Loads Lately?

Landstar freight has been pretty soft lately. I'm just outside Chicago and pull flatbed and loads over $2.50 a mile are few now. Last month, there was plenty tho. hopefully August will be better.

 

Some of my drivers that have been focused on auto industry saw a dip in mid-July but that is back. But over all with dry van it has stayed solid. There are so many factors when it comes to what rates you get. Most O/O have no plan for building relationships beyond being reliable. I told one of my O/O's today. Having a 100% on-time record and expecting that to be all you do is like saying I went to school everyday so I should get an "A".

When markets soften you had better been implementing a good plan to build relationships when the market was strong.

 

That dont look like very many miles to me. Maybe its just me. I cant stand sitting that much, let alone for only 2.25 p/m.

 

If that's $2.25 a mile including deadhead that's good in my book at 1,800 to 2,300 miles a week. Sitting and waiting is a fact of life in trucking but it would suck to be killing 4-6 hours on every single dock bumped.


As far as "on time 100%" being all one has to do and then they can kick back. Much to my frustration when I first started hauling loadboard freight I realized that wasn't the case. There's lots of guys out there who do that even though there are many more who aren't reliable. there's really nothing special about it. There are small things one can do that almost make them seem indespensible that most of the guys with 100% on time delivery never give a thought to.


What solutions to common problems brokers-customers see from day to day dealings with drivers and companies do you bring to the table? What makes you different and stand out above the crowd? I know what has helped me develop consistent contacts many of them call me first when they need a truck, and it's not because I run cheap either. First you have to find the good freight. Then you have to take care of business better than anyone else.


That's why I say guys that get all worked up constantly on the numbers always thinking "I need x amount per mile and this many miles per week" are missing something. The same as ones complaining forever about cheap rates. It's important to know what you need but just like driving is a very small part of being an owner operator, those numbers are only a small piece of the puzzle too.

 

Stories? I know of 8 other drivers that have also pulled those taters out of the Carolinas 628 miles for $2100, u do the math. The 8 are from Greatwide here in Columbus, OH and a few of the LS drivers that we used here at Kroger in Delaware, OH. U really cant expect others to do the footwork for u. If we did, then everyone wants u to do the work for them and u have nothing for yourself. THAT is the reason no one tells u where and with whome the good freight is at. I was just trying to be kind and help point someone in the right direction. I dont go there myself cause Im happy with my Kroger freight that puts me home everyday and varies from 2.00-2.50 p/m. Over 2.00 p/m is always good compared to the ripoffs that r out there...BUT to each-their-own.