change

Sorry that I haven't been on for a while. The wife and I have been very busy lately just trying to keep our heads above water and I don't swim very well then it has been a problem.

We changed companies this past week because my old company was breaking us slowly but surely. Within a month I will have my own operating authority and will be running my own independent operation. The company that I will be running with is helping me do it while I continue to operate on their authority for the next month. I just started April 18th and it has been totally different from anything I have ever done before in my life.

The trailer that I am leasing from them has a bridge crane, yes I said a crane, mounted on overhead rails and boy does it come in handy. This is a 53' dry van and I am hauling things that I didn't believe could be hauled in a van. Right now I have a load of tractor accessories on board and heading to LA.. When I get there I will run the rail extensions out, which extend about 5-6 feet out from the door. Then I will put straps on each piece then pick them up with the crane and run them out to the fork lift. This crane will pick up 8000 lbs and I didn't believe it until I picked up some heavy pieces of elevator and sat them down on the ground.

I haul elevators, hospital beds, farm equipment and several other types of bulky freight.

Why did I do this when fuel is so high and freight so scarce? Simply put, the freight rates are a lot higher on this and the fuel surcharges are unbelieveable. One load that I hauled this week paid me $3.50 a mile and they tell that some freight is even highere than that.

My old company had the philosophy of cutting freight rates and giving you more miles. For an owner/operator that doesn't work and they will go broke fast. You can only run so many miles a week, legally or illegally before you have to stop. The new company has the idea of not running so many miles but making the miles you do run pay for themselves. This, my first week, I have or will gross a third again as much as I was making at the old company. And this is with only 2323 revenue miles versus 4000+ miles. I can run less and make a bunch more money and this is proven, I can have more time at home and have more money to save or spend.

They have been trying to get me to come over here for the last 3 or 4 months and I was reluctant because I wasn't sure of being a totally independent owner/operator but the handwriting was on the wall at the old company. If I didn't do something pretty quick the bankruptcy court was staring me in the face.

So, anyway, the last month or so has been very hectic and it has been generally a nightmare. Trying to get a million details ironed out going in straight line.

anyway

Vaya con Dios, mis amigos. Hasta Luego.

Category Posted: General