You Cant Makey Money Saying No

I had a conversation earlier with one of my students in which he was complaining about not making enough money.

The very next statement was that he turned down a 170 mile run because he isn't a local driver. He then turned down a load to New York because he had heard stories and was scared.

I explained that you can't have it both ways. You can't make money saying no. Everytime he declined a load he got moved to the bottom of the list.

Just a quick thought for the new drivers. This is performance based meaning at some point you have to perform.

I agree. Can't make money if your wheels aren't turning... I rarely turned down a load, and when I did, it was usually because I wouldn't have enough time on my clock to do it and get back in time to deliver my next load. Because I didn't turn down the short and lower paying runs, I usually got the longer and higher paying loads right after. I was happy with my larger check, my boss was happy because his loads were delivered, and the customers were happy because they got their products for their customers and would ask for me (or any other driver who got the load there on time or early)...

I talked with another driver that was on the same account I was on, who would turn down the less liked loads, and he let me know how much he made the last year he was on that account, and it was about 18k less than what I made, all because he turned down the shorter loads or less liked loads. and in the next sentence he told me that he switched companies because he felt like he was being held back because our boss wasn't giving him enough loads to make money (even though I would grab the loads he turned down)...

Hello,

I’ve been trying to take a mix of local and regional. This week, I’ve focused more on the regional stuff. That said, if I have time and it won’t effect my longer run, I’ll grab a local trip.

The terminal and planners love it. I’m not setting out for brownie points, but I’m certainly getting choice runs with long miles...

Local = lots of backing practice and fast turnaround. If it didn’t undermine my driver ranking (mileage based) I’d keep doing it.

Driver want $$? Drive.

Cheers,

G

Spoonerist said...

mix of local and regional.

How'd you pull that off? I think I read you're with one of the big carriers too, right? Dang man, I like your attitude about local => better backing ; ). Right now, you are my trucking spirit animal, whatever that means, lol.

Big T said...

You can't make money saying no

I guess my question is when is an appropriate time to say no? I can only imagine in my desk job saying yes to everything would burn me out quick. . . same in trucking, or? (I'm considering the career)

T Samuelson wonders:

I guess my question is when is an appropriate time to say no?

I can think of at least four "no" situations.

• You've already requested home time and a planner wants you to go in the opposite direction and miss out on your time off.
• You really don't care to be one of your DM's go-to drivers who can help solve problems.
• You don't mind sitting in truck stops waiting for your DM to find you a trip to your liking. (As if DM had time to cater to your "needs".)
• You believe "short" trips are a waste of your valuable time.

I’ve only turned down one load because it coincided with my other load. My dm doesn’t even give me a chance to turn them down at this point. They automatically commit me to loads until I ask for home time

I dont generally say no. Even when I don't have the hours or I'm heading for home. What I will do is contact my DM and see what the plan is. A lot of times they will have me pick up the load and then get it repowered.

Usually when I get sent a screwed up load my DM hasn't seen it yet. When she does she will decline it.

I dont generally say no. Even when I don't have the hours or I'm heading for home. What I will do is contact my DM and see what the plan is. A lot of times they will have me pick up the load and then get it repowered.

Usually when I get sent a screwed up load my DM hasn't seen it yet. When she does she will decline it.

I get that, like be willing to assume the best ("home is west and you're sending me east????") but also check in and state your needs ("I put in for home-time a week ago")

@Errol V, lol, 3 of your 4 situations are being a lazy bum. I love that you still made it four and not two, to really get at the point. I appreciate there is the "home time put in" exception for not so much saying "no.", as much as it is having a direct conversation.

Taco gets a chuckle:

@Errol V, lol, 3 of your 4 situations are being a lazy bum. I love that you still made it four and not two, to really get at the point. I appreciate there is the "home time put in" exception for not so much saying "no.", as much as it is having a direct conversation.

That first one was the first of only two turn-downs. And that was it exactly. i was planning to go home to Memphis, and the load would be delivered in the middle of my time off in southern Georgia. No Can Do. You recognized the others on the list as padding/ fluff, but still common "excuses".

Being a widow with only the goats at home, I don't mind doing a favor once in awhile and not get back for home time. The only time I really put my foot down is when I have VA doctor appts....those are usually a fair amount of time out, so my load planner has plenty of time to work with it. It's really hard cancelling and getting them rescheduled. Otherwise I take what comes my way.

Laura