Would it break you?

Aug 12, 2022 at 05:57 AM CST + 6 - 2
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. If your a Fleet operation and you think your profitable here is a question for you, are your rates high enough to support a union if your drivers voted one in? Or would it put you out of business? Did this subject influence the supreme courts decision on AB-5?

Replied on Fri, Aug 12, 2022 at 12:36 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Well Dave, I would have to say that I have seen many different phases in this industry over the past 35 years. There will always be a need for trucks, so with that said, the rates to complete the tasks asked of trucking companies will move with the costs of completing the tasks asked of the company. Do I like what is going on? Not in the least! That is why when this came into effect, we stopped running Cali. We will also stop running to states that follow suit with this law. It may be tough, but it will work. Now as far as added costs for delivery, Those costs will be passed on to the consumer through added prices for goods. It happens every time we have a spike in freight rates, fuel prices and other contributing factors. Those rates do not drop again when the contributing factors drop. It is a vicious circle and I think that the strong will survive, like they always do. Have a great day and weekend! Keith

Replied on Fri, Aug 12, 2022 at 12:36 PM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Well Dave, I would have to say that I have seen many different phases in this industry over the past 35 years. There will always be a need for trucks, so with that said, the rates to complete the tasks asked of trucking companies will move with the costs of completing the tasks asked of the company. Do I like what is going on? Not in the least! That is why when this came into effect, we stopped running Cali. We will also stop running to states that follow suit with this law. It may be tough, but it will work.

Now as far as added costs for delivery, Those costs will be passed on to the consumer through added prices for goods. It happens every time we have a spike in freight rates, fuel prices and other contributing factors. Those rates do not drop again when the contributing factors drop. It is a vicious circle and I think that the strong will survive, like they always do.

Have a great day and weekend!

Keith

Replied on Mon, Aug 15, 2022 at 07:53 AM CST - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Thanks for a honest answer Kieth, I don’t here anyone on here disagreeing with you, so I am going to assume most folks are in agreement with your statement, so if it’s possible that drivers could make more money and the market would find a way to pass on the cost, then why are we waiting for the government to push us in that direction?

Replied on Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 12:48 PM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "Thanks for a honest answer Kieth, I don’t here anyone on here disagreeing with you, so I am going to assume most folks are in agreement with your statement, so if it’s possible that drivers could make more money and the market would find a way to pass on the cost, then why are we waiting for the government to push us in that direction?" I don't have an honest answer for this question. I have watched union shops ruin many of my days for me and that is why I do not support them! Let's take for instance "Camp Hastings". Ardent Mills in Hastings Mn, Up at 5 am to get the day rolling. If you were in the front lot, you were out by 8. Marshall could dump trucks like a madman until he got to the back lot trucks! Mysteriously the flatbed stops would come up and the dumping would stop. More than one day I got there the night before and was in the back lot and could not make a reload at Pine Bend! That is my take on unions. Have seen it over and over where they drag their feet because they can. I like working an honest day for an honest days wage! We pay percentage. This means that the driver has the opportunity to make more money by maximizing his time and working his allotted hours. Are there people who make more? Yes. Are there people who make less? For sure. I could sit here and blow smoke up everyone's butt, but this trucking industry changed when Ronald Regan deregulated the business. When having authority to run was expensive you didn't have a bunch of companies popping up on a daily basis under new digits. That was as close to union as I have seen. Back in the days of bingo stamps and having to buy out an authority to get it. Now it is handed out like candy. I have seen changes to this industy over the past 30+ years, a few good, a lot bad but the one constant is the passion for the industry. When it gets in your blood, you can not get rid of it! I once decided to leave the industry and take a job putting my degree to use. I lasted 2 weeks and as I sat watching the trucks on 35E in burnsville out of the window, I knew that being in an office at a bigger company was not where I wanted to be and that I wanted my office view to be of different parts of the country. Wake up in the morning and by the time you lay your head down at night, you are 5 states away from where you started. The freedom to sleep when I wanted to and drive as I felt rested and wanted to drive. I now sit in this office for a small company. It is a casual setting and is perfect for me! I don't want to be in a large office and I do not want to work for a large trucking company. I have seen to many of those companies get greedy and treat their drivers like dirt. I personally want to get up in the morning and be able to look in the mirror and be proud of what I do! We are fair, honest and provide great service to the customers we serve and at this point of the game, I can not ask for more! I really wish I had all the answers but I truly don't. Stay safe and thanks for bringing something to the table when you post! Keith

Replied on Tue, Aug 16, 2022 at 12:48 PM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "Thanks for a honest answer Kieth, I don’t here anyone on here disagreeing with you, so I am going to assume most folks are in agreement with your statement, so if it’s possible that drivers could make more money and the market would find a way to pass on the cost, then why are we waiting for the government to push us in that direction?"

