Comments on: Annus Horribilis Continues with Teamsters’ Hauler Strike

By: Student.Driver

Student.Driver — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:38:36 +0000

You’re right, it has been a horrible anus.

By: RedStapler

RedStapler — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:23:44 +0000

Car Hauling is not a easy segment to break into in the trucking business.

Cars are quite fragile freight. One mistake and you have a $1-3k+ trip to the body shop.

Loading the “Parking lot trailer” requires agility, stamina and skill. You have to load for maximum number of vehicles in route sequence while getting all of them to fit while staying legal on axle weights.

You can’t take someone fresh out of his 3-4 weeks of CDL training and have him be an effective driver in this segment. Swift (the Wal-Mart of trucking) tired to get into car hauling roughly 4-6 years ago and lost their shirt on claims.

While you can fit 2-4 cars on a flatbed or step-deck, a true car hauler than can haul 6-9 vehicles is a quite specialized setup that can cost $200-300k new.

By: Praxis

Praxis — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:23:40 +0000

New summer promotion: Factory delivery with free plant tour.

By: jaje

jaje — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:57:49 +0000

I’m sure most MFGRs have backup plans with the constant problems from PTS – as this was easily foreseeable.

By: Sajeev Mehta

Sajeev Mehta — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:03:38 +0000

Maybe a bumper crop of independent truckers with used rigs (they seem cheaper than ever) will rise up to meet demand. All in all, this is a depressing situation.

By: John Horner

John Horner — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:53:36 +0000

Now isn’t the time for low-skilled labor to go on strike. They striking drivers will simply be replaced, either by their employer or by the customers switching to other means.

Considering the collapse of the US car market, there are a whole lot less vehicles which need delivering. PTS’ 4 million units nearly matches the shrinkage in the market.

By: mel23

mel23 — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:33:54 +0000

Performance Transportation Services:

31 facilities in the US & Canada.

Serves 37 states, one CA province and one US territory.

1800 tractor/trailer combos

Delivers 4 million new & used annually

By: menno

menno — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:24:33 +0000

I guess if I were Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Toyota, I’d go ahead and start buying my own damned trucks (super cheap low hours units available used all over the country right now), buying new car hauler trailers and hiring some of the ex-independent truckers who can’t afford to drive their own rigs any more, giving them a fair wage as a contractor and letting them handle their own retirement plans.

Then when these guys got off strike, I’d say – gosh, sorry, we don’t have very much work for you.

I feel for the drivers going on strike, but on the other hand, there are an awful lot of people out there who need to feed their families, too. And have almost no means of doing so right now.

You should see the number of people coming to our church food pantry. It’s getting downright scary.

By: 50merc

50merc — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:07:26 +0000

It’s now Nonperforming Transportation Services.