Rates are crashing and fuel to the moon!

Been averaging 32-35 pallets a week the last few or so, dropped to 18 this week, Atleast it was easy to load and will all be off Monday, mulch season is starting though so I’m sure I’ll get summoned over there at some point

I did scroll through the Tql site board while I was home with my back messed up and concluded I would make more cashing my empties in then driving the truck

 

The only people who use a dispatch service are new to the game and don't know any better. You're much better off staying away from them.

 

Still cheap and slow

 

What do you consider “cheap”?

 

You're from Butte, Montana within 150 miles, ITS has 26 loads posted. You can cut that in half with the double postings and loads that are no good.... All of them are beyond cheap. 47k tarped paying $1.36/mile... King of freight has a load of lumber going to Florida...48k paying a whopping $1.42/mile... Atleast its strap and go, no tarp

 

New truck has arrived and I am out running. It sure is nice to be in new equipment for the first time. First load out of ND was trash as always, but the next two haven't been so bad. Headed to Odessa, TX for Tuesday. I've seen some surprisingly doable loads for that bad lane but nothing yet for the day I need.

 

Congrats on getting a new truck!!! Is that a load of bees? Never hauled them... Pretty simple loading process or does it take a long time?

 

Sheesh. I am doing a little thought experiment of what I would book if I was there and there is nothing that is acceptable. Would have to wait to Monday to get a more realistic view. In my opinion Montana is the worst lane in the country especially if you don't want to carry around 8ft drop tarps. A lot of times when I found myself in that area I would deadhead all the way to Lovell, WY and get one of those bento loads often going to a good lane for $2.10 or so. It is one of the few times I will operate for less than $2 a mile (including deadhead)

 

Check back tomorrow and see how it is. Usually some no tarp lumber or such would come up. Once you get out of the state it wasn’t so bad.

 

Pretty simple, you net. You can use bungees or just staple it to the boxes (this is the fast and easy way). In the pic you can see a small skirt I have stapled to the trailer to keep them from getting out at the bottom of the bee tarp. You also need 2x6 boards to run across the top to strap over. It applies pressure to the boxes and helps secure better.

Often the bee keeper laborers will do all the work. Its almost strap and go in some cases.

Sadly the rates have tanked over the past 4 years I used to be able to get $4 a mile on brokered loads. Here is the most recent email list from a broker I have worked with. I won't haul them for $3 and I won't go out of my way to deadhead to one for $3.50