Car Hauling Dispatch

I know that CarsArrive has been doing this for a while. They'll post on their boards first, and then if it doesn't move, will post on Central. With CarsArrive being bought out by KAR and RAT being bought out by Manheim, it looks like they are investing in improving their own loadboards, driving traffic to their own boards and away from Central. To make matters worst, Central is not really helping themselves by making it more expensive to post loads. Then there is the issue of ever decreasing rates.. but perhaps thats another topic.

 

I have definitely noticed a drop in rates, particularly on the RAT loads, we used to do quite a bit for them, now not so much.

Also noticed that some of these brokers are blowing up my phone asking if we can pick this up or do we have truck nearby, I always tell them the same thing;

If you raise the price, it WILL get moved!



Stan

 

I hardly have time to even look at boards for the brokers calling. Even RAT called me today. They had one that was just like I loaded last week for another broker that paid $300, RAT offered me $215. I told him when it got to $275 call me and I would do it for $325 because now my feelings are hurt.

But I think CD is behind all the calls. Since they charge brokers based on numbers of listings, brokers are building list of carriers they have worked with in a certain area and simply call direct. I will say it somewhat works for me, as I work with less brokers, but with brokers that I am able to build a relationship with and who PAY.

 

I don't have enough Blood Pressure pills to deal with Uship. But it must pay off for some. I see even United Road is starting to work Uship as many brokers have before them.

 

United Road is another one, I used to haul a LOT of there Spring Hill stuff back to NE, KS, OK, prices per unit would run about 5/600 per vehicle, now I see they are trying to move this stuff for 400.00 per unit.

On occasion when they had stuff sitting there for a while they paid me 700.00 to go to western KS, so I know they have the cost covered.

 

I understand where you are coming from, but at some point going forward, something has to change. We, at least I, am seeing rates per mile that are really not much different than 4/5 years ago, and in that length of time a new sleeper truck has gone from 90,000 to 140,000.

A new trailer that was about 55,000 is now 70,000, steer tires I used to buy for 225.00 a piece, I JUST today got the bill for a pair of steer tires, 1200.00 dollars!!!

Fuel 4 years ago was around 2.00 a gal. now it HAS doubled to 4.00 per gal. and IS our largest expense, even thou our safety rating and run/loss ratio is better now than years past, ins, cost have gone up considerably, and of course, if you are not giving your drivers raises, you will not keep them.

Sorry, didn't mean to rant, BUT, it really IS about more money, maybe the reason some of these guys are not calling back is simply because they are no longer in the business.

Not a slam on you, JMHO.

 

I too always ask for more money and most often get it. BUT being much newer to the biz than Kansas, I see another point. Fools hauling for less! If Coke a Cola went on sale for a nickle a bottle tomorrow and Pepsi was a dollar, we would all buy coke. Same rule applies to moving cars. Why pay more for pretty much the same thing when you can pay less?

There is always some clown with a pick up and trailer who has no shop, no employees, no office staff and who sleeps in his front seat that will move a car for a dime more than his fuel cost. That is if he is even smart enough to figure his fuel cost.

 

All of the above is spot on in terms of costs. Everything cost wise has went up with exception to overall rates to the truck. Far too many people still unemployed & entirely too many people popping up brokerages who know nothing about the business. I believe when the REAL unemployment number goes down & the economy begins to grow with actual money(vs the Bernanke paper) that people will go back to day jobs. Until then, the here today gone tomorrow sort will continue to come & go with no care how they are draining the industry.

As far as United Road. That has been their standard operating procedure for years. They have a new guy down there in Spring Hill this year & must have sent him the play book. Think they also have more of their own trucks down that way moving them as well.