According to what they - DAT and Truckstop.com - say about their average rates is that they are calculated based on the invoices of their cooperating factoring companies. DAT partners with Triumph and Truckstop.com does its own factoring. Similarly, 123 loadboard which partners with Thunder Funding. That's how they know what the rates are on given lanes. There is not guarantee that some manipulatory tactics favoring brokers would not be used. One can always sort the rate column of the listing and see what minimums they are willing to pay on a given day too. That's just an indicator of where the rates are at the "non-negotiable", minimum, "book it now" level. Although, the "book it now" level can really change for better during the course of a day and become a pretty good rate after all.
I totally get it. We've talked about this before. I feel differently though. If I don't get my rate, it don't haul it. I make sure to run areas that pay it. I don't sit around at the drop begging for a load while I've lost all my upper hand and it's subsequent negotiation power. I'm sure I could do better in the long run if I did things the way many of you do but I just can't bring myself to do it! I'd rather make a little less and sit before I let some pencil pushing parasite tell me what he's going to pay for my equipment and time. I guess I'm really good at biting my nose to spite my face.
Exactly. I tell them my rate and they accept it or they don't. Those bs numbers listed by DAT and ITS just end up causing Carriers to bid against themselves.
