Laredo Texas Freight

What's everyone's experience with getting freight out of Laredo? When I was given my load to Laredo, I was good with it because I had heard from other drivers that it was a good freight area. I didn't expect to have to wait for a load. I dropped my load at one of the many transfer facilities here, and bobtailed up to the truck stops hoping to get a load assignment shortly.

That was over 24 hours ago.

I've been sitting at the TA here on 35 since 11 am local time yesterday. I've been in contact with my fill-in DM and the after hours and weekend crew. I was told once that "they're working on it" meaning the planner. I was told later that they were waiting on loads to come across the border. I asked if I should bobtail across to our terminal to get an empty trailer or if there was anything in the yard there to get me rolling and was told to "sit tight".

Now I've been very patient and understanding, very polite in my qc messages, but I'm starting to get a little agitated.

Is there something going on at the border that I don't know about? I've watched what seems like thousands of trucks come and go here just this morning and keep wondering what I'm missing. Did I get fed a load of crap when I was told this is a good freight area? It seems to me like it would be but this is the first time I've ever been to Laredo.

I made it clear in my last qc message that I'm not trying to be a pain but I'm getting antsy. Layover pay is not what I'm after. I want wheels rolling!

Well I pull a reefer never had to wait more than 4 hrs max out of Laredo, don't loose your cool brother weekends are slow for most, here is what I do, Thursday or Friday I communicate with my regular DM to set me up for success with a good long weekend load, it works most of the time, good luck.

What's everyone's experience with getting freight out of Laredo? When I was given my load to Laredo, I was good with it because I had heard from other drivers that it was a good freight area. I didn't expect to have to wait for a load. I dropped my load at one of the many transfer facilities here, and bobtailed up to the truck stops hoping to get a load assignment shortly.

That was over 24 hours ago.

I've been sitting at the TA here on 35 since 11 am local time yesterday. I've been in contact with my fill-in DM and the after hours and weekend crew. I was told once that "they're working on it" meaning the planner. I was told later that they were waiting on loads to come across the border. I asked if I should bobtail across to our terminal to get an empty trailer or if there was anything in the yard there to get me rolling and was told to "sit tight".

Now I've been very patient and understanding, very polite in my qc messages, but I'm starting to get a little agitated.

Is there something going on at the border that I don't know about? I've watched what seems like thousands of trucks come and go here just this morning and keep wondering what I'm missing. Did I get fed a load of crap when I was told this is a good freight area? It seems to me like it would be but this is the first time I've ever been to Laredo.

I made it clear in my last qc message that I'm not trying to be a pain but I'm getting antsy. Layover pay is not what I'm after. I want wheels rolling!

The border closes at night and on weekends so it's not a steady flow of freight.

Laredo does get slow sometimes. The winter time when the automotive industry is sow is especially bad. Sometimes you'll be in and gone before you can blink and sometimes you'll sit for awhile. It can be pretty hit and miss.

Just take it in stride. Relax, do some laundry, watch a movie, and enjoy the downtime. If you get layover pay for it, all the better!

Yeah I pulled a reefer before and I always had more time waiting to be loaded or unloaded than I did waiting to receive a load assignment. This is my first week pulling dry van.

I started my communication yesterday morning well before I delivered the load. I think one of the things that may have thrown everything out of whack is my regular DM took a vacation day yesterday.

I'm here in shepardsville Kentucky. I got a load of steaks (mmmmmmm steak). The pick up time was moved back 7.5 hours on Wednesday when I picked up in Texas. Trailer tandem pins would not release I needed to get that fixed before I could roll and pick up this load. However they never moved the delivery time back. Original schedule was 8/11 at 0230. I picked up an hour southwest of Amarillo on 8/9 at 1500.

When I did I messaged my FM , asking if the load was still a report. The fill in fir my FM the day before stated it would be before I accepted the load. Anyways they wanted me to provide a new ERA once I stopped for the night in 8/9. I did I have them 8/11 at 1400. Sales came back with 8/13 at 2300. I got here on 8/11 at 1500. Now I have to sit fir over 50 hours before I can go unload.

