negotiating rates

Nothing personal buddy, but I'm going to have to pass. I try pretty hard to follow the rules against soliciting business on these forums, and follow a personal rule of guarding my PII online. I just want you to know what's out there, and where to look. You seem like a good dude.

 

@100%Gofio - Fair enough man. Good luck to ya, I know the rates haven't changed too much this week out there. Feeling the pinch, still.

 

I see the rates went down to the point of normality - pretty much. I could not book anything really super great...for Monday. I 'll wait until then and see. Bonanza took a little plunge today. Heck I thought it would be 5 min but it seems it was 1 min 30 seconds instead. But let's wait and see.

 

I dunno man. I was still offering above average rates and having difficulty today. I'd have figured $2.75/mi out of Buffalo down to NC would have at least gotten a look or two, and the cheapest I paid on OB Chicago today was $3.25/mi, delivering in the twin cities area tomorrow AM.

 

Things are not normal. That is all.

 

This week I went to the middle of the Kansas State for $3800 on 900 miles, from there I came back to Green Bay, WI area for only 1300,to go down to Chattanooga, TN for 2500, out of there nothing to come back up here. I deadheaded all 600 miles back.This is 3500 all miles that leaves me with 6300 after fuel burnt and 5 days of work. I tried to book something for Monday on my way, I made maybe 20 calls but they would not pay 4 dol a mile anymore. I know that Chicago outbound rate at 3 - 3.5 dol a mile is still good, but this should be a normal rate to make a decent leaving with all that equipment and risks involved. Even at this rate there is not any justification that it could be sustained for a longer term because the other low qualification level jobs pay much less. ELDs may increase the capacity for a moment but people seeing owner operators clearing even mediocre 2000-3000 a week will go to buy trucks and hope to make that much too. Manufacturing and Construction jobs, unless they are union based, don't pay that. A cashier at a nearby Lowe's made quite a mistake giving me my change, she looked tired and told me that she runs two jobs to make over a $1000 a week. For them to hear that you can clear twice that much relatively easy is of course something to think about and we can't blame them for trying.

 

So, you averaged $2.17 (7600/3500) a mile revenue on a dry van. Isn't that a decent rate for a van, all things considered?

 

It is great. considering the total of 800 miles deadheading . It is more than decent. But I am saying I can't go to Kansas for 4 dol mile this Monday any more - they would not pay, the same load they want to sell for 2400. The rates changed for Monday, the latest spike was corrected.
To me, If I could average 2 dol a mile the whole year on all miles (let's call it more or less 80K), at the current fuel level prices, I'd be ecstatic.

 

You would crush that number if you bought an open deck trailer.