All truckers unite april1,2011 shut em down

The best way to offset higher fuel prices is to raise your minimum haul rate. If you want to try to do something about high fuel prices then you are going about it the wrong way. Whatever you do it would be good to get the media involved. But, I don't see that happening. A strike won't work. The reason is that everyone who owns a truck, whether they are an owner operator or run their authority, are independent businessmen. There are hundreds of thousands of businessmen who own trucks. Businessmen don't go on strike. Just getting 10 truckers together who agree on something is a challenge. Imagine the challenge in getting hundreds of thousands together for a common purpose?

When you are in business there are some things that you can't control. In this business there are several things, but probably nothing more critical to our business than fuel costs. We cannot control the price of fuel, but we can control the rate in which we are willing to haul freight. For those of you who are locked in to a fixed rate per mile plus fsc, there isn't much you can do other than to switch carriers to one that pays percentage, unless you get your own authority and have greater control over your future.

It seems that most people who own trucks don't understand how this industry works, especially when it comes to rates. When you refuse to haul a load for a cheap rate, the broker or shipper will go to the next truck. If all of them turn down the cheap rate the broker or shipper Will raise the rate until someone takes the load. When that happens, the rate is set. The broker or shipper will expect the next truck to take the load at that rate. If they don't then the rate will go up again. Each load is a negotiation. Only you who own the trucks can control the freight rates. It isn't the broker nor is it the shipper. It is the truck than controls freight rates. Just because a broker or shipper offers a cheap rate doesn't mean that you have to take it. If you expect to survive in this business you must make a profit. You won't do that if you haul cheap freight. Each owner controls the rate at which he will haul a load. You cannot blame the broker or shipper. Remember, they can't move their freight without the truck.

 

I love the higher fuel prices. I get a great fuel surcharge (if not I won't haul your freight). I get great fuel mileage and don't idle, so the higher they go, the more money I make.

 

I cleared more money (net) when fuel was $5/gallon than I did when fuel was at $2.50/gallon. When fuel or other operating costs go up you cannot continue hauling for the same rates. This industry seems to be alone in thinking that when costs go up that rates should remain flat. Every other industry will raise prices when costs go up. Shippers will raise their prices prior to paying higher freight charges. If you don't believe me then check prices at your grocery store when the next price hike hits.

 

By the way, how is the strike going? Did we win yet?

 

great post

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQFEY9RIRJA

 

until you go to the grocery store and buy inflated food prices.

 

if your rate goes up higher then the increased fuel price, you afford groceries and then some.

 

I guess we won...Oh boy ! Happy Days are here again !!

 

What about your family, do they get a fuel surcharge to make up the difference in food prices too?

What about the gas you and your family put in the tank of your personal vehicles, does the "surcharge" make up for those added expenses as well?

What about the little old lady that is barley getting by now, what will she do for food and heat when the shippers are forced to increase the rates to compensate for the greedy ### oil speculators and oil executives?

That is what's wrong with this country today, everyone worried about themselves and to hell with everyone else. The "as long as it don't effect me" attitude will soon come back to bite every last one of us in the ### very soon!