Trucker Strike?
- Thread starter Chopin
- Start date
I didn't realize this morning when I made this thread that diesel had risen to more than $4.00 a gallon. I too was shocked to see that it had jumped so sharply so quickly.
Of course, every penny of that cost will get passed on to each of us in increased prices for each and everything we buy. Everything to the meals at McDonalds, to the parts for our cars, to the cloths we wear, and even to the gas we put in our cars since it too has to be trucked to the gas station.
Combine that with the weakening dollar and this could get very ugly very quick!
Of course, every penny of that cost will get passed on to each of us in increased prices for each and everything we buy. Everything to the meals at McDonalds, to the parts for our cars, to the cloths we wear, and even to the gas we put in our cars since it too has to be trucked to the gas station.
Combine that with the weakening dollar and this could get very ugly very quick!
Problem is that they are not passing it to the trucks.
Ever since this started we have not seen a rate increase.
Somewhat true, but most small trucking companies and owner operators are going under.
They are not adjusting well enough and quick enough to rapidly increasing prices of diesel.
Diesel fuel is $4.29 a gallon by me. 87 is $3.24 a gallon.
Funny - just doesn't seem that many years ago when diesel was much cheaper than gasoline. But hasn't been that way for years now.
Funny - just doesn't seem that many years ago when diesel was much cheaper than gasoline. But hasn't been that way for years now.
+1, just bought my first tractor and at 4.09, shit is ridiculous, and as said above, they are not raising our rates for what we do.....:shrug:
What do you pull?? About 50% of our accounts do pass on a surcharge, but they are the standup people that had great rates when fuel was cheap. The general public couldn't survive if rates went to what they should be, that and the fact that every broke-dick basement broker and everyone else tries to take a bigger piece of the pie.
As soon as you all realize that as diesel prices go up, this increase of transportation costs just goes right back up to the consumer. Trucking companies pay the drivers on a per mile basis. As fuel costs go up, the prices per-mile goes up as well, therefore it costs the buyers (retailers) more to ship products from point A to point B. THEN, the retailers mark up their prices to the consumers and in the end the last buyer pays for these increases. The owner/operator truckers are the ones who have to watch out for these increases prices, they have to request higher profit loads and eventually this happens. I know this because I worked at a trucking company in my early 20's as a dispatcher.........
Just keep telling yourself that. It should be that way, and doing certain things you can do that. With the amount of trucks out there now, you don't like the rate, you will be replaced by someone who doesn't care. I have a few friends that are strictly load board guys that get quoted rates that barely, and I mean barely cover the fuel. Brokers responce is its better than bouncing somewhere else. The only people that take care of us now, and my family has been in the industry since the 50's, are the people we have busted ass for, and went above and beyond the call of duty to take care of. The rest don't care about customer service, or history.
+1
and I've been getting roughly 7% FSC for years.
One of my leases just went up a bit but the rest did not.
Without a rate increase or a substancial FSC increase I won't survive.
I pay my drivers 30% of the gross.
Fuel used to run 40-45% of gross
Now it is close to 60% of the gross.
60+30=90
That leaves 10%
$2300 a month truck note requires $23K a month in gross? Not gonna happen.
And that is before repairs, ins. and incedentals.
Tried cheaper trucks too, repairs end up costing more than a big note.
I put all of them for sale, everything is gonna go.
It is starting to cost me out of pocket from my job.
and I've been getting roughly 7% FSC for years.
One of my leases just went up a bit but the rest did not.
Without a rate increase or a substancial FSC increase I won't survive.
I pay my drivers 30% of the gross.
Fuel used to run 40-45% of gross
Now it is close to 60% of the gross.
60+30=90
That leaves 10%
$2300 a month truck note requires $23K a month in gross? Not gonna happen.
And that is before repairs, ins. and incedentals.
Tried cheaper trucks too, repairs end up costing more than a big note.
I put all of them for sale, everything is gonna go.
It is starting to cost me out of pocket from my job.
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I feel for you, and I don't envy the guys with big payments either. We do 100% of maintanence in house, so that helps alot. 60% of the gross? I would have bitched about it back then, our fuel has been running 40-45% here lately. And we still have low mpg trucks. I have my spread axle reefer on ebay right now, when you figure in the new emissions laws, and CARB, its tough to swallow. Dad "relieved" all of his drivers in 01, and it was the best thing he could have done. I couldn't imagine having drivers now with the cost of everything (on road idiot repairs.)
We were running 40-45% 2 years ago. lol
Heavy foot drivers and 4 are local gravel haulers. They burn fuel like crazy with the stop-n-go in town traffic. Not to mention brake jobs.
Heavy foot drivers and 4 are local gravel haulers. They burn fuel like crazy with the stop-n-go in town traffic. Not to mention brake jobs.
I would probably cut speed back and offer fuel mpg incentives. I'm stuck in the high 4's low 5's with super low idle time, no matter if I run 60 or just stand on it.
i bought my own truck when fuel was 1.19 and got out when it went over 1.50. i can't imagine being an oo with these prices and the big boys back hauling for just the price of fuel.
the company that i work for now is charging a 29% fuel surcharge. i've never seen it that high.
the company that i work for now is charging a 29% fuel surcharge. i've never seen it that high.
+1. Our company sold our trucks already and some of our owner operators are either selling their trucks or parking it. Its absolutely crazy, the trip now barely covers all the bills such as fuel/insurance/other fees and thats not including repairs in case something happens.
having you considered leasing on to a company? most of the larger carriers are sleazy(werner, schnieder, etc.), but there are still some good ones out there. my uncle owns a couple trucks(halcomb trucking) and they have been struggling for a few years now(part of it is because they dont quite know how to handle their drivers/put too much trust into them), and my cousin(2nd cousin to me) owns his own truck and is making great money.
what are the chances of a trucker strike getting anywhere? i really doubt that the major companies would join in the strike just because they would be seeing dollar signs. even if they did, what would that do? would the gas station owners lower the cost of diesel and take a hit since they are paying higher prices when buying the fuel from their supplier(exxon/mobile and the like)? everyone says that "we should do something" about this. what can we do? our government(especially the president) cant really do anything(whats bush gonna do, threatin to nuke them? yea, because they sure wouldnt stop supplying us all together if that happened), we as the consumer cant really do anything(the oil companies are making record profits, so if majority of the country stops buying then they just see their profits go back to normal?). only way we could do anything is if we pretty much took out iran, and anyone else controlling the middle east. atleast thats the way i see it.
The low sulfur stuff is a joke.It screws up the injectors and actually is getting less mpg then the old juice.
The strike will happen and it will be the independents and some fleet owners who will take their fleets out of service.
The strike will happen and it will be the independents and some fleet owners who will take their fleets out of service.
I have several leased on with major companies. I still isn't enough.
They will always give the good runs to company trucks anyway.
I too have a lot of trust in drivers, probably more than I should.
I could make a good living driving myself and put the 30% in my own pocket. I don't want to be on the road anymore and my full time job pays more wih better benefits.
I think the independents will strike, and I hope soon.
The finance companies are starting to worry also.
Late payments and repo trucks and they have no market to sell in.
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heres the problem...generally with inflation, wages must increase as well....but they arent...so we're getting inflation of prices and no one is getting pay raises to match.
i sold the mach 1 about 6 months ago due to fuel costs...blah
i sold the mach 1 about 6 months ago due to fuel costs...blah
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