Looks like freight will pick up next week
- Thread starter Ruler
- Start date
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After the list of essential services tightened last week, we noticed a sharp decline in orders. The first couple of weeks we were in good shape, different story this week for sure. We do have a good size backlog of orders that either can’t pick up, or the receiver is closed. We will tough it out until the end of April and then probably have to look at some reduced employee hours and investigate the government wage subsidy program. Just as a side note, both my wife and I tested positive at the end of March. Neither of us required hospitalization, just rest, fluids and Tylenol for fever. No question, it is not a pleasant experience but we were extremely lucky to only have mild symptoms . Our quarantine has just ended although there certainly isn’t much of anything to do anyways. My advice to everyone is, if you feel even slightly unwell, get tested. You will probably be in the majority and get through it like we did with few ill effects. It is your ability to infect others that must be controlled. Stay safe!
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We saw the same thing Loaders. This week has had a significant drop so far. Our volumes are down but we are doing OK with special requests coming in with Covid related shipments. We applied for the automatic 10% wage subsidy today and are preparing for the 75% one in May as it looks like we will be down the required 30%. I suggest to all of you to get on the ball on this as soon as you can.
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Our March was actually up about 11% YOY, April, I'm sure is the same as everyone else. Currently down vs last year about 6%. I consider myself lucky that we have a variety of customers in a variety of industries. We have a few that are now reopening which is nice, some have retooled and are making essential supplies.
I'm interested how a motor oil producer retooled and is making sanitizer in less than a week. I guess if you throw enough money and people at a project, people can do just about anything they put their minds to.
Loaders, that's good news that you and your wife have recovered and good for you for catching it early on.
Keep well,
Mike
I'm interested how a motor oil producer retooled and is making sanitizer in less than a week. I guess if you throw enough money and people at a project, people can do just about anything they put their minds to.
Loaders, that's good news that you and your wife have recovered and good for you for catching it early on.
Keep well,
Mike
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We have teams available in Ontario/Quebec everyday looking to come back to Western Canada. Monday through Friday with tandem reefers/dry vans. We also have a trailer pool in Ontario. Please let me know if we can become a carrier partner for your company.
Shakey
Site Supporter
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Oil plunges 321%, entering negative territory for the first time, as demand evaporates
"The steep fall in the price is because of the lack of sufficient demand and lack of storage place," one analyst said.
I can already hear the large-cap customers and 3PLs asking us to pay them for hauling their goods since oil is so low...
Igor Galanter
Well-Known Member
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He, boss, and what is the going "negative" rate could be, since diesel didn't drop as much as gasoline, eh..?)
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So what the major retailers are saying that they figured a 6 week build and a 6 week down swing which by looking at our miles it peaked 2 weeks ago and we are still on a downward trend on our miles traveled. The DC's are full and it has to move through. At the height we where shipping 100K in cases a day and it should have been 35K and we are now down to 25K a day. The part that scares me is if the US opens in the next couple of weeks it will be very bad and they will have a huge upswing in Covid-19 and that will be devastating for all of us. Stay the course and flatten that curve before opening.
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Try and explain that to the orange buffoon. He is very anxious to get the economy moving again as quickly as possible, damn the lives it might cost. Don’t forget, there is an election coming in November and nothing spells victory like a robust economy and solid employment figures. So what if there are a few thousand bodies to clean up?
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Just spoke with World Wide Logistics Inc. Have a load posted from Joliet, IL back to Calgary, AB. Called him and asked the person the rate and he said $2700 CDN. I ran the miles which came 1718 miles. They are paying $1.57 a mile. When I asked him how are you getting this number and how will truckers survive with these rates they cut the phone. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!! Is this how you thank a truck driver by cutting the rates?
Shakey
Site Supporter
30
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I was offered a Toronto to Brooklyn, NY this morning .. truckload van.. $750.00CAN all in. Was pretty easy to decline that one..
I had TQL trying to sell me a load yesterday from Cincinnati, OH to Calgary for $2,000. Some people are trying to take advantage of the situation and it's sickening.
We have been quoted $6900.00 Ontario to St John's, NF. Before the world shifted we were asking and getting $8500.00. I asked why the rate dropped so much considering that fuel is only down 9%. Answer was "that's what trucks are saying they will run for". Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.
That one was also easy to decline.
That one was also easy to decline.
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With business much slower than what we are used to and staff has more time on their hands, our office has been able to request more than just one or two rates from carriers when we‘re quoting a new rate for a customer. It is an eye opener to see the range of prices we have been quoted. Whereas in the past, rates might vary by 3-5% amongst different carriers, today the gap has grown to 10% or significantly greater. I am referring to mostly +/-1000 mile flatbed shipments, but I am sure this phenomenon is occurring on the van side as well. I am sure it is a difficult decision to make, but what is the right answer, keep at least some of your equipment moving at reduced rates, or park the whole fleet and hope you don’t bleed cash completely to death before this thing ends?