Whose fault is it that the rates are so low?

We used to call the o/o independents.
Cause they had the freedom of choice.
Freedom to sit, bounce, hang at the house or haul for what rate suited you.
Doesn't seem as easy in this era of trucking imho.

 

How so?

 

Cost of living exceeds earning power.
Not to mention plastic trucks, federal hos regs, ease of entry into the field, emission regulations, less people eating real food ie beef and dairy etc.
Just seemed a better quality of lifestyle way back when. One one income.
Before deregulation.
A man could pay a mortgage, a truck note and save. Send kids to college etc.
I do not see how a modern O/O can achieve these things giving the way that freight moves today and rates of it.

 

Imma sip a little whiskey in a bit. I'll be back afterwards

 

Ten-4!

 

So
WHAT IS YOUR FREEKN POINT????
Try to put it in one sentence. Maybe 2.

 

One of my strongest pieces of advice to those that care to listen, is to calculate your risk comfortability, and go forward.

Ours was very conservative. Within 3 years, we were in a position to sit if needed, or weather other problems in life. Read what @Opus posted a few times, because he hit the nail on the head. "You drive your truck, I drive mine".

Personally, leased on to a carrier, on spot market rates, but different equipment to you - I can sit the rest of the year if I have to. Bully for me.

The smartest decisions in business, especially this one - is when I see folks sell up, get out, or switch gears in a significant way - when they realize that it is not working out for them.

It's shaping up to be the lowest revenue first 2 quarters for me - but I care not if others run for less than I want to, that's on them. And I don't blame others for the way things are, it is just - for lack of a better quote - "is what it is".