them. They fear me. So I must either switch tables, or else do some change-ups with semi-bluffs and stuff.
I also mean to check out limit Omaha (not Hi-Lo). This is a more complex game, and I think I'd do better at it. It's less perdictable, however. The difference is, I'm not a Bingo player, which gives me an advantage. I might win fewer pots, but more people will call me, and I'll win more.
More people can play Hold 'Em well than Omaha. If 40% of the Hold 'Em players are at least competant, I'll bet it's less than 25% of the limit Omaha players. It's easy to miscalculate, and even easier NOT to fold a flush when you should.
My cash game has improved as I've paid more attention to pot odds. I now lay down decent cards often to a raise early, when it costs me little or nothing. I call or raise more often with a lot of money on the table. That's leverage, and risk-to-reward.
I have no problem with dumbasses thinking I'm a mouse because I fold a lot. Some of these guys raise every time I have the big blind or am islotated with them. "I'll just push him and he'll fold". Let them take the nickels and dimes, and show me how they play. When I call, they think it's just because I'm frustrated, and they bet at me again. That's when I whack them--and sometimes they even raise me right back! "He's a pussy he HAS to fold if I just keep hitting him!" Then it's too late.
I hate bullies, in every form. A poker bully is generally too stupid to win any other way.
...sorry.
Well okbye.
I took a weekly rent, but kept searching for loads. I found out that my company's safety rating blackballs me with a few major brokers, and I had to miss some really good loads because of it.
The reason I took the weekly is that it quickly became apparant to me that I'd have to reaqch farther ahead in time for a load out in order to actually have a chance at it. After finding out that Schneider and JB Hunt won't deal with me, in deperation I reached out to the 29th for a BNSF load out of Oklahoma, going to Massa...that eastern state.
It's over a 500-mile deadhead for a 45,000 lb. load, but I did some math and then made the call. It pays enough to net me 800 bucks or so, despite the weight and deadhead, so I grabbed it. Part of this is the fact that I had the route mapped mentally and knew that I'd be going by certain fuel stops where I could save quite a bit over the national average, and arrive at the reciever with maybe half a tank.
That means I could have some range to escape that high-priced diesel-zone before needing fuel again. (Apologies if you are bored--I'm just being honest about how I must think in order to stay afloat. On the off-chance another driver who's in trouble reads this, it will be of genuine benefit to them.)
Another factor is that I can easily route myself around the bulk of the tolls without burning extra fuel and canceling the savings. (I go 6.3 miles out of route and it costs over two bucks).
Another factor is that it's a nice, comfortable load which I'll enjoy running. And yet another is the fact that I should be able to get a load back out of that region.
The drawback is that Bear Logistics dominates that region, and they won't deal with my company, either. If neccessary, I might well look up and call the area paper mills fishing for a load myself---if there aren't contractual or procedural blocks preventing that.
However, once I have the load details and everything is confirmed, I'll immediately start searching ahead of 1/2, when I deliver. That's farther ahead than even most carriers look. With a little luck, I can have myself preplanned out of there (and be looking ahead to where that load will go).
Yet another factor is the fact that that's on the coast, so I have a good chance of a long load.
Another is the fact that I can go right by the terminal and collect my mail--including a computer plug I had ordered.
Assuming that when I call Wayne again he gives me the load specs and it's locked-down, I can relax somewhat. I'm paid through friday the 26th, so I can check out and cover the 500-mile deadhead on saturday, and get another reset in before loading on monday.
Meanwhile, I can use this time to dig up a load back out of there before the pihrannas get it first, and possibly establish a rythm which will deliver more miles consistantly.
I'll also continue my new online poker strategy. While I really like the sit-and-go tournaments, I'm frustrated by how often idiots win them. By reraising preflop with a pair of sixes. By raising with four spades before the turn (a 25% chance)--and getting it about half the time. By raising an A3 in early position in Omaha Hi-Lo and flopping 245.
But I won in Casinos. In cash games. So I'm fooling around with plain old regular limit games, and doing much better in limit Hold 'Em. It doesn't seem to be as rigged, for some reason. I mean, trips aren't very common, nor are the higher hands. A single pair will often win. If you raise AK suited, you win the hand about as often as you're supposed to.
