Hopper Bottoms “Bottomed out”

May 30, 2024 at 06:04 AM CST + 13 - 2
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Where did all the loads go? Nothing leaving Arkansas unless you want to take a load to an area where your gonna spend days trying to build a route home by weeks end.

Replied on Thu, May 30, 2024 at 09:43 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. we're in a trucking recession people don't have money to spend but everyone in Washington thinks economy is doing good if you have a government job we haven't hit the bottom yet just wait till after the election

Replied on Thu, May 30, 2024 at 10:40 AM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Bear in mind most loads posted on the boards are the loads that are "leftover" after the regular carriers in the area take their pick directly. With freight volumes at low levels that generally means most loads get scooped up right away, with very little leftovers. There are still loads moving, just no longer getting posted as companies are not having to search very hard to get them covered. I would suggest calling your contacts in that area directly that you have used in the past and see if they have anything moving. The era of waiting to cover a truck the day before is over, locking stuff down as far in advance is key. However, we all know that comes with its own set of challenges, if a truck gets late and you burn a bridge that accomplishes nothing. In summary, owning trucks is super fun.

Replied on Thu, May 30, 2024 at 10:40 AM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Bear in mind most loads posted on the boards are the loads that are "leftover" after the regular carriers in the area take their pick directly.

With freight volumes at low levels that generally means most loads get scooped up right away, with very little leftovers. There are still loads moving, just no longer getting posted as companies are not having to search very hard to get them covered. I would suggest calling your contacts in that area directly that you have used in the past and see if they have anything moving. The era of waiting to cover a truck the day before is over, locking stuff down as far in advance is key. However, we all know that comes with its own set of challenges, if a truck gets late and you burn a bridge that accomplishes nothing.

In summary, owning trucks is super fun.

Replied on Fri, May 31, 2024 at 07:37 AM CST
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. It's all direct in the hopper/ bulk lane. Good bulk haulers have Walking floor trailers, hoppers, (with vibrators and auto unload air systems to efficiently unload any product in a timely manner from a hopper) also need end dumps, belt conveyer trailers, a dry van or 5 for moving bulk aggregates and other packaged finished product on 2000 Lb pallets. Need a liquid tanker and as many pneumatic setups as you need if you want to totally service direct customers. End user Companies management understands the value of competent logistical management and will pay a fair rate to deliver on your word and help solve their logistic challenges. The current logistics "managers' broker shippers and some carriers" unfortunately have set a low bar for competence. If you are a end user, plant manager, Logistics load manager thats a bit fed up with incompetence and would like to solve your logistical challenges or if you own a truck and this appeals to you email me, we seem to be constantly expanding providing turn key value to direct end users and we seem to always be looking for o/o to put under one my trailers or drive our custom PTO and wet kit truck/ trailers etc. Thanks [email protected]

Replied on Fri, May 31, 2024 at 07:37 AM CST

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

It's all direct in the hopper/ bulk lane. Good bulk haulers have Walking floor trailers, hoppers, (with vibrators and auto unload air systems to efficiently unload any product in a timely manner from a hopper) also need end dumps, belt conveyer trailers, a dry van or 5 for moving bulk aggregates and other packaged finished product on 2000 Lb pallets. Need a liquid tanker and as many pneumatic setups as you need if you want to totally service direct customers. End user Companies management understands the value of competent logistical management and will pay a fair rate to deliver on your word and help solve their logistic challenges. The current logistics "managers' broker shippers and some carriers" unfortunately have set a low bar for competence. If you are a end user, plant manager, Logistics load manager thats a bit fed up with incompetence and would like to solve your logistical challenges or if you own a truck and this appeals to you email me, we seem to be constantly expanding providing turn key value to direct end users and we seem to always be looking for o/o to put under one my trailers or drive our custom PTO and wet kit truck/ trailers etc. Thanks [email protected]

