My Run Was Cut

Corporate took my run out behind the barn and put it out their misery. I was running down to Austin IN and meeting a driver from our Morristown TN terminal which is one of our largest. Morristown has about 580ish linehaul drivers we have 50 for reference. Despite their size they struggled finding freight to run upto me, so they'd cancel the meet and just run me to Indy from there they would relay the freight to Morristown.

They put me on the extra board for now until we bid again in January. Unfortunately, it's pretty slow so I was already off twice this week. But on the upside I did get to go to our Detroit terminal for the first time yesterday so that was fun.

Unfortunately, it's pretty slow so I was already off twice this week.

Wow. That's not what anyone is hoping to hear six weeks before Xmas. Hopefully you'll pick up something great in January.

Is anyone else finding things slow right now?

Bobcat, that's a bummer!

I'm sorry that happened. Hopefully when you re-bid you can land something solid. We all hope that works out for you.

How does the extra board work? Are you basically "on call?" Do they just let you know about runs that come available on a daily basis, and you decide if you want to take it?

I feel like I know a good deal about trucking, but the LTL world remains a mystery to me. It's a large sector of our industry, but I haven't had any real world exposure to it.

That’s some timing because I was meaning to ask you if you were staying busy or not. We’re slammed right now but we’re short guys and it’s the holidays.

Makes for a busy time when hauling groceries but it usually slows way down after the holidays.

How does the extra board work? Are you basically "on call?" Do they just let you know about runs that come available on a daily basis, and you decide if you want to take it

It depends on the terminal some places you call in and they tell you what is available. You might be able to chose what you want or they may make you do a run if they need it.

For me, I have a scheduled start time so if there is anything extra left over from over night I'll get it. Unfortunately right now we are around 40 loads short a night, I'm hoping with people being on vacation next few weeks it will pick up.

Makes for a busy time when hauling groceries but it usually slows way down after the holidays

Put busy time was about a month or two ago and it wasnt very busy. We generally slow down this time of the year, stores have everything they need for the holidays and shipping slows down until next year.

Unfortunately, it's pretty slow so I was already off twice this week.

Wow. That's not what anyone is hoping to hear six weeks before Xmas. Hopefully you'll pick up something great in January.

Is anyone else finding things slow right now?

I'm usually out 2 weeks at a time. My last time out I very nearly had 3 separate 34 hour resets. That's never happened to me before. I spent more time sitting around than actually working, which was frustrating.

Man, I'm sorry to hear that Bob.

Brett, were as busy as can be. I ended up with a day of layover waiting for a load, but that was due to a mix up in the office between regular and after hours. The only thing that limits my miles is taking time off. I'm out 12, in for 2 but lately I've done 3 weeks out and taken 3 or 4. If I do have a light week due to weather or other factors, my DM and I will push hard the next week so it averages 3k a week. I've managed to best my personal record a couple times, pulling 4200 miles in a week.

Hey Bob - picking up for you at all yet? I poke around here every once in a blue moon, usually when my hazmat endorsement is about to expire every couple years to use the training materials for the test. Been with OD for about 11 years. While I'm on here briefly I'll check to see if anybody from OD has posted recently.

We were pretty slow starting before the holidays. Lots of runs heading west to meet Indy were being canceled on a weekly basis - 2-3 times a week at the worst of it. Seems like now we're up and running again though. Morristown was canceling a lot of our runs too.

That sucks getting your run yanked from corporate...it happens. Happened to me about 7 years ago, but I was able to grab a new run they posted for a couple months until rebid.

Hey Bob - picking up for you at all yet?

It was going OK until about 3 week ago, I've been off twice a week last 3 weeks. I was even called off Friday and Saturday 2 weeks ago.

Lots of runs heading west to meet Indy were being canceled on a weekly basis - 2-3 times a week at the worst of it

I am not surprised, I was there a monthish ago and they literally had no trailers on the relay side of the yard and only a handful of ones they closed.

That sucks getting your run yanked from corporate...it happens. Happened to me about 7 years ago, but I was able to grab a new run they posted for a couple months until rebid.

Yeah it sucked, it had been rumored for awhile but they out it off for a few weeks. Best part was they didn't even tell my terminal , I was heading down there on a Saturday and called me meet guy to let him know I was early. He was like they cut the run days ago lol

Luckily, our new runs start next week and this one I took is pretty much never canceled. I will be back to meeting a COH driver and then going to Chicago, so it will be long days but good consistent miles. Plus it has a 10 am gate time so I get to sleep in.

All of our COH runs are solid. Much better than IND meets. I wonder if you meet a COH driver in London? We have a lot of COH meets in SMI / Pa that hands off trailers to CHI drivers.