TForce | Selling trailers to Saia

hilo342

TB Regular
Credits
220
So earlier this week I was delivering trade show freight to your Kansas City terminal as TForce does Freeman Decorating advance warehouse work. Behind the building was over 100 empty pups
 
I’ve also heard TForce is slowly transitioning away from pulling sets.
There’s multiple reasons but one of them is safety related. (Accidents and injuries associated)
They are also going back to using load racks (as the decking systems in the pups are too costly to repair), more contractors, containers, long boxes are in the ‘“leaner and meaner” plan
 
Last edited:
Every set you don't pay someone the set ups and break down saves money. Instead of 2 registrations, 2 inspections, 2 sets of lights, basically 2 of almost every maintenance item, you have just one.
The labor cost alone is somewhere around 12 million dollars a year if you eliminate drop and hooks of sets, not only that it takes longer to do as compared with hooking a 53.
 
I’ve also heard TForce is slowly transitioning away from pulling sets.
There’s multiple reasons but one of them is safety related. (Accidents and injuries associated)
They are also going back to using load racks (as the decking systems in the pups are too costly to repair), more contractors, containers, long boxes are in the ‘“leaner and meaner” plan
From what I hear, the vans are grossly overloaded. Drive axle weights upwards of 10,000# over and more are common. Be safe out there.....
 
From what I hear, the vans are grossly overloaded. Drive axle weights upwards of 10,000# over and more are common. Be safe out there.....
We have the same issues at our terminal too. Some of our Loaders are inexperienced and seem to fill space with anything they can cram and jam. Their mind set is to load load load, not thinking of proper weight distribution. Retraining is definitely needed.
Because of that, it’s going to take due diligence on the drivers part to spot it, cya, protect his livelihood (CDL) and and bring it to someone attention before even pulling it.
My barn claims to be getting a few new twin screws.
 
We have the same issues at our terminal too. Some of our Loaders are inexperienced and seem to fill space with anything they can cram and jam. Their mind set is to load load load, not thinking of proper weight distribution. Retraining is definitely needed.
Because of that, it’s going to take due diligence on the drivers part to spot it, cya, protect his livelihood (CDL) and and bring it to someone attention before even pulling it.
My barn claims to be getting a few new twin screws.
At centers without scales it is an issue. They must allow you to certify weights if you feel it is overweight. A few backstrips and they might see the issue. I was never afraid to run a little heavy, but 50% or more over legal limits is pushing the limits of the tires and air bags. The driver always has the last word as to safety.
As far as getting enough tandems to handle this, good luck. There aren't any out there.
 
Every set you don't pay someone the set ups and break down saves money. Instead of 2 registrations, 2 inspections, 2 sets of lights, basically 2 of almost every maintenance item, you have just one.
The labor cost alone is somewhere around 12 million dollars a year if you eliminate drop and hooks of sets, not only that it takes longer to do as compared with hooking a 53.
Well obviously since the industry started using doubles/triples, the revenue must outweigh the cost of the gear and extra trailer.

Whats next? Stop hauling HazMat? Haul trailerload instead of LTL?
What about next day freight? Oh wait, That already happened.

All of these have been industry standards since i started, and i'm sure, long before.
Some of the reasons we are paid more than Swift, JB, Ect...

These cuts save the company money... and they wont have to pay the drivers industry scale anymore. My opinion, they start by cutting out doubles/triples, they will keep cutting out until T Force will just be a fancy name for CFI.
 
We have the same issues at our terminal too. Some of our Loaders are inexperienced and seem to fill space with anything they can cram and jam. Their mind set is to load load load, not thinking of proper weight distribution. Retraining is definitely needed.
Because of that, it’s going to take due diligence on the drivers part to spot it, cya, protect his livelihood (CDL) and and bring it to someone attention before even pulling it.
My barn claims to be getting a few new twin screws.
The 33 would have been an everyday overweight fiasco !
 
