if the fuel rises and the surcharge follows, you'll still be in the same boat, the only answer is more frieght as well as increased rates. Increased fuel cost and increased fuel surcharge , yeah keep chasing that tail kitty cat, you'll get it
You are exactly right, but to many guys don't iunderstand that. I hear many guys saying that they want th fuel back up to $5. They claim that with the fuel surcharge they were making more money. Yes you were,but more money was going in the tanks. The only way you would make out better, and not by much, is if your truck got better mpg than what the surcharge was figured on. The whole problem with the rates is that there are way to many trucks. To many companies got into trucking thinking they could make an easy buck. They cut the rates to get the loads and then couldn't raise them to save their business from failure. Simple fact is if you can't make a profit on the load then leave it sit. Thinking about taking a load that will cover fuel doesn't work anymore. You need to have profit to survive.
bingo you nailed it.it's that easy and simple.... To many trucks on road and to many drivers... A@E at landstar use to pay $4.00 and its at around $1.50 a mile.why? Answer...very simple.... Not the economy,not the fuel price..nope,nope,nope... To many trucks got involved with it at landstar,know the shippers can ship it very cheap...its over for A@E... Funny.just talked to a guy yesterday and that was his life hauling A@E for 20 years now... He gave it up...landstar drivers drove the rate to a whopping 1.50 a mile AND LOWER and no fuel surcharge... I blame the drivers for driving this business into the pay of someone flipping burgers at burger king.... DRIVERS NEED TO OWN WHAT HAS BEEN COMING DOWN THIS PIKE FOR 25 YEARS NOW... Its the drivers willing to work for food and fuel....OH, AND ROOM AND BOARD...LMFAO THIS HAS BECOME HOMELESS TRUCKING...
The basic rate is the problem, that problem was created when the industry was deregulated. Now carriers can charge what they want to and if someone goes to a customer and the customer says they are paying XXX can you do better? A lot of customers really don't care if the carrier stays in business, if one drops off, just get another one. Not a lot of carrier loyalty right now. Some carriers drop the rate to get the freight. Not thinking if the company make money, if the truck make money. Nope, just get that business. Having been in sales, I've had to walk away from business due to the fact that my company did its homework, it it wasn't profitable for all concerned, we didn't want it. Let it go. No one needs practice by pulling non profit freight. Fuel is also an important factor. Does anyone go to the DOE website on Mondays and see what the FSC is? Important factor if you are charging a FSC and everyone should be. A lot of companies are charging more than the DOE's FSC and using it as profit. On the other hand some of this freight is done on yearly bids and large customers dictate their own FSC which is usually cheaper than current DOE. Company drivers arent affected by it like an O/O. Some companies don't share that profit with their O/O. If an O/O is offered a load that he/she can't make a profit on, should you take it and hope that you can make money on the next one? What if the next one is non profit? What then? I can understand taking a cheap load to reposistion or get home but all the time? This is how to go out of business. Do the math. I won't even go into deadhead miles to get a load... Or brokers who don't share the profit with the carrier. I love the ones who say, "gee we didn't get a FSC" BS! We all work for reward and if the load is picked up and delivered on time, we deserve to be paid for doing our job. I have a great sticker on my pickup, "just say NO to cheap freight"
well hell .... landstar agents never ever ,ever would go to a customer fully knowing another landstar agent is in there trying to strike a deal...that was a bigg no,no....you would of got black balled.. know rolmfao... they are cutting each other just like drivers do...there is no shame to the game... TRUCKING IS ONLY A MASS REVENUE GAME.THERE IS NOTHING PROFESSIONAL ABOUT IT...
No such thing at the DOE website. They do not calculate, assess, or regulate diesel fuel surcharges in any way shape or form. I'm with you on pretty much everything else you posted tho..
This is one of many reasons I didn't take my equipment to Landstar. Also I didn't like the favoritism that goes on with the agents. I ran into it many times trying to deal with them. Landstar DID have some really good rates up until about 2 years ago. Everything I saw after that dropped like a rock.
Yes and this past week they just gave c.h robinson a credit of 4.5 million.to move LANDSTAR FREIGHT... you no what that means right? cheappppppppppppppppeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr I will be done with landstar shortly and out of the business for a while..I refuse to run down a highway 7 days a week making .20 cents profit..i will sit here with the better-half and watch movies and enjoy being with her. lmao
yep,yep....I heard that many years ago and it still applys... I am just bitter at times for the simple reason is trucking was a great paying industry at one time.. It was nothing for me to bring home 2,000 a week and be home 3 times during the week and off weekends...That was in the 90's and a little in the late 80's... But today the rates are driven down (by the drivers) to were your profits are dirt cheap..You need at least 1.50 a mile to break ground and earn a good check.. Landstar guys and gurls are taking on loads at 90 cents and telling people they are making money..Its crazy. I have a breakdown sheet with cold hard facts to show anyone the bottom dollar of having a truck.... It's just not the old trucking i loved for so many years...
