01/15/2024
A reminder of the difference between public and private transport.
Private: some people who bring your things doesn’t have their vehicle paid for yet, has regular maintenance out of their own pocket and has to pay high premiums that’s not covered by just regular insurance.
Public: A transport warehouse has an overhead that sorts a lot of vehicles full of things going one way and only pays the drivers by the hour. The company receives all their maintenance and insurance, fuel and other expenses for workers paid for by what’s in that warehouse.
Private carriers don’t have that luxury. We get all expenses; including lodging if theirs enough left. That’s per night and in this weather it’s almost guaranteed. So it’s a struggle for bills and food and usually none left for lodging if the places we pickup are really far away.
The advantage for you is you don’t have to buy from a warehouse and wait 4-6 weeks. But to expect a small carrier to move faster in this weather like we do it’s usually 7 to 14 days at most for delivery. Depending on how full they are and where there going. Sometimes faster if they already have a route.
I don’t want to make anyone wait but in this kind of weather minus zero and snow storms etc we have to be very careful bidding. I’m one that wants a guarantee I’m not delivering and stuck at your house. When starting out I begin with a three point plan. To go get it, to deliver and to get back to warmth. If I find someone it helps me get down to a 2 point plan. It all pays the same but more or less time and miles.
So when you call me you will get a high quote until I can establish a second person and even then some don’t remove their listing after they book it with someone else so we’re planning on helping but our needs change. We have to look somewhere else. That’s the downfall of trying to stay low on costs. And if it doesn’t meet what my budget is I can’t do it either. I’m low enough but I have more miles to go to it then you expected or have to leave the area and I’m not picking up anymore in people I deliver to’s area because its guaranteed to put me further away then I was going to begin with and leaves me obligated to repeat the steps getting stuck at their house.
So I have a quote, if it’s too much then either buy closer then several hours / days away or just buy more things and wait it out.
Sure theirs carriers that are equipped for winter but my van is not. I would of been set up this year for it but I did so much through the late fall I needed a break. Then I had maintenance scheduled. Now it’s cold and I’m doing one person at a time so I know the exact hours. Or estimated but it’s close.
As a reminder some of us aren’t retired or can’t do this as a secondary income either and they are the ones who need work the most. Just have to make it worth the while
