Rates are crashing and fuel to the moon!

Don't know about reefer, but van is way, way down considering the cost of fuel and truck now.

 

I have seen a lot of increases myself so not just DOT week. Demand is starting to push the market again.

 

Bigg company's drivers have no choice, and most likely don't care where to, contracts)

 

I wasn’t successful trying to grab a last minute flatbed load out of MN or WI today, but there were a few I seen that were decent and even would get me home for the whole holiday weekend but were already booked by the time I called in about them.

Oh well, load I brought up paid plenty good to bounce the 750 miles back home so put the tin in the wind.

 

LOL!
Yep.
My crown fell out for the second time. The dentist told me not to eat candies (chewy ones). I didn't for a couple of years until recently. And it took literally one chewy candy to make it fall out again. The dentist knew the work he did was bad. That is probably why he gave a warning.

It's a back tooth. So, you can't see anything missing. And I didn't pull out the root yet.

 

How do you use these discounts?
I never used fuel cards. I'm collecting points for miles/hotel stays.

 

What was supposed to take three days (booked in advance to do work in the shop) is taking about two weeks. I don't like when a shop makes empty promises. Since my loads are booked in advance, I don't like to cancel my regular brokers without much notice. The shop kept the truck for a few days before even starting any work. Don't you hate that?
Why to make appointments when you can't keep them? They started work on the day the work was supposed to be completed. I made the appointment weeks in advance, allowing even extra time in their shop.
I hate these scenarios, especially now. I didn't want to be off for so long since I know so many others are eager now to pick up my loads.
Next week, I am going to have a long weekend. I might have lost one broker since the shop doesn't communicate well.
I might have to work to find another broker that would fill the gap each week, one to two days in a week.

 

I ran CA-AZ last two years with reefer. From Spring 2020 to Christmastime loads were paying $4-$5, even $6 just from socal to phoenix area. Ever since New Year's the average rate for reefer/van loads dropped and have been hovering around $1000 to $1200 for average of 320-350 mile trips. These rates are the same from the beginning of 2021 and 2020. But significant difference is cost of fuel skyrocketed and maintenance expenses increased exponentially across the board for everything. Even if you buy cheaper fuel in neighboring states, you're still paying $.70 per gallon to California when filing for IFTA. I don't see how it's profitable, especially when Phoenix OB is not really a great freight market to pick up in.

 

That sounds like a really bad shop.

 

Hang in there and never admit you are getting old.