For those of you who are real O/Os rather than posers like myself, have you been able to negotiate the dramatic increase in fuel prices into your quotes?
fuel surcharge covers like 30% of your fuel costs.. and really fuel surcharge doesnt exist on the spot market unless you want to itemize it for your own business from the overall rate.... trucking is no different than any other business. your operating costs go up, then you raise the price of what it costs for your customers to do business with you.
I am an owner operator with my own authority when I book a load its a flat rate. If you have your own authority, you only get a fuel surcharge if you have a contract. If it doesn't pay a fair rate, I won't book it. For the owner operators who are leased and get a fuel surcharge, Fuel surcharge will never make up the difference with the current fuel prices.
This is what I've been arguing with my carrier. There has been no rate increase for me during the price hikes. Company drivers are making out just fine. It's making it more and more difficult for those of us with a lease contract to accept loads.
Completely understandable. Other than being cheap ########, I don't know of any reason why they wouldn't have some kind of fuel surcharge. I know what I am about to say is not something that you want to hear, but its realistic. It's going to get harder and harder to stay afloat with your increased fuel expenses. I would suggest that you reevaluate your situation. I wish you the best of luck.
Rates in general look to be trending upward over the last year. It seems to be due to fuel issues. Has that been everyone else's experience?
