Cheap Freight... What would you do?

Just lease them to the drivers

 

Like a few said before taking a load into a bad area add you deadhead rate into your rate for hauling it there its called planning. Just because toy see a 1000 mile run a $2.85 a mile you might want to rase it another $.50 to get out. If you put yourself in a area and have to take cheap freaght out to turn a profit you may need to sharpen you business skills

 

Can you elaborate how exactly this pay model works? And, what percentage (of what amount) is paid out to drivers?

 

I drive and paid percentage, 25% of the load rate. Straight up simple pay for performance.

 

Can you clarify few things:
1. You don't get paid for deadhead miles, correct?
2. How does it work when there is no load or the carrier is not finding enough load or "good" paying load for you?
3. Do you get paid for waiting while loading/unloading?
4. Are you expected to lift boxes while loading/unloading?
5. What say (if any) do you have when carrier finds a load for you? Do you help carrier select/find a load?

 

For my job it requires to be patient and to take time, permitted over-sized loads are dusk to dawn driving if loaded so the hours of service is less than a regular driver. Most times you are glad to get a day off setting for the next load, it is not a bad job and pay is far above the megga carriers.

 

Same for me, flat 25% of line haul.

Honestly, I think it all comes down to not hauling cheap freight. If a driver is paid on a percentage basis, then the driver will be likely to turn down that 550 mile load that pays $400 just as quickly as the owner will be. Who wants to burn 10 hours of drive time to make $100 before taxes?

 

@windsmith & aiwiron, thank you for your detailed answers. Given that you both are company drivers (correct me if I am wrong) I find it interesting that you know the haul rates. Did you have any instance where the haul rates were not disclosed to you by the carrier and you felt you were not getting paid correctly?
I believe getting a good driver and both driver and owner working as a partner could be the key to company's success.

 

WORK ON YOUR NEGOTIATING. I'm in Baltimore right now getting loaded to go to Detroit. was quoted $1-$1.10 a mile everywhere I called. 500 mile run, the offer was $500... I did all my figuring on what it will cost me to run it, decided what profit i wanted to make on it, told the broker I want $900 to run that load.

Broker: "I can do $650, thats the best I'm gonna be able to get you"

Me: "I need $900 so I can make some money"

Broker: "Hold on......... I can come up to $750"

Me: " $900"

Broker "where's my calculator.......... $832.50, and i'm all in"

Me: "$900"

Broker "$850 and its now costing me money"

Me: " i'll think about it.... i'm gonna go see what else i can get..."

Broker "F### man, fine, i'll give you $900.... you're a little #######"

Me: "ok thanks"

Broker "who's the driver on this load?"

Me: "Me"

Broker: "no wonder you're such a ballbuster"


Oh, and the broker in question is TQL... HAHAHA

 

I've talked to some of the newer drivers for the big ones and more than one has said they'd be lucky to get 350.00 a week on average.
My weeks done in hagerstown md. headed back to Al. empty not going to haul for dollar a mile.