Estes | freight

[Kings disciple]

I'm just assuming that the price to move our trucks cost nearly the same as the outsiders charge. I would imagine we have to use them an x number of times to keep the cost down. If we gave them a multi-stop load the companies charge alot of money for that. The companies I know charge $100 a stop.(They only give thier drivers about $15). I think the reason for so many outsiders right now is to just see what's going to happen with the economy just to see if more drivers are really needed.(IMHO) I hear it cost's about $800 to hire a new driver.

I'm thinking your right mildew.
I don't know it for sure but I think the contractor thing is to wait and see were freight volumes settle down to before they start hiring a bunch of drivers.
I've seen them do this before in the past. They get things evened out then hire drivers in slow and phase the contractors out.
I think though they should let guys that want to run a extra 6th day they should have that option.
I just don't want to see that mandatory weekend work for us come back 'cause I don't want any.

 

[Starkravinloon]

I'm thinking your right mildew.
I don't know it for sure but I think the contractor thing is to wait and see were freight volumes settle down to before they start hiring a bunch of drivers.
I've seen them do this before in the past. They get things evened out then hire drivers in slow and phase the contractors out.

Yup, remember back in '00, when they hired all the contractors. DC and those guys that couldn't speak english. I think they were Russian and Saudi guys. Man, I don't like to talk about a person's hygiene, but those guys from Russia or it might have been the Ukraine, they stunk. I mean they were rank.You couldn't stay in the dispatch office when they were in there.No haz-mat endorsement and couldn't pull pups.Those guys from DC were some good guys.They had a father and son team from Meridian, Miss., I don't think those guys ever stopped. Good guys too.This is just a trial run guys, they do it ever year.I think we will be hiring or calling drivers back by May or June.

 

[Matt]

well like said above why hire a bunch of guys and then fire them. this is probaly why we can't work weekends so dispatch can see what is really needed and what isn't

 

[Starkravinloon]

well like said above why hire a bunch of guys and then fire them. this is probaly why we can't work weekends so dispatch can see what is really needed and what isn't

From what I understand BB, if you want to run weekends and they don't have E/B going out , they'll let you run. We have an E/B at our barn,sometimes he don't go out till Tuesday or Wednesday, if he wants to, they'll let him stay out. I think what they hoped would happen was, that if they cut out the mandatory 1 weekend run per month, that it would stack freight at the terminals and everone would have somwhere to go on Monday. That's just my opinion, maybe you have other thoughts. Oh, meant to ask, how's Little BB doing, hope he's doing good.

 

[Kings disciple]

well like said above why hire a bunch of guys and then fire them. this is probaly why we can't work weekends so dispatch can see what is really needed and what isn't

Yup, they've done this several times before and I think it's a smart move. Besides the cost of hiring and then laying off, why get a bunch of guys hired and get thier hopes up just to have to can 'em and let 'em down.
Makes sense to me.

Trucking has always been this way as a whole. Alot of O/O's will tell you that as a contractor in a fleet with company trucks most the time the big money is made over the weekend. Let them contractors have all my weekend work, I'd rather be with the family.

 

[INTOTHENOW]

I see alot of contractors hauling 53s some on told me that most of them dont have doubles endorsments,dont know how true that is,but they should give are guys first crack.

Ya its funny how we can take freight off of our trailers(pups)and put it on a contractors truck, thats what we did and us Estes drivers were left with going out empty or the short runs.

 

[mlk3636]

Still working 4 day work weeks in SC for P&D. Outbound levels up inbound not as good. Dock worker said he gets 5 days and hub runs are getting 5 days. Hope to get back to five day work weeks, this is the least amount of money that i've made in years but glad to still have a job.

 

[Legshot]

Monday in my barn was a ghost town when I came in, in the morning... Today, Tuesday, we were jammed! All p&d trucks went out stuffed, and plenty on the dock due later. I can never tell if it's a bubble in the system, or if things are picking up at the time.

 

[Starkravinloon]

Monday in my barn was a ghost town when I came in, in the morning... Today, Tuesday, we were jammed! All p&d trucks went out stuffed, and plenty on the dock due later. I can never tell if it's a bubble in the system, or if things are picking up at the time.

Doing very good at our place too. Outbound starting to pick up. Inbound picking up a lot.Looks like things might be on the upswing. Lets hope so.

 

[mildew]

Keep using those credit cards and spend, spend, spend. Lets all get the economy back to where it was. We can alway's file bankruptcy later.

 

[Starkravinloon]

Keep using those credit cards and spend, spend, spend. Lets all get the economy back to where it was. We can alway's file bankruptcy later.

Thats right they can't repo anything from a credit card can they. Thats considered unsecured credit purchases. Like to see BOA repo that new crapper I just installed. I'm sure it would be a good conversation piece around the water cooler in the mornings." And that dude thought we wouldn't repo his crapper",said the CEO of BOA.

 

[ramblinman]

No Freight

I have been sitting at home along with the other EB drivers since last Saturday. Two of us ran last night due to people taking days off. Yes thats right no work all week. All the while Interstate has been running up and down the HWY with our trailers. I heard thru the grapevine that some runs out here were cut too. I can't verify which ones, however. Just a rumor.

Tough times in the NW. I hope it changes soon.