Flatbed Rates

No, the Mega Carriers are not hauling cheap freight. They have greater overhead then any of us little guys, the Mega-Carriers are some of the only ones that are paying us well right now. A lot of shippers have locked into capacity contracts while they felt like they could still get a good deal before the next boom cycle happens again. We are in a bad market over all and you must be wise and picky to survive the ride. This is the reason the small independents need to band together and become a larger entity so they to can offer the capacity contract ability while still maintaining their independence. This is what we are trying to do in the bulk community right now with a bad harvest, we little guys are starting to work with one another and are starting to share work so that we can survive.

 

Still learning here but I'm an IC working off Schneider load board.
Have noticed spot market loads have really crashed both on rates and in numbers of loads.
I've been running more contract consistent freight lately.
For what it's worth I have a friend at Landstar.. we use to run at similar numbers but he's barely making it now. Said all cheap rates by brokers these days and people are hauling it and there's simply less freight.
I do think if company drivers would stop driving for cheap it would help overall though.
Company drivers still driving for nothing.. I don't get that just like I don't get these O/Os driving for peanuts.
No matter if it's reefer, flatbed, van.. everybody seems to be having a tough time lately.

 

I stopped hauling landstar loads. Landstar has started to take brokered loads for their own trucks, then turn around and try to move these loads for peanuts through outside carriers. They figure it's making them more money, but worst comes to worst one of their drivers will take it. This has always been going on with landstar but in last few months I noticed it's been a lot so I stopped dealing with them for the fairness to their owner operators and also my self. Schneider only calls in case they have a emergency load and need a truck asap. Landstar just books loads for their guys but gives it on loadboards for peanuts to cheap haulers. It's "legal" since they have some co broker agreement ######## everyone has to sign.

 

Yeah I've been hearing Landstarve has been getting more and more shady and cheap like that.
Shame!

 

I do hazmat. I hauled a lot of their loads in the past and rates were fantastic. Out of nowhere they're horrible. Since its hazmat it's easy for me to find original brokers. I caught it many times. Difference between landstar pay and the original pay was between $500-$2000 dollars. However if it's a good agent that has his own customer they pay great rates. Typical landstar broker now a days finds loads on loadboards, takes a cut, reposts it. If no one picks it up a landstarve owner operator jumps on it. Agent still makes money, load gets moved. Everyone's happy.

 

Company drivers get paid what they are worth. LS sucks I know I used to be there, and if your spot market rates are falling on the Schneider Choice load board ( I am assuming you are leased on to them using the term IC). I am not an Owner Operator that name has been polluted down through the years. I am a Motor Carrier that believes that our trucks are worth more then most of the other guys because they cry and whine about where the load is going and how hard the docks are to get into. We just charge more to go to the poop holes so we can afford to bounce out, sometimes that may mean bouncing all the way back to the house. Here is an example: Kansas City to Bordentown, NJ 1200 miles $4500.00. cost to bounce back to KC $580.00, but if we hauled 45K back to KC for $1200.00 it will cost us $710.00. Heck we can bounce back to Effingham and pick up freight all day long there coming back to KC for $850.00 for 350 miles. Do you see what I mean, don't have to put up with the crappy attitudes in Jersey except for one time vs two. We used to make more money for this run but alas with the blood running in the streets we too had to take a pay cut on our Jersey run (used to pay $5500.00)

 

There isn't nothing wrong with freight shakers. By God I have century and it is ugly but it has a darn good engine.

 

I've been trying to get $2.5 a mile to east coast from chicago for two days now.

 

We're going into a recession?