I've been waiting 10 days for two brokers to find a truck to deliver a CNC lathe from Harrison, NJ to my place in SC (LTL standard height flatbed) and they can't find one. Been reading about lots of truckers retiring, not enough new folks going into the trade...combined with fairly active business climate...wonder if that is the problem...
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Moving iron.... Are you effected by a trucker shortage ?
- Thread starter Milacron
- Start date
- Replies 41
- Views 6,798
aspp
Cast Iron
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2014
- Location
- California
Its simply a cost of fuel issue. Unless the truckers can make a full load with your equipment and have a back haul, they really don't want the business. This is a bad time of the year to be looking for a flat bed also. The military has war games going on both coasts, and the. Gov pays x2 what most loads pay plus the empty back hual.
Seeing as every machine transport quote has a fuel surcharge added in, I doubt that's it.
Just found this.. http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-11-14/2014-outlook-truck-driver-shortage
Ries
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2004
- Location
- Edison Washington USA
The cost of trucks keeps going up. Insurance keeps going up. Fuel keeps going up. All of which come directly out of the pocket of owner operators- but many freight companies have been trying to get the amounts the pay to go down, or, at least not go up.
Plus, a year ago, a new law went into effect that said truck drivers have to sleep at least once a week or so- and it cut down on the hours that truckers could drive.
Imagine if you have to finance a new $150,000 truck and trailer, and pay all your own expenses, to make minimum wage, and the banks arent lending.
Many factors are coming together.
The only happy truck drivers I have talked to lately are salaried short haul guys who sleep in their own beds every night and drive company owned rigs.
Plus, a year ago, a new law went into effect that said truck drivers have to sleep at least once a week or so- and it cut down on the hours that truckers could drive.
Imagine if you have to finance a new $150,000 truck and trailer, and pay all your own expenses, to make minimum wage, and the banks arent lending.
Many factors are coming together.
The only happy truck drivers I have talked to lately are salaried short haul guys who sleep in their own beds every night and drive company owned rigs.
The rumbling I'm hearing:
1. The medical exam is dropping drivers, diabetes is the big troublemaker.
2. The fraq water trucking is going great guns.
Spoke with a weldor friend, is down in Butler
working the Marcellus boom.
Fraq water trucking business owner just
ordered 125 new peterbuilts with tanks, can't find enough
drivers, is paying $35 an hour, and it is local work (home every night)
1. The medical exam is dropping drivers, diabetes is the big troublemaker.
2. The fraq water trucking is going great guns.
Spoke with a weldor friend, is down in Butler
working the Marcellus boom.
Fraq water trucking business owner just
ordered 125 new peterbuilts with tanks, can't find enough
drivers, is paying $35 an hour, and it is local work (home every night)
Wow...plus that is way easier than chaining down machinery. Some of these guys work their butts off securing and tarping the loads.
Unfortunately what one eats determines weight way more than excercise does, so many get fat and diabetes regardless.
Yup, he actually said "125 Brand new Peterbuilts with stainless steel tanks,
heated valves, AND allison automatics"
How would you like to be the truck salesman, that got that order ?
This is only the rumblings I have heard, be interesting to hear from some of
the members in that business.
Most of us would consider trucking a poor life. Away from home for days to months, eating on the road with little but poor nutritional choices, always supposed to get the load tomorrow that was supposed to be delivered yesterday, and tracked by satellite every minute. Add to that every different jurisdiction you drive through views the truck as a rolling cash box to be robbed as desired. Then answer to a dispatcher that verbally whips you like a rented mule and suddenly a regular 8 to 5 job even at half wage starts to look good.
In Kansas now you can't even possess a CDL without a medical card on file. Makes it hard to find a driver that just wants a weekend load every once and a while.
In Kansas now you can't even possess a CDL without a medical card on file. Makes it hard to find a driver that just wants a weekend load every once and a while.
Average pay is $38,000 and that is probably working way more than 40 hours per week.
Royldean
Stainless
- Joined
- Dec 11, 2011
- Location
- Schwenksville, PA
I think you need a Ph.D to understand the rules, too
https://cms.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/hours-service/summary-hours-service-regulations
metlmunchr
Diamond
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2004
- Location
- Asheville NC USA
Just saw a thing on TV last nite in the wake of the WalMart truck hitting that comedian's van up north after driving more than 24 hrs. They were interviewing truckers who said for the most part you have to drive the max allowable 70 hrs/wk to make a decent living.
