JB Hunt - Power Only program

The more I have been getting calls from companies that want me to come lease on to them but they can't tell me how it is better. They run down what they will give me but I still come out making $1000 better a week with less miles being independent.

I say that because I understand that many drivers leased onto a carrier can't afford to get a trailer and do all the other things needed to be independent. But this program seems like a good stepping stone.

 

Hey JD....
Are you signed up with these guys? Haven't seen you post here in quite some time... How's it going?

 

well i guess no news cant be bad news, or not?

 

I rarely see loads paying $2 a mile. We use Landstarbroker, Internet truckstop and ch robinson. Are we missing something?

 

Perhaps it is where you run or type of freight you haul. I have had a number of offers at $3/mile and more the last few weeks. I have also seen rates around $1.60/mile in the same area.

Those who have the higher paying rates will not usually post them on a loadboard, even their own. They will start with carriers whom they have previously done business and know they can do a good job. If they can't find a carrier whom they know, they may look for others who have trucks in the area before posting on a loadboard. Most of the time they will find a carrier they know and won't need to post the load. If they posted a high paying rate they would be bombarded with calls. Brokers will not usually put a high paying load on someone they are not familiar.

If you want the better paying loads, then you need to spend some time cultivating contacts.

 

Its because you keep hauling for less Once you haul cheap they have you in their system as a cheap hauler and will never offer you more because they know you will do it cheap. set you rates at $2 and accept nothing less I post my truck on ITS at no less than $2 per mile and no more than 40K lbs and get calls all day

 

angela39,
It depends on the run totally. Use Fuelstop Plus on Internet Truckstop, or some service like that where you put in the exact town or zip code. This can give you somewhat of an idea of what is going on, or at least in the vast differences in rates depending on the run. I don't know why these guys are throwing out numbers without mentioning that things are different totally depending on where you are running from and to. I noticed you are from Las Vegas, NV. That is a ###### area for rates.

 

Area my ###(also know as butt) Big companies dont look at the area freight is going to or coming from when paying brokers/agents. Its the brokers they know if its only 20 loads coming out an area and 200 trucks in that area that there will be 20 dummies that will haul it cheap. This is the reason I mainly stay within about a 6-700 mile radius of home it I cant find freight paying enough I can drag my empty ### trailer home #### hauling cheap freight I put 1332 miles on my truck this pass week I invoiced $2900 I brought 200 gallons of fuel # $3.79 Yep a little small truck stop in Marion SC I left home tuesday morning back home wednesday night got up and thursday morning went 28 miles to deliver and back home Some drivers like working harder Some just like working smarter

 

Another thing sometimes you have to shop for freight Its like the load I came back home with I called one broker that only wanted to pay $775 for 492 miles I told him I can haul that cheap noticed another listing picking up and delivering in the same cities called it got $1100 when I got my rate sheet I noticed it was sent from the same place I was picking up at

 

Yesterday, I had a load booked for a good rate and a few minutes later I received a call and the shipper found someone who took the load for $1,000 than what I had agreed. I got a good rate because it was going to a typically bad area and on a holiday weekend. I suppose someone wanted to get home. There is an abundance of freight right now. Rates are up. There is NO reason to take a load for a cheap rate. Rates will rise or fall based upon demand. I have NEVER taken a load for a cheap rate to get home. If I need to get home and can't find a load with a decent rate then I put it in the wind. I once deadheaded 2,289 miles (California to Tennessee) because I refused to haul for $0.90/mile and had to be home by a certain date to take care of some personal business. If I had time to wait another day I could probably gotten something better, but my schedule was too tight to take a chance on not making my meeting at home.

If you don't demand a good rate, you will not find the better rates. Brokers do know what it will take for you to take a load. While I still get an occasional offer for a cheap rate, most don't bother calling me anymore unless they have a decent rate. They know I won't haul them. I have a broker whom I have done business for many years who will call about loads. He will go through his list and even tell me that I won't haul some of them due to the rate. He tells me that I won't haul them. Someone will haul those cheap loads, but it won't go on my truck. If you are not getting decent rates then it is your own fault. You need to decide what you are worth and not deviate from it. If you are getting less than $2/mile then you need to rethink your decision to be in this business. I am sorry to sound harsh, but when you haul for a cheap rate then it makes it more difficult for the rest of us to get decent rates. That is the only reason most rates are cheap coming out of Florida, Northeast and California.