Well obviously since the industry started using doubles/triples, the revenue must outweigh the cost of the gear and extra trailer.

Whats next? Stop hauling HazMat? Haul trailerload instead of LTL?
What about next day freight? Oh wait, That already happened.

All of these have been industry standards since i started, and i'm sure, long before.
Some of the reasons we are paid more than Swift, JB, Ect...

These cuts save the company money... and they wont have to pay the drivers industry scale anymore. My opinion, they start by cutting out doubles/triples, they will keep cutting out until T Force will just be a fancy name for CFI.
Costs change. 53 ft vs 56 ft, the cost analysis has changed. Does 3 feet of space earn more than the cost of labor, maintenance, and required documents?
The answer in 2022 is no, or they wouldn't be doing it
 
Costs change. 53 ft vs 56 ft, the cost analysis has changed. Does 3 feet of space earn more than the cost of labor, maintenance, and required documents?
The answer in 2022 is no, or they wouldn't be doing it
I understand what you are saying... but only one company seems to be doing it. At least out here, Most LTLs are sticking to doubles. We know for sure Saia is...

UPS never really loaded the trailers like other LTLs i worked for did. Weight and cube wise.

And i guess since we dont have much next day freight out here, we dont have to worry about two destination sets. Something that a long trailer would be pretty much useless. After my layover i would via thru 3 terminals, 2 of them dark.

Maybe im just missing the old days as a system driver. I enjoyed rolling doubles, and triples.
 
I understand what you are saying... but only one company seems to be doing it. At least out here, Most LTLs are sticking to doubles. We know for sure Saia is...

UPS never really loaded the trailers like other LTLs i worked for did. Weight and cube wise.

And i guess since we dont have much next day freight out here, we dont have to worry about two destination sets. Something that a long trailer would be pretty much useless. After my layover i would via thru 3 terminals, 2 of them dark.

Maybe im just missing the old days as a system driver. I enjoyed rolling doubles, and triples.
Sets ride smoother for my coffee
 
Got hung up in Atlanta last week and had to roll through the yard to exchange my loaded tanker for one of BTC's empties. Saw several pups marked as sold to Saia plus a couple of vans. Recently saw an ex-UPSF van with CFI on it as well.
 
Every set you don't pay someone the set ups and break down saves money. Instead of 2 registrations, 2 inspections, 2 sets of lights, basically 2 of almost every maintenance item, you have just one.
The labor cost alone is somewhere around 12 million dollars a year if you eliminate drop and hooks of sets, not only that it takes longer to do as compared with hooking a 53.
fewer injuries as well. Good points and spot on NP
 
Sets ride smoother for my coffee
true that TForce has lost a lot of next day lane business because they always take two or more days to deliver. What they don't realize is the next day volume drives the regional volume which drives the super regional and then the long haul. TForce doesn't believe in the "build it and they will come" thought process.
 
I’ve also heard TForce is slowly transitioning away from pulling sets.
There’s multiple reasons but one of them is safety related. (Accidents and injuries associated)
They are also going back to using load racks (as the decking systems in the pups are too costly to repair), more contractors, containers, long boxes are in the ‘“leaner and meaner” plan
I doubt this will happen, can't do much with a van and single axle truck.
 
I doubt this will happen, can't do much with a van and single axle truck.
Holland has used vans for 30 plus years in their entire system, linehaul included. Direct loads, meets-turns,kick and picks. Clearly they have the density/load factor to make it work. TForce's hub and spoke craphole linehaul is right out of the early 60's.
 
Holland has used vans for 30 plus years in their entire system, linehaul included. Direct loads, meets-turns,kick and picks. Clearly they have the density/load factor to make it work. TForce's hub and spoke craphole linehaul is right out of the early 60's.

Holland is one of the few regional carriers that figured out(with help from their brilliant management team) how to lose money in this market. Prior to integration with Yellow, operating well over 100.

There is nothing that Holland does that any carrier should attempt to replicate.
 
Top