slow growth in 2019

So, when are joining us out here?

 

honestly this guy is a clown. first he said he is 57, then 54. blah blah

 

Man it's definitely starting off slow for me. I'm completely independent with my own authority and I find my loads via the DAT and lemme tell you cats something. ... the rates are so bad right now that I nearly cussed out a broker this morning while trying to negotiate a rate. I was like ######### dude 1$ a mile is insurance and fuel!

 

That's not negotiation. That's a slow death.

 

I need to get me a step deck . I'm more than physically capable of tarping and all the bungies etc. Yes I can pitch them straps over where you can hear it go "clink" because it hooked itself. Anyways this dry van ain't cutting it with the rates falling apart. My CH contact told me that the truck to load ratio is like 4 to 1 in most states

 

It’s bad and I’m flatbed and we also do dryvan. I haven’t hauled a flatbed load at all since December 2nd.

 

I have seen bad and this isn't it. This is called January following a really good year and a half. A year ago guys were laughing about bending brokers over thinking Elds changed the whole business. How the tables turn when it's not so easy.
If times are hard now, sell everything before you lose your wife, house, or even your dog. You haven't seen bad.

 

actually it's been a good January so far , rates may be down a tad but not on my regular loads ........ can't believe the dat board went to pot .... if you get your own authority and run the dat loads you should get rich quick right ..... fellows ask yourself what the dat board or any load board is. and that is a way for carriers to cover there loads that they don't have the trucks for . and legitimate agents and brokers to cover the loads that there regulars can't cover and yes then there's the folks that you will be working for now the cheap skates. who try to get there loads covered for nothing if someone will haul it ..... so just a little economic growth slow down which it hasn't even started yet , the carriers no longer have the extra loads they once did so there not posting much in fact there on there looking for loads. and they can afford to move cheaper than you to get there trucks where they need them.. well the good agents can cover most of there loads with there regulars so there not posting as many loads . this is what is referred to as "the good times " by the cheap skates and the ######## remember how easy it was to negotiate rates when you had them over a barrel now they have the edge . and this is just a sample it's just a regular January, last January was very abnormal useually things slow down right after Christmas and pick up around March and that's the normal buisness cycle. and when we have a recession you will think you had it made this year. in away the last couple of years have been a bad time to start out because it was too easy you could make a lot of mistakes and bad choices and still make good money , now you can't . so hopefully you got some money in the bank . I have been doing this for 30 some years and actually not one of those doom and gloom old guys that thought all the new guys starting out are going to go broke ....... just about half probably . and about half need too. gotta find your niche .

 

I'm with buckeye, the last quarter and this month so far are above last year's revenue and load count while I don't see a slowdown I do see not a lot of growth which are two different things.

When ever an article mentions the ata and/or a drivers shortages I can not take it seriously.

We really do need a drivers shortage, not a shortage of labor to fulfill capacity expansion.