O/O Dry Van Empty Miles .... ?

For your rate conformation sheet questions the answer is usually. When you haul for brokers for the first time make sure this is stated in your conformation so there are no issues. Once you get to know the brokers your pulling for that stuff is just kinda assumed unless otherwise stated. Rates come up on here all the time. There is no one answer for that. If your running local rate per mile should be higher. Local rates vary from 2-6$ per mile. Once you know your bottom line you need to set a minimum rate so you don't get burned doesn't matter if it's local or distance. I always account for my dead head miles into my rate. Other guys do not, it's a personal preference. I just figure if the truck is running and moving it's costing money for that to happen.

 

why dont you rent a van for a few months to test the waters before you spend a ton on a trailer/industry you might not like.

Depends on the load board, but most rates dont include empty miles. (assuming you have your awn authority and arnt leased on) In most cases minimizing empty miles help you out.

As for lumpers, ask the broker before you pick it up. I tried to stay away from grocery stuff because it usually needed lumpers and they take forever to unload.

 

Here's how I define it. When I ask a broker what his rate is what he's telling me is based off nothing more than loaded miles. Therefore a rate is what it pays per loaded mile only, the gross all in revenue paid the carrier, empty miles do not apply.

What someone averages is a different animal. That includes every deadhead mile and also has any percentage taken off the top if they are leased, to get a true to the truck average. Anytime I toss around averages those are to the truck also including every empty mile driven and at my 89% a true spot on what the truck generated for me.

What I or anyone averages really has no bearing on I or anyone else's rates. Deadhead skews the average and can be all over the place. Not to mention us leased drivers getting a percentage of the rate.

If that is ever not clear then ask the poster.

 

No that's not anything to do with deadhead. I'm leased to F2F and they get a cut of every load. I get 89% of the gross rate and they get the other 11%. Load pays $1,000 my take is $890.

When I get back to work next week I'll post here again why trying to limit your deadhead is a very bad idea and will have you working at lower rates.

 

Some of those higher rates are flatbed rate. I think lumpers are more common to Reefer than dry van.

 

On dry van grocery loads always expect lumper costs. On mixed merchandise grocery loads expect to do a 10 reset at the dock. Well, almost...

Speaking of lumpers why does the Walmart DC in Cheyenne, WY charge a $50 lumper for drop loads?

Speaking more about lumpers the ONLY good thing about the FJ in Dallas is the no lumpers allowed sign.

I'm leased on to a company and with their loads I'm paid a slightly reduced rate for empty miles with no fuel surcharge rebate and a banded mileage rate plus FSC for loaded. On load board freight I'm paid lump sum for empty and loaded miles with FSC with lumper, multiple stop, detention, tolls etc paid as extras.
Frank

 

Almost any WM DC will charge an unload fee of $50. Live unload or drop someone still has to unload that trailer. I get these all the time and generally the shipper has prepaid so I just sign the WM receipt and turn it in with the trip paperwork. Easy enough.

 

You should always include deadhead miles when negotiating a rate, at least I do. And so the more deadhead miles the better, since then you are paid to haul air. Case in point last week I deadheaded out Minneapolis to Greenbay 300 miles to pick up a load going to Cincinnati all in rate was 2.35 a mile.
Where it gets tricky is if you try to bounce out of a bad area without a pre-booked load, you may end up having to eat that expense of deadhead.