Limit games are the way to play, unless you're a millionaire. If you play a no-limit or even pot-limit game for any starting stakes, you have to have the waddage to call rich idiots who try to buy every pot.
Limit does enable river rats to call when they should fold, but this is better overall, because they cough up more money that way. And it's not expensive. I can fold all my crap, and don't worry about bullies stealing my blinds. The blinds don't go up--they're fixed. I can get eroded down quite a bit and still come back, as long as I keep my cool and play smart.
I find that players tend to get a bead on me over time, so if I raise they won't call, and if I call a raise they always suspect I'm trapping them. They fear me. So I must either switch tables, or else do some change-ups with semi-bluffs and stuff.
I also mean to check out limit Omaha (not Hi-Lo). This is a more complex game, and I think I'd do better at it. It's less perdictable, however. The difference is, I'm not a Bingo player, which gives me an advantage. I might win fewer pots, but more people will call me, and I'll win more.
More people can play Hold 'Em well than Omaha. If 40% of the Hold 'Em players are at least competant, I'll bet it's less than 25% of the limit Omaha players. It's easy to miscalculate, and even easier NOT to fold a flush when you should.
My cash game has improved as I've paid more attention to pot odds. I now lay down decent cards often to a raise early, when it costs me little or nothing. I call or raise more often with a lot of money on the table. That's leverage, and risk-to-reward.
I have no problem with dumbasses thinking I'm a mouse because I fold a lot. Some of these guys raise every time I have the big blind or am islotated with them. "I'll just push him and he'll fold". Let them take the nickels and dimes, and show me how they play. When I call, they think it's just because I'm frustrated, and they bet at me again. That's when I whack them--and sometimes they even raise me right back! "He's a pussy he HAS to fold if I just keep hitting him!" Then it's too late.
I hate bullies, in every form. A poker bully is generally too stupid to win any other way.
...sorry.
Well okbye.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Hard Times
I just switched to a weekly rent at this hotel. Yesterday I put my new cellphone through the wash and I'm on my old backup now. That's right, I laundered my cellphone haha. I tried a blow-drier and stuff, and it went from lighting up the screen do a paperweight. I got it charging now but I'm not optimistic. I did get a warrantee though.
Yeah I'm ticked off too. Most brokers are business hours only. I find loads I want, and call to get voice-mail, if even that.
I see a load leaving Brownsville on tuesday and delivering to Ohio on monday the 22nd. I'm 300 miles away, and can't be deadheading down there just in case I get it and it pays anything, and as of business hours monday I probably won't have time to go get it.
There is nothing else, either. No new email alerts or postings for the carriers to screw me out of at warp-speed. These guys I swear have every broker on speed-dial and must hit the buttons the instant they see a load (without looking at it).
So I've revised my strategy, and will look farther ahead. That's why I took the weekly rent. It's insurance. If I get a load within four days, I lose more money on the hotel rent, but at least have a load to more than offset it. If I'm stuck for a week, I simply lose a bunch of extra money for sure.
Why a hotel? Well it's hotter in the cab than outside, and I have to run the A/C. I only have one free shower coming. In 24 hours even with the APU I could burn ten gallons, or over 20 bucks. If I take a shower at a truckstop, it's 9 bucks. I pay only a little more this way, plus preserve my fuel to give me more range--hence more options about where I will fuel once I do have a load.
I pay a little more this way, but not that much. And I can write off every penny of the hotel bills.
So there.
Anyway, Xmas is thursday. Nothing will happen until January 5th, probably. I'll look, but might be stuck until then.
So I'm looking ahead to the 26th, 29th, 30th, and the 5th.
My paid site has once again decided that my login information is wrong and has locked me out. But the persistant fact that no matter where I search there are simply zero loads available pretty much says they suck. I'm committed to 90 days, after which I can cancel. Which I will.
So it's the free loadboards for me...I'll do some more research on the others, since www.123loadboard.com DID have some loads that the others didn't.
