Worse than ever!

California..... Washington..... Oklahoma.....


They all suck right now! It's that time of year. I actually got $2.00 a mile out of Cali.... But it put me in Washington to where I'm getting a trash rate back to Missery.

 

I cant believe its that bad out there, all my rates are still over $2 a mile and plenty of work, could actually use another truck for this year. I guess it depends on the area.

 

Just had some young guy tell me yesterday that he's not leaving Laredo until he gets a load that pays at least $3/mile. Driving a flat w/side kit. Why, he never hauls anything less that $3, but usually closer to $4/mile. I'm thinking we'll be seeing that guy in the T/A when he's wearing a long, white beard. Because he won't be going anywhere very soon.

(Yeah...that's how he affords the filthy Levi shorts and greasy wife-beater with all the holes in them. Strategically placed by the designer, of course.

 

I dont know how to take your post but i will say this if you can not make money with rates over $2 a mile your definatly doing something wrong or just plain greedy or dont need to work anyway. I know nothing about TX i only run the north east and have no desire to go there.

 

I didn't take that post as arrogance, but rather, sarcasm.....and found it quite amusing.

Greed?? No way. If they're paying that much, obviously, that's what it takes to move that load. I know a guy who refuses to haul under $2.50/mile and under 500 miles. There are certain places he won't go because he knows he'll never get that rate there, he does a fair share of sitting plus deadhead and at the end of the year, doesn't clear any more than an average O/O simply because that freight just isn't too common for a dry van without haz-mat.

It's not greedy to negotiate the highest rate you can get. That's merely good business.

 

I did not take it as arrogance either. Your right it is not greedy to get the highest amount you can but i will not sit somewhere for days to get it. If a load pays what i need for my operation i take it i do not have a magical number that i will only run for. You can not make a living sitting for a magical rate that may never come. thats why i said you must not need to work if you can sit and waite. As far as the guy who sits and waites for $2.50 a mile to me that is just foolish. Like you said at the end of the year he does no better. But if you like to sit thats up to you. I like to make money and be home so anything over $2 a mile keeps me running.

 

$2 a mile is about right for a guy running the NE corridor. It's nothing spectacular though once you add in tolls and feul.

The problem with Texas has become the border towns and the number of companies operating there. We had a drop yard that was a dirt patch out by the toll road,12 yrs ago that was in the sticks,now it's the edge of town. Most border towns have doubled in size from what I have seen. Companies with multiple trucks in the area don't need to sit drivers anymore to wait on a load,they move them out the same day sometimes and that means grabbing every little skid of widgets they can find along the way.

I would tell anyone who doesn't have a yard South of Austin to stay out of that area,period. It's where good rates go to die. There are way too many trucks in Southern Texas.