Lane Rates

I am starting to get more and more contacts calling me back for qoutes. I know what I am willing to haul at but do not want to leave anything on the table. And the rates from brokers do not seem to be good gauge. Just got a direct account that the broker was calling me on and wouldn't budge above $925. Turns out he was getting $1800. Now I'm getting $1800. But I know that most of the shippers would not tell me the rate and ask if I would do it for that rate. And to be honest I would have qouted $1400.

So what is the best way to figure out what a lane is worth?

 

That makes it hard making sure you don't screw yourself if you don't know what the backhaul is. I know my rate from home to TX is going to be different than going to WI. Until you have been talking and looking the information that I have found on rates isn't very reliable.

I am asking because I am talking with a shipper that has a couple loads a month to VA. I have not spent a lot of time there and what time I have spent has not been great. I said I could not do it for less than $3/mile. He told me the broker he is using is doing it for $2.10 + FSC (at $.45 at the time). He has called a couple times when broker could not get load covered (it seems to me the broker is getting 2 out 3 loads covered).

Now if I could get a comfortable feeling on what I can get coming out of Virgina I could lower my rate. I have even proposed doing a trial at the brokers rate for a couple loads but he doesn't want to chance me saying ain't worth it and he has to find someone else.

BTW, the broker calls me on every load because he knows I live 10-miles from the customer. He will not budge above $1.35. And yes, the customer knows this but doesn't want to loose this guy yet to he can get it covered.

 

I pull a van. Getting direct ship on backhauls is more involved. If your buddy is getting two direct then brokered at $ 1.25 is what you would expect to see. And made plenty of calls with rates qouted at 80¢ and below.

Well, I know what I can get out of KY so I'll hold on that rate. I know the last load out the driver refused to let them load more than 40k so they had to short the load.

So I'll let broker sell it for me.