I guess it had to happen eventually

Steelersjunkie

Pimpin' ain't easy
Looks like Coronavirus just got real for truckers. When this whole thing started and the states locked down, it seemed as if we were unaffected. In fact, the money was actually better. The DAT board was the juiciest I'd ever seen it and the amount of loads available made my head spin. I was never so grateful to have a CDL. In a time when so many folks were losing their income, it appeared as though my wife and I were going to be just fine. I am fortunate enough to have a job considered to be essential. Hooray for being a trucker. But that just changed, and quite literally overnight.The load board is practically barren, and that just started two days ago. What freight IS being posted is for absolutely shameful rates. I saw a load yesterday going from my area in Ohio to some place in California (or some other western state). 2200 mile run, $800. That wouldn't even cover fuel. Most runs on the board are sitting at $1/mile, which is a sad joke. That'll cover operating costs for the truck and that's it. There's no money left out of that live on. Brokers are just shrugging their shoulders and saying "yeah, it's a real bummer right now". Besides the fact that my income vanished in the last two days, I'm angered by another realization. Price gouging is illegal, I think most folks have heard/seen examples of it in the news. Like those two idiots recently who bought up all the hand sanitizer in a huge radius hoping to prey on folks and double or triple their investment. Well, truckers are getting price gouged right now, but in the opposite way and noone is saying a word. We are being preyed upon. Folks in the news say that we are the backbone of America and keep the country moving. We are, and we do. During this pandemic I've heard reporters call us heroes. I think that's a stretch, but whatever. Right now shippers and brokers are taking advantage of this lack of freight by pushing pay through the floor. It's unconscionable, and it's shameful. This is absolutely going to have long lasting effects on our industry. This WILL decimate a lot of O/Os and small companies if this continues. Corporate greed once again rears its ugly head. Congratulations to all of you a-hole companies out there salivating at the thought of the sudden drop in your shipping costs. Enjoy it, because it will be short lived. You might get a couple months out of that, max. And what you will have done is left a mark on this industry that will show for quite some time. Raise your champagne glasses and toast each other for being captains of industry. When the dust settles and our industry is crippled, who's gonna haul your crap? Those two guys who were attempting to price gouge hand sanitizer made national news and were publicly shamed, yet noone is saying a word about this. If this trend continues, a lot of independents and small trucking companies simply will not survive this, and I'm one of them. Where's the outcry for us? If you own a large corporation and happen to read this, i want you to take a really good look in the mirror. Hold that image. They day will come when people will ask "How did this happen? Why does it take so long now for things to reach stores?" The answer is you. YOU did this, corporate guy. Go drive yourself home to your wife and kids in your Mercedes and enjoy your happy life. And feel free to choke to death on that steak you're eating.
 
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Yep, posted about this a few days ago.

When I dropped my truck off at the shop in Minnesota in Friday, I rented a car and drove home to Arkansas after seeing rates still looking very good and a plentiful amount of loads on the board.

By Monday morning, it changed drastically.

The overblown fear of 1/4 million dead shut more people down and as of Monday, we were seeing the result of that.

On a positive note, the projections have been drastically redrawn, and I think that we will soon see that even those numbers are inflated.

By May 1st, I don’t think anybody will be able to restrain the push to get back somewhat to normal.
 
One weird thing about this mess... seeing as how I've had to make about a million phone calls in the last few days I'm learning a lot about the megas. All of them broker freight, every single one of them. Man, I'll tell you what. It is an absolute mystery why their drivers stay there. There have been a couple that are so unbelievably disorganized that it amazes me that they can function. I guarantee there's a lot of wasted money in those companies. It's a headscratcher.
 
And more to come
Naaah.

It's done. The financial impact is going to sting for a long time.

The loss of consumer demand is pretty complete. Entire chains disrupted from consumer to raw material.

Steel, agriculture, construction etc.

The ones who will survive had already prepared for a 90 -120 day shutdown
 
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One weird thing about this mess... seeing as how I've had to make about a million phone calls in the last few days I'm learning a lot about the megas. All of them broker freight, every single one of them. Man, I'll tell you what. It is an absolute mystery why their drivers stay there. There have been a couple that are so unbelievably disorganized that it amazes me that they can function. I guarantee there's a lot of wasted money in those companies. It's a headscratcher.
No surprise there... Them outfits are loaded top to bottom with morons who aint interested in much other than gettin paid to be warmin a seat
 
Yep, posted about this a few days ago.

