Ridiculous rates

You'd be an idiot to run like that as an O/O. Run the crap out of yourself and your equipment. Burn through fuel/tires to make a small percentage of profit at the end of the month. Any O/O that looks to run "miles" like a company driver needs to stick to being a company driver. They're the ones who think as long as their tires are moving they're making money. They probably are making money, pennies ARE technically money.

No thanks, I'll haul 2-3 good paying loads a week vs 10 crap loads.

 

You have anything in your bag of tricks related like this ag commodities report but on manufacturing instead?

http://www.marketnews.usda.gov/portal/fv

 

I agree on 100% on the lower miles and better paying loads. This is our model and all my drivers that follow this are tracking $100k net a year.

But you are off a little on the details of what an O/O can do to run the mega's model. To do this you need solid outbound contract freight that gives you 1,200 plus miles, good load/unload and you grab ANYTHING that gets you back ASAP to get another contract load. I have a 3200 mile a week loop that can average $1.80 to the truck. That's $80k+ a year income. Better than most of the people screaming "No Cheap Freight". But the catch is the return loop is below $1.40/mile loaded and some DH.

Not the model I want to operate under BUT a valid one that can be profitable. But what good is 2700-3200 mile a week and having no life when with some business planning and education you can do the same or better on 2,200 miles?

 

Not as condensed as what they publish. And what is available does not provide as reliable rates. Best source in this business is the small associations and making contacts with analysts. Relationships built within small groups allows you to pick-up the phone and get a straight scoop on what is being bid on certain markets. By offering to be a source for analysts you can get VERY expensive reports for free.

 

I don't think I could run 2000 plus miles a week any more every week let alone 3200 LOL I usually do about 1800 week, I think I'm getting lazy or something I did about 1200 this week.

 

I think we did maybe 3000 miles this month!

 

I doubt that plus you don't know from where to where, plus when he comes back he is still in a dead freight area. Don't forget about parking that truck somewhere that you might feel some what safe leaving it. I know I sure wouldn't do that I would drive 1600 miles on my dime any day.

 

I would never leave my truck and trailer behind like that. Unless there was a life or death emergency at home. I was in Seattle at the time and there is no good freight up there. I will eat the cost of the fuel to go back east before I put some cheap load on my truck just to pay for fuel. I went out there with a good rate, knowing darn well that I was more than likely going to go back empty. And I typically will not wait to see if something decent pops up on the board after I get empty. If something hasn't come up by the time I get there then I start heading to were there is freight.

 

How about this one Schneider / Paul just called me on my truck posted near Dayton OH and he offer a load 95 miles away to go to 158 miles and offered at $400 . You tell me if these brokers are working with some kind of undercover agents who are telling them that we can terrorise these carriers who have not moved for a week because of Phone redirecting problems and not reaching actual guy who is really posting the loads again and again and when called the phone answerer says it has been booked, but same load keeps posting with more price to the next day. It does not make any sense that a broker who knows all the expense and requirements which go along with transportation will offer you the load at this rate. If you pickup a load for $400 for the day, here are the break down;

1, 255 miles @ $.70 / mile for fuel = $178
2, Daily registeratin and insurance, etc = $70
3, Driver needs $.45/mile = $114
____________________________________
Total cost to the carrier = $ 362.75

My question is it really Schneider calling to offer an all day job with $38 profit to the company??? What kind of business people are working over there???