With the Brownsville-to-Ohio load, I found them on the internet and got a working answering machine to leave a message on, and also emailed them. There's an outside chance they'll get back to me, but there's really nothing in it for them. If the load is any good, it'll be gone within five minutes on monday morning.
Another handicap I have is that my company doesn't have deals in-place with a lot of these brokers, so that when I try to claim a load, I then have to have them fax everything to the company--and the company just seems to ignore it more often than not.
On the first load, it wasn't a problem, but then Schneider wouldn't commit to me without the deal. So I had them fax their stuff, and when I called the company was told that they'd see to it. They didn't. A day later, I called Schneider for another load, and was told that they don't have anything on my company--
So you see, I should have had two loads, but because my company won't help me, I lost them.
Ever have one of those nightmares where you're running as fast as you can and can't go anywhere?
Yeah I'm ticked off too. Most brokers are business hours only. I find loads I want, and call to get voice-mail, if even that.
I see a load leaving Brownsville on tuesday and delivering to Ohio on monday the 22nd. I'm 300 miles away, and can't be deadheading down there just in case I get it and it pays anything, and as of business hours monday I probably won't have time to go get it.
There is nothing else, either. No new email alerts or postings for the carriers to screw me out of at warp-speed. These guys I swear have every broker on speed-dial and must hit the buttons the instant they see a load (without looking at it).
So I've revised my strategy, and will look farther ahead. That's why I took the weekly rent. It's insurance. If I get a load within four days, I lose more money on the hotel rent, but at least have a load to more than offset it. If I'm stuck for a week, I simply lose a bunch of extra money for sure.
Why a hotel? Well it's hotter in the cab than outside, and I have to run the A/C. I only have one free shower coming. In 24 hours even with the APU I could burn ten gallons, or over 20 bucks. If I take a shower at a truckstop, it's 9 bucks. I pay only a little more this way, plus preserve my fuel to give me more range--hence more options about where I will fuel once I do have a load.
I pay a little more this way, but not that much. And I can write off every penny of the hotel bills.
So there.
Anyway, Xmas is thursday. Nothing will happen until January 5th, probably. I'll look, but might be stuck until then.
So I'm looking ahead to the 26th, 29th, 30th, and the 5th.
My paid site has once again decided that my login information is wrong and has locked me out. But the persistant fact that no matter where I search there are simply zero loads available pretty much says they suck. I'm committed to 90 days, after which I can cancel. Which I will.
So it's the free loadboards for me...I'll do some more research on the others, since www.123loadboard.com DID have some loads that the others didn't.
With the Brownsville-to-Ohio load, I found them on the internet and got a working answering machine to leave a message on, and also emailed them. There's an outside chance they'll get back to me, but there's really nothing in it for them. If the load is any good, it'll be gone within five minutes on monday morning.
Another handicap I have is that my company doesn't have deals in-place with a lot of these brokers, so that when I try to claim a load, I then have to have them fax everything to the company--and the company just seems to ignore it more often than not.
On the first load, it wasn't a problem, but then Schneider wouldn't commit to me without the deal. So I had them fax their stuff, and when I called the company was told that they'd see to it. They didn't. A day later, I called Schneider for another load, and was told that they don't have anything on my company--
So you see, I should have had two loads, but because my company won't help me, I lost them.
Ever have one of those nightmares where you're running as fast as you can and can't go anywhere?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Frustration
After 5 pm, a load from Rosenberg, TX (right next to Katy) to Grand Rapids, MI showed up in my email notifications. I called the number and got an answering machine. I left a message expressing my interest in the load, and set my alarm for 7:50 (they open at 8).
Upon checking my email and the Pickatruckload.com loadboard in the morning, I found three MORE of these loads, and on click-through found "this load is no longer available".
The load was available last night, which is why I tried to get it.
So, overnight, four of these loads came and went, and I had no shot.
So I called the broker this morning, and explained this briefly, and asked if there was a night-time number or something. The agent acted like I was speaking Martian....
She just called back. Now I know that a couple people are in the office at 7:30, a half hour before they officially open. The guy that checks the voice-mail doesn't come in til 8:00. So she took a call before business hours and covered the load. She was calling me back not in response to this morning's call, but to the voice-mail.