When I dropped my truck off at the shop in Minnesota in Friday, I rented a car and drove home to Arkansas after seeing rates still looking very good and a plentiful amount of loads on the board.

By Monday morning, it changed drastically.

The overblown fear of 1/4 million dead shut more people down and as of Monday, we were seeing the result of that.

On a positive note, the projections have been drastically redrawn, and I think that we will soon see that even those numbers are inflated.

By May 1st, I don’t think anybody will be able to restrain the push to get back somewhat to normal.

What happened is with everything else "Shutdown" basically all ya got is "Retail" and Medical n some construction where allowed..

Not to mention the OIL CRASH so them guys gonna be shifting to Dryvan and Reefer to pay bills

Now every carrier and owner-0perator is competing for Less Freight..

Infact @Mike up until recently usually hadda dispatch before I got there..

Last week or so been "shorter" loads and even sitting a day or so between loads
 
The economic damage is already done.
That's what I'm "afraid" of....

Ya listen to these "Talking Heads" oh the Economy was Gr8 and this is "different" and once we open up everything be back to normal...

Unfortunately as Im sure you well know our "Gr8 Economy" has been nothing but a "Debt" and Stock-Buyback "BUBBLE"

Covid19 just brought it off the "Rails" sooner than later...

I can tell your a "thinking" man @mndriver so that should do ...

For the "Cheerleader" crowd I can go much 'deeper" although I hope ya got the "Capacity" to understand "Reality' along with a basic understanding of how the "FED" really operates...otherwise Don't WASTE my TIME
 
Yep, posted about this a few days ago.

When I dropped my truck off at the shop in Minnesota in Friday, I rented a car and drove home to Arkansas after seeing rates still looking very good and a plentiful amount of loads on the board.

By Monday morning, it changed drastically.

The overblown fear of 1/4 million dead shut more people down and as of Monday, we were seeing the result of that.

On a positive note, the projections have been drastically redrawn, and I think that we will soon see that even those numbers are inflated.

By May 1st, I don’t think anybody will be able to restrain the push to get back somewhat to normal.
Well @Mike ya gotta consider that ya there was the Panic Buying "restock" rush but everything else is "SHUT-DOWN" so they ain't "buying" or "consuming" so Less Freight..

This gotta be really "Bad" for ya owning the truck plus the family and all the bills together..

I'll pray for ya..ain't much but maybe they get this all up again in afew weeks now that things seem to be "peaking" as they say
 
Well @Mike ya gotta consider that ya there was the Panic Buying "restock" rush but everything else is "SHUT-DOWN" so they ain't "buying" or "consuming" so Less Freight..

This gotta be really "Bad" for ya owning the truck plus the family and all the bills together..

I'll pray for ya..ain't much but maybe they get this all up again in afew weeks now that things seem to be "peaking" as they say
Here's hopin'
 
Well @Mike ya gotta consider that ya there was the Panic Buying "restock" rush but everything else is "SHUT-DOWN" so they ain't "buying" or "consuming" so Less Freight..

This gotta be really "Bad" for ya owning the truck plus the family and all the bills together..

