Midwest rates

Being the stuck up @rick I am, I will not share common rates of late. However, I will tell you that good rates can be found in nearly every area of the country if you do these things:

-act like a professional(even when you really have no desire to)
-develop relationships with brokers or shippers, whichever floats your boat
-do exactly what you say you will do(every time)

Were I not so technologically inept, I'd put these three things in bold.

I'd like to tell you that its way more complex than that, however, I don't believe that it is.

As an aside, I was a firm believer in hauling produce. West coast back to my home turf. I don't do much of that anymore unless it's a series of short runs to get to the produce areas. I also work about half the month, maybe a little more in winter, definately less in summer. I hope to run fewer miles this year than last. Hope to do the same the following year. Who knows?

Jay

 

my past 2 short loads......

$14OO romeoville IL to lexington KY

$11xx romeoville to louisville

 

As far as rates go, we're in the slow season now, so most rates drop down.. which is normal. In a way it balances the market after the high peak in rates we had during the holiday season..

 

average load board load. chicago to indy. You might get 600-650. Coming back your between 350 and 475. Its not that great. thats all for one pick one drop freight. I do a lot of Indiana to chicago. i don't argue much about the rates as I made my money going out. So thats just a bonus. If it fits my schedule and its same day delivery. Hell. Throw it on.

 

I'm delivering Waupaca, WI Monday and have a load booked from there to Bowling Green, KY @ $2.05/mile. It's a little longer run @ 624 miles. my plan A is to stay in IL, IN, OH, KY, TN, southeast WI, and south MI for the next couple weeks, so I may be able to give you more feedback after that. I think it would be tough to average $2.40 all miles and run 2000+ miles/week both right now just running off of load boards. I'll be pretty tickled if I can stay above $2.10 the next couple weeks. But it may wind up being a few short runs for more $$/mile or something pops up paying my price to go to TX, CO, FL or such in which case plan A is out the window.

 

you will have weeks you get hot. you can't go wrong and the rates just come to you.

There are times you will go "WTF am I doing so wrong?" You can't make ANYTHING work.

http://fleetowner.com/chilly-freight-forecast

Don't expect to make much over the industry averages if you run off the load boards.

I am started to get regular brokers to call me. It's taken 6 months of working with a lot of different people to get repeat calls. Some call me with regular decent rates. Others I only hear from when the load is "hot".

Just remember that at any given time, you have little control what really is going to go on that truck and for what rate. You can be running hot on the spot market and suddenly it goes to NOTHING.

At that time, it's most important to be flexible in what you are doing to change things up a bit. It may mean going to a market you think you have no business going to. Just prepare to do what you might not think is wise. Risky? A little bit. But so is doing nothing.

 

It takes time to learn a few places and make the right connections. Frustration seems neverending starting out. Rather that take others word for it "can it be done" go in with the mindset "I am going to do this" don't be limited by prevailing attitudes. Mid west is not Florida, there is a lot of opportunity in the Midwest. Prevailing attitudes say dry van is cheap you can never make good money with one, load board freight is scraps none of it pays... It's not easy but I know if I busted those myths in my operation others have as well.. There are some principles you must live and die by though in order to realize it.. I preach these things endlessly in here.. You ought to be able to do very well if you set yourself up for success and focus on limited areas like a hawk...