Proper Rate for Out of Route Stopoff

Welcome to TTR Swayze!
Where did you get $1.50 and $1.75 per mile?

This is Swayze's first post ever, and it's posted in the "Ask An Owner Operator" section.
Owner operators usually read, lurk, post and generally are experienced enough to know how to calculate some kind of rate.
I'd guess Swayze is a direct shipper, and a new one at that, not an o/o.

What is the product being shipped? How heavy is each pallet? Liquid, temp controlled, hazmat?

 

Keep it simple...... Total miles - how much money does it take? You want to break out fuel surcharge or extra stop pay that is fine, but how much gross revenue do you need for that particular load to be worth it to you? Don't over think it...

Factors to consider when looking at the load. What kind of rate put you on top of that load? Good? Very good? Marginal? Bad? What are going rates on loads like it from the same area? Do you need that load for some reason to be in New Orleans? Or does that broker need you to cover that load? Is he low ball or marginally OK on his initial offer (very rarely will it ever be anything more than marginal even in a hot market they will play the low ball game just to see). Knowing how much it cost you to roll is important but not on a load to load basis. You don't win or lose on any one load.

Lots of things to think about and consider when figuring a rate. The quicker you can do it the better. Gets easier with practice.

Average rates on lanes from DAT or other sources is always suspect don't take that info for the gospel truth "this is what this lane must be"..... in the moment depending on needs in some lanes it might be close. On others it might swing wildly a $1, $2 a mile or much more one way or the other from season to season. Maybe even in the same week or day... just depends on the individual needs on the spot for any given load.

 

I have never understood average rates or how they are derived but who the heck wants to be average anyway