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You can't run all over the map empty but, sometimes it pays off in the long run. |
Today, I was thinking back to some shipments long ago which ended up paying me many times over. The shipments I’m referring to were loads which originally cancelled and I ended up having to run empty over large distances in order to make my next pick up.
I’ll begin by sharing my experience taking the first load ever on my own operating authority. After much business planning and making a purchase on a new 1996 Freightliner FLD 120, I set out to begin my new business venture. My wife, Karen had made arrangements for my pick up and delivery and all was confirmed for a full trip that first week. However, as I was getting ready to leave out on my run, we had a phone call that our first shipment was cancelled. This load was supposed to pick up in Charlotte, NC and deliver the next day in Philadelphia, PA. We already had a return shipment out of the Philadelphia area which was to return back to our customer in Charlotte, NC. These were our own client shipments and not brokered loads. Therefore, we felt as though our reputation was on the line as we were committed to pick up in Philadelphia the next day. We spent the morning searching for a shipment with no luck. Therefore, I made the agonizing decision to head for Philadelphia with an empty trailer. This was not how I intended to begin a successful business in trucking. It was a cold and rainy night as I set out on that first run. I kept looking back at my empty flatbed trailer and thinking to myself… what have I gotten myself into? I arrived in PA late that night and went to sleep at the shipper. In the morning, I walked into the shipping office and they said “you must have gotten unloaded early as you are already here to load.” I said “ I wish that were the case, however, the load I was supposed to bring had cancelled and I drove here empty.” They explained how they could have found another truck to bring the load to them. I felt that it was my responsibility even if I had to go empty to make it happen. This move gave me instant respect of the shipper and they always took excellent care of me from then on.
My next scenario took place in Norfolk, Virginia. This was not a normal lane for me and it was a slow time of year for flatbed operations. I made my delivery and headed for a nearby truck stop to sit until my wife located a shipment. I spoke with other drivers who had been waiting for a long time as the area seemed very slow for outgoing shipments. After six hours of waiting, my wife found a load in Philadelphia, PA with our customer which went to Charlotte, NC. I decided to take the load even though it meant running some miles empty to pick it up. One of the drivers at the truck stop told me I was crazy and that I needed to wait and be patient. This was all new to me and waiting seemed like a waste of time. I went to Philly and unloaded in Charlotte, NC. I picked up another load in Charlotte and headed again back to Philly. I decided to stop in Ruther’s Glen, VA to get some fuel. I happened to see that same driver who told me not to move and wait on a shipment. He was just getting his first load out of Virginia. At that moment, I was carrying my third load since I last saw this man. I managed to pull out a full week’s revenue that week. I knew that I had made the right decision leaving to make the pick up, even though it cost me a bit of dead head miles.
Another experience during my early years also took place in Philadelphia, PA. One morning, I unloaded in Philly as normal. Typically, I had a return load already scheduled. However, on this particular day there were no shipments available. This was an issue as the rest of the week’s shipments were already booked and secured. I was due to pick up in Statesville, NC the following day. Therefore, I had two choices: cancel or drive empty to pick up the load. I made the decision to drive empty and pick up the shipment in North Carolina as promised. When I arrived, I explained to the shipping manager what happened. He told me that I didn’t need to drive empty and that he could have rescheduled the load. He was
very appreciative of my efforts and commitment to being there on time for the shipment even though it had cost me time and money. This shipper became one of our best customers over the years. They knew they could count on me to be there no matter what. The future payoff was a loyal customer for over a decade and first picks of available freight.
While these three moves didn’t seem profitable at the moment, in the long run they became profitable beyond measure.