I'll pray for ya..ain't much but maybe they get this all up again in afew weeks now that things seem to be "peaking" as they say
@Uncle Birchy I hope you're right and this all goes back to normal in a couple weeks. While we may all be bound by the common bond of holding the reigns of an 80k pound animal, there are things that unfortunately separate us from one another. I wish it wasn't so. While I'm incredibly grateful that I have the life and opportunity my license provides, I feel displaced at times. I made it my mission to be everything I could be and put every ounce of time and effort into this career. I did it because I feel that I was a slacker and a disappointment to my wife and family. So here i am. I have put all i have into this and because of what I've learned I sometimes regret it. There are definitely times I'd rather not know the plethora of crap I've had to learn to be an O/O. The insight and knowledge I gained have shown me how frightening things can be behind the curtain of the role of a company driver. I used to think that the term "steering wheel holder" was an insult. I now know that it's an overused term by ignorant drivers who may very well be the exact person they are making fun of, which is a company driver. Steering wheel holders are folks who are only responsible for driving the truck. They don't find their own freight, buy their own fuel, fix their own rides, take care of taxes and permits and licensing, etc. It doesn't make us better than anyone else, it's just an added set of crap to manage. And it comes with knowledge that company guys will never have to worry about. I'd argue that all of that knowledge is stuff that everyone SHOULD know, so that they are more informed about the industry in which they are employed. But, whatever. We're two weeks away from May. If we go back to normal then (which I doubt), I'm all set. I have no need to go anywhere. But my application for the new job is in, phone interview is coming this morning. My start date, by my choice, won't be until May 1st. If people are allowed to go back to work there will be a huge boom on available freight. It's not likely that things will be normalized as far as pay, but that is kind of a self-regulating thing. Supply and demand will take care of that. If my fears are correct, the stay at home order will be extended. I can handle slow money for a couple more weeks and survive. But not extra month of it. It all ties back to the crap I wish I never learned. And what I know will happen if I'm not set up for another month of garbage. This opportunity won't be here because someone else will snag it and it'll be gone. And I'll be twisting in the wind. If I only had to worry about myself I'd just ride it out. But the most important and loving person I've ever met is counting on me to steer us through this crap. Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then. Life wasn't easier, but definitely less complicated. Relatively. Thanks for the prayers. Never been a religious guy, but I'll take the positive thoughts. Hope you're doing alright.
 
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States are already pushing it to May 4th. Some have started to go to May 10th.

I parked it Saturday. I have no clue how long. But when rates force me below operating costs, I'm now paying them to haul their freight. I won't do that.

I started 10 days ago putting in place items to let me go home and do my maintenance I do every spring. I also have to get the Apu installed. All that shit takes time off the road. Perfect for when rates are shit. Should be able to get taxes completed as well even though the deadline is now 7/15.

You may want to consider paused operation for those downtime tasks you know need to be done than continue to run for peanuts or the expenses of changing flags.

Comes back to semper Gumby.

Heck. Even take that "family vacation" early this spring instead of wishing you'd be able to do it when rates are stellar later.
 
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States are already pushing it to May 4th. Some have started to go to May 10th.

I parked it Saturday. I have no clue how long. But when rates force me below operating costs, I'm now paying them to haul their freight. I won't do that.

I started 10 days ago putting in place items to let me go home and do my maintenance I do every spring. I also have to get the Apu installed. All that **** takes time off the road. Perfect for when rates are ****. Should be able to get taxes completed as well even though the deadline is now 7/15.

You may want to consider paused operation for those downtime tasks you know need to be done than continue to run for peanuts or the expenses of changing flags.

Comes back to semper Gumby
Same here, parked on Friday. I took a quick load that picks up today, but coming right back home after that. I'm not resigned to changing flags. I'm simply making sure I have an exit with a profitable and professional end. Two or three weeks i can handle. If I have to add another four weeks, can't do that.
 
Have you at least put your applications in for unemployment or the SBA programs for this covid-19 stuff?
 
No. Government stupidity is why we're in this mess to begin with. I don't want their goddam money. I have plans way beyond what most folks look at. I'm gonna get that ag job if this extends. No matter what happens going to get my own auth. I'm done with the f-tards that control our lives.
 
You still have paid your taxes and earned that money. Take it if it's available.

I don't pay $7000 state and federal taxes just to let my pride stand in the way when I see a chance to get what's mine back.
 
Every large company has wasted effort. I by no means work for a mega just 250 trucks but I have no desire to own trucks again I have owned trucks leased trucks had my own authority. The comfort of getting a livable paycheck for me outweigh owning these days. I made $82000 last year with 3 weeks vacation and medical insurance. I am on a guaranteed salary of at least $1400/week as long as I am available 5 days a week . An O/O would have to gross at least $250000 per truck to compete with that
You’re always bragging! What’s next? Truck stop waitress’s want a three way with you?
 
The amount of anger inanangee
Every large company has wasted effort. I by no means work for a mega just 250 trucks but I have no desire to own trucks again I have owned trucks leased trucks had my own authority. The comfort of getting a livable paycheck for me outweigh owning these days. I made $82000 last year with 3 weeks vacation and medical insurance. I am on a guaranteed salary of at least $1400/week as long as I am available 5 days a week . An O/O would have to gross at least $250000 per truck to compete with that
$250000? You're outside of your mind.
 

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