Quayle Alerts: World Trade Virtual Standstill! Truckers Stuck for a Week at a Time for Product to Haul -When the Trucks Stop Running So Do US Households

Quayle Alert 1

Steve,

I import from China and I just received a container of products. I personally know the delivery driver.
We had a considerable delay because he had to drive 65 miles to get a container chassis from Maersk Line. This is unheard of because they always have a lot of chassis at the Chicago rail head. I asked him what was up because it is not peak volume time for anyone.

The delivery driver is part of a company that also imports a lot of products. I asked if they were experiencing any shipping problems out of China (because we have had issues). He said they had a container waiting for 7 weeks because Maersk had cancelled 35 sailings. I know the world economy is bad but 35 sailings is a lot.

Keep up the good work. God Bless and protect you and your family—-SECOND REPORT–Steve, I have a Trucking Company currently running 7 trucks. The rates out
here are half of what they were a year ago. Not going to be around much
longer if things keep going the way that they are.
Also, friend of a neighbor sitting in Houston, TX for last 5 days and says
there is not a single ship in port. I can’t verify this myself. Thanks
Philip. SQ-COULD SOMEONE IN HOUSTON, VERIFY NO SHIPS IN PORT REPORT? ANY PHOTOS WOULD BE APPRECIATED

Mar 10, 2016

http://www.stevequayle.com/index.php?s=33&d=1724

Quayle Alert 2:

THIRD TRUCKER CHECKS IN-Quite a few of us run for a few days and then sit for a few days. It is getting very hard to make money.

Dear Steve,
We just loaded out of La Porte TX, on Monday. There was bulker freight 
ships in port, I did not see any container ships as we passed over the
large bridge on the 610. If we go back this week I will try for some
pictures. The place we loaded at had plenty of containers on site and the
mules were busy but that does not mean much as many companies use those
containers as regular trailers and mobile wharehouses. The car off load
yards were full, while two weeks ago or so we were in Portland OR. and
there was plenty of space at the Hyundai yard we drove past. We found it
more interesting that there was room at the truck stops in the late
afternoon in both cities. It would seem that there are less trucks being
sent to those cities as the freight is drying up. Usually if you are in a
port city if you do not find parking by noon you better pray your reload is
that day because it will suck trying to find parking.
Quite a few of us run for a few days and then sit for a few days. It is
getting very hard to make money. 
Take care,Byron

Mar 10, 2016

http://www.stevequayle.com/index.php?s=33&d=1725

Quayle Alert 3:

I have family who runs a truck and they are having a hard time getting any work because of the vulture effect of all the truckers fighting over the scraps to get a load.

Good morning Steve,

I read the response in the alerts about Maersk cancelling sailings.
I head the transportation of our international freight, in particular our main distribution of Changshu, China to California.
We have not seen a single carrier cancelation and in fact, our average door to door lead-time from Changshu to a norther suburb of Dallas, TX is down to 3 weeks. Just 4-6 months ago you were lucky to get 5 weeks on that same path and our worst case scenario was 7.

I can confirm that pricing has dropped by 30-40% on these services which is significant when in the past a typical 40’ HQ normally would cost about $6,500 all in.
As to the trucking; I have family who runs a truck and they are having a hard time getting any work because of the vulture effect of all the truckers fighting over the scraps to get a load. You used to could get a trailer/container daily out of the Dallas Rail Head but not anymore as there are way more drivers than loads to process.

I guess the bottom line is still the same, imports are way down and from what we see are getting worse.

Mar 10, 2016

http://www.stevequayle.com/index.php?s=33&d=1726