Your Opinion on Rates

LS,

Depending on the weight, and keep in mind, my guy runs a reefer, his minimum is $800 for the day, so on your minimum for 250 miles or less, we need to get $800 or better,

As far as NorCal to the NW, I have seen loads offered for anywhere from $1000 to $2000, in that range, mainly reefer loads,

 

Seriously, I generally will not turn the key for less than a thousand dollar bill, no matter how short the mileage. That includes the fsc. With that short mileage, it is no longer a matter of a mileage charge, but a charge for my time. As to Canada, I have no idea what flys up there, it's out of my area.

 

It all depends on the customer and the area, but as you know, that $1000 gross translates into about $750 to me and I can find it, if need be. I realize this is a flat, not a van, but there is a load tomorrow morning from NYC to the Camden, NJ area paying $1200 for 80 miles ($15 per mile), legal load, under 38,000 pounds, no tarp, load at 0700, deliver at noon. Sometimes the market is funny. But, you know the old saying, it's easier to bid high then lower it, than to bid low and then try to raise it.
Sorry I can't help you more than that, but that is my 2 cents, adjusted for inflation.

 

I really don't do much less than 200 simply because I can't, like they said, get the rate I want. I do a load for 260mi that pays $1000-$1100 with a reefer (afternoon pick, morning delivery). That's about the lowest I go. Sometimes I'll take a shorty for $600-$700 if it's easy-on-easy-off same day dry load. But, those are few and far between.

 

If I was going to take on a customer like that I would let them know time is money and price it as
Line haul + fuel + wait time over #of hours on each end if it's a fast move than truckers can back off on there rate but if a driver pulls in at 7am takes till 10:00 to load than drive 250 miles at five hours it does not give them much time to unload so that took that truck all day for that one load

Your going to have to be around $750 to the truck for guys to do it and that's the low side

 

Doing a 251 mile load right now it's a steady load 2 to 4 times a week depending. It's on the low end of what I will haul for paying $800 gross and comes from a "cheaper" contact. Load has 8-9 hours in it from start to finish on a round trip. If it was an inside LS load and I were a BCO I suspect it would pay about $1,000 gross to be the same rate I get to the truck now. Of course this on a lane near none of your areas but it wouldn't make any difference cause that's about as low as my van will roll on 250 miles anywhere I go. If a particular market won't support that I just don't go there.

 

Unfortunatley you are looking to get lanes that are already out there and usually are a PITA to get covered. Not many want to run the lanes you listed with the exception for maybe the intra-state stuff PA/MD/CA if it paid a very good rate.

From my experience, CA loads that head back east are much easier to get covered. Along with loads from FL going north, TX going north and east coast going to midwest.

i know this really doesn't help you, but with 80k loads a year, I'm sure they have some lanes that would be easier for you to cover and help drivers out.

 

I'd echo what SlyFox says with respect to PA/MD short intrastate van or reefer lanes. They can make an ok $750-800 "snack" provided there's no delay. Keep in mind that those states tend to enforce intrastate carrier authority more than others, and theirs is more trouble to obtain for out-of-state carriers. I looked into PA once and the application has to be on paper by mail followed by up to 90 day processing. Seems like there was more cost too, can't remember if it was on the authority or a foreign corp filing. After the 90 day thing I wrote it off as too much hassle. So beware of carriers booking those without having intrastate authority, and expect to pay a little premium for those that do.