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[quote]QUOTE: Originally posted by rrandb [quote]QUOTE: [i] Greyhounds, Question: Is there anyone out there who thinks that box of cherries is going to get from the orchard to NYC just as fast as the over the road truckers, or at the same cost to the grower/marketer? By that time, the over the road truckers will have handled two cross country trips between existing facilities, probably with backhaul to boot, which totally negates rail's efficiency advantage since the truckers will have hauled just as much freight in that time period as the rail cars. [/quote] I am a little fuzzy on the math here. How is that two truckers (team drivers) who haul two truckloads in ten days at twice the cost and half the amount of freight (4 truckloads per freight car) are more cost effective and competitive than the railroad. Besides the fact if they are driving a SAT linked tractor there dispatcher could shut them down for either speed or hours violations. To even have a prayer of 2 West Coast turnarounds in ten days you better be able to to drop and pick trailers at both ends. One way will be deadheading. Throw in a back haul and they will back for more cherries in 7-8 days. Unless of course they're back hauling from the same warehouses. NOT This revival of a tried and true method of deliving fresh produce to the east coast by rail will be something to look forward to. [2c] As always ENJOY [/quote] A team will get from Yakima to Boston in about 3 days flat including day and night provided weather cooperates. Turn around time to the NW or west coast will likely be 3-4 days and yer ready to reload again if everything is forklift unload or drop and hook. Ive done it and also as a Single I can make a complete USA Turn around in less than 10 days but probably violate a number of HOS designed to save lives. Thousands of truckers make the journey into the major cities north of DC and east of Pittsburgh each night, flowing in from all kinds of places around the USA. Those are the ones who feed the Northeast. Rail service will have to really re-discover the old 40's and 50's facilites for transloading all over again. Imagine a 50 car train pulling into a distribution center and by noon the cargo is ready for the local trucks to the stores. You will need alot of precision, manpower, equiptment and workers with strong backs. It can be done. But it must be done maybe a short distance outside of the metro area itself of any major city. Especially away from the Markets. Those are places where it is worth a driver's life to deliver a load on some nights. The disptacher who shuts down a driver in the middle of Wyoming 100 miles from any suitable facility in a winter storm will be just the same as pulling the trigger. I will support some functions of the satellite but there are just somethings that MUST remain under the control of the driver. If the driver cannot or is not legally able to do the run, the problem must be found and solved because customers WILL find another carrier or put it on the rail. I dont consider West Coast loads to be backhauls. Heck even a nice load of fresh Pallets made from Maple or Oak will be gold. That box of Cherries will be taken care of just fine. I have hauled a few of these and they are usually under state control and are followed by paperwork that all but steals your soul.
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