keeping runs short makes more $$$

by stephen palmore
(richmond va.)

I have tried a little of everything trucking ,but the best gig I ever worked was a local service loads. moving product from one plant to the other for assembly , pallets , local delivery on every thing from kitty litter to ice cubes , mulch , and peanut shells???

I never was bashful to go and knock on doors while the truck was backed up to the dock. My sales success was about 25% every day , and about 50% on the long term.

I printed my cards on a Rolodex card with a bright blue back ground , worked like a charm.

In 2001 in 10 and 1/2 months I put 99K miles on a ch mack, and left the state of Va. 4 times , made it home briefly almost every night every weekend.

When I was broke down a friend was usually a phone call away . . 2 things I learned ...

1. your rate per mile has to be with in shouting distance per mile as a gallon of fuel , I don't know how true that is now with $5 fuel ,

2.if a local load ties up the truck for 5 or more hours out of the day you gotta get $500 , for the load even if its 20 miles , there are always exceptions , maybe a new customer is in a jam for HP and this could turn into some thing bigger.

things like that have to be taken into consideration but stand your ground local haulers are in demand you just gotta get out of the truck and off the load boards.

this is the red devil were on the side at the junk yard ,