load boards and buying a truck

I have to agree with the fact I would love to see a lot more owner operators, but then they would have to be organized and I don't see that happening.

Most people do absolutely nothing that is really good for them and in trucking it is much worse. Why? I don't know! But you are right about the power that could be.

 

Too many owner operators are hauling the freight way too cheap just to get loaded or to get home. I have called on many loads and when they tell me what it pays I just hang up, why in the world would someone do a load for basically cost of operating and no money to a driver? When you figure that the big guys like Schneider have new trucks, terminals, dispatchers, drivers at $.40 per mile plus benefits (comes out to about $.50 per mile when all vacations, insurance etc.. considered) and on top of that driver pay and costs they are still making money so you know they are not hauling freight that cheap and they are finding plenty of it. Problem is the same it has always been, people get stepped on and are not willing to stand up for themselves. Too many O/Os have a truck payment coming up and feel like they have to get some freight and will take the crap paying loads not realizing that in the end they are loosing money and making it worse for everyone else.
My suggestion to you guys, try what I do and laugh in the face of some of these brokers that expect you to run your own truck and trailer for $1.50 per mile (I run a flatbed).
BTW, that is why I am home right now, I will not haul cheap freight.

 

IF YOU WOULD NOT HAVE OPENED YOUR MOUTH.......NO ONE WOULD HAVE KNOWN HOW IGNORANT YOU ARE.

 

I agree too many do.....but not for long... thats the plus side. Plus it makes it easier to go direct. Thats where its at. Then rely on few good brokers for back hauls.
And don't let Schneider's terminals and the such fool you....they do haul cheap, but then again with that many trucks you can afford to only make .10 cpm profit......or can you?....( from deeper side of philosophically thinking?)

Anyway, the has never been better for the O/O, maybe not so much for the Lease On I/C. Regardless of fuel prices, yes they are high, but so is soooo many other things. Run smarter, not harder and poorer. What I mean is I need $ 1.14 pm for the truck I drive and the one I just put a driver in just to break even for everything including wages. Luckily, although I do know things change, We are currently running at a avg of $1.98pm ( including dead head) So, we are making .84 cpm profit. Just on my two trucks, not including the 4 O/O's leased to me. ( I call them O/O, well, because they are, I share with them not only a quarterly profit bonus, but, the headaches as well)

As far as the the driver in the previous post, the time is more than right for O/O... Not just in my opinion, but pick up a couple of trade journals besides the ones that help you job hop.....
As far as BARTW, yes their are a few who run cheap freight, and will always be so....just the faces change, as the old one never last.( Except for the big names) Just make your mark, know your lane rates(especially when it comes to those late Friday loads, that gotta be picked up.....)and stick to it, but more so back it up with quality service!
Just friendly advice, from one O/O to another.

 

Patience is key, so I sat at home all Monday and did not go anywhere as no one was willing to pay what I wanted, well I just got the call and I got a "hot" partial load that pays $2.75 per mile and only weighs 3,000lbs and takes up 1/3rd of my deck. I will try to find something else to throw on there on my way (I can even do a full load on top of this as my all aluminum trailer only weighs 8,900lbs so I am way under what other guys weigh empty and can put 51,000lbs+ on my deck) In the end I will probably get over $4 per mile on this trip and make a killing instead of killing myself yesterday driving crazy miles for less money and possibly losing money if any hiccups came along the way.
See you guys in a few days.

 

We all know that Congress needs to partially re-regulate the Transportation Industry to at least protect drivers and owner operators. The Base rate needs to be established to insure fairness and with this we would see a healthy industry. Owner Operators may get too many at this point and be forced out because of lack of freight rather than starved out by greed, graft and corruption.

That is why I sold out. There was not real chance for most. The good freight was too little and far in between. Some are lucky to get it. The rest go hungry or struggle to get by. That is not living.

There is not one single Owner Operator who could not be driving a New Rig and not paying payments. But, no one will believe that, so I won't respond to blind skepticism, and I won't make promises to anyone as I can't guarantee anyone's success in anything, but I know where it is and how to do it as I am doing what most believe does not work.

Cheap freight? Not for me! Company slave? No thank you!

 

Most " O/O's " are nothing more than steering wheel holders.... You need to be a business person first, a driver second....

 

Regulate freight rates?? You must be out of your mind, or maybe a communist. This country was built on innovation and the rules of capitalism are what made us strong and where we are today. The people who can't run a business will go under, I wish them well but just accept that not everyone was cut out to be an O/O just like I wasn't cut out to be a chef or a mortgage banker etc...

 

No, I did not say total re regulation. I said, re regulate to protect the bottom end freight rates. That way, some dumb head who has no business sense can go in and bid under what is the minimum base rate should be.

It is a fact, the Owner Operator and the small company can not compete with the Big Money and Power, but that does not mean freight should be so cheap it bankrupts small companies, and owner operators.

There is at least one driver out there that still thinks he can profit on 67 cents per mile.

Capitalism must be protected. That means we have level playing field that give people a chance to profit. That has not happened for over 26 years now. Most haul freight far cheaper than they should have to.

Anyone who knows the cost of living and the cost of operating a truck, knows just exactly what I am talking about.

You have rules and laws, even in a Capitalist Society, but your protection is taken away, you have very little chance to survive. I wrote about this several years ago an the editor in chief of Routers as well as the President of OOIDA agreed 100% with my comments. The trucking industry does not have a fair playing field for anyone without some kind of protection.

 

Right on Pal. Most have no idea of what business is or how to take care of it and that is why so many go bankrupt and the majority of the rest live by luck and a prayer. Yeah, there are some good rates out there for a few, but for the most part, it just is not happening.

I was with Landstar with they signed a contract with Associated and the freight rates hit rock bottom. Many were going bankrupt and I started staying home. Later I sold out and said never again. Now, i could have just changed companies and had good freight and decent rates for the market, but to me it just was not worth the effort. I hate changing companies, but sometimes you have to just to survive.