Which was cool of her. It was an expensive lesson. This was a light load, and would have only cost me about 500 bucks to run. Light loads are often valuable, as well--plastic goods, car parts, etc. And on checking loads around Michigan for the 22nd, I found a few.
I learned something. No matter what they could teach in business school or whatever, there are always variables like this in any business that you have to find out by accident or persistance. She might not have returned my voice-message had I not called after 8:00 and asked about that.
This could be the case at other brokers, as well--call a half hour before business hours.
Now, I had surmised that Load Planners and Coordinators with trucking companies, representing fleets, etc. might have a night-time number or something. If I were a broker, I would sort of favor people with a bunch of trucks over individuals such as Wile E Coyote, who might run four loads a week max. (I woudn't resent this much. Business is business and nobody owes me anything. I'm a real american).
But now I know that I had the same chance as whoever called her at 7:30.
I hate being a pihranna. This is the second time this happened. Before, it was SIX loads our of Houston to New York, every single one of which was covered before I had a chance to even open my email.
So when trying to load-plan, I'll just have to wake up early enough to check the loads, do some analysis, and join the feeding frenzie. It kinda turns my stomach--I'm not wired for it. But it's something I have to do.
I might have choices. I mean, another smaller company called me; they pay 1.00/mile plus 10% of the surcharge. That's pretty good for dryvan freight. I thought about it, since I wouldn't have to be a pihranna that way.
Yeah. Thirteen new notifications in my box this morning, every one of whichI had to delete after a glance because of distance and/or date. But I have to put up with that, as well.
The RTF paid board I subscribed to has now decided that my login is invalid, that my licenses have expired, and that my email address is not registered. THAT pisses me off.
But overall, I'm not as discouraged as I was when I started this entry. I have an equal shot as long as I'm a pihranna. If I'd have got that load, or one of the Houstons-to-New Yorks, I'd be covered for several days in advance, and not have to worry about it for a couple days. And I told the agent to keep me in mind for anything else--I'll be empty in Katy friday afternoon and need help getting out of there.
Two brokers now know this, including the one that got me the run to Katy. They might call. It's easier than listing the load.
After this, I'll go back to email and no doubt find five or more notifications of loads I mostly can't consider, but might get lucky.
Then I'll get cleaned up, get my stuff in the truck, hit the company to get my load info, grab a trailer, and head to Fort Wayne. I'll stop at a truckstop to do laundry, and I hope park overnight at the shipper so I'm first in line to get loaded.
On the road agin......
Upon checking my email and the Pickatruckload.com loadboard in the morning, I found three MORE of these loads, and on click-through found "this load is no longer available".
The load was available last night, which is why I tried to get it.
So, overnight, four of these loads came and went, and I had no shot.
So I called the broker this morning, and explained this briefly, and asked if there was a night-time number or something. The agent acted like I was speaking Martian....
She just called back. Now I know that a couple people are in the office at 7:30, a half hour before they officially open. The guy that checks the voice-mail doesn't come in til 8:00. So she took a call before business hours and covered the load. She was calling me back not in response to this morning's call, but to the voice-mail.
Which was cool of her. It was an expensive lesson. This was a light load, and would have only cost me about 500 bucks to run. Light loads are often valuable, as well--plastic goods, car parts, etc. And on checking loads around Michigan for the 22nd, I found a few.
I learned something. No matter what they could teach in business school or whatever, there are always variables like this in any business that you have to find out by accident or persistance. She might not have returned my voice-message had I not called after 8:00 and asked about that.
This could be the case at other brokers, as well--call a half hour before business hours.
Now, I had surmised that Load Planners and Coordinators with trucking companies, representing fleets, etc. might have a night-time number or something. If I were a broker, I would sort of favor people with a bunch of trucks over individuals such as Wile E Coyote, who might run four loads a week max. (I woudn't resent this much. Business is business and nobody owes me anything. I'm a real american).
But now I know that I had the same chance as whoever called her at 7:30.
I hate being a pihranna. This is the second time this happened. Before, it was SIX loads our of Houston to New York, every single one of which was covered before I had a chance to even open my email.