The place is not open on Saturdays or sundays until 2200.

Yeaaaaaas!!!!!! This is the only load I have so far fir the week. 1400 miles, I'm getting really frustrated with the loads I'm getting.

Trailer tandem pins would not release I needed to get that fixed before I could roll and pick up this load

What if you would have picked up the load and then gotten the pins fixed? You might have been able to keep the original schedule.

Also, in my experience, there's no such thing as pins that won't move if you have a big enough hammer and you make sure the pins are centered properly in their holes. I always carried a three pound sledge and some WD 40 with me and there were times I had to beat on those pins to get em moving, but they always moved. By centered properly, I mean you have to make sure the tandems themselves are not jamming the pins either forward or rearward against the rail, and make sure the tandems aren't twisted from someone making a sharp turn where the pin on one side is jammed forward and the pin on the other side is jammed rearward.

Also, I haven't done the math, but after you were loaded were you not able to make the original appointment time legally?

See, all of this stuff will start to come together after a while. I know right now you think your lack of miles is purely the company's fault, but I can guarantee you it's not. Sometimes rookies step on their own toes when it comes to time management and other aspects of the job but don't realize it right away. Over time you'll get a lot more miles.

I'm here in shepardsville Kentucky. I got a load of steaks (mmmmmmm steak). The pick up time was moved back 7.5 hours on Wednesday when I picked up in Texas. Trailer tandem pins would not release I needed to get that fixed before I could roll and pick up this load. However they never moved the delivery time back. Original schedule was 8/11 at 0230. I picked up an hour southwest of Amarillo on 8/9 at 1500.

When I did I messaged my FM , asking if the load was still a report. The fill in fir my FM the day before stated it would be before I accepted the load. Anyways they wanted me to provide a new ERA once I stopped for the night in 8/9. I did I have them 8/11 at 1400. Sales came back with 8/13 at 2300. I got here on 8/11 at 1500. Now I have to sit fir over 50 hours before I can go unload.

The place is not open on Saturdays or sundays until 2200.

Yeaaaaaas!!!!!! This is the only load I have so far fir the week. 1400 miles, I'm getting really frustrated with the loads I'm getting.

Eric...instead of relying on the spring brakes to hold the tandems as you attempt the pin release, use the Trolley/Trailer Brake (aka Johnson Bar), if you have one. It holds far more effectively (than the spring brakes) and will enable the pins to release easier.

I know it doesn't sound like much of a difference but it is...has always worked for me. This was suggested to me many years ago when I first started running Dedicated by a Walmart Shop mechanic when I was experiencing the exact same problem. Once I executed his suggestion, the pins released immediately.

I've had issues with trailer tandems not sliding, rather the wheels would just skid across ground unless I had something to keep them in place, forcing trailer to slide, hence moving tandems. Now I keep a wheel chock in truck for whenever this occurs. In the case of pins simply not retracting, sometimes going between first and reverse will get them to pop, other times, like Brett mentioned, some WD 40 and few whacks with hammer can get you rolling....

As for original OP, freight can vary in all places, particularly weekends. Hold tight, clean truck or laundry and relax.

PB Blaster probably works better than WD40. I've been using it forever for freeing up rusted nuts and bolts and stuff

JJ

Laredo flatbed freight availability varied wildly when I used to go there. Usually I'd get in and out the same day, but a couple of times I had to sit a day for a load. I knew guys who got stuck there for a weekend too, and sometimes I heard about drivers being stuck for a couple of days during the week. As ChickieMonster said, the loads from Mexico don't come over the border 24/7, so sometimes you have to wait.

If you're adventurous, I know you can find some really good restaurants there. There are probably lots of other things to do in the area too. Listen to Johnny Cash's version of Streets of Laredo if you can't think of anything else to do.