Replied on Fri, May 31, 2024 at 11:33 AM CST + 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. It was not long ago when the forum was cluttered by posts saying "every load should pay $6/mile" and "Oh this will never end", well guess what, it ended! If you are in this business and have any amount of experience, you know that there are cycles to transportaion! Right now we are in the "weeding out period"! Everyone and their dog bought overpriced iron when the rates were high in the van and refer sectors and thought they were going to cut a fat calf and get rich over night. That changed fast! It seems when other sectors go to hell, the people bail out of them and run directly to the bulk industry and start cutting rates. I have seen 3 times over the past 13 years where this has happened. For me, it is a nightmare because now it is hard work, where as when things were good and there was not and abundance of trucks, my loads where consistant and I did not have to work to find loads. Right now, it is a mess with notbeing able to make rounds work. I am not bitching, because I know that you all are in the same boat! We just need to get through this weeding out period and see some rate movement in other sectors and then we will see things loosen in the hopper sector! Hope you all can muddle through the summer! I know I will not be taking vacation this year. To much work to do for that! Keith, ET Trucking Inc

Replied on Fri, May 31, 2024 at 11:33 AM CST

+ 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

It was not long ago when the forum was cluttered by posts saying "every load should pay $6/mile" and "Oh this will never end", well guess what, it ended! If you are in this business and have any amount of experience, you know that there are cycles to transportaion! Right now we are in the "weeding out period"! Everyone and their dog bought overpriced iron when the rates were high in the van and refer sectors and thought they were going to cut a fat calf and get rich over night. That changed fast! It seems when other sectors go to hell, the people bail out of them and run directly to the bulk industry and start cutting rates. I have seen 3 times over the past 13 years where this has happened. For me, it is a nightmare because now it is hard work, where as when things were good and there was not and abundance of trucks, my loads where consistant and I did not have to work to find loads. Right now, it is a mess with notbeing able to make rounds work. I am not bitching, because I know that you all are in the same boat! We just need to get through this weeding out period and see some rate movement in other sectors and then we will see things loosen in the hopper sector!

Hope you all can muddle through the summer! I know I will not be taking vacation this year. To much work to do for that!

Keith, ET Trucking Inc

Replied on Fri, May 31, 2024 at 03:33 PM CST - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Seems like there are primarily two groups of people out here, one group wants to improve market conditions and the other one is content to destroy what’s left of the market, I spoke with a former colleague this morning who is leased to company and he openly admitted that he doesn’t care if a company driver makes more money than him, because in his eyes he has a fun job, if your going to turn a business into a hobby then you shouldn’t be allowed to write off your expenses either, there is supposed to be a profit motive in business, until that changes I don’t see things improving.

Replied on Fri, May 31, 2024 at 03:33 PM CST

- 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Seems like there are primarily two groups of people out here, one group wants to improve market conditions and the other one is content to destroy what’s left of the market, I spoke with a former colleague this morning who is leased to company and he openly admitted that he doesn’t care if a company driver makes more money than him, because in his eyes he has a fun job, if your going to turn a business into a hobby then you shouldn’t be allowed to write off your expenses either, there is supposed to be a profit motive in business, until that changes I don’t see things improving.

Replied on Sun, Jun 02, 2024 at 10:51 AM CST - 1
Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.	Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member. Quote: "we're in a trucking recession people don't have money to spend but everyone in Washington thinks economy is doing good if you have a government job we haven't hit the bottom yet just wait till after the election" In 30 days the third quarter begins, typically stuff should be rocking and rolling, especially with the unusually warm spring we had, but it’s dead and the Wall Street controlled media continues to spin the propaganda that everyone is doing great, so that the elite can find more suckers to unload their stock onto, as they cash out and run for the hills.

Replied on Sun, Jun 02, 2024 at 10:51 AM CST

- 1

Posted by a private BulkLoads.com member.

Quote: "we're in a trucking recession people don't have money to spend but everyone in Washington thinks economy is doing good if you have a government job we haven't hit the bottom yet just wait till after the election"

In 30 days the third quarter begins, typically stuff should be rocking and rolling, especially with the unusually warm spring we had, but it’s dead and the Wall Street controlled media continues to spin the propaganda that everyone is doing great, so that the elite can find more suckers to unload their stock onto, as they cash out and run for the hills.