Makes mowing grass look like a good alternative to me.
Makes mowing grass look like a good alternative to me.
I just went through readying our business to own and operate a truck. unbelievable the red tape and BS and expense. and I think of all the bureaucrats and what they must cost to create and administer the whole bloody thing, its sickening.
Lots of days cutting grass sounds pretty darn good.
Well anyway, now we have it and a driver who works in the plant when not driving. Overall we're saving a fair bit of money. Glad to do local flat bed haulage if you need it
Done LTL flatbed hundreds over times over two decades Captain Obvious. Just got a little worse time delay than usual past few times and startin' to wonder what is goin' on...
Where did I say 2 day ?
Ries
Diamond
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2004
- Location
- Edison Washington USA
I think part of it is that, for the last two years, the economy has steadily been getting better, but investment in new trucks and new employees is not keeping up.
I, too, have sent a lot of LTL loads on flatbeds over the years, and never had a problem- I have a couple of good freight brokers I would call, and a truck would always show up. But in the last couple of years, its been much harder to find one.
I think when things tightend up, during the recession, a bunch of guys lost their trucks to the bank, and quit driving.
And I dont think a huge new influx of owner operators has come in to fill their places.
As an owner operator, which almost all the LTL flatbed drivers I have ever used have been, you need to buy your own truck and trailer, your own insurance, your own gas, get your own licence and medicals. Then, you get jobs, and they send you checks- sometimes next week, sometimes next month, sometimes a couple months down the road, and sometimes never.
Its not a very profitable profession- rates are set by other people, you, as a truck driver dont get to say, Sorry, I need three bucks a mile- and your expenses are all yours, but the income filters thru a bunch of hands.
The companies make money, the individual drivers are often working week to week and month to month.
I, too, have sent a lot of LTL loads on flatbeds over the years, and never had a problem- I have a couple of good freight brokers I would call, and a truck would always show up. But in the last couple of years, its been much harder to find one.
I think when things tightend up, during the recession, a bunch of guys lost their trucks to the bank, and quit driving.
And I dont think a huge new influx of owner operators has come in to fill their places.
As an owner operator, which almost all the LTL flatbed drivers I have ever used have been, you need to buy your own truck and trailer, your own insurance, your own gas, get your own licence and medicals. Then, you get jobs, and they send you checks- sometimes next week, sometimes next month, sometimes a couple months down the road, and sometimes never.
Its not a very profitable profession- rates are set by other people, you, as a truck driver dont get to say, Sorry, I need three bucks a mile- and your expenses are all yours, but the income filters thru a bunch of hands.
The companies make money, the individual drivers are often working week to week and month to month.
Mebfab
Diamond
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2003
- Location
- Mebane North Carolina USA
Last I heard the UP is ordering 160 locomotives. So a LOT of freight is getting moved. And the few people I knew driving trucks long haul got short haul routes, delivery routes basicly. Said the big trucking companies play shell games with your pay. None had the credit to buy a rig and go solo. Plus wanted to watch the kids grow up instead of stopping in every few weeks and introducing themselves.
Part of the order is because older power units are no longer allowed into California.
S_W_Bausch
Diamond
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2010
- Location
- Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
2014 Outlook: Truck Driver Shortage - Businessweek
Average age is 55.
Are Truckers About to Get Rich? - Businessweek
Not sure about "get rich", I think most truckers would prefer "get a work-life balance".
Germany Wants More Truck Drivers - Businessweek
Average age is 55.
Are Truckers About to Get Rich? - Businessweek
Not sure about "get rich", I think most truckers would prefer "get a work-life balance".
Germany Wants More Truck Drivers - Businessweek
emcmike
Hot Rolled
- Joined
- May 5, 2014
- Location
- Columbia , SC
Well yes and no. I still need to get my lath picked up and no rig type truckers around . Looks like I'll have to get a descent roll back and go get it myself. Problem is I work all week and have to be n Charlotte for the next 4weekends and the schedule just got moved up and the concrete guy is putting me off on the floor in the new shop. Other than that life is good