Rates are crashing and fuel to the moon!

I agree with this. All freight volume seems to be less, not just open deck. I have no numbers to back me up. I just see less, much less, big trucks on the road compared to previous weeks/months. Especially in the last couple months.

 

I moved a load recently that paid $2500 on a lane that I felt should pay $3000 minimum, but it was either this or go empty since I had a flight the next day. I was trying to negotiate it for $2800 at last, the broker said she didn’t even have that much in it. Later at the pick up shipper couldn’t find the load by the numbers I had, so he pulled up his files with me looking at the computer screen. Sure enough he found the load, they also had a price they paid which was $3500. Later that day she (the broker) called me and asked if I wanted a convenient wire for a flat $15 fee instead of a check. I barely kept my cool, just told her I didn’t even have $15 left in it after expenses so she would have to go to that post office and spend that 50 cents on a stamp.

 

DAT is the only load board I use for my flatbed when needed. Only weak area I have with it is California if I really screw up and end up out there with no load back.

 

The few times I get out there I usually load to Denver for a good rate and bounce from CO back to AR. Pays the same rate as an LA or Sacramento to Memphis and fewer loaded miles.

When I do go out there I negotiate enough on it to do that and still keep all miles above $3 a mile, including the bounce back from CO.

 

I take it you don't run spot freight exclusively? ITS has way more open deck freight than DAT does. I hate ITS with a passion but it's the better choice between the two for a flatbed.

 

Is it still like that? I know it was a year and a half ago, but is it still?

 

Tql paying me $55/mile to pull wind blades on top of a 20ft container. You fellas just ain’t lookin under the right desks