Fuel surcharge

Typically in the spot market you will negotiate for the all-in rate. Some of the smarter brokers will send you rate confirmation that separates it out. I prefer brokers that don't do this.

Focus on what your cost per mile is and what you need per mile. FSC is meaningless until you are talking contracts.

 

Bill hit right on the nail.. Here's a little article that might benefit you when you play the loadboards:
http://tinyurl.com/6vjys9g

 

Nice article ...

Rick

 

That kinda blew up in their face. Spot market is 20-70% higher than contract freight for the first quarter and likely higher for second quarter.

But good report in general.

 

Yeah, I really never trust the numbers they or ITS show.. I kinda use them as a general figure. It's an interesting read, and probably is aimed at educating the less experienced in the game.. in a way

 

I have been trying to get access to the ITS Freight Index that is created by analysts/Phd's. What we see in ITS is raw data and all but worthless. ITS was smart and licensed its raw data to a group in exchange for having its name put on it. But they can't distribute it. Opps. But over all a good play considering this index uses less than 10% of ITS data.

But it would cost me over a couple grand a year for access to it so I just wait until it is released monthly in reports I get for free.

 

Why do you prefer brokers that don't seperate it out?

 

Because I can get them to go up on the rate when fuel is up. They don't adjust when it goes back down. Repeat when fuel rises again. We have an every other month or so load that I first ran for $625. We are at $745. And fuel on last load was below what it was when we first hauled it.