So when trying to load-plan, I'll just have to wake up early enough to check the loads, do some analysis, and join the feeding frenzie. It kinda turns my stomach--I'm not wired for it. But it's something I have to do.
I might have choices. I mean, another smaller company called me; they pay 1.00/mile plus 10% of the surcharge. That's pretty good for dryvan freight. I thought about it, since I wouldn't have to be a pihranna that way.
Yeah. Thirteen new notifications in my box this morning, every one of whichI had to delete after a glance because of distance and/or date. But I have to put up with that, as well.
The RTF paid board I subscribed to has now decided that my login is invalid, that my licenses have expired, and that my email address is not registered. THAT pisses me off.
But overall, I'm not as discouraged as I was when I started this entry. I have an equal shot as long as I'm a pihranna. If I'd have got that load, or one of the Houstons-to-New Yorks, I'd be covered for several days in advance, and not have to worry about it for a couple days. And I told the agent to keep me in mind for anything else--I'll be empty in Katy friday afternoon and need help getting out of there.
Two brokers now know this, including the one that got me the run to Katy. They might call. It's easier than listing the load.
After this, I'll go back to email and no doubt find five or more notifications of loads I mostly can't consider, but might get lucky.
Then I'll get cleaned up, get my stuff in the truck, hit the company to get my load info, grab a trailer, and head to Fort Wayne. I'll stop at a truckstop to do laundry, and I hope park overnight at the shipper so I'm first in line to get loaded.
On the road agin......
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Wow
The Pickaload loadboard is bombarding me with load notifications. I don't mind that, but the loads are from the entire region, and the dates go all the way back to today. As a result, I have to glance over them and then delete 9 out of ten immediately.
I also took the plunge and signed up with www.realtimefreight.com. I found zero loads. Set the watchdogs for that and www.truckbuzz.com (on which I can set a radius around Katy)...oh. I screwed up again. I set the www.pickaload.com watchdog for "include region". Katy isn't far from Shreveport, LA--that's why I did it. I'll go change it to Texas to filter out those OK, AR, etc. loads.
Randy hasn't talked to Da Boss yet, but no hurry. I'll be stopping there after checkout tomorrow to pick up my load info.
I had an in on one good load to MA which would have netted me a grand, but that broker had had issues with my company, and blacklisted them. I pointed out that I was me, and just using their equipment, and the fact that they were prosecuting the guy that might well have caused the mess, but that's probably a lost cause.
Somebody or other used a different MC number from my company's, which is always for crooked reasons. My guess is that it was a greedy and stupid O/O. They also had performance issues with them, meaning that they'd had late deliveries. This could all be the same moron, or else just plain bad drivers.
But there you go--Jamestown takes the rap for something that might well not have been it's fault, and it rolls downhill all over me. Too bad. Fortunately, that's just one broker.
I'm not giving up on Realtimefreight based on a couple sample searches. All I need is to get one load in a month from them to pay for the subscription.
Okbye.
I also took the plunge and signed up with www.realtimefreight.com. I found zero loads. Set the watchdogs for that and www.truckbuzz.com (on which I can set a radius around Katy)...oh. I screwed up again. I set the www.pickaload.com watchdog for "include region". Katy isn't far from Shreveport, LA--that's why I did it. I'll go change it to Texas to filter out those OK, AR, etc. loads.
Randy hasn't talked to Da Boss yet, but no hurry. I'll be stopping there after checkout tomorrow to pick up my load info.
I had an in on one good load to MA which would have netted me a grand, but that broker had had issues with my company, and blacklisted them. I pointed out that I was me, and just using their equipment, and the fact that they were prosecuting the guy that might well have caused the mess, but that's probably a lost cause.
Somebody or other used a different MC number from my company's, which is always for crooked reasons. My guess is that it was a greedy and stupid O/O. They also had performance issues with them, meaning that they'd had late deliveries. This could all be the same moron, or else just plain bad drivers.
But there you go--Jamestown takes the rap for something that might well not have been it's fault, and it rolls downhill all over me. Too bad. Fortunately, that's just one broker.
I'm not giving up on Realtimefreight based on a couple sample searches. All I need is to get one load in a month from them to pay for the subscription.
Okbye.
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