I don't have an honest answer for this question. I have watched union shops ruin many of my days for me and that is why I do not support them! Let's take for instance "Camp Hastings". Ardent Mills in Hastings Mn, Up at 5 am to get the day rolling. If you were in the front lot, you were out by 8. Marshall could dump trucks like a madman until he got to the back lot trucks! Mysteriously the flatbed stops would come up and the dumping would stop. More than one day I got there the night before and was in the back lot and could not make a reload at Pine Bend! That is my take on unions. Have seen it over and over where they drag their feet because they can. I like working an honest day for an honest days wage! We pay percentage. This means that the driver has the opportunity to make more money by maximizing his time and working his allotted hours. Are there people who make more? Yes. Are there people who make less? For sure. I could sit here and blow smoke up everyone's butt, but this trucking industry changed when Ronald Regan deregulated the business. When having authority to run was expensive you didn't have a bunch of companies popping up on a daily basis under new digits. That was as close to union as I have seen. Back in the days of bingo stamps and having to buy out an authority to get it. Now it is handed out like candy.

I have seen changes to this industy over the past 30+ years, a few good, a lot bad but the one constant is the passion for the industry. When it gets in your blood, you can not get rid of it! I once decided to leave the industry and take a job putting my degree to use. I lasted 2 weeks and as I sat watching the trucks on 35E in burnsville out of the window, I knew that being in an office at a bigger company was not where I wanted to be and that I wanted my office view to be of different parts of the country. Wake up in the morning and by the time you lay your head down at night, you are 5 states away from where you started. The freedom to sleep when I wanted to and drive as I felt rested and wanted to drive. I now sit in this office for a small company. It is a casual setting and is perfect for me! I don't want to be in a large office and I do not want to work for a large trucking company. I have seen to many of those companies get greedy and treat their drivers like dirt. I personally want to get up in the morning and be able to look in the mirror and be proud of what I do! We are fair, honest and provide great service to the customers we serve and at this point of the game, I can not ask for more!

I really wish I had all the answers but I truly don't.

Stay safe and thanks for bringing something to the table when you post!

Keith

Replied on Wed, Aug 17, 2022 at 03:18 PM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. most of them would not survive if they were forced run a leagal operation on the logs and drivers pay on a w-2 I see a lot of companys cutting every corner possible to operate a trucking business expecially in the bulk hopper business just to stay afloat

Replied on Thu, Aug 18, 2022 at 04:49 PM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "most of them would not survive if they were forced run a leagal operation on the logs and drivers pay on a w-2 I see a lot of companys cutting every corner possible to operate a trucking business expecially in the bulk hopper business just to stay afloat " There is no reason to cut corners or run illegal if you provide good service to your customer. I have seen a lot of brokers and trucking companies that skim off of the top and then take their percentage off of what is left! If you are honest, communicate with your customers and provide good service, there is no problem making a living in this business. We have done it for years. One thing I can say is that there is no lying in this company. What the rate is can be seen by the driver upon request and they know that the check with be there every friday. If you have to factor to make ends meet, there is a good chance that the writing is on the wall. I guess I would just say that everything moves by a truck sooner or later and I can not foresee a world where truck drivers are not a needed commodity.

Replied on Thu, Aug 18, 2022 at 04:49 PM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "most of them would not survive if they were forced run a leagal operation on the logs and drivers pay on a w-2 I see a lot of companys cutting every corner possible to operate a trucking business expecially in the bulk hopper business just to stay afloat "

There is no reason to cut corners or run illegal if you provide good service to your customer. I have seen a lot of brokers and trucking companies that skim off of the top and then take their percentage off of what is left! If you are honest, communicate with your customers and provide good service, there is no problem making a living in this business. We have done it for years.

One thing I can say is that there is no lying in this company. What the rate is can be seen by the driver upon request and they know that the check with be there every friday. If you have to factor to make ends meet, there is a good chance that the writing is on the wall. I guess I would just say that everything moves by a truck sooner or later and I can not foresee a world where truck drivers are not a needed commodity.