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What 3 things have you done in 2009 to survive the Recession?
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Shawn Fallis
Panther Expedited Services INC.
Cargo Van
1. Reduced deadheading.
2. Kept in touch constantly with dispatch.
3. Stayed available 100% of last year.
Bob & Linda Caffee
FedEx Custom Critical
D Straight Truck
1. Be prepared before the recession with no debt.
2. Watch your spending on luxury items.
3. Check and recheck your numbers and figure out how low can you go per mile to stay profitable.
Frank & India Hamner
FedEx Custom Critical
D Unit
1. Refinance our home for lower interest rate and lower payments.
2. Fuel up, when possible, at the
truck stop where our company gets a good discount even if it means
going a little farther between fueling.
3. Food savings - eating more in
the truck or when we eat in a restaurant try to get meals that will be
more than one meal to take with us and re-heat.
Tom & Tina Evans
Arrow Critical Supply Solutions
Team Str. truck
1. Cut our expenses on the business side as well as personal expenditures.
2. Maximized our profit on our runs by reducing non payed miles,
increasing fuel mileage, and working with our carrier to educate them
on how just a few cents here and there effect the profitability of a
run and can make us lose money.
3. Staying out just a little longer between hometime than we have in
the past to add a few weeks of earning potential to the year.
Leo
FedEx / Panther
Straight Truck
1. Removed visor and switched to flow through mud flaps to gain ~ .4 mpg.
2. Buy fuel using TCH /Comdata card at T/A to take advantage of discounts ranging from good to HUGE.
3. Try to spend wisely which includes shopping where cost is lowest -
not in truckstops etc. - and not buying toys/gadgets/etc. that aren't
mandatory purchases.
Steve Gilbert
FedEx Custom Critical
Tractor Trailer
1. Cut down on useless spending.
2. More selective with loads.
3. Cut down on the dead heading to home miles.
George McDonald
Ceva
Sprinter Van
1. Watch route I take and take shortest and fastest way.
2. If waiting for bridge opening or closing, or stuck in traffic, shut engine off and roll windows down.
3. Don't idle while waiting to load and unload.
Michael Theveny
Ceva
26' Hino straight truck non-sleeper
1. Keep my speed down to increase M.P.G. as well as shutting engine down at stops.
2. Signed up for Corporate Lodging Card to save money on Motels.
3. Fill up both tanks when I find cheaper Diesel.
4. stopped buying sodas at convience stores(1.20 a pop) now keep water from home in the truck.
Steve and Judy Avery
Panther
Straight Truck
1. We drive for a fleet owner, so the expenses to the truck are not
"our dime". That said, we still do everything possible to lower those
expenses. Slow down to get better mileage, and turn the truck off when
loading, unloading, or sitting for any length of time. We limit our
deadhead miles, and stay in service longer now.
2. We created a profit margin calculator spreadsheet using the cost
amounts provided by our owner. We punch in the numbers for each load
before accepting it. If the load pays enough to cover those numbers we
take it; if not, we don't.
3. Any maintenance that can be done by us, for example, generator oil /
filter changes can be done for a minimal amount, saving quite a bit of
money.
Rob
DJA Logistics
Sprinter & Flatdeck S/T
1. Cut useless travel, idling.
2. Cut lunch spending and other minor expenses
3. Added the flatdeck to increase business
Keith & Sheila
Tri-State Expedited Service
Straight Truck
1. We eat in the truck.
2. We no longer take 'off' time. Stay in service - available for taking loads.
3. Purchase only necessary